Filing Details

 

With regard to Groveland Capital LLC (“Groveland Capital”) and Nicholas J. Swenson (collectively, the “Groveland Group”), this Schedule 13D relates to Common Stock of the Issuer held by the Groveland Group. Groveland Capital may direct the vote and disposition of the 422,000 shares of Common Stock.  Previously, the Groveland Hedged Credit Fund LLC held the shares of Common Stock, but was dissolved, and no longer holds any shares of Common Stock.  Mr. Swenson is the Managing Member of Groveland Capital and may direct Groveland Capital as to the vote and disposition of the 422,000 shares of Common Stock.  The Groveland Group expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of securities held by Air T. The securities reported herein as being beneficially owned by the Groveland Group do not include any securities held by Air T.

Item 2.

Identity and Background.

The parties identified in the list below constitute the “Groveland Group”:

·

Groveland Capital LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

·

Nicholas J. Swenson as the Managing Member of Groveland Capital LLC.

 

This statement is filed by Mr. Swenson, with respect to the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by him, as follows: shares of Common Stock held in the name of Groveland Capital in Mr. Swenson’s capacity as Managing Member of Groveland Capital.

(b) – (c)  The principal business address of each of Groveland Capital and Mr. Swenson is 5000 West 36^th Street, Suite 130, Minneapolis, MN 55416.  Groveland Capital is engaged in various interests, including investments. The principal employment of Mr. Swenson is (1) private investor and (2) serving as the sole Managing Member of AO Partners and Groveland Capital.

The principal business address of Air T is 5930 Balsom Ridge Road, Denver, North Carolina 28037. Air T was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in 1980 and operates wholly owned subsidiaries in three industry segments: (1) the overnight air cargo segment, comprised of its Mountain Air Cargo, Inc. and CSA Air, Inc. subsidiaries, operates in the air express delivery services industry; (2) the ground equipment sales segment, comprised of its Global Ground Support, LLC subsidiary, manufactures and provides mobile deicers and other specialized equipment products to passenger and cargo airlines, airports, the military and industrial customers; and (3) the ground support services segment, comprised of its Global Aviation Services, LLC subsidiary, provides ground support equipment maintenance and facilities maintenance services to domestic airlines and aviation service providers.  Information regarding Air T’s current executive officers and directors is attached as Exhibit 2 to the initial Schedule 13D, as filed on August 18, 2014.

Item 3.

Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.

The Common Stock was acquired in open market purchases with the working capital of Air T or the Groveland Group, as applicable. The aggregate amount of funds expended, excluding commissions, to acquire shares held by Air T and the Groveland Group is approximately $6,460,590.

Item 4.

Purpose of Transaction.

The Reporting Persons purchased the Common Stock for investment purposes. The intent of beneficial ownership of the Reporting Persons is to influence the policies of the Issuer and assert shareholder rights, with a goal of maximizing the value of the Common Stock.

Set forth below are historical interactions with the Issuer:

·

On February 16, 2017, Mr. Swenson sent a letter to the Issuer.  The full text of the letter is attached as Exhibit 6 to Amendment No. 6 to the Schedule 13D, as filed on February 16, 2017.

 

·

On August 4, 2016, Mr. Swenson sent a letter to the Issuer.  The full text of the letter is attached as Exhibit 5 to Amendment No. 5 to the Schedule 13D, as filed on August 5, 2016.

 

·

In connection with the Issuer’s 2015 annual meeting, the Issuer and the Reporting Persons had previously entered into a Standstill Agreement filed as Exhibit 3 to Amendment No. 1 to the Schedule 13D, as filed on November 12, 2014 (the “Agreement”), which has been superseded by a new Standstill Agreement.

 

 

·

On December 5, 2015, the Reporting Persons entered into a new standstill agreement (the “Agreement”) with the Company and Sardar Biglari, Philip L. Cooley, The Lion Fund II, L.P. (“Lion Fund”) and Biglari Capital Corp. (“BCC” and, collectively with Biglari, Cooley and Lion Fund, the “Biglari Group”).  The Agreement supersedes the previously announced standstill agreement between the Company and the Reporting Persons (sometimes referred to herein as the Air T Group) dated as of November 8, 2014, as amended April 29, 2015.

