SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

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

Filed by the Registrant ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

ALTO INGREDIENTS, INC.

(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 all boxes that apply):

ALTO INGREDIENTS, INC.
1300 South Second Street
Pekin, Illinois 61554

May 5, 2023

Dear Fellow Stockholder:

We cordially invite you to attend the 2023 annual meeting (“Annual Meeting”) of stockholders of Alto Ingredients, Inc., which will be held at 9:00 a.m., local time, on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at our offices at 2450 Del Paso Road, Building 1, Sacramento, California 95834. All stockholders of record at the close of business on April 24, 2023 are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. The formal meeting notice and Proxy Statement are attached.

At this year’s Annual Meeting, stockholders will be asked to (i) elect five directors; (ii) cast an advisory vote to approve our executive compensation; (iii) approve an amendment to our 2016 Stock Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the plan from 8,900,000 shares to 11,400,000 shares; and (iv) ratify the appointment of RSM US LLP to serve as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2023.

In addition, stockholders will transact any other business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting. A report on the business operations of Alto Ingredients will also be presented at the meeting and stockholders will have an opportunity to ask questions.

We use the Internet as our primary means of furnishing proxy materials to our stockholders. Accordingly, most stockholders will not receive paper copies of our proxy materials. We will instead send each stockholder a notice with instructions for accessing the proxy materials and voting electronically over the Internet or by telephone. The notice also provides information on how stockholders may request paper copies of our proxy materials. We believe electronic delivery of our proxy materials and annual report will help us reduce the environmental impact and costs of printing and distributing paper copies and improve the speed and efficiency by which our stockholders can access these materials.

Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, it is important that your shares be represented and voted at the meeting, and we urge you to vote as soon as possible. As an alternative to voting in person at the Annual Meeting, you may vote electronically over the Internet or by telephone, or if you receive a proxy card or voting instruction form in the mail, by mailing the completed proxy card or voting instruction form. Timely voting by any of these methods will ensure your representation at the Annual Meeting.

For admission to the Annual Meeting, each stockholder may be asked to present valid picture identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, and proof of ownership of our capital stock as of the record date, such as the enclosed proxy card or a brokerage statement reflecting stock ownership. As always, we encourage you to vote your shares prior to the Annual Meeting.

We look forward to seeing you June 22^nd.

	Sincerely,
	William L. Jones,
	Chairman of the Board

ALTO INGREDIENTS, INC.

NOTICE OF THE 2023 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

TO BE HELD JUNE 22, 2023

__________________________

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2023 annual meeting (“Annual Meeting”) of stockholders of Alto Ingredients, Inc., a Delaware corporation, will be held at 9:00 a.m., local time, on Thursday, June 22, 2023 at our offices at 2450 Del Paso Road, Building 1, Sacramento, California 95834, for the following purposes, as more fully described in the Proxy Statement accompanying this notice:

All stockholders of record at the close of business on April 24, 2023 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) thereof.

We cordially invite all stockholders to attend the Annual Meeting in person. Whether or not you plan to attend, it is important that your shares be represented and voted at the meeting. As an alternative to voting in person at the Annual Meeting, you can vote your shares electronically over the Internet, or if you receive a proxy card or voting instruction form in the mail, by mailing the completed proxy card or voting instruction form. For detailed information regarding voting instructions, please refer to the section entitled “How do I vote?” on page 4 of the Proxy Statement.

For admission to the Annual Meeting, each stockholder may be asked to present valid picture identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, and proof of ownership of our capital stock as of the record date, such as the enclosed proxy card or a brokerage statement reflecting stock ownership.

	By Order of the Board of Directors,
	William L. Jones,
	Chairman of the Board

Pekin, Illinois

May 5, 2023

ALTO INGREDIENTS, INC.

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE 2023 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

JUNE 22, 2023

__________________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS

APPENDIX

ALTO INGREDIENTS, INC.

1300 South Second Street

Pekin, Illinois 61554

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE 2023 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

Voting and Proxy

This Proxy Statement is being furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by our Board of Directors (“Board”) for use at the 2023 annual meeting (“Annual Meeting”) of stockholders to be held on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., local time, at our offices at 2450 Del Paso Road, Building 1, Sacramento, California 95834, and at any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) of the Annual Meeting. We are providing this Proxy Statement and the accompanying proxy card to our stockholders on or about May 5, 2023. Our stockholders are invited to attend the Annual Meeting and are requested to vote on the proposals described in this Proxy Statement.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE INTERNET AVAILABILITY

OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE 2023 ANNUAL MEETING

OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD JUNE 22, 2023

This Proxy Statement and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 are available at the website address at http://proxyvote.com. You will need your control number located in our Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials sent to you to access the proxy materials. Your control number is also located in your proxy card and your voting instruction form. You are encouraged to access and review all of the important information contained in the proxy materials before voting. The Annual Report is not to be regarded as proxy soliciting material or as a communication through which any solicitation of proxies is made.

What items will be voted on at the Annual Meeting?

Stockholders will vote on four items at the Annual Meeting:

Proposal 1 – Election to our Board of the five nominees named in this Proxy Statement;

Proposal 2 – A non-binding advisory vote to approve our executive compensation (“say-on-pay”);

Proposal 3 – A proposal to amend our 2016 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2016 Plan”) to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the 2016 Plan; and

Proposal 4 – Ratification of the appointment of RSM US LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2023.

What are the Board’s Voting Recommendations?

The Board recommends that you vote your shares as follows:

Proposal 1 – “FOR” each of the nominees to our Board;

Proposal 2 – “FOR” the approval of our executive compensation (“say-on-pay”);

Proposal 3 – “FOR” the proposal to amend our 2016 Plan to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the 2016 Plan; and

Proposal 4 – “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of RSM US LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2023.

Who is entitled to vote?

To be able to vote, you must have been a stockholder on April 24, 2023, the record date for determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. As of the record date, 76,105,690 shares of our voting common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“common stock”), and 926,942 shares of our Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Series B Preferred Stock”), were issued and outstanding.

As of the record date, 896 shares of our non-voting common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Non-Voting Common Stock”), were also issued and outstanding. Holders of our Non-Voting Common Stock are entitled to notice of and to attend the Annual Meeting but are not entitled to vote on any matters in respect of their shares of Non-Voting Common Stock.

How many votes do I have?

Holders of common stock and Series B Preferred Stock will vote at the Annual Meeting as a single class on all matters. Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote per share held, and each holder of Series B Preferred Stock is entitled to approximately 0.03 votes per share held. As a result, a total of 76,132,171 votes may be cast at the Annual Meeting, of which holders of common stock will be entitled to cast 76,105,690 votes and holders of Series B Preferred Stock will be entitled to cast 26,481 votes.

What is a quorum?

For business to be conducted at the Annual Meeting, a quorum must be present. The presence at the Annual Meeting, either in person or by proxy, of holders of shares of outstanding common stock and Series B Preferred Stock entitled to vote and representing at least a majority of our outstanding voting power will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Accordingly, shares representing 38,066,086 votes must be present in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting to constitute a quorum.

Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted for the purpose of determining whether a quorum is present for the transaction of business.

If a quorum is not present, the Annual Meeting will be adjourned until a quorum is obtained.

What are abstentions and broker non-votes?

An “abstention” is the voluntary act of not voting by a stockholder who is present at a meeting in person or by proxy and entitled to vote. “Broker non-votes” refers to shares held by a brokerage firm or other nominee (for the benefit of its client) that are represented at the meeting, but with respect to which such broker or nominee is not instructed to vote on a particular proposal and does not have discretionary authority to vote on that proposal.

If you are a beneficial owner whose shares are held in street name and you do not submit voting instructions to your broker, your broker may generally vote your shares in its discretion on routine matters. We believe that Proposal Four is routine and may be voted on by your broker if you do not submit voting instructions. However, pursuant to the rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”), brokers do not have the discretion to vote their clients’ shares on non-routine matters unless the broker receives voting instructions from the beneficial owner. Proposals One, Two and Three are considered non-routine matters. Consequently, if your shares are held in street name, you must provide your broker with instructions on how to vote your shares in order for your shares to be voted on Proposals One, Two and Three.

What are the general effects of abstentions and broker non-votes?

Brokers who hold shares for the accounts of their clients may vote such shares either as directed by their clients or in their own discretion as permitted under Nasdaq’s listing rules. For purposes of the Annual Meeting, brokers or nominees are permitted to vote their clients’ proxies in their own discretion as to the ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm if the clients have not furnished voting instructions within 10 days of the meeting. Certain proposals other than the ratification of the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm, such as the election of directors, are “non-discretionary” and brokers or nominees who have received no instructions from their clients do not have discretion to vote on those items. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted as a vote “for” or “against” any matter, though in certain cases abstentions will have the same effect as votes against a matter as they will be counted toward the tabulation of votes present or represented on the matter. Broker non-votes will not be counted as shares entitled to vote and accordingly will not affect the outcome with respect to any matter to be voted on at the Annual Meeting.

Please note that brokers may not vote your shares on the election of directors or other non-routine matters in the absence of your specific instructions as to how to vote, thus we strongly encourage you to provide instructions to your broker regarding the voting of your shares you hold in “street name” or through a broker or other nominee.

