SEC Form DEF 14A filed by REX American Resources Corporation

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

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:

REX American Resources Corporation

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

7720 Paragon Road
Dayton, Ohio 45459

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
To Be Held on June 11, 2024

The 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of REX American Resources Corporation (“REX” or the “Company”) will be held at the Company’s corporate offices located at 7720 Paragon Road, Dayton, Ohio on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. EDT, for the following purposes:

1. Election of nine members to the Board of Directors to serve until the next Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their successors are elected and qualified.

2. Advisory vote on executive compensation.

3. Transaction of such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Only shareholders of record at the close of business on April 22, 2024 will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.

All shareholders are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting in person.

Dayton, Ohio
May 2, 2024

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials
for the Shareholders Meeting to be Held on June 11, 2024

The Proxy Statement, 2023 Annual Report and other soliciting materials are
available at https://investors.rexamerican.com/ir-resources/annual-meeting and then clicking on the “Annual Report” and “2024 Proxy” links.

REX AMERICAN RESOURCES CORPORATION
7720 Paragon Road
Dayton, Ohio 45459

PROXY STATEMENT

Mailing Date
May 2, 2024

GENERAL INFORMATION

This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of REX American Resources Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“REX” or the “Company”), for the purposes set forth herein at our Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on June 11, 2024 and any adjournments thereof. All properly executed proxies will be voted as directed by the shareholder on the proxy card. If no direction is given, proxies will be voted in accordance with the Board of Directors’ recommendations and, in the discretion of the proxy holders, in the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any adjournments thereof. Any proxy may be revoked by a shareholder by delivering written notice of revocation to the Company or in person at the Annual Meeting at any time prior to the closing of the polls.

We currently have one class of stock outstanding, namely Common Stock, $.01 par value, of which there were 17,503,745 shares outstanding as of April 22, 2024. Only holders of Common Stock whose names appeared of record on the books of the Company at the close of business on April 22, 2024 are entitled to notice of and to vote during the Annual Meeting. Each shareholder is entitled to one vote per share.

A majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock will constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes are counted for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum. A broker non-vote occurs when a broker submits a proxy with respect to shares held in a fiduciary capacity (or “street name”) that indicates the broker does not have discretionary authority to vote the shares on a particular matter.

You can vote either in person during the Annual Meeting or prior to the meeting by proxy. If you vote by proxy, you still are entitled (but not required) to participate in the Annual Meeting. Even if you plan to participate in the meeting, we encourage you to vote your shares in advance by filling out and mailing the enclosed proxy card.

If you are a beneficial owner of shares registered in the name of your broker, bank or other agent, such as shares registered in “street name,” you should have received a proxy card and voting instructions with these proxy materials from that organization rather than directly from us. Simply complete and mail the proxy card to ensure that your vote is counted. You may be eligible to vote your shares electronically over the Internet or by telephone. A large number of banks and brokerage firms offer Internet and telephone voting. If your bank or brokerage firm does not offer Internet or telephone voting information, please complete and return your proxy card in the self-addressed, postage-paid envelope provided. To vote the shares you beneficially own in person at the Annual Meeting, you must first obtain a valid legal proxy from

your broker, bank or other agent and then register in advance to vote at the Annual Meeting. Follow the instructions from your broker or bank included with these proxy materials, or contact your broker or bank to request a legal proxy form.

After obtaining a valid legal proxy from your broker, bank or other agent, to then register to vote at the Annual Meeting, you must submit proof of your legal proxy reflecting the number of your shares along with your name and email address to Equiniti Trust Company, LLC. Requests for registration should be directed to [email protected] or to facsimile number 718-765-8730. Written requests can be mailed to:

Equiniti Trust Company, LLC
Attn: Proxy Tabulation Department
55 Challenger Road, 2^nd Floor
Ridgefield Park, New Jersey 07660

Requests for registration must be labeled as “Legal Proxy” and be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on June 5, 2024.

Without your instructions, your broker or nominee is permitted to use its own discretion and vote your shares on certain routine matters but is not permitted to use discretion to vote on non-routine matters, such as Item 1 (election of directors) and item 2 (advisory vote on executive compensation) listed in the Notice of Annual Meeting.

Attending the Annual Meeting

You are entitled to participate in the Annual Meeting only if you were a REX shareholder at the close of business on April 22, 2024 or if you hold a valid proxy. The meeting will be held at our corporate offices at 7720 Paragon Road, Dayton, Ohio on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. The Annual Meeting will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. EDT.

