Sandoval v. Simmons

622 F. Supp. 1174
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. Illinois
DecidedJanuary 30, 1986
Docket83-1223
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 622 F. Supp. 1174 (Sandoval v. Simmons) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sandoval v. Simmons, 622 F. Supp. 1174 (C.D. Ill. 1986).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

MIHM, District Judge.

This action was previously consolidated with Jefferson Trust and Savings Bank of Peoria v. Simmons, et al (83-1101) and Donovan v. Simmons, et al (83-1115). Stipulated settlement agreements were entered into in both of those actions and were approved by the Court.

The Court granted Plaintiffs’ motion for separate trials on the issues of liability and appropriate relief. The issues of liability were tried before the Court on February 11-15, 1985. During the trial of this case, the Court granted Motions for Judgment of Dismissal pursuant to Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure on the claims brought pursuant to sections 404(a)(1)(C) and 405(c) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), 29 U.S.C. §§ 1104(a)(1)(C) and 1105(c). As to the remainder of the claims, the Court declined to render judgment until the close of all the evidence.

*1182 The Court makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law.

FINDINGS OF FACT

The Parties, the Principals, and the Trusts

1. Plaintiffs' are six former or current employees of the National Lock Division (“National Lock”) of Keystone Consolidated Industries, Inc. (“Keystone” or “KCÍ”). When used in this document, “KCI,” “Keystone,” and “Keystone Consolidated Industries,” are all abbreviations for Keystone Consolidated Industries, Inc.

2. Each Plaintiff is a participant in the National Lock Division Pension Plan for Hourly Employees (“Pension Plan”), which has been maintained by Keystone during the period relevant to these proceedings.

3. Harold Simmons joined the Keystone Consolidated Industries, Inc. board of directors in February, 1982.

4. In 1964 Harold Simmons formed a trust for the benefit of his children and grandchildren (“the Simmons Trust”). Harold Simmons is the sole trustee of the Simmons Trust.

5. Since 1982, the only substantial asset of the Simmons Trust is approximately 99% of the stock of Contran Corporation (“Contran”).

6. At all times relevant herein, Contran maintained two employee pension benefit plans: the Retirement Trust for Employees of Contran Corporation and the Profit Sharing Trust for Employees of Contran Corporation (“the Contran Trusts”).

7. An original Schedule 13D concerning the stock of National City Lines, Inc. (“National”), signed by Harold Simmons and Michael Snetzer, was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on April 7,1980 on behalf of NOA, Inc., Valhi, Inc., Contran, Flight Proficiency and Harold Simmons.

8. On April 10, 1980, Harold Simmons and Glenn Simmons, Harold Simmons’ brother, met with representatives of National to discuss the possibility of Harold Simmons’ nomination to the Boards of Directors of National and T.I.M.E.-DC (“TIME-DC”), which was then a subsidiary of National. In May 1980, Harold Simmons became a director of both National and TIME-DC. Within seven months, Glenn Simmons and Michael Snetzer also became directors.

9. Throughout 1980, certain subsidiaries of Contran obtained approximately 91% of the outstanding common stock of National through open market purchases and through tender offer. By the end of 1980, Harold Simmons was elected to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of National and Chairman of the Boards of TIME-DC and National.

10. In December 1980, Harold Simmons was elected a director and Chairman of the Board of NLI Corp. (“NLI”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of TIME-DC; Glenn Simmons was elected a director and President of NLI; and Michael Snetzer was elected a director, Vice President and Treasurer of NLI.

11. On March 16, 1981, at a special meeting of the Executive Committee of the TIME-DC Board of Directors, attended only by Harold Simmons, Glenn Simmons and Hugh C. Shurtleff, the Committee accepted the resignation of the TIME-DC Retirement Committee and the Trustees of the TIME-DC Pension Trust (“TIME-DC Trust”) and appointed Harold Simmons, Glenn Simmons and Michael Snetzer to the resulting vacancies.

12. On May 5, 1981, National purchased all of the issued and outstanding stock of Gibson Products of Shreveport, Inc. (“Gibson”). On the same day, Gibson combined its two employee benefit plans, thereby forming the Profit Sharing Plan and Trust for Employees of Gibson Products of Shreveport, Inc. (“Gibson Trust”). Harold Simmons, Glenn Simmons and A1 Knutson were appointed to administer the Gibson Trust.

13. On September 8, 1981, National announced its intention to make a tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of *1183 LLC Corporation (“LLC”). It also filed suit against LLC in that regard.

14. On September 14, 1981, National made a cash offer to purchase any and all outstanding shares of LLC’s common stock.

15. On October 30,1981, an LLC subsidiary filed a petition for injunctive relief against National, Contran, Harold Simmons, Michael Snetzer and Glenn Simmons, regarding National’s tender offer.

16. On November 10, 1981, National, Harold Simmons and other individuals announced that they were soliciting proxies for a slate of directors in opposition to the nominees of LLC’s Board of Directors for an election to be held November 17, 1981.

17. On November 16, 1981, LLC filed suit against National, Harold Simmons and Contran, seeking to. enjoin them from voting any proxies received by them in their proxy contest.

18. By November 17, 1981, Harold Simmons and persons associated with him held six seats on LLC’s 15-member Board of Directors.

19. By November 23, 1981, Contran was the beneficial owner of approximately 43% of LLC’s outstanding shares of common stock.

20. In October 1982, Michael Snetzer became Chairman of the Board of LLC. Effective January 18, 1983, Harold Simmons replaced him. Snetzer remained as a director.

21. Since at least September 1981, Harold Simmons has been the sole trustee of the Simmons Trust; a director and the President of Contran; Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board and a director of National; director of TIME-DC; a Trustee of the Contran Trusts; the President and director of NOA, a subsidiary of Contran; a Trustee of the TIME-DC Trust; and a Trustee (until March 24, 1984) of the Gibson Trust.

22. At all relevant times herein, Harold Simmons has frequently engaged in a practice of seeking to take control of companies through stock purchases or other means. Harold Simmons involves himself, his companies and trusts over which he exercises investment authority in corporate control contests.

23. Glenn Simmons is the brother of Harold Simmons.

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Bluebook (online)
622 F. Supp. 1174, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sandoval-v-simmons-ilcd-1986.