What vote is required to approve each proposal?

Proposal One

The five nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative votes of the outstanding shares of common stock and Series B Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class, present at the Annual Meeting in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote, will be elected as directors to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and/or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of the election of nominees for director. Should any nominee(s) become unavailable to serve before the Annual Meeting, the proxies will be voted by the proxy holders for such other person(s) as may be designated by our Board or for such lesser number of nominees as may be prescribed by the Board. Votes cast for the election of any nominee who has become unavailable will be disregarded.

Proposal Two

Under Proposal Two, our stockholders will have an advisory vote on executive compensation as described in this Proxy Statement (commonly referred to as “say-on-pay”). The votes under Proposal Two are, however, only advisory in nature, and the outcome of stockholder votes on Proposal Two will not be binding upon us, or our Compensation Committee or full Board. However, our Compensation Committee and our full Board will consider the results of the votes when making future decisions regarding our executive compensation policies and practices and in determining the frequency of future say-on-pay votes.

Proposals Three and Four

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes of the shares of our common stock and Series B Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class, present at the Annual Meeting in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote, is required for approval of Proposals Three and Four. Abstentions will be counted toward the tabulation of votes present or represented on these proposals and will have the same effect as votes against Proposals Three and Four.

How do I vote?

If you are a “registered holder,” that is, your shares are registered in your own name through our transfer agent, and you are viewing this Proxy Statement over the Internet you may vote electronically over the Internet. For those stockholders who receive a paper proxy in the mail, you may also vote electronically over the Internet or by telephone, or by completing and mailing the proxy card provided. The website identified in our Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials provides specific instructions on how to vote electronically over the Internet. Stockholders who receive a paper proxy by mail, and who elect to vote by mail, should complete and return the mailed proxy card in the prepaid and addressed envelope that was enclosed with the proxy materials.

If your shares are held in “street name,” that is, your shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank or other nominee, you will receive instructions from your record holder that must be followed for your record holder to vote your shares per your instructions. Your broker will send you a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials which contains instructions on how to access the website to vote your shares electronically over the Internet or by telephone. If, however, you have elected to receive paper copies of our proxy materials from your brokerage firm, bank or other nominee, you will receive an enclosed voting instruction form. Please complete and return the enclosed voting instruction form in the addressed, postage paid envelope provided.

Stockholders who have previously elected to access our proxy materials and annual report electronically over the Internet will continue to receive an email, referred to in this Proxy Statement as an email notice, with information on how to access the proxy information and voting instructions.

Only proxy cards and voting instruction forms that have been signed, dated and timely returned, and only shares that have been timely voted electronically or by telephone will be counted in the quorum and voted. The Internet and telephone voting facilities will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Wednesday, June 21, 2023, for shares held directly and at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday, June 19, 2023, for shares held in a plan.

Stockholders who vote over the Internet or by telephone need not return a proxy card or voting instruction form by mail, but may incur costs, such as usage charges, from telephone companies or Internet service providers. You may also vote your shares in person at the Annual Meeting. If you are a registered holder, you may request a ballot at the Annual Meeting. If your shares are held in street name and you wish to vote in person at the meeting, you must obtain a proxy issued in your name from the record holder (e.g., your broker) and bring it with you to the Annual Meeting. We recommend that you vote your shares in advance as described above so that your vote will be counted if you later decide not to attend the Annual Meeting.

What if I receive more than one Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, email notice, proxy card or voting instruction form?

If you receive more than one Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, email notice, proxy card or voting instruction form because your shares are held in multiple accounts or registered in different names or addresses, please vote your shares held in each account to ensure that all of your shares will be voted.

I share an address with another stockholder, and we received only one paper copy of the proxy materials. How may I obtain an additional copy of the proxy materials?

We have adopted a Securities and Exchange Commission approved procedure called “householding.” Under this procedure, we deliver a single copy of the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and, if applicable, our proxy materials to multiple stockholders who share the same address unless we have received contrary instructions from one or more of such stockholders. This procedure reduces our printing costs, mailing costs and fees. Stockholders who participate in householding will continue to be able to access and receive separate proxy cards. Upon written or oral request, we will deliver promptly a separate copy of the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and, if applicable, our proxy materials to any stockholder at a shared address to which we delivered a single copy of any of these materials. To receive a separate copy, or, if a stockholder is receiving multiple copies, to request that we only send a single copy of the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and, if applicable, our proxy materials, such stockholder may contact us as follows:

Alto Ingredients, Inc.

Attention: Investor Relations

1300 South Second Street

Pekin, Illinois 61554

telephone (916) 403-2123

Stockholders who hold shares in street name may contact their brokerage firm, bank, broker-dealer, or other similar organization to request information about householding.

Who will count the votes and how will my vote(s) be counted?

All votes will be tabulated by the inspector of elections appointed for the Annual Meeting, who will separately tabulate affirmative and negative votes, abstentions and broker non-votes.

If your proxy is properly submitted, the shares represented thereby will be voted at the Annual Meeting in accordance with your instructions. If you are a registered holder and you do not specify how the shares represented thereby are to be voted, your shares will be voted “FOR” the election of each of the five nominees to our Board listed in the proxy, “FOR” the approval of each of Proposals Two, Three and Four, and in the discretion of the proxy holder(s) as to any other matters that may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) of the Annual Meeting, as well as any procedural matters. If your shares are held in street name and you do not specify how the shares represented thereby are to be voted, your broker may exercise its discretionary authority to vote on Proposal Four.

Can I change my vote after I have voted?

If your shares are registered in your name, you may revoke or change your vote at any time before the Annual Meeting by voting again electronically over the Internet or telephone, or by filing a notice of revocation or another proxy card with a later date with our Secretary at Alto Ingredients, Inc., 1300 South Second Street, Pekin, Illinois 61554. If you are a registered stockholder and attend the Annual Meeting and vote by ballot, any proxy that you submitted previously to vote the same shares will be revoked automatically and only your vote at the Annual Meeting will be counted. If your shares are held in street name, you should contact the record holder to obtain instructions if you wish to revoke or change your vote before the Annual Meeting. Please note that if your shares are held in street name, your vote in person at the Annual Meeting will not be effective unless you have obtained and present a proxy issued in your name from the record holder.

Who will bear the cost of soliciting proxies?

We will bear the entire cost of soliciting proxies for the Annual Meeting, including the cost of preparing, assembling, printing and mailing the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, this Proxy Statement, the proxy card and any additional solicitation materials furnished to our stockholders. Copies of solicitation materials will be furnished to brokerage firms, fiduciaries and custodians holding shares in their names that are beneficially owned by others so that they may forward the solicitation materials to the beneficial owners. We may reimburse such persons for their reasonable expenses in forwarding solicitation materials to beneficial owners. The original solicitation of proxies may be supplemented by solicitation by personal contact, telephone, facsimile, email or any other means by our directors, officers or employees, and we will reimburse any reasonable expenses incurred for that purpose. No additional compensation will be paid to those individuals for any such services.

The matters to be considered and acted upon at the Annual Meeting are referred to in the preceding notice and are discussed below more fully.

Proposal One

Election of Directors

Our bylaws currently provide for seven directors unless otherwise changed by resolution of our Board. Promptly following the Annual Meeting, and consistent with the number of director nominees for election at the meeting, we intend to reduce the number of directors provided for in our bylaws to five by resolution of our Board.

Directors are elected annually and hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and/or until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified. Stockholders who desire to nominate any person for election to our Board must comply with our bylaws, including our advance-notice bylaw provisions relating to the nomination of persons for election to our Board. See “Information about our Board of Directors, Board Committees and Related Matters—Board Committees and Meetings, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee” below. It is intended that the proxies solicited by our Board will be voted “FOR” election of the following five nominees unless a contrary instruction is made on the proxy: Michael D. Kandris, Maria G. Gray, Douglas L. Kieta, Gilbert E. Nathan and Dianne S. Nury. If, for any reason, one or more of the nominees is unavailable as a candidate for director, an event that is not expected, the person named in the proxy will vote for another candidate or candidates nominated by our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. However, under no circumstances may a proxy be voted in favor of a greater number of persons than the number of nominees named above. All five of the nominees for director are present directors of Alto Ingredients. All of the nominees have been nominated by our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and ratified by our full Board.

Required Vote of Stockholders

The five nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative votes of the outstanding shares of our common stock and Series B Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class, present at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy and entitled to vote, will be elected as directors to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and/or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Votes against a candidate, abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present for this proposal but will not be included in the vote totals for this proposal and, therefore, will have no effect on the vote.

Majority Voting Guidelines

We have adopted corporate governance guidelines that implement a majority voting standard for uncontested elections of directors—that is, an election where the only nominees are those recommended by the Board. Notwithstanding that a nominee may be within the group of five nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative votes, as determined above, if an incumbent nominee for director in an uncontested election receives a greater number of votes against his or her election than votes in favor of his or her election (a “Majority Against Vote”), our corporate governance guidelines require that the nominee promptly tender his or her resignation following certification of the vote. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will promptly consider the tendered resignation and recommend to the full Board whether to accept the tendered resignation or take other action, such as rejecting the tendered resignation and addressing the apparent underlying causes of the Majority Against Vote.