Fiscal Year

All references in this Proxy Statement to a particular fiscal year are to REX’s fiscal year ended January 31. For example, “fiscal 2023” means the period February 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024.

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ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
(Item 1)

Nine directors are to be elected at the Annual Meeting to hold office until the next Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their successors are elected and qualified. Unless otherwise directed, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote each proxy for the election of the nominees listed below. All nominees are presently directors of REX and all nominees have given their consent to being named as a candidate.

If at the time of the Annual Meeting any nominee is unable or declines to serve, the proxy holders will vote for the election of such substitute nominee as the Board of Directors may recommend. We have no reason to believe that any substitute nominee will be required.

Directors are elected by a majority of votes cast unless the election is contested, in which case directors are elected by a plurality vote. A majority of votes cast means that the number of shares voted “for” a nominee must exceed the number of votes cast “against” that nominee. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect. If a non-incumbent nominee receives a greater number of votes cast “against” than cast “for”, that non-incumbent nominee is not elected to the Board. Any incumbent director nominee who receives a greater number of votes cast “against” than votes “for” shall continue to serve as a “holdover director” under Delaware law, but shall tender his or her resignation as a director. Within 90 days, the Board will decide, after taking into account the recommendation of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and excluding the nominee in question, whether to accept the resignation. The Board will promptly disclose its decision on a Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Set forth below is certain information with respect to the nominees for director, including the experience, qualifications and skills we believe these individuals bring to the Board and qualify them to serve as directors. The following matrix summarizes the diversity of business skills, financial and reporting expertise and gender, racial and ethnic diversity of our directors.

STUART A. ROSE, 69, was appointed our Executive Chairman of the Board and Head of Corporate Development in 2015. Mr. Rose had served as our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since our incorporation in 1984 as a holding company. Mr. Rose ceased to be our Chief Executive Officer in 2015. Prior to 1984, Mr. Rose was Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Rex Radio and Television, Inc., which he founded in 1980 to acquire the stock of a corporation which operated four retail stores. Mr. Rose’s past leadership and current position provides the Board with essential insight into the Company’s strategic activities.

ZAFAR A. RIZVI, 74, was appointed our Chief Executive Officer and a director in 2015. Mr. Rizvi has been our President and Chief Operating Officer since 2010, was Vice President from 2006 to 2010, and has been President of Farmers Energy Incorporated, our alternative energy investment subsidiary, since 2006. From 1991 to 2006, Mr. Rizvi was Vice President—Loss Prevention. Mr. Rizvi’s knowledge of the Company’s alternative energy investments and diverse management operation expertise provides the Board

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with operational perspective and promotes efficiencies in communications between management and the Board.

EDWARD M. KRESS, 74, has been our Secretary since 1984 and a director since 1985. Mr. Kress has been a partner of the law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP (formerly Chernesky, Heyman & Kress P.L.L.), our legal counsel, since 1988. Mr. Kress has practiced law in Dayton, Ohio since 1974. Mr. Kress, a lawyer and our legal counsel, provides the Board with critical legal advice and perspective.

DAVID S. HARRIS, 64, has been a director since 2004 and Lead Director since 2015. Mr. Harris has served as President of Grant Capital, Inc., a private investment company, since 2002. He also served as Chief Operating Officer of Seven Oaks Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, from 2020 to 2021. During 2001, Mr. Harris served as a Managing Director in the investment banking division of ABN Amro Securities LLC (ABN). From 1997 to 2001, Mr. Harris served as a Managing Director and Sector Head of the Retail, Consumer and Leisure Group of ING Barings LLC (ING). The investment banking operations of ING were acquired by ABN in 2001. From 1986 to 1997 Mr. Harris served in various capacities as a member of the investment banking group of Furman Selz LLC. Furman Selz was acquired by ING in 1997. Mr. Harris is a director of Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc., a restaurant franchisee, where he is Chairman of the Board, Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees. Mr. Harris was a director of Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. from 2018 to 2020. Prior to its sale in 2015, Mr. Harris was a director of Steiner Leisure Limited where he served on the Audit Committee and was Chairman of its Compensation Committee. Mr. Harris’ experience in investment banking, corporate finance and capital markets is valuable to the Board in developing strategy and evaluating senior management.

