In re Data System, Inc.

561 B.R. 838
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Oregon
DecidedDecember 6, 2016
DocketBankruptcy Case No. 16-30477-rId11
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 561 B.R. 838 (In re Data System, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Data System, Inc., 561 B.R. 838 (Or. 2016).

Opinion

AMENDED

MEMORANDUM OPINION

RANDALL L. DUNN, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge

On November 22, 2016,1 held the confirmation hearing (“Confirmation Hearing”) with respect to the First Amended Plan of Reorganization (Docket No. 155) (“Plan”) proposed by the duly appointed chapter 111 trustee Amy Mitchell (“Trustee”) for the debtor-in-possession' Data Systems, Inc. (“DSI”). At the Hearing, I heard the testimony of Richard Kreitzberg (“Mr. Kreitzberg”), the Trustee, and special counsel Robert J. McGaughey (“Special Counsel”) in support of confirmation of the Plan and the testimony of William F. Holdner (“Mr. Holdner”) in opposition to confirmation. In addition, I heard argument from the Trustee’s counsel, counsel for the United States Trustee, and Mr. Holdner.

In deciding the confirmation issues raised in this case, I have considered carefully the testimony presented at the Confirmation Hearing, the admitted exhibits (Trustee’s Exhibit 1 with Exhibits A through E attached; and Mr. Holdner’s Exhibits A and B), and the arguments presented at the Hearing. I also have taken judicial notice of the docket and documents filed in DSI’s main chapter 11 case, Case No. 16-30477-rldll, for the purpose of confirming and ascertaining facts not reasonably in dispute. Federal Rule of Evidence 201; In re Butts, 350 B.R. 12,14 n.l (Bankr. E.D. Pa. 2006). In addition, I have reviewed relevant legal authorities, both as cited to me by the parties and discovered through my own research.

In light of that consideration and review, this Memorandum Opinion sets forth the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law under Civil Rule 52(a), applicable in this contested matter under Rules 7052 and 9014. I will enter an order confirming the Plan for the following reasons.

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND2

1) DSI early history, operations and assets

DSI was formed as an Oregon corporation, and for a number of years, it operated to provide computer and related services to businesses. DSI stock previously was publicly traded on the NASDAQ, and it has approximately 300 shareholders. However, it ultimately was delisted, and the company went private. Mr. Holdner and Jane Baum (“Ms. Baum”) served as DSI’s directors and as its president and secretary, respectively. Mr. Holdner has held these positions for over 50 years, and Ms. Baum, for over 20 years. DSI has operated since 1993 with less than the [840]*840minimum four directors required by its bylaws, and, for many years, no shareholders meetings were noticed or held. Of the approximately 599,900 outstanding shares of DSI common stock, Ms. Baum holds 149,-362 shares (approximately 24%); Mr. Holdner holds 135,100 shares (approximately 22%); and Mr. Kreitzberg holds 238,555 shares (approximately 39%). The balance of approximately 15% of DSI’s outstanding stock is held in small lots by the remaining several hundred shareholders. There is no public market for DSI common stock.

In 1973, DSI built a two-story office complex on Sandy Boulevard in Portland (“Main Office”). DSI used the Main Office to store, manage and operate very large mainframe computers and maintained additional space for expansion. However, in 1993, IBM stopped supporting and servicing mainframe computers like the ones owned and operated by DSI. Consequently, according to Mr. Holdner, he and DSI recognized that DSI would need to change its focus in order to survive. Under the direction of Mr. Holdner and Ms. Baum, DSI was repurposed to become a property management company, relying on increasing value of its real estate and its potential for regular income through commercial leasing.

DSI’s commercial tenants include Mr. Holdner and Ms. Baum’s accounting firm (“Accounting Firm”), which occupies 2,400 square feet in the Main Office, half of which is devoted to storage for DSI rent-free, with the other half rented to the Accounting Firm at the same rent charged' since 1986. DSI collects some rents from other month-to-month tenants, but much of the Main Office is unoccupied. Based on her business judgment in light of the potential costs and disputes involved, the Trustee has not increased the Accounting Firm’s rent to reflect a market rate or taken other steps to address the Accounting Firm’s lease pending this court’s consideration of confirmation of the Plan.

DSI’s value is in its real estate holdings, including the Main Office and five smaller properties, which all are located within two blocks of the Main Office property. In its schedules, DSI valued all of its real estate holdings at a total of $7,500,000, with $5,000,000 value allocated to the Main Office. See Docket No. 59. Liens totaling only approximately $270,000 encumber DSPs real property assets. See id.

2) Prepetition litigation

In March 2015, after learning that Mr. Holdner had signed a purchase and sale agreement for the Main Office property, the proceeds of which Mr. Holdner intended to distribute as dividends, Mr. Kreitz-berg filed a derivative lawsuit on behalf of DSI in Multnomah County Circuit Court, case no. 15CV07240 (“State Court Litigation”). In the State Court Litigation,. Mr. Kreitzberg alleged that Mr. Holdner did not have shareholder authorization to sell substantially all of DSI’s assets or to liquidate DSI. He also alleged that Mr. Hold-ner and Ms. Baum had breached their fiduciary duties to DSI, had engaged in self-dealing, and had mismanaged DSI through conflict of interest transactions. Through the State Court Litigation, Mr. Kreitzberg sought to remove Mr. Holdner and Ms. Baum as DSI directors and requested damages. The court in the State Court Litigation entered a preliminary injunction preventing Mr. Holdner and Ms. Baum from selling any property of DSI without first taking certain required actions. On the eve of a hearing before the state court to deliver its decision on Mr. Kreitzberg’s request for further injunctive relief, DSI filed its chapter 11 petition, effectively staying the State Court Litiga[841]*841tion. The stay of § 362(a) remains in place as to the State Court Litigation.

Meanwhile, in January 2016, DSI, at the direction of Mr. Holdner, filed a lawsuit against Mr. Kreitzberg and his affiliate, RAK Investments, LLC, in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, case no. 16-ev-00110-SI (“District Court Litigation”). In the District Court Litigation, DSI, through Mr. Holdner, alleged that Mr. Kreitzberg wrongfully and fraudulently attempted to gain control over DSI by making a tender offer to purchase shares of DSI’s common stock for $7.00 per share. DSI’s prayer for relief in the District Court Litigation does not include a claim for damages. See Exhibit 1, Exhibit C attached. I denied without prejudice Mr. Kreitzberg’s motion for relief from stay to allow the District Court Litigation to proceed by order entered on April 25, 2016 (Docket No. 76), and no subsequent order has been entered to allow the District Court Litigation to move forward.

At the time of DSI’s bankruptcy filing, it had cash and deposits totaling $4,043.32, an amount clearly inadequate to fund defense of the State Court Litigation or prosecution of the District Court Litigation.

3) DSI’s bankruptcy filing and relevant postpetition events

DSI filed its petition for protection under chapter 11 on February 11, 2016. See Docket No. 1. Shortly thereafter, Mr.

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561 B.R. 838, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-data-system-inc-orb-2016.