In making this recommendation, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider all factors deemed relevant, including the underlying ascertainable reasons why stockholders voted against the director, the length of service and qualifications of the director, the director’s contributions to Alto Ingredients, whether by accepting the resignation we will no longer be in compliance with any applicable law, rule, regulation or governing document, and whether or not accepting the resignation is in the best interests of Alto Ingredients and our stockholders. Any director who tenders his or her resignation under these guidelines is not to participate in the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee recommendation or Board consideration regarding whether to accept the tendered resignation. We will promptly and publicly disclose the Board’s decision and process in a report filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Recommendation of the Board of Directors

OUR BOARD unanimously recommends a vote “FOR” the election of EACH OF the FIVE director nominees listed above.

Information About Our Board of Directors,
Board Committees and Related Matters

Directors and Director Nominees

The following table sets forth certain information regarding our directors and director nominees as of April 24, 2023. We intend to reevaluate and reconstitute our Board committees and select the Chair of the Board at our annual Board meeting immediately following our Annual Meeting.

Experience and Background

The biographies below describe the skills, qualities, attributes and business experience of each of our directors, including the capacities in which they served during the past five years. In addition to those described in the biographies below, our Board members have the skills, experience and diversity characteristics described further below.

Michael D. Kandris has served as a director since June 2008, as our sole President and Chief Executive Officer since September 2020 and as our Chief Operating Officer since January 6, 2013. Mr. Kandris was appointed as our Co-President and Co-Chief Executive Officer in May 2020. Mr. Kandris served as an independent contractor with supervisory responsibility for plant operations from January 1, 2012 to January 5, 2013. Mr. Kandris was President of the Western Division of Ruan Transportation Management Systems from November 2008 until his retirement in September 2009. From January 2000 to November 2008, Mr. Kandris served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Ruan Transportation Management Systems, where he had overall responsibility for all operations, finance and administrative functions. Mr. Kandris has 30 years of experience in all modes of transportation and logistics and 11 years managing our operations, including as our Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Kandris served on the Executive Committee of the American Trucking Association and as a board member for the National Tank Truck Organization until his retirement from Ruan Transportation Management Systems in September 2009. Mr. Kandris has a B.S. degree in Business from California State University, Hayward.

Mr. Kandris’s qualifications to serve on our Board include:

Douglas L. Kieta has served as a director since April 2006 and as our Vice Chairman of the Board since March 2023. Mr. Kieta is currently retired but also works as a consultant through Century West Projects, Inc., of which he is the President and an owner, providing project and construction management services. Prior to his retirement in January 2009, Mr. Kieta was employed by BE&K, Inc., a large engineering and construction company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, where he served as the Vice President of Power from May 2006 to January 2009. From April 1999 to April 2006, Mr. Kieta was employed at Calpine Corporation where he was the Senior Vice President of Construction and Engineering. Calpine Corporation is a major North American power company which leases and operates integrated systems of fuel-efficient natural gas-fired and renewable geothermal power plants and delivers clean, reliable and fuel-efficient electricity to customers and communities in 21 states and three Canadian provinces. Mr. Kieta has a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Cornell University.

Mr. Kieta’s qualifications to serve on our Board include:

Maria G. Gray has served as a director since June 2022. Prior to that time, Ms. Gray served as an advisor to our Board beginning in June 2021. Ms. Gray served as a Senior Refining Engineer at Marathon Petroleum Company, an American petroleum refining, marketing, and transportation company headquartered in Findlay, Ohio. From 2012 to 2021, Ms. Gray served in several capacities including as a Senior Health, Safety, and Environmental Professional and as a Project Process Engineering Lead, at Marathon Petroleum Company. Ms. Gray also served in various engineering and supervisory capacities from 2001 to 2012 for Motiva Enterprises LLC, then a joint venture between Shell Oil Company and Saudi Refining Inc, a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, that operates North America’s largest refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, producing and distributing fuels and specialty chemicals. Ms. Gray also served as a Process Engineer for Union Carbide Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical Company, that produces specialty chemicals and polymers. Ms. Gray has a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering, Minor in Business and Minor in Architecture from Tulane University.

Ms. Gray’s qualifications to serve on our Board include:

Gilbert E. Nathan has served as a director since November 2019 and, prior to formally joining our Board as a director, served as an advisor to our Board since November 2015. Mr. Nathan is the Managing Member of Jackson Square Advisors LLC, which he founded in 2015. Mr. Nathan also serves on the Board of Directors of Ready Capital Corporation, a public company, and as an observer, and it is anticipated that he will be appointed as a member, of the Board of Directors of Magnachip Semiconductor Corporation, a public company. He also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Keycon Power Holdings LLC, a position he has held since November 2018. He previously served on the boards of directors of Owens Realty Mortgage, Inc. and Emergent Capital, Inc., and as a liquidating trust board member of Hercules Offshore Liquidating Trust. From 2013 to 2015, Mr. Nathan was a Senior Analyst with Candlewood Investment Group, an investment firm with significant debt and equity investments in the ethanol industry. From 2002 to 2012, Mr. Nathan was a Principal at Restoration Capital Management, an investment firm focused on distressed investments, event driven situations, and high-yield debt. Mr. Nathan has a B.S. degree in Management, Major in Finance from the A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University.

Mr. Nathan’s qualifications to serve on our Board include:

Dianne S. Nury has served as a director since November 2019 and, prior to formally joining our Board as a director, served as an advisor to our Board since August 2018. Ms. Nury has served since 1990 as President and Chief Executive Officer of Vie-Del Company, a family-owned winery, distillery and fruit juice processor manufacturing liquid ingredients for spirits, wine, food and beverage companies. Ms. Nury serves on the Board of Directors and is a former Chairman of the Board of the Wine Institute, the largest advocacy and public policy association for California wine. Ms. Nury is a member of the Juice Products Association, the national trade association representing the fruit and juice products industry, and formerly served as Chairman of its Board of Directors. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Foundation for California State University at Fresno, where she serves as the Vice Chairman of the Viticulture and Enology Industry Advisory Board. Ms. Nury previously served on the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee. Ms. Nury is a Board Member of the Foundation for Clovis Schools, Clovis, California, and previously served on the Board of Trustees of the Saint Agnes Medical Center, Fresno, California. Ms. Nury has a B.S. degree in Business from California State University at Fresno.

Ms. Nury’s qualifications to serve on our Board include:

William L. Jones has served as Chairman of the Board and as a director since March 2005. Mr. Jones was not nominated for reelection for 2023. Mr. Jones is a co-founder of Pacific Ethanol California, Inc., or PEI California, which is one of our predecessors, and served as Chairman of the Board of PEI California since its formation in January 2003 through March 2004, when he stepped off the board of directors of PEI California to focus on his candidacy for one of California’s United States Senate seats. Mr. Jones was California’s Secretary of State from 1995 to 2003. Since May 2002, Mr. Jones has also been the owner of Tri-J Land & Cattle, a diversified farming and cattle company in Fresno County, California. Mr. Jones has a B.A. degree in Agribusiness and Plant Sciences from California State University, Fresno.

Mr. Jones’s qualifications to serve on our Board include:

Terry L. Stone has served as a director since March 2005. Mr. Stone was not nominated for reelection for 2023. Mr. Stone is a Certified Public Accountant with over forty years of experience in accounting and taxation. He has been the owner of his own accountancy firm since 1990 and has provided accounting and taxation services to a wide range of industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, retail, equipment leasing, professionals and not-for-profit organizations. Mr. Stone has served as a part-time instructor at California State University, Fresno, teaching classes in taxation, auditing and financial and management accounting. Mr. Stone is also a financial advisor. Mr. Stone has a B.S. degree in Accounting from California State University, Fresno.

Mr. Stone’s qualifications to serve on our Board include:

Family Relationships

There are no family relationships among our directors or director nominees.

Board Skills and Experience, and Diversity

We believe the following skills, experience and diversity characteristics of our Board, our director nominees and potential candidates for director are important factors in evaluating individual strengths as well as the composition of our Board as a whole.

The following tables sets forth information regarding the skills, experience and diversity characteristics of our directors and director nominees as of April 24, 2023:

Skills and Experience

Diversity

Corporate Governance

Corporate Governance Initiatives

In 2021 and continuing into 2022, we pursued a number of corporate governance initiatives, including initiatives to improve Board and committee diversity and evaluate our committee and other charters. In 2021, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee selected and nominated, and our stockholders elected, a diverse director. In 2022, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee selected and nominated, and our stockholders elected, an additional diverse director. We also rotated our committee chair positions, resulting in a diverse director acting as chairperson in one out of three committees. In addition, we constituted an ESG Board committee and working group committee in furtherance of our ESG initiatives. See “Environmental, Social and Governance” below. In 2023, we conducted a comprehensive review of our committee and other charters, broadening their collective scope to include cybersecurity oversight.