CHARLES A. ELCAN, 60, has been a director since 2003. Mr. Elcan has served as a partner of Frisco Partners since 2017. Mr. Elcan was previously a founder of, and President until 2017 of, China Healthcare Corporation, organized in 2008 to build and operate hospitals in China. Mr. Elcan was Executive Vice President—Medical Office Properties of Health Care Property Investors, Inc. (HCP), a real estate investment trust specializing in health care related real estate, from 2003 to 2008, and served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of MedCap Properties, LLC, a real estate company located in Nashville, Tennessee that owned, operated and developed real estate in the healthcare field, from 1998 to 2003. (HCP acquired MedCap Properties in 2003.) From 1992 to 1997, Mr. Elcan was a founder and investor in Behavioral Healthcare Corporation (now Ardent Health Services LLC), a healthcare company that owns and operates acute care hospitals. Mr. Elcan, a founder of health care real estate companies, brings to the Board entrepreneurial experience.

MERVYN L. ALPHONSO, 83, has been a director since 2007. Mr. Alphonso retired as Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer of Central State University in 2007, a position he held since 2004. Mr. Alphonso has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry. He was President, Dayton District, KeyBank National Association from 1994 to 2000 and held various management positions with KeyBank of New York, N.A., and Crocker National Bank and Bankers Trust Company. Mr. Alphonso served as a Peace Corps volunteer from 2001 to 2003. Mr. Alphonso’s experience in the banking industry and as a chief financial officer provides the Board with financial management expertise.

LEE I. FISHER, 72, has been a director since 2011 and previously served as a director from 1996 to 2006. Mr. Fisher was appointed Dean of Cleveland State University College of Law in 2017. He is also the Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler Chair in Law. Prior to his appointment as Dean, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of CEOs for Cities, a non-profit national organization of urban leaders focused on revitalizing American cities. Mr. Fisher was also a Senior Fellow with the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University and an Urban Scholar with the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Mr. Fisher served as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio from 2007 to 2011, including as Director of the Ohio Department of Development and Chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Families and Children, a private non-profit human services organization, from 1999 to 2006. Mr. Fisher practiced law with the law firm of Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP from 1978 to 1990 and was a partner in the firm from 1995 to 1999. He served as Ohio Attorney General from 1991 to 1995, Ohio State Senator from 1983 to 1990 and Ohio State Representative from 1981 to 1983. Mr. Fisher was formerly a director of OfficeMax Incorporated. Mr.

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Fisher brings to the Board experience and understanding of law, government, public affairs, economic development, and regulatory and public policy.

ANNE C. MACMILLAN, 45, has been a director since 2019. Ms. MacMillan has been a partner with Invariant GR since 2016, where she manages Invariant’s food, agriculture and trade practice, leveraging nearly 20 years of substantive policy experience from serving in the House of Representatives, the United States Department of Agriculture, and in corporate America. Ms. MacMillan served as the Director of Government Affairs for the Wonderful Company, a multi-billion dollar farming and consumer packaged goods company, from 2014-2016. Prior to that, Ms. MacMillan was at the United States Department of Agriculture, serving as Senior Advisor from 2010-2012, and as Deputy Chief of Staff from 2012-2014 where she developed and implemented the Agency’s regulatory agenda and managed key policy staff. Ms. MacMillan started her career on Capitol Hill with the late Bob Matsui (D-CA) and spent several years as the Legislative Director to Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), managing his Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee work in addition to assisting with his leadership of the Blue Dog Coalition. Ms. McMillan then served as a senior policy advisor for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for the last two years of the Speaker’s first speakership. In this capacity, Ms. MacMillan managed all issues pertaining to agriculture and rural America, amongst other key priorities. Ms. MacMillan is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego and received her Juris Doctorate from The George Washington University Law School. Ms. MacMillan’s experience serving the agricultural industry, in both the public and private sector, brings a different perspective and insight to the Board.

