HARVARD BIOSCIENCE INC

DEF 14A 1 def14a_040324.htm DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14a-101)

Information Required in Proxy Statement

Schedule 14a Information

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

Harvard Bioscience, Inc.

Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):

April 3, 2024

Dear Stockholder:

You are cordially invited to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Harvard Bioscience, Inc. (the “Annual Meeting”) to be held on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. EDT. The Annual Meeting will be held by virtual meeting only. You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person. To be admitted to the Annual Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HBIO2024, you must enter the control number found on your proxy card, voting instruction form or notice you previously received. You may vote during the Annual Meeting by following the instructions available on the meeting website during the meeting. At the meeting, we will be voting on the matters described in the accompanying proxy statement.

We are using the Internet as our primary means of furnishing the proxy materials to our stockholders. This process expedites the delivery of proxy materials, ensures materials remain easily accessible to stockholders, and allows stockholders to receive clear instructions for receiving materials and voting.

We are mailing the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials to stockholders on or about April 3, 2024. The proxy statement and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, are available at www.proxyvote.com.

The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials contains instructions for our stockholders’ use of this process, including how to access or receive copies of our proxy statement and 2023 Annual Report and how to vote by Internet or mail. To the extent you receive a proxy card, such proxy card will also contain instructions on how to vote, including the option to vote by telephone.

If you are unable to attend the meeting virtually, it is still important that your shares be represented and voted. Therefore, regardless of the number of shares you own, PLEASE VOTE THROUGH THE INTERNET, BY TELEPHONE OR BY MAIL. Any stockholder who attends the meeting virtually may vote through the meeting website, even if he or she has already voted through the Internet, by telephone or by mail.

The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 20, 2024 as the record date for determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. OUR ANNUAL MEETING WILL BE HELD AS A VIRTUAL MEETING. WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING VIRTUALLY, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE ONLINE, BY TELEPHONE OR BY COMPLETING, DATING, SIGNING AND PROMPTLY RETURNING YOUR PROXY CARD OR VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD IN THE POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE (WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED TO THOSE STOCKHOLDERS WHO REQUEST TO RECEIVE PAPER COPIES OF THESE MATERIALS BY MAIL) BEFORE THE ANNUAL MEETING SO THAT YOUR SHARES ARE REPRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING.

Sincerely,

James W. Green

Chairman of the Board, President and

(508) 893-8999

______________________

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To Be Held on Tuesday, May 14, 2024

_____________________

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Harvard Bioscience, Inc. (the “Company”) will be held on May 14, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. EDT. The Annual Meeting will be held by virtual meeting only. You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person. To be admitted to the Annual Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/HBIO2024, you must enter the control number found on your proxy card, voting instruction form or notice you previously received. You may vote during the Annual Meeting by following the instructions available on the meeting website during the meeting. The Annual Meeting will be held for the following purposes:

The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 20, 2024 as the record date for determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof. Only holders of our Common Stock of record at the close of business on that date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof. Each of the items of business listed above is more fully described in the proxy statement that accompanies this notice.

The Board of Directors of Harvard Bioscience, Inc. recommends that you vote:

·“FOR” the election of the nominee of the Board of Directors as Director of the Company;

·“FOR” the proposal to ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024; and

·“FOR” the proposal to approve, by a non-binding advisory vote, of the compensation of our named executive officers.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting to be Held on May 14, 2024. The proxy statement and the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 are available at www.proxyvote.com. The Annual Report, however, is not part of the proxy solicitation material.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

James W. Green

Chairman of the Board, President and

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. OUR ANNUAL MEETING WILL BE HELD AS A VIRTUAL MEETING. WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING VIRTUALLY, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE ONLINE, BY TELEPHONE OR BY COMPLETING, DATING, SIGNING AND PROMPTLY RETURNING YOUR PROXY CARD OR VOTING INSTRUCTIONS CARD IN THE POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE (WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED TO THOSE STOCKHOLDERS WHO REQUEST TO RECEIVE PAPER COPIES OF THESE MATERIALS BY MAIL) BEFORE THE ANNUAL MEETING SO THAT YOUR SHARES ARE REPRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING.

Harvard Bioscience, Inc.

Proxy Statement

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