Corporate Governance Guidelines

Our Board believes that good corporate governance is paramount to ensure that Alto Ingredients is managed for the long-term benefit of our stockholders. Our Board has adopted corporate governance guidelines that guide its actions with respect to, among other things, the composition of the Board and its decision-making processes, Board meetings and involvement of management, the Board’s standing committees and procedures for appointing members of the committees, and its performance evaluation of our Chief Executive Officer.

Our Board has adopted, and recently revised, a Code of Ethics that applies to all of our directors, officers, employees and consultants and an additional Code of Ethics that applies to our Chief Executive Officer and senior financial officers. The Codes of Ethics, as applied to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer constitutes our “code of ethics” within the meaning of Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and is our “code of conduct” within the meaning of Nasdaq’s listing standards. In addition, we have a Supplier Code of Conduct applicable to all supplier partners for products and services, and all suppliers are required to acknowledge commitment to ethical business practices. Our Codes of Ethics are available on our website at https://ir.altoingredients.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents. Information on our website is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this Proxy Statement or incorporated into any other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Board Leadership Structure

Our Chairman of the Board is William L. Jones, who is a non-employee director. Mr. Jones has served as our Chairman of the Board since our inception in 2005. Our Chief Executive Officer is Michael D. Kandris. Mr. Kandris has served as our sole Chief Executive Officer since September 2020 and prior to that time served as our Co-Chief Executive Officer beginning in May 2020. Although we do not have a policy mandating the separation of the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, our Board, under our corporate governance guidelines, reserves the right to determine the appropriate leadership structure for our Board on a case-by-case basis. Our Board believes this separation remains appropriate as it allows our Chief Executive Officer to focus on the day-to-day business matters while the Chairman focuses on leading the Board in its responsibilities of acting in the best interests of Alto Ingredients and our stockholders. Under our corporate governance guidelines, our Board will appoint a lead independent director, nominated by our independent directors, whenever the offices of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are held by the same individual, and at other times if requested by our independent directors.

Our Chairman of the Board is responsible for managing the business of the Board, including setting the Board agenda (with Board member and management input), facilitating communication among directors, presiding at meetings of the Board and stockholders, sitting as chair at executive sessions at each regularly scheduled Board meeting, and providing support and counsel to the Chief Executive Officer. Our lead independent director, if separately appointed, and who is currently Douglas L. Kieta, is responsible for coordinating the activities of the independent directors and performing such other duties as the Board may determine. We believe that this Board leadership structure is appropriate in maximizing the effectiveness of our Board oversight and in providing perspective to our business that is independent from management.

Risk Oversight

Our Board has an active role, as a whole and at the committee level, in overseeing the management, including the identification, assessment and mitigation, of Alto Ingredients’ risks. Our Board regularly reviews information regarding our credit, liquidity and operations, as well as the risks associated with each of these areas, and assesses options for risk mitigation. Certain Board committees oversee various categories of risks based on the committee’s scope of duties, but our entire Board stays informed such as with respect to strategic, competitive, economic, operational, financial, legal, compliance, climate-related, cybersecurity, regulatory and compensatory risks. Our Compensation Committee is responsible for overseeing the management of risks relating to our executive compensation plans and arrangements. Our Audit Committee oversees management of financial risks, including compliance matters, tax matters and internal controls. Our Audit Committee also oversees management of cybersecurity risks. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee manages risks associated with the independence of members of our Board, potential conflicts of interest, the evaluation and composition of our Board and other corporate governance matters. While each committee is responsible for evaluating certain risks and overseeing the management of those risks, our entire Board is regularly informed through committee reports about such risks.

Policy on Hedging

Our insider trading policy prohibits all employees, officers and directors from engaging in any short sale of company securities, as well as any transaction involving puts, calls, collars, forward sales contracts, warrants or other options on company securities. Additionally, our executive officers are restricted from pledging company securities as collateral for a loan.

Environmental, Social and Governance

In late 2021, we engaged Nasdaq as a third-party consultant to review our ESG strategy and disclosures, with ultimate oversight maintained by our Board. We have surveyed all company departments with responsibility for activities that impact our ESG profile, including the operations, quality, commercial, legal, human resources, and accounting departments. Materiality surveys have assisted us in identifying ESG risks and opportunities. Execution of ESG priority action items is managed by our ESG Board committee, our Vice President of Quality & Sustainability, and in collaboration with our executive committee and management. By championing environmental efforts at the Board and executive level, we intend to ensure that our sites have additional support and resources necessary to implement environmental management systems in alignment with ISO 14001 best practices. Through our corporate quality team, operations team, environmental team, and our Director of Environmental, Health, Safety & Security, we now provide trending and reporting to better target key performance indicators that yield the most impactful benefits to environmental, health and safety compliance and strategy. Our ESG Board committee is tasked with ESG strategy and risk assessment for each of our facilities at least once per year, as well as for all potential acquisitions. Our sustainability reporting, which will commence this year, will align with Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) – Biofuels standards and the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), with reference to standards included in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

Environmental

Fueling a low-carbon economy was a founding value of our company and continues to be a key pillar of our commitment to sustainability. As a global producer of high-quality, bio-based alcohols, Alto Ingredients is committed to moving our country towards a greener environment. All production and office facilities are located in regions categorized as Low to Low-Medium Baseline Water Stress as classified by Aqueduct, the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Water Risk Atlas tool. Our specialty alcohol products are in high demand, and we are capitalizing on ethanol’s beneficial low-carbon characteristics integral to the ultimate de-carbonization of our environment. As a member of the Carbon Capture Coalition, we are optimistic about industry action to lead carbon reduction efforts.

Our Pekin campus sits on top of the Mount Simon Sandstone formation, considered one of the most significant potential carbon storage resources in the United States. The outlook for carbon capture and sequestration at our Pekin site improved markedly under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Our Pekin site has an annual capacity of approximately 700,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. We are in advanced negotiations with third parties to provide turnkey transportation, sequestration and monitoring services for the project. In addition, we are in the final stages of selecting engineering services for the design and installation of equipment and technologies to meet the capture, compression and energy requirements of the project. By sequestering the carbon dioxide from our Pekin site, which accounts for approximately 70% of our biogenic carbon dioxide generated from fermentation, we expect to materially reduce our carbon footprint.

An inventory of our greenhouse gas emissions was a focus for 2022. We compiled Scope 1 and 2 emissions data for 2021 and 2022 at all production facilities and engaged a third-party engineering team to complete verification for both years. We recognize that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is one of the most critical components of lowering our environmental impact. As a result, we are committed to measuring our current state of emissions and setting reduction targets. With inventory values in-hand, we have begun to estimate reductions for current and proposed capital projects, including our carbon capture initiatives, boiler replacement and additional utility projects, co-generation, “no flare” operations where possible, upgrades to our cook system, waste heat recovery, new technologies in the industry such as alternative feedstocks, and enzymatic technologies to allow higher cellulosic ethanol production. We are also focused on waste reduction, including toxic waste and landfilled material. We are a Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG) of hazardous waste, meaning that each of our production facilities generates 100 kilograms or less per month of hazardous waste, most of which is waste from EPA water quality testing.

Health and Safety

We continue to focus on health and safety. Our commitments to health and safety include the prevention of work-related injury/illness, healthy work/life balance, and benchmarked non-compensation benefits for promoting employee well-being. We conduct our operations in compliance with applicable laws, directives and regulations, and executive management is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for employees, contractors and visitors to our facilities. Each facility operates under health and safety policies consistent with OSHA’s requirements. We provide contractor safety training in addition to education and training activities to all employees to successfully carry out their role in our environmental, health, safety and sustainability programs. We use third-party web-based training, and all employees complete key training modules at least annually. Each of our sites has a safety committee with participation encouraged from a broad range of departments, including management, union and non-union hourly employees from all shifts. Safety audits are conducted internally and twice annually externally through our captive insurance group from which we are rated compared to industry peers. We set improvement goals and timelines to address any deficiencies found during our safety audits, and our maintenance staff prioritizes safety work orders.

Each of our facilities has an action plan to address site-specific risks such as flood, fire, loss of power, and other hazards that have the potential to become more frequent and severe over time. These plans are maintained at the site level and most plans are reviewed annually by a third party in coordination with our insurance company, and at some sites in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

We are dedicated to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, reducing environmental impact, and ensuring compliance with all laws and regulations.

Social

As of April 24, 2023, we had a total of approximately 435 employees, of whom approximately 25 are remote/hybrid and approximately 410 are on-site. Of those personnel, approximately 145 of our employees at our Pekin operating facility are members of United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (“USW Union”), and approximately 45 of our employees at our ICP distillery are members of United Food & Commercial Workers Union (“UFC Union”). We consider our employee relations to be good, and our recent transition to twelve-hour operating facility shifts provides our union employees with a better work-life balance through improved scheduling practices. Our employees are among our most valuable assets, and they have directly and significantly contributed to our success. In 2022, we partnered with Gallup to launch a three-year employee engagement survey and training program. This program offers managers tools to continuously improve training and resources, retention and promotion, our company culture and opportunities to grow and learn, and to recognize the difference that individuals make to the performance of our business.

We continue to focus on talent acquisition, retention and promotion; employee engagement; development and training, diversity, inclusion, and compensation and pay equity.