CHERYL L. BUSTOS, 62, has been a director since February 2023. Since December, 2023, she has been a partner of, and since January, 2023, she has been head of Illinois operations and Co-Chair of, Mercury LLC, a public affairs consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. Ms. Bustos served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois’ 17^th Congressional District, from 2013 until January, 2023. While in the House of Representatives, Ms. Bustos served on the Agriculture Committee for 10 years and chaired its General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee during a portion of that time. She also served on the House Appropriations Committee. Prior to serving in Congress, Ms. Bustos was Vice President of Corporate Communications for UnityPoint Health, a nonprofit integrated healthcare system, from 2008 to 2011; Senior Director of Corporate Communications for Trinity Regional Health System from 2001 to 2007; and a journalist with the Quad-City Times from 1985 to 2001. Ms. Bustos holds a bachelors degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland and a Masters in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois at Springfield. Ms. Bustos also is a board member of Ullico Inc., a privately held insurance and financial services holding company, and its subsidiary, Ullico Investment Advisors Inc., a registered investment advisor. Ms. Bustos provides the Board with extensive legislative experience at the national level, expertise in agricultural policy and familiarity with the agricultural community.

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors currently consists of nine directors. The Board has determined that six of the nine, David S. Harris, Charles A. Elcan, Mervyn L. Alphonso, Lee I. Fisher, Anne C. MacMillan and Cheryl L. Bustos, are independent within the meaning of Section 303A.02 of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Listed Company Manual.

To be considered independent, the Board must determine that the director has no material relationship with the Company, either directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the Company, including commercial, industrial, banking, consulting, legal, accounting, charitable and family relationships, among others. Our Board has established the following guidelines, consistent with Section 303A.02 of the NYSE listing standards, to assist it in determining independence of directors.

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Messrs. Harris, Alphonso, Elcan and Fisher and Mses. MacMillan and Bustos currently have no relationships with the Company other than being a director.

Our Board of Directors held five meetings during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2024. Directors are invited and encouraged to attend our Annual Meeting of Shareholders and all of our serving directors attended last year’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders. During our fiscal year ended January 31, 2024, each of our directors then serving also attended 100% of the Board meetings and the meetings of each Committee on which such director served. Our Board of Directors also acted twice during fiscal 2023 by unanimous written consent.

The non-management directors have the opportunity to meet in executive sessions without management present following Audit Committee and Board meetings. The presiding director for each executive session is the independent Lead Director.

Board Leadership Structure

The Board is responsible for periodically evaluating the leadership structure of the Company’s Board of Directors, including whether to combine or separate the roles of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. The Board recognizes that different structures may be appropriate at different times or under different circumstances and believes it is important to retain the flexibility to have structures best suited to the Company’s specific characteristics or circumstances. If the offices of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer are held by the same person, or if the Chairman is not independent, the Board will annually elect an independent director to serve in a lead capacity.

In 2015, the Board appointed Zafar A. Rizvi Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Rizvi was also appointed a director to fill a vacancy on the Board. Mr. Rizvi succeeded Stuart A. Rose as Chief Executive Officer, who had served as Chairman and CEO since 1984. Mr. Rose was appointed Executive Chairman and Head of Corporate Development. The Board believes this leadership structure is appropriate and will provide consistent oversight and implementation of corporate strategy, operations and executive succession.

In 2015, the Board elected David S. Harris to serve as Lead Director. The Lead Director’s responsibilities include, among others, the following:

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Board Role in Risk Oversight

The Board administers its risk oversight function principally through the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee oversees financial, legal, regulatory and operational risks and risk management. The Committee receives periodic reports from members of senior management who supervise day-to-day risk management activities on specific risks to the Company, risk management and risk mitigation. The Audit Committee reports to the full Board as appropriate. Overall review of risk is inherent in the full Board’s consideration of long-term strategies and in the transactions and other matters presented to the Board. As part of the Board’s consideration of risk management and risk mitigation, the Board also receives periodic reports from members of senior management regarding the Company’s cybersecurity risk management. The Board’s role in risk oversight has no effect on its leadership structure.

Board Committees

Our Board of Directors has four standing committees: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and the Executive Committee.

Audit Committee. The Audit Committee assists Board oversight of the integrity of the financial statements of the Company, our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, the independent accountants’ qualifications and independence, and the performance of the Company’s internal audit function and independent accountants. The Audit Committee is directly responsible for the appointment, retention and oversight of the work of the independent accountants. The Audit Committee acts pursuant to a written charter. The members of the Audit Committee are Messrs. Harris (Chairman) and Alphonso and Mses. MacMillan and Bustos. All members of the Audit Committee are independent within the meaning of applicable NYSE listing standards and rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Board has determined that Mr. Harris and Mr. Alphonso are each an audit committee financial expert as defined by applicable SEC rules and that all members of the Audit Committee are financially literate within the meaning of NYSE listing standards. The Audit Committee met five times and took two actions by unanimous written consent during fiscal 2023.

Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has direct responsibility to review and approve CEO compensation, makes recommendations to the Board with respect to non-CEO executive officer compensation and compensation plans, and administers the Company’s stock plans. The Compensation Committee acts pursuant to a written charter. The members of the Compensation Committee are Ms. MacMillan (Chair) and Messrs. Harris, Elcan and Fisher. All members of the Compensation Committee are independent within the meaning of applicable NYSE listing standards. The Compensation Committee met twice and took one action by unanimous written consent during fiscal 2023.

Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee identifies individuals qualified to become Board members consistent with criteria approved by the Board, recommends for the Board’s selection a slate of director nominees for election to the Board at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, develops and recommends to the Board the Corporate Governance Guidelines applicable to the Company, and oversees the evaluation of the Board and management. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee acts pursuant to a written charter. The members of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee are Messrs. Alphonso (Chairman), Fisher and Elcan and Ms. Bustos. All members of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee are independent within the meaning of applicable NYSE listing standards. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee met once during fiscal 2023.

The Board seeks director candidates who possess the background, skills and expertise to make a significant contribution to the Board, the Company and shareholders. In identifying and evaluating director candidates, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee may consider a number of attributes, including experience, skills, judgment, accountability and integrity, financial literacy, time, industry knowledge, networking/contacts, leadership, independence from management and other factors it deems relevant. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee also considers diversity of professional experience, skills and individual qualities and attributes in identifying director candidates. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee reviews the desired experience, mix of skills and other qualities to assure appropriate Board composition, taking into account the current directors and specific

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needs of the Company and the Board. The Company is committed to a policy of inclusiveness. In performing its responsibilities for identifying, screening and recommending candidates to the Board, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee should (i) ensure that candidates with a diversity of ethnicity and gender are included in each pool of candidates from which Board nominees are chosen and (ii) seek diverse candidates by including in the candidate pool (among others) individuals from non-executive corporate positions and non-traditional environments. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee may solicit advice from the Executive Chairman, the CEO and other members of the Board.

The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee will consider director candidates recommended by our shareholders. Shareholders must submit the name of a proposed shareholder candidate to the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee at our corporate offices by the date specified under “Shareholder Proposals.”

Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is empowered to exercise all of the powers and authority of the Board of Directors between meetings of the Board, other than the power to fill vacancies on the Board or on any Board committee and the power to declare dividends. The members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Rose and Rizvi. The Executive Committee had no formal meetings and took one action by unanimous written consent during fiscal 2023.

Code of Ethics, Corporate Governance Guidelines and Committee Charters

We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our employees, officers and directors. A copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics has been filed as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2004 and is posted on our website www.rexamerican.com.

We have adopted a set of Corporate Governance Guidelines addressing director qualification standards, director responsibilities, director access to management and independent advisors, director compensation and other matters. A copy of the Corporate Governance Guidelines is posted on our website www.rexamerican.com.

The charters of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee are posted on our website www.rexamerican.com.

Procedures for Contacting Directors

Shareholders and interested parties may communicate with the Board, the non-management directors as a group, or a specific director by writing to REX American Resources Corporation, 7720 Paragon Road, Dayton, Ohio 45459, Attention: Board of Directors, Non-Management Directors or [Name of Specific Director]. All communications will be forwarded as soon as practicable to the specific director, or if addressed to the Non-Management Directors to the Chairman of the Audit Committee, or, if addressed to the Board, to the Chairman of the Board or other director designated by the Board to receive such communications.

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

The objectives of our executive compensation program are to motivate and retain our key employees, to tie annual incentives to corporate performance and profitability, and to provide long-term incentives for executives to create shareholder value.

We considered the results of the shareholder advisory vote on executive compensation in 2023. We believe the approval received shows that shareholders support our executive compensation decisions and policies.

