Good morning. I'm Joe Reece and I'm Executive Chairman of the Board of Compass Minerals International. I wanna welcome you to our 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. On behalf of the entire board and the management team, I'm very pleased you could join us today. Jim Hughes, our General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, will act as Secretary, and I will act as Chair of today's meeting. This meeting is now called to order. We are broadcasting this meeting live via webcast. It's my pleasure to introduce the directors of Compass Minerals, in addition to myself, who are attending this meeting today. First, Ed Dowling, our President and CEO. Russell Ball, Rich Dealy, Gareth Joyce, Denise Merle, Melissa Miller, Mark Roberts, David Safran, and Lori Walker. I'd also like to introduce Patrick White and Ashley Harmon from KPMG, our independent registered accounting firm, who are also present for the meeting.
I'd like to turn it over to Jim, so he can give the Secretary's report.
Thank you, Joe. Broadridge Financial Solutions acted as our independent vote tabulator again this year and also handled proxy distribution for the company. The notice of the meeting, together with the related proxy materials, were mailed to our stockholders beginning on January 23rd, 2026. Based on Broadridge's report, more than 91% of the outstanding shares of the company are represented at this meeting. The agenda appears on your screen on the virtual meeting page. We will conduct the meeting in accordance with this agenda. Notice has been given to the Compass Minerals stockholders in accordance with the company's bylaws, and there is a quorum present, so this meeting is duly convened and is ready for transaction of business.
I would like to introduce Jared Campbell, who has been appointed the Inspector of Election for the 2026 annual meeting and has filed his oath with the Secretary. Any stockholder who would like to vote during this meeting should see the proxy ballot available on your screen on the virtual meeting page. Immediately following the meeting, we will entertain questions from Compass Minerals stockholders. Stockholders may ask questions using the Q&A button on the virtual meeting page. Out of consideration for others, please limit yourself to one question. The next order of business is the stockholder vote on the three items described in the Compass Minerals proxy statement. The first item for stockholder approval is the election of directors. This year, the Compass Minerals Board of Directors has nominated and recommended for election Edward C. Dowling Jr., Russell Ball, Richard P. Dealy, Gareth T.
Joyce, Denise Merle, Melissa M. Miller, Joseph E. Reece, Mark Roberts, and David Safran, each for a one-year term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2027 or until their successors are elected and qualified. No written notice of other nominations was received as provided for in the company's bylaws, so the nominations for the directors are now closed. The next item before stockholders is an advisory approval of the compensation of the named executive officers for fiscal 2026, as set forth in the Compass Minerals proxy statement. The board of directors recommends approval of the compensation of the named executive officers. The last item before stockholders is ratification of the appointment of KPMG as the company's independent registered accounting firm for the fiscal year 2026. The board of directors recommends the ratification of the selection of KPMG. The polls are open.
Any stockholder who hasn't yet voted or wishes to change their vote may do so by clicking on the voting button on the virtual meeting website and following the instructions there. For stockholders who have sent in proxies or voted via telephone or internet and do not want to change their vote, no further action is needed. With everyone having had the opportunity to vote, I declare the polls for the 2026 Compass Minerals annual stockholder meeting now closed. The final vote totals will be released as soon as the Inspector of Election and Broadridge complete their counts, and Compass Minerals will announce the voting results via a current report Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than March 11th, 2026.
From the votes on each item already verified and tabulated today, the Inspector of Election has reported to me that the nine nominees for director have been elected, each for a term of one year. Stockholders have advised that the compensation of the named executive officers for fiscal 2026 is approved, and the appointment of KPMG as Compass Minerals' independent registered accounting firm for fiscal 2026 has been ratified. I will now turn the meeting back to Joe.
Thanks, Jim. The formal business of our meeting is now completed, and the meeting is now adjourned. I'd like to ask if stockholders have any questions. If so, please submit your questions via the Q&A button on the virtual meeting page. Please note we will attempt to answer as many questions as time allows. I'm going to pause for a moment to allow the submission of any questions. I'd like to have Jared Campbell, who is our Assistant General Counsel, share any questions that have been submitted by our shareholders.
This is Jared Campbell. I've received no questions from stockholders.
Yeah.
Seeing no questions, this concludes today's meeting. Thank you for attending.
Thank you.
The conference has now concluded. Thank you for attending today's presentation. You may now disconnect.