We continue to raise awareness through periodic diversity and market availability data reporting to our executive committee. These reports also list actions taken to help increase the diversity of our employee base, such as partnering with local workforce development agencies in the counties in which we operate, encouraging minorities and women to apply, and encouraging qualified diverse candidates to interview. We view diversity as important and ensure that our hiring managers know these efforts are supported at the highest levels of management. These efforts have resulted in increased diversity year-over-year along with strong employee retention, resulting in an overall increase in women and minority employees from 2021 to 2022 and an overall median employment tenure of 7 years for our employees, compared to a median employment tenure of 5 years for wage and salary workers in the United States manufacturing industry. The average tenure of our USW Union employees is 12 years, and the average tenure of our UFC Union employees is 13 years compared to an average tenure of 7 years for non-union employees company wide.

Human Capital Management. The well-being of our employees is paramount to our success. All full-time employees are offered a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to benefit the whole-person, including medical, dental and vision benefits; a flexible spending account; life and disability insurance; paid parental and caregiver leave; a 401(k) plan with a dollar-for-dollar matching contribution on the first 6% contributed by the employee, a program in which 98% of our employees participate; and access to a complementary health and wellness program, participation in which qualifies employees for additional insurance reimbursements and contributions. To complement our community outreach programs, we offer our employees a community service day. Further details regarding our employee benefits can be found on our website.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. We are committed to fostering a culture that focuses on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion. One of our core tenets is the care for our employees regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, marital status, medical condition, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, family care or medical leave status, veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. Our continuing diversity initiatives include, among others, practices and policies of recruitment and selection, ensuring that we evaluate and hire candidates that are the most qualified and well-suited for the positions; continued measuring and monitoring of employee demographics (gender and race) in comparison to demographics of operating facility locations; and the ongoing development of a work environment that encourages and enforces respectful communication and teamwork that reflect the significance to us of the principles of diversity.

Products. We are committed to producing ingredients for our customers that embody the highest levels of integrity, purity and quality for products that touch multiple areas of people’s lives. Our products, including high-quality alcohol and food ingredients, are renewable and bio-based. We believe in transparency that extends to our labels and we are committed to making clean ingredients, including Kosher, gluten-free, vegan, GMP/HACCP Certified, Together for Sustainability (TfS) certified and SMETA 4-Pillar certified products. We maintain multi-site ISO 9001 certification for our corporate facilities and our Pekin campus. We are also evaluating the addition of our other facilities into our ISO 9001 Quality Management System and have begun incorporating portions of other ISO systems including ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), ISO 26000 (Social Responsibility), and ISO 37000 (Governance of Organizations). With more than 150 years of distilling experience, our 190 and 200 proof alcohols are manufactured to meet the highest standards for quality and reliability. Ethical sourcing is a priority, so we not only qualify, monitor and review performance of all material and service vendors, but for those deemed critical to our product quality, we also conduct on-site auditing to ensure commitment to quality and ethical sources, and all operating facility employees and contractors working on-site undergo annual safety training.

Governance

Our Board is committed to bringing a diversity of viewpoints among its members. In 2022, our Board underwent continued refreshment with the retirement of one of its members to allow for the nomination of Maria G. Gray. With her election, our Board increased its diversity such that more than 25% of our Board is now diverse. We anticipate that at the conclusion of our Annual Meeting, 40% of our Board will be diverse.

ESG Governance. Our ESG committees include both a Board committee comprised of Dianne S. Nury (Chair), Michael D. Kandris and Maria G. Gray, and a working group committee consisting of senior executives, subject matter experts and the members of our ESG Board committee. While our Board holds primary oversight of our ESG initiatives and strategy, our ESG working group committee works with our executive team, our Vice President of Quality & Sustainability, and others within our company on the day-to-day identification and execution of our initiatives and to ensure compliance with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposals to require disclosure to investors of climate-related matters.

Director Independence

Our corporate governance guidelines provide that a majority of the Board and all members of our Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees shall be independent. On an annual basis, each director and executive officer is obligated to complete a Director and Officer Questionnaire that requires disclosure of any transactions with Alto Ingredients in which a director or executive officer, or any member of his or her immediate family, have a direct or indirect material interest. Following completion of these questionnaires, the Board, with the assistance of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, makes an annual determination as to the independence of each director using the current standards for “independence” established by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Nasdaq, additional criteria contained in our corporate governance guidelines and consideration of any other material relationship a director may have with Alto Ingredients.

The Board has determined that its directors and director nominees are independent under these standards, except for Michael D. Kandris, who serves as our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Kandris is deemed not to be independent due to his employment relationship with Alto Ingredients.

Stockholder Communications with our Board of Directors

Our Board has implemented a process by which stockholders may send written communications directly to the attention of our Board or any individual member of our Board. The Chairman of our Audit Committee, Terry L. Stone, is responsible for monitoring communications from stockholders and providing copies of such communications to the other directors as he considers appropriate. Communications will be forwarded to all directors if they relate to substantive matters and include suggestions or comments that the Chairman of our Audit Committee considers important for the directors to consider. Stockholders who wish to communicate with our Board can write to Chairman of the Audit Committee, The Board of Directors, Alto Ingredients, Inc., 1300 South Second Street, Pekin, Illinois 61554.

Board Committees and Meetings

Our business, property and affairs are managed under the direction of our Board. Our directors are kept informed of our business through discussions with our executive officers, by reviewing materials provided to them and by participating in meetings of our Board and its committees. During 2022, our Board held twelve meetings. All directors attended at least 75% of all meetings of our Board and of the committees on which they served or that were held during the period they were directors or committee members.

During 2022, members of our Board and its committees consulted informally with management from time to time and acted by written consent without a meeting. Additionally, the independent members of our Board met in executive session regularly without the presence of management.

It is our policy to invite and encourage our directors to attend our annual meetings. At the date of our 2022 annual meeting, we had seven members on our Board, all of whom attended the meeting.

Our Board has established standing Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees. Each committee operates pursuant to a written charter that has been approved by our Board and the corresponding committee and that is reviewed annually and revised as appropriate. Each committee charter is available on our website at https://ir.altoingredients.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents. Information on our website is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this Proxy Statement or incorporated into any other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Audit Committee

Our Audit Committee’s general functions include monitoring the integrity of our financial reporting process; overseeing processes for monitoring auditor independence; overseeing the implementation of new accounting standards; overseeing and participating in the resolution of internal control issues, when and if identified; communicating with our independent auditors on matters related to the conduct of audits; and reviewing and understanding non-GAAP measures, and related company policies and disclosure controls. Moreover, our Audit Committee selects our independent auditors, reviews the results and scope of the audit and other services provided by our independent auditors, reviews our financial statements for each interim period and for the full year and implements and manages our enterprise risk management program, including financial, operational, privacy, data security, business continuity, legal, regulatory and reputational risks, and reviews the implementation and effectiveness of, and monitors compliance with, our Codes of Ethics. The Audit Committee also has the authority to retain consultants and other advisors.

Messrs. Stone (Chair) and Jones, and Ms. Nury, served on our Audit Committee for all of 2022. In addition, John L. Prince, one of our former directors, served on our Audit Committee through the date of our prior annual meeting in June 2022. Our Board has determined that each member of the Audit Committee is “independent” under the current Nasdaq listing standards and satisfies the other requirements under Nasdaq listing standards and Securities and Exchange Commission rules regarding audit committee membership. Our Board has determined that Mr. Stone qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations governing the composition of the Audit Committee and satisfies the “financial sophistication” requirements of Nasdaq’s listing standards. During 2022, our Audit Committee held five meetings.

The Audit Committee Report for 2022 can be found on page 40 of this Proxy Statement.

Compensation Committee

Our Compensation Committee is responsible for establishing, updating and administering our compensation program for executive officers including, among other things, annual salaries and bonuses, stock options, stock grants, other stock-based awards, and other incentive compensation arrangements. The Compensation Committee establishes the elements and mix of total compensation, sets the parameters and specific target metrics of our performance-based incentive compensation plan, and determines the target compensation of our executive officers. In addition, our Compensation Committee establishes the compensation philosophy and objectives, and oversees the administration of our compensation program for all other employees. Our Compensation Committee also has the authority to administer our equity incentive plans with respect to grants to executive officers and directors and has authority to make equity awards under our equity incentive plans to all other eligible individuals. However, our Board may retain, reassume or exercise from time to time the power to administer our equity incentive plans. Equity awards made to members of the Compensation Committee must be authorized and approved by a disinterested majority of our Board.

Our Compensation Committee believes that our compensation program offered to our executive officers should attract, retain, motivate and reward key executive officers responsible for our success; align and strengthen the mutuality of interests of our executive officers, our company and our stockholders; deliver compensation that reflects our financial and operational performance, while providing the opportunity to earn above-targeted total compensation for exceptional performance; and provide total compensation to each executive officer that is internally equitable, competitive, and influenced by company and individual performance.

Our Compensation Committee has the authority to retain consultants and other advisors, and in furtherance of the foregoing objectives, our Compensation Committee in 2020 engaged Korn Ferry to conduct reviews of our compensation program for our executive officers and other employees. From those reviews, Korn Ferry provided our Compensation Committee with relevant market data and alternatives to consider when making compensation decisions as to our executive officers and other employees.