In February, 2022, the Compensation Committee engaged Pearl Meyer & Partners, LLC (“Pearl Meyer”) to assess the Company’s named executive officer and Board compensation programs and make recommendations for adjustments. The Compensation Committee revised the Company’s compensation programs for fiscal 2022, based on the Pearl Meyer assessment and recommendations, to increase base salaries (which had not changed since 2015) and annual incentive bonuses and to adopt a performance based long-term equity incentive program under the Company’s 2015 Incentive Plan for 2022, based on total shareholder return compared to the Russell 2000. The Compensation Committee determined to maintain the same base salaries and annual incentive program for fiscal 2023, but to grant long-term incentives to Messrs. Rizvi and Bruggeman payable in restricted stock vesting in three equal annual installments, in lieu of the performance based RSU’s awarded in fiscal 2022.

Elements of Executive Compensation

The elements of our executive compensation program are discussed below.

Base Salary. Base salaries of our executive officers reflect individual job responsibilities, with consideration for past contributions and length of service. Base salary levels generally are set at levels below that of salaries paid to executive officers of other public companies in the ethanol industry in recognition of their annual incentive opportunities. For comparative purposes, we review base salaries paid by companies in our industry peer group. We do not engage in benchmarking in setting or adjusting base salaries.

As noted above, the base salaries of our CEO, Mr. Rizvi, our CFO, Mr. Bruggeman, and our Executive Chairman, Mr. Rose, which had not changed since 2015, were increased in May, 2022 (effective for the full fiscal year) to $275,000, $300,000 and $225,000, respectively, based on the market assessment prepared by Pearl Meyer. These base salaries remained the same in fiscal 2023.

Annual Incentive Program. Our annual incentive program is designed to reward executive officers for corporate performance and to incentivize those individuals to contribute to corporate profitability. Annual incentives are based on corporate performance and profitability measures. There are no individual performance goals or objectives.

For fiscal 2023, the annual incentive opportunities for our executive officers were based upon and determined as a specific percentage of our Adjusted Net Income (as defined below). The specific percentage of Adjusted Net Income for each executive officer was determined on a scaled basis considering each officer’s overall responsibilities and contributions to corporate performance and operations, subject to individual maximum limits for the year. The individual specified percentages and maximum annual limits for each named executive officer, which were unchanged in fiscal 2023 from fiscal 2022, were:

We define Adjusted Net Income, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, as net income attributable to REX shareholders (after tax), adjusted by a multiplier of 1.33 and then adding back incentive and stock compensation expense. For fiscal years beginning in 2022, any losses incurred by the Company related to the Company’s carbon sequestration project, or any other new investment in an operating entity, for the

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period through the end of the second year after commencement of operations, will not reduce the bonus calculation. We chose the foregoing measure to incentivize our executive officers to grow profits and so that they would not be penalized for development stage activities.

Annual incentive awards are determined and paid on a formula basis without discretion to increase or decrease award amounts. To strengthen the link between our annual incentive program and long-term corporate performance, one-quarter of the annual incentive award earned by each executive officer is paid in a grant of restricted stock. The restricted stock grants are made on June 15 of the following year, or if June 15 is not a business day, the next business day, and vest in three equal annual installments. Restricted stock exposes executives to both upside and downside equity performance risk.

The payouts to our named executive officers under the fiscal 2023 annual incentive program were as follows (with 25% payable in restricted stock and 75% paid in cash, as noted above):

Long-Term Incentive Awards. In fiscal 2023, the Compensation Committee approved the grant of additional restricted stock to Messrs Rizvi and Bruggeman (45,000 shares and 22,500 shares, respectively), as long-term incentive awards. These restricted stock awards vest ratably over three years.

Employment, Termination and Change in Control Arrangements

We maintain employment agreements for each of our named executive officers which cover base salary, annual incentive award opportunities, and potential payments upon termination or change in control.

These agreements provide that, upon a termination without cause, or for good reason within 12 months following a change in control, the executive would be entitled to his salary for the remainder of the employment period, and a cash payment equal to 200% of the total incentive bonus paid for the prior fiscal year, but not less than $1,000,000 and not more than $6,000,000 for Mr. Rizvi and not more than $3,000,000 for each of Messrs. Bruggeman and Rose. The Compensation Committee determined these payment amounts based upon competitive practices at the time the employment agreements were approved. The purpose of providing these severance benefits is to compensate executives in the event of a termination of employment not reflective of individual performance and to assure that executives focus on a smooth transition of management and operation of the Company in the event of a change in control.