 

Under the Agreement, the Company agreed to increase the size of its board of directors from seven directors to nine directors, effective as of December 5, 2015. The Company also agreed to elect Mr. Biglari and Dr. Cooley to the Company’s board of directors effective as of the same date. The Company further agreed to nominate and recommend that shareholders elect Mr. Swenson, Jacob J. Berning, Mr. Biglari and Dr. Cooley as four of no more than nine total nominees for election as directors at the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders, which must be held no later than June 30, 2016.  The Company has further agreed to reimburse the Air T Group and the Biglari Group for certain expenses incurred in connection with the Agreement and related matters.

 

Under the Agreement, the members of the Air T Group and the Biglari Group have agreed to vote all shares of the Company’s common stock beneficially owned by them in favor of all of the board’s director nominees at the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders, for approval of the advisory vote to approve executive compensation, in accordance with the board of directors’ recommendation on any advisory vote on the frequency of future advisory votes to approve executive compensation and for the ratification of the Company’s independent auditors.  The Air T Group and the Biglari Group have each agreed to also abide by certain standstill provisions until the conclusion of the Company’s 2016 annual meeting of shareholders or any earlier date, if any, upon which the Company has materially breached certain of the Company’s commitments under the Agreement.

 

 

During the period for which the restrictions apply, each of the Air T Group and the Biglari Group is restricted, subject to certain limited exceptions, from: (i) submitting, inducing or encouraging the submission of any shareholder proposal or notice of nomination or other business for consideration at a meeting of the Company’s shareholders; (ii) opposing directors nominated by the board of directors; (ii) participating in any “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, other than their respective shareholder group or any group deemed to arise from the Agreement; (iii) participating in the solicitation of any proxy other than in support of the board of directors’ nominees; (iv) calling a special meeting of shareholders; (v) seeking, other than as a director of the Company, to control or influence the governance or policies of the Company; (vi) effecting or encouraging, other than as a director of the Company, to acquire any material assets or business of the Company to conduct any business combination involving any the Company, or any extraordinary transaction with respect to the Company, and (vii) disclosing or pursuing certain intentions with respect to the Agreement.  The full text of the Agreement is attached as Exhibit 4 to Amendment No. 4 to the Schedule 13D, as filed on December 8, 2015.

 

The foregoing description of the Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Agreement.

 

The Reporting Persons may make further purchases of shares of Common Stock (including through a 10b5-1 plan). The Reporting Persons may dispose of any or all the shares of Common Stock held by them.

To the extent the actions described herein may be deemed to constitute a “control purpose” with respect to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the regulations thereunder, the Reporting Persons have such a purpose. Except as noted in this Amended Schedule 13D, none of the Reporting Persons currently has any plans or proposals, which relate to, or would result in, any of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a) through (j), inclusive of Item (4) of Schedule 13D. Such individuals may, at any time and from time to time, review or reconsider their positions and formulate plans or proposals with respect thereto.

Item 5.

Interests in Securities of the Issuer.

(1)	Air T has sole voting and dispositive power with regard to the shares of Common Stock that it holds. Mr. Swenson serves on the Board of Directors of Air T and is the Chief Executive Officer of Air T.

 

(2)

Groveland Capital is an investment adviser and has voting and dispositive power with regard to the shares of Common Stock. Because Mr. Swenson is the Managing Member of Groveland Capital, he has the power to direct the affairs of Groveland Capital. Therefore, Groveland Capital may be deemed to share with Mr. Swenson voting and dispositive power with regard to the shares of Common Stock held by Groveland Capital.

 

(3)	Because Mr. Swenson is the Managing Member of Groveland Capital, he is deemed to share voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares of Common Stock held by the Groveland Capital.

 

Item 6.

Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer.

Other than the foregoing agreements and arrangements, and the Joint Filing Agreement filed as Exhibit 1 to the initial Schedule 13D, as filed on August 18, 2014, there are no contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships among the persons named in Item 2 hereof and between such persons and any person with respect to any securities of the Issuer.

 

 

SIGNATURES

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.