Messrs. Nathan (Chair) and Stone served on our Compensation Committee for all of 2022 and Ms. Gray served on our Compensation Committee since the date of our prior annual meeting in June 2022. In addition, John L. Prince, one of our former directors, and Ms. Nury, served on our Compensation Committee until the date of our prior annual meeting in June 2022. Our Board has determined that each member of the Compensation Committee is “independent” under the current Nasdaq listing standards. During 2022, our Compensation Committee held seven meetings.

The Compensation Committee Report for 2022 can be found on page 67 of this Proxy Statement.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers and reports periodically to the Board on matters related to the identification, selection and qualification of Board members and candidates nominated to the Board. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also advises and makes recommendations to the Board with respect to corporate governance matters. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also has the authority to retain consultants and other advisors.

Messrs. Jones and Kieta served on our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee for all of 2022 and Ms. Nury (Chair) served on our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee since the date of our prior annual meeting in June 2022. In addition, John L. Prince, one of our former directors, and Mr. Nathan, served on our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee until the date of our prior annual meeting in June 2022. Our Board has determined that each member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is “independent” under the current Nasdaq listing standards. During 2022, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held two meetings.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider candidates for director recommended by any stockholder that is the beneficial owner of shares representing more than 1.0% of the then-outstanding shares of our common stock and who has beneficially owned those shares for at least one year. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will evaluate those recommendations by applying its regular nominee criteria and considering the additional information described in the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s charter. Stockholders who desire to recommend candidates for the Board for evaluation may do so by contacting Alto Ingredients in writing, identifying the potential candidate and providing background and other relevant information. Stockholders must also comply with our bylaws, including our advance notice bylaw provisions relating to the nomination of persons for election to our Board that, among other things, require that nominations of persons for election to our Board at annual meetings be submitted to our Secretary at Alto Ingredients, Inc., 1300 South Second Street, Pekin, Illinois 61554, unless otherwise notified, by the close of business on the 45^th day before the first anniversary of the date on which we first mailed our proxy materials for the prior year’s annual meeting. We first mailed our proxy materials for our 2022 annual meeting on or about May 9, 2022 and anticipate mailing our proxy materials for our Annual Meeting on or about May 5, 2023. We have received no stockholder nominations of persons for election to our Board for our Annual Meeting.

Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee utilizes a variety of methods for identifying and evaluating nominees for director. Candidates may also come to the attention of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee through current Board members, professional search firms and other persons. In evaluating potential candidates, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider a number of factors, including, among others, the following:

In addition, our Board and our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are committed to seeking out highly qualified women and minority candidates as well as candidates with diverse backgrounds, skills and experiences as part of each Board member candidate search the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee undertakes. When searching for director nominees, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will include highly qualified diverse candidates (including gender, race and ethnicity) in the pool from which nominees are chosen. We are committed to ensuring that our Board diversity meets Nasdaq’s minimum requirements.

Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has the authority to retain and terminate any search firm to be used to identify director nominees, including the authority to approve the firm’s fees and other retention terms. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will direct any search firm it retains to include qualified women and minority candidates in the firm’s list of potential director candidates. We will provide funding, as determined by our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, for the payment of compensation to any such search firms.

We will evaluate our diversity policy’s effectiveness by annually reviewing our inclusion of highly qualified diverse candidates in the pool from which nominees are chosen.

Compensation of Directors

We use a combination of cash and equity-based incentive compensation to attract and retain qualified candidates to serve on our Board. In setting the compensation of directors, we consider the significant amount of time that Board members spend in fulfilling their duties to Alto Ingredients as well as the experience level we require to serve on our Board. The Board, through its Compensation Committee, annually reviews the compensation and compensation policies for Board members. In recommending director compensation, the Compensation Committee is guided by the following three goals:

In making compensation decisions for 2022 as to our directors, our Compensation Committee compared our cash and equity compensation payable to directors against market data obtained by Korn Ferry in 2020. The data included a blend of results from two published surveys to identify companies with revenue and market capitalization comparable to ours. Korn Ferry used a revenue range in one survey that included companies with revenue of $0.5 billion to $2.5 billion and used a market capitalization threshold in the second survey that included companies with a market capitalization of less than $1.0 billion. The surveys did not specifically identify the companies surveyed. For 2022, our Compensation Committee targeted compensation for our directors at approximately the median of compensation paid to directors of the survey group companies.

Cash Compensation

Our annual cash compensation program for directors includes the following:

These amounts are paid in advance in bi-weekly installments. In addition, directors are reimbursed for specified reasonable and documented expenses in connection with attendance at meetings of our Board and its committees. An employee director does not receive director compensation in connection with his or her service as a director. In lieu of cash compensation, directors may elect to receive additional equity compensation having the same cash value.

Equity Compensation

Our Compensation Committee or our full Board typically grants equity compensation to our newly elected or reelected directors which normally vests as to 100% of the grants at the earlier of our next annual meeting or approximately one year after the date of grant. Vesting is typically subject to continued service on our Board during the full year.

In determining the amount of equity compensation for 2022, the Compensation Committee determined a target value of total compensation of approximately the median of compensation paid to directors of the comparable companies identified by Korn Ferry. The Compensation Committee then determined the cash component based on this market data. The balance of the total compensation target was then allocated to equity awards, and the number of shares to be granted to our directors was based on the estimated value of the underlying shares on the expected grant date.

Our annual equity compensation program for directors includes the following:

In addition, our Compensation Committee may grant, and has from time to time granted, additional equity compensation to directors at its discretion.

Compensation of Employee Directors

Mr. Kandris was compensated as a full-time employee and officer and therefore received no additional compensation for service as a Board member during 2022. Information regarding the compensation awarded to Mr. Kandris is included in “Executive Compensation and Related Information—Summary Compensation Table” below.

Director Compensation Table – 2022

The following table summarizes the compensation of our non-employee directors for the year ended December 31, 2022:

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with a pending or completed action, suit or proceeding if the officer or director acted in good faith and in a manner the officer or director reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the corporation.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that, except in certain specified instances, our directors shall not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except liability for the following:

In addition, our certificate of incorporation and bylaws obligate us to indemnify our directors and officers against expenses and other amounts reasonably incurred in connection with any proceeding arising from the fact that such person is or was an agent of ours. Our bylaws also authorize us to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any of our directors or officers against any liability asserted against that person in that capacity, whether or not we would have the power to indemnify that person under the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law. We have entered and expect to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors and officers as determined by our Board. These agreements provide for indemnification of related expenses including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by any of these individuals in any action or proceeding. We believe that these bylaw provisions and indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers. We also maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and other stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers as required by these indemnification provisions.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons under the foregoing provisions of our certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or otherwise, we have been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

PROPOSAL TWO

ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

We are providing our stockholders with the opportunity to vote on a non-binding, advisory resolution to approve the compensation paid to our named executive officers, as disclosed in this Proxy Statement pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), including the compensation tables and any narrative discussion of our compensation arrangements. This proposal, commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal, gives our stockholders the opportunity to express their views on the compensation paid to our named executive officers.

Our compensation program for our executive officers utilizes elements including base salary, annual performance-based cash incentive compensation, long-term equity incentive compensation, and health and other benefits to achieve the following goals:

We believe that our success depends in large part on our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified executives through competitive compensation arrangements. We also believe that the compensation paid to our executive officers should be influenced by the value we create for our stockholders. For these reasons, our Compensation Committee believes that our compensation program should provide incentives to attain both short- and long-term financial and other business objectives and reward those executive officers who contribute meaningfully to attaining those objectives. The Compensation Committee supports a pay-for-performance philosophy within a compensation structure that is competitive, internally equitable and responsible.

Our Compensation Committee’s process for determining overall target compensation for each executive officer is based in part on an analysis of compensation of similarly situated personnel at third-party survey group companies derived from market data provided by the Compensation Committee’s compensation consultant.

This vote is not intended to address any specific item of compensation, but rather the overall compensation of our named executive officers and the philosophy, policies and practices described in this Proxy Statement. Accordingly, we will ask our stockholders to vote “FOR” the following resolution at the Annual Meeting:

“RESOLVED, that the compensation paid to Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s named executive officers, as disclosed in Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s proxy statement for its 2023 annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the compensation tables and related disclosure, is hereby APPROVED.”

Please read the “Executive Compensation and Related Information” section of this Proxy Statement for additional details about our executive compensation program and the different components of the program, including information about the total compensation of our named executive officers in 2022. See also “Information About our Board of Directors, Board Committees and Related Matters – Board Committees and Meetings – Compensation Committee” of this Proxy Statement.

The say-on-pay vote is advisory, and therefore not binding on us, our Compensation Committee or our Board. The vote will provide our Compensation Committee and our Board with information relating to the opinions of our stockholders which the Compensation Committee will consider as it makes determinations with respect to future action regarding executive compensation and our executive compensation program.