The employment agreements for our named executive officers, which most recently were amended effective as of February 1, 2022, based on the market assessment prepared by Pearl Meyer, provide as follows:

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Clawback Policy

We have adopted a Compensation Recovery Policy (Clawback Policy) under which the Company is required to recover cash and equity-based incentive compensation based wholly or in part on the attainment of a financial reporting measure that was paid to a current or former executive officer with respect to the three years preceding a year in which the Company prepares an accounting restatement due to material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws. The compensation recoverable is the amount in excess of the amount that would have been payable to the executive officer under the restated financial statements. The clawback must be made regardless of whether the executive officer was responsible for the error that led to the accounting restatement. The Clawback Policy became effective as of November 15, 2023, and is intended to comply with the applicable NYSE listing standards.

In addition, our annual incentive program for executive officers includes a “clawback” provision. For purposes of computing awards under the program, if there is a pre-tax loss in one or more fiscal years, 50% of the pre-tax loss must be recouped in its entirety before a bonus could be paid in a future year. We believe the clawback ensures that executive incentive awards are paid based on cumulative Adjusted Net Income (net of losses) and provides incentive to our executive officers to focus on long-term, sustained earnings growth.

Role of Executive Officers in Determining Executive Compensation

The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors determines the compensation paid to our CEO and recommends to the Board of Directors for approval the compensation of our other non-CEO executive officers. Our CEO recommends base salary levels and annual incentive opportunities for non-executive officers. All annual incentive payments to executive officers are approved by the Compensation Committee.

Peer Group

When the Compensation Committee adjusted the base salaries and annual incentive opportunities for our executive officers in fiscal 2022 (which remained unchanged in fiscal 2023), the Compensation Committee consulted with management and selected a peer group consisting of 15 companies. The Company’s revenue was at the 55th percentile of the peer group. The peer group consisted of the following companies:

Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m)

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code disallows a federal income tax deduction to a public company for compensation paid in excess of $1 million in any taxable year to the company’s chief executive officer or any of its other four highest paid executive officers. The Compensation Committee considers anticipated tax treatment when reviewing executive compensation, but does not limit executive

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compensation to amounts deductible under Section 162(m) in order to maintain flexibility in structuring compensation programs.

Compensation Committee Report

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of REX American Resources Corporation has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis with management. Based on that review and discussion, the Compensation Committee recommended that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the proxy statement for our 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

ANNE C. MACMILLAN, Chair
CHARLES A. ELCAN
LEE I. FISHER
DAVID S. HARRIS

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Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and our other most highly compensated executive officers.

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Grants of Plan-Based Awards

The following table sets forth information concerning grants of awards to each named executive officer in fiscal 2023 under our annual incentive programs.

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Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal 2023 Year-End

The following table sets forth information concerning restricted stock and the 2022 TSR Awards that have not vested for each named executive officer outstanding as of the end of fiscal 2023.

Stock Vested

The following table sets forth information for each named executive officer with respect to the vesting of restricted stock awards in fiscal 2023.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

The employment agreements with our named executive officers provide for the following compensation payable upon termination of employment:

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The 2022 TSR Awards granted to Mr. Rizvi and Mr. Bruggeman provide that, in the event that, during the three year performance period (but prior to any change in control), the employment of Mr. Rizvi or Mr. Bruggeman is terminated by the Company without cause or by him for good reason, the performance goals on which the achievement of the RSU’s subject to the awards are based will be deemed satisfied at the greater of the 100% level of performance or the Company’s actual TSR performance as of the date of the occurrence of such event relative to the index group, and will be paid within 30 days after the occurrence of such event. If, during such period, Mr. Rizvi or Mr. Bruggeman dies or becomes totally disabled, the performance goals on which the achievement of the RSU’s subject to the awards are based will be deemed satisfied at the 100% level of performance and will be paid within 30 days after the occurrence of such event.

In the event of a change in control (as defined in the 2015 Incentive Plan) of the Company during the performance period for the 2022 TSR Awards, the performance goals on which the achievement of the RSU’s subject to the award are based will be deemed satisfied at the greater of the 150% level of performance or the Company’s actual TSR performance as of the date of the change in control relative to the index group. If the 2022 TSR Award is assumed or substituted by the acquirer or a specified related party in connection with the change in control, the award will vest and become payable if the executive remains employed through the end of the three-year performance period (or his earlier death or disability or the termination of his employment by the Company without cause or by him for good reason). If the 2022 TSR Award is not so assumed or substituted in connection with the change of control, the award will become fully vested as of the date of the change in control and will be paid within 30 days thereafter.