Recommendation of the Board of Directors

OUR BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” APPROVAL OF THE 2022 COMPENSATION PAID TO OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AS DISCLOSED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO THE COMPENSATION DISCLOSURE RULES OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.

Proposal THREE

Approval of Amendment to 2016 Stock Incentive Plan

In 2016, our Board adopted, and our stockholders ratified and approved the adoption of, our 2016 Plan. On March 29, 2018, our Board approved, and on June 14, 2018 our stockholders ratified and approved, an increase in the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under our 2016 Plan from 1,150,000 shares to 3,650,000 shares. On August 6, 2019, our Board approved, and on November 7, 2019 our stockholders ratified and approved, a further increase in the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under our 2016 Plan from 3,650,000 shares to 5,650,000 shares as well as other amendments to the 2016 Plan. On September 2, 2020, our Board approved, and on November 18, 2020 our stockholders ratified and approved, a further increase in the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under our 2016 Plan from 5,650,000 to 7,400,000 shares. On March 30, 2022, our Board approved, and on June 22, 2022 our stockholders ratified and approved, a further increase in the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under our 2016 Plan from 7,400,000 shares to 8,900,000 shares. On April 20, 2023, our Board approved, subject to stockholder approval, a further increase in the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under our 2016 Plan from 8,900,000 shares to 11,400,000 shares.

Our Board recommends approval of the amendment to the 2016 Plan to enable the continued use of the 2016 Plan for stock-based grants consistent with the objectives of our compensation program. The 2016 Plan is intended to promote our interests by providing eligible persons in our service with the opportunity to acquire a proprietary or economic interest, or otherwise increase their proprietary or economic interest, in Alto Ingredients as an incentive for them to remain in service and render superior performance during their service. The 2016 Plan consists of two equity-based incentive programs, the Discretionary Grant Program and the Stock Issuance Program. Principal features of each program are summarized below.

A total of 8,900,000 shares of common stock are currently authorized for issuance under the 2016 Plan. A total of 11,400,000 shares of common stock will be authorized for issuance under the 2016 Plan upon stockholder approval of this proposal. Currently, equity awards totaling 8,624,434 shares of common stock have been issued under the 2016 Plan. We believe that the 2016 Plan will be exhausted of shares available for issuance in 2023, leaving insufficient shares available for equity grants in 2023 and future years. By increasing the number of shares authorized for issuance under the 2016 Plan by 2,500,000, a total of 11,400,000 shares of common stock would be available for issuance. This increase would, in essence, provide us with the flexibility to continue to make stock-based grants in amounts deemed appropriate by our Compensation Committee. We believe that our equity incentive program and grants made under the program are essential to retain critical personnel and align the incentives of our personnel with our stockholders.

The proposed share increase amendment will not be implemented unless approved by our stockholders, and no additional equity awards beyond the existing 8,900,000 shares of common stock have been or will be issued under the 2016 Plan unless and until stockholder approval of the amended 2016 Plan is obtained. If the proposed share increase amendment is not approved by our stockholders, the 2016 Plan will remain in effect in the form attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix A but without the share increase amendments to the 2016 Plan.

Set forth below is information concerning awards of restricted stock and options under our 2016 Plan for each of the years ended December 31, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. No other equity incentive compensation, whether under the 2016 Plan or otherwise, was awarded in such years.

The following is a summary of the principal features of our 2016 Plan. The summary does not purport to be a complete description of all provisions of our 2016 Plan and is qualified in its entirety by the text of the 2016 Plan, a copy of which (as amended to reflect the proposed share increase and other amendments) is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix A.

Administration

The Compensation Committee of our Board has the exclusive authority to administer the Discretionary Grant and Stock Issuance Programs with respect to option grants, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, direct stock issuances and other stock-based awards (“equity awards”) made to executive officers and non-employee Board members, and has the authority to make equity awards under those programs to all other eligible individuals. However, the Board may retain, reassume or exercise from time to time the power to administer those programs. Equity awards made to members of the Compensation Committee must be authorized and approved by a disinterested majority of the Board.

The term “plan administrator,” as used in this summary, means the Compensation Committee or the Board, to the extent either entity is acting within the scope of its administrative power under the 2016 Plan.

Share Reserve

An aggregate of 8,900,000 shares of common stock are currently authorized for issuance under the 2016 Plan. A total of 11,400,000 shares of common stock will be authorized for issuance under the 2016 Plan upon stockholder approval of this proposal. No additional equity awards beyond the existing 8,900,000 shares of common stock have been or will be issued under the 2016 Plan unless and until stockholder approval is obtained.

No participant in the 2016 Plan may be granted equity awards for shares of common stock having a value in excess of $1,000,000 per calendar year.

The shares of common stock issuable under the 2016 Plan may be drawn from shares of our authorized but unissued shares or from shares reacquired by us, including shares repurchased on the open market.

Shares of common stock subject to outstanding awards under the 2016 Plan shall in no event become eligible for reissuance under the 2016 Plan, whether as a result of expiration or termination of an award, cancellation or repurchase of unvested shares, tender of shares in connection with a net/cashless exercise program, withholding of shares to cover withholding taxes, or otherwise.

We have registered the issuance of the shares of common stock currently authorized for issuance under our 2016 Plan on Form S-8 under the Securities Act. As soon as practicable following stockholder approval to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the 2016 Plan, we intend to register the issuance of those securities under the 2016 Plan under a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act.

Eligibility

Officers, employees, non-employee directors, and consultants and independent advisors who are under written contract and whose securities issued under the 2016 Plan could be registered under a registration statement on Form S-8, all of whom are in our service or the service of any parent or subsidiary of ours, whether now existing or subsequently established, are eligible to participate in the Discretionary Grant and Stock Issuance Programs.

As of April 24, 2023, four executive officers, approximately 430 other employees, six non-executive officer members of our Board and an indeterminate number of consultants and independent advisors were eligible to participate in the 2016 Plan.

Valuation

The fair market value per share of our common stock on any relevant date under the 2016 Plan will be deemed to be equal to the closing price per share of our common stock at the close of regular trading hours on that date on The Nasdaq Capital Market (or any other primary successor exchange or market on which our securities are listed or traded). If there is no closing price for our common stock on the date in question, the fair market value will be the closing price on the last preceding date for which a quotation exists. On April 24, 2023, the fair market value determined on that basis was $1.31 per share.

Discretionary Grant Program

The plan administrator has complete discretion under the Discretionary Grant Program to determine which eligible individuals are to receive equity awards under that program, the time or times when those equity awards are to be made, the number of shares subject to each award, the time or times when each equity award is to vest and become exercisable (subject to a minimum initial vesting period of one (1) year and certain restrictions on vesting in connection with a change in control or hostile takeover), the maximum term for which the equity award is to remain outstanding and the status of any granted option as either an incentive stock option or a non-statutory option under the federal tax laws.

Stock Options. Each granted option will have an exercise price per share determined by the plan administrator, provided that the exercise price will not be less than 85% or 100% of the fair market value of a share on the grant date in the case of non-statutory or incentive options, respectively. No granted option will have a term in excess of ten years. Incentive options granted to an employee who beneficially owns more than 10% of our outstanding common stock must have exercise prices not less than 110% of the fair market value of a share on the grant date and a term of not more than five years measured from the grant date. Options generally will become exercisable in one or more installments over a specified period of service measured from the grant date. Any unvested shares acquired under options will be subject to repurchase, at the exercise price paid per share, if the optionee ceases service with us prior to vesting in those shares.

We are prohibited from repurchasing any option the exercise price of which is in excess of the fair market value of the underlying shares at the time of any such repurchase.

An optionee who ceases service with us other than due to misconduct will have a limited time within which to exercise outstanding options for any shares for which those options are vested and exercisable at the time of cessation of service. The plan administrator does not have discretion to extend the period following an optionee’s cessation of service during which outstanding options may be exercised; provided, however that the plan administrator may do so and/or accelerate the exercisability or vesting of the options in whole or in part in connection with an optionee’s retirement.

Stock Appreciation Rights. The plan administrator has the authority to issue the following three types of stock appreciation rights under the Discretionary Grant Program:

Payments with respect to exercised tandem or standalone stock appreciation rights may, at the discretion of the plan administrator, be made in cash or in shares of common stock. All payments with respect to exercised limited stock appreciation rights will be made in cash. Upon cessation of service with us, the holder of one or more stock appreciation rights will have a limited period within which to exercise those rights as to any shares as to which those stock appreciation rights are vested and exercisable at the time of cessation of service. The plan administrator does not have discretion to extend the period following the holder’s cessation of service during which his or her outstanding stock appreciation rights may be exercised; provided, however that the plan administrator may do so and/or accelerate the exercisability or vesting of the stock appreciation rights in whole or in part in connection with the holder’s retirement.

Stock Issuance Program

Shares of common stock may be issued under the Stock Issuance Program for valid consideration under the Delaware General Corporation Law as the plan administrator deems appropriate, including cash, past services or other property. In addition, restricted shares of common stock may be issued under restricted stock awards that vest in one or more installments over the recipient’s period of service or upon attainment of specified performance objectives. Shares of common stock may also be issued under the program under restricted stock units or other stock-based awards that entitle the recipients to receive the shares underlying those awards upon the attainment of designated performance goals, the satisfaction of specified service requirements and/or upon the expiration of a designated time period following the vesting of those awards or units, including a deferred distribution date following the termination of the recipient’s service with us.