Termination Without Cause or for Good Reason. If the employment of our named executive officers were terminated without cause, or terminated for good reason following a change in control, as provided in their respective employment agreements, our named executive officers would have been entitled to the following lump sum amounts as of January 31, 2024:

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Termination on Death, Total Disability or Voluntary Termination. If the employment of our named executive officers were terminated due to death, total disability or voluntary termination, as provided in their respective employment agreements, our named executive officers or their estates would be entitled to the following lump sum amounts as of January 31, 2024 (except as otherwise noted in the footnote below):

In their employment agreements, our named executive officers are subject to non-competition provisions for a period of one year following termination of employment for any reason, as well as confidentiality provisions.

All unvested shares of restricted stock automatically vest upon death, total disability, termination of employment without cause, voluntary termination of employment after 20 years of service and attaining age 55, termination of employment for good reason within 12 months following a change in control, and any other event specified in an applicable employment agreement. In the event of a change in control, unvested restricted stock will be subject to the definitive agreement governing the change in control.

Director Compensation for Fiscal 2023

The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of our non-employee directors for fiscal 2023.

Director Compensation Arrangements

Directors who are not officers or employees of REX are paid an annual retainer of $70,000 per year, plus reasonable travel expenses, and a $5,000 per year retainer if the director serves on one or more Board committees. The Chair of the Audit Committee receives an additional $20,000 per year retainer, and the Chairs of the Compensation and Nomination and Governance Committees each also receives an additional $10,000 per year retainer.

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Non-employee directors receive an annual $50,000 grant of restricted stock under the 2015 Incentive Plan, based on the closing price of REX common stock on the date of grant, vesting in one-third installments on the first three anniversaries of the grant. The Lead Director also receives an additional $25,000 annual grant of restricted stock with a vesting period of three years.

Compensation Policies and Risk

We believe the compensation policies and practices for our employees do not encourage excessive or inappropriate risk taking and are not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

Our compensation program consists of fixed and variable components. The fixed portion, base salary, provides stable income regardless of Company performance or stock price. The variable portion, annual incentive and restricted stock awards, rewards both short-term and long-term corporate performance.

We use an annual incentive performance measure (Adjusted Net Income) that is based on after-tax income, which we believe better encourages executives to focus on growing profits and earnings per share than a financial measure that is based on pre-tax net income. We also cap each executive’s total annual incentive award, which we believe reduces the incentive to engage in excess risk taking as incentive payments are limited. We annually review our incentive performance measures and formula.

Long-term performance is reflected in restricted stock awards that vest in installments over three years and grow in value if our stock price increases over time. We believe that our restricted stock awards and the clawback provision in our annual incentive program create a disincentive to engage in short-term risk taking which could ultimately harm the Company’s long-term performance and stock price.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pay Ratio

We are committed to internal pay equity to incentivize all our employees and to maximize shareholder value. In furtherance of that goal, and consistent with the requirements of Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and Item 402(u) of Regulation S-K, the Compensation Committee reviewed a comparison of our CEO’s annual total compensation in fiscal year 2023 to that of all other Company employees for the same period.

For fiscal 2023, the annual total compensation of our CEO was $6,063,247 and the annual total compensation of the employee identified at the median of our Company (excluding the CEO), was $65,707. Therefore, the ratio of annual total compensation of our CEO to the median of the annual compensation for fiscal 2023 was 92.3 to 1.

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The calculation of annual total compensation of all employees (including full and part-time employees) was determined in the same manner as the “Total Compensation” shown for our CEO in the “Summary Compensation Table” on page 13 of this Proxy Statement. Pay elements that were included in the annual total compensation for each employee are salary/hourly wage, bonus and 401K matching contributions.

Our calculation includes all employees of REX and its consolidated subsidiaries as of December 31, 2023. We determined the compensation of our median employee by: (i) calculating the annual total compensation described above for each of our employees and annualizing the base salary/wages of all employees who were hired in 2023 but did not work for the entire year, (ii) ranking the annual total compensation of all employees except for the CEO from lowest to highest, and (iii) since we had an even number of employees when not including the CEO, determining the average of the annual total compensation of the two employees ranked at the median.

This pay ratio is a reasonable estimate calculated in a manner consistent with SEC rules based on our payroll and employment records and the methodology described above.

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