The plan administrator will have complete discretion under the Stock Issuance Program to determine which eligible individuals are to receive equity awards under the program, the time or times when those equity awards are to be made, the number of shares subject to each equity award, the vesting schedule to be in effect for the equity award (subject to a minimum initial vesting period of one (1) year and certain restrictions on vesting in connection with a change in control or hostile takeover), and the consideration, if any, payable per share. The shares issued under an equity award may vest upon the completion of a designated service period (subject to a minimum initial vesting period of one (1) year), and/or the attainment of pre-established performance goals.

The plan administrator will also have the discretionary authority to structure one or more equity awards under the Stock Issuance Program so that the shares subject to those particular awards will vest only upon the achievement of pre-established corporate performance goals. Goals may be based on one or more of the following criteria: (i) return on total stockholders’ equity; (ii) net income per share; (iii) net income or operating income; (iv) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation costs, or operating income before depreciation and amortization; (v) sales or revenue targets; (vi) return on assets, capital or investment; (vii) cash flow; (viii) market share; (ix) cost reduction goals; (x) budget comparisons; (xi) implementation or completion of projects or processes strategic or critical to our business operations; (xii) measures of customer satisfaction; (xiii) any combination of, or a specified increase in, any of the foregoing; and (xiv) the formation of joint ventures, research and development collaborations, marketing or customer service collaborations, or the completion of other corporate transactions intended to enhance our revenue or profitability or expand our customer base; provided, however, that for purposes of items (ii), (iii) and (vii) above, the plan administrator may, at the time the equity awards are made, specify adjustments to those items as reported in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), which will exclude from the calculation of those performance goals one or more of the following: charges related to acquisitions, stock-based compensation, employer payroll tax expense on stock option exercises, settlement costs, restructuring costs, gains or losses on strategic investments, non-operating gains, other non-cash charges, valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, and the related income tax effects, purchases of property and equipment, and any extraordinary non-recurring items, provided that those adjustments are in conformity with those reported by us on a non-GAAP basis. In addition, performance goals may be based upon the attainment of specified levels of our performance under one or more of the measures described above relative to the performance of other entities and may also be based on the performance of any of our business groups or divisions thereof or any parent or subsidiary. Performance goals may include a minimum threshold level of performance below which no award will be earned, levels of performance at which specified portions of an award will be earned, and a maximum level of performance at which an award will be fully earned. The plan administrator may provide that, if the actual level of attainment for any performance objective is between two specified levels, the amount of the award attributable to that performance objective shall be interpolated on a straight-line basis.

No vesting requirements tied to the attainment of performance objectives may be waived with respect to shares that were intended at the time of issuance to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), except in the event of specified involuntary terminations or changes in control or ownership.

Outstanding restricted stock units or other stock-based awards under the Stock Issuance Program will automatically terminate, and no shares of common stock will be issued in satisfaction of those awards, if the performance goals or service requirements established for those awards are not attained, subject to their treatment in connection with a change in control or hostile takeover as provided under the terms of the 2016 Plan.

General Provisions

Acceleration. If a change in control occurs, but except as otherwise provided in the corresponding award agreement or an employment agreement, each outstanding equity award under the Discretionary Grant Program or Stock Issuance Program will automatically accelerate and vest in full, unless (i) that award is assumed by the successor corporation or otherwise continued in effect; (ii) the award is replaced with a cash retention program that preserves the spread existing on the unvested shares subject to that equity award (the excess of the fair market value of those shares over the exercise or base price in effect for the shares) and provides for subsequent payout of that spread in accordance with the same vesting schedule in effect for those shares; or (iii) the acceleration of the award is subject to other limitations imposed by the plan administrator; provided, that any award that would vest upon the attainment of designated performance goals or pre-established performance milestones, or the satisfaction of specified service requirements other than time-based vesting, shall accelerate and vest at the greater of (i) the actual amount based upon actual performance or the service requirements attained, and (ii) the target amount (and, for the avoidance of doubt, in cases where this proviso applies, no such award shall accelerate and vest at the minimum amount or the maximum amount unless, in the case of the maximum amount, the actual performance or service requirement attained results in achievement of the maximum amount).

In addition, all unvested shares outstanding under the Discretionary Grant and Stock Issuance Programs will immediately vest upon the change in control, except to the extent our repurchase rights with respect to those shares are to be assigned to the successor corporation or otherwise continued in effect or accelerated vesting is precluded by other limitations imposed by the 2016 Plan or the plan administrator. Except as otherwise provided in an award or employment agreement, each outstanding equity award under the Discretionary Grant Program and the Stock Issuance Program will vest as to the number of shares of common stock subject to that award immediately prior to the change in control, unless that equity award is assumed by the successor corporation or otherwise continued in effect or replaced with a cash retention program similar to the program described in clause (ii) above or unless vesting is precluded by its terms. Immediately following a change in control, all outstanding awards under the Discretionary Grant Program will terminate and cease to be outstanding except to the extent assumed by the successor corporation or its parent or otherwise expressly continued in full force and effect under the terms of the change in control transaction.

Except as otherwise provided in an award or employment agreement, the plan administrator does not have the discretion to structure one or more equity awards under the Discretionary Grant Program or Stock Issuance Program so that those equity awards will vest in full in the event of a specified involuntary termination of the individual’s service with us or the successor entity (actually or constructively) following a change in control transaction.

A change in control will be deemed to have occurred if, in a single transaction or series of related transactions:

(i) any person (as that term is used in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), or persons acting as a group, other than a trustee or fiduciary holding securities under an employment benefit program, is or becomes a beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly of securities representing 51% or more of the combined voting power of our company;

(ii) there is a merger, consolidation, or other business combination transaction of us with or into another corporation, entity or person, other than a transaction in which the holders of at least a majority of the shares of our voting capital stock outstanding immediately prior to the transaction continue to hold (either by the shares remaining outstanding or by their being converted into shares of voting capital stock of the surviving entity) a majority of the total voting power represented by the shares of voting capital stock of our company (or the surviving entity) outstanding immediately after the transaction; or

(iii) all or substantially all of our assets are sold.

Stockholder Rights and Option Transferability. The holder of an option or stock appreciation right will have no stockholder rights with respect to the shares subject to that option or stock appreciation right unless and until the holder exercises the option or stock appreciation right and becomes a holder of record of shares of common stock distributed upon exercise of the award. Incentive options are not assignable or transferable other than by will or the laws of inheritance following the optionee’s death, and during the optionee’s lifetime, may only be exercised by the optionee. However, non-statutory options and stock appreciation rights may be transferred or assigned during the holder’s lifetime to one or more members of the holder’s family or to a trust established for the benefit of the holder and/or one or more family members or to the holder’s former spouse, to the extent the transfer is in connection with the holder’s estate plan or under a domestic relations order.

A participant will have a number of rights with respect to shares of common stock issued to the participant under the Stock Issuance Program, whether or not the participant’s interest in those shares is vested. Accordingly, the participant will have the right to vote the shares but will not have the right to receive any regular cash dividends paid on unvested shares or the right to transfer the shares prior to vesting; however, we will withhold and retain any dividends on unvested shares until such time as the shares vest, if at all, and will thereafter pay to the participant any such dividends withheld and retained or, if the shares do not vest, return any such dividends to the corporate treasury. A participant will not have any stockholder rights with respect to the shares of common stock subject to restricted stock units or other stock-based awards until the awards vest and the shares of common stock are issued. However, dividend-equivalent units may be paid or credited, either in cash or in actual or phantom shares of common stock, on outstanding restricted stock units or other stock-based awards, subject to terms and conditions the plan administrator deems appropriate and subject to the withholding and retention of dividends with respect to any unvested awards on the same terms as set forth above.

Changes in Capitalization. If any change is made to the outstanding shares of common stock by reason of any recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change in corporate structure effected without our receipt of consideration, appropriate adjustments will be made to (i) the maximum number and/or class of securities issuable under the 2016 Plan; (ii) the maximum number and/or class of securities for which any one person may be granted equity awards under the 2016 Plan per calendar year; (iii) the number and/or class of securities and the exercise price or base price per share in effect under each outstanding option or stock appreciation right; and (iv) the number and/or class of securities subject to each outstanding restricted stock unit or other stock-based award under the 2016 Plan and the cash consideration, if any, payable per share. All adjustments will be designed to preclude any dilution or enlargement of benefits under the 2016 Plan and the outstanding equity awards thereunder.

Special Tax Election. Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, the plan administrator may permit any or all holders of equity awards to utilize any or all of the following methods to satisfy all or part of the federal and state income and employment withholding taxes to which they may become subject in connection with the issuance, exercise or vesting of those equity awards:

Amendment, Suspension and Termination

Our Board may suspend or terminate the 2016 Plan at any time. Our Board may amend or modify the 2016 Plan, subject to any required stockholder approval. Stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that materially increases the number of shares available for issuance under the 2016 Plan, materially expands the class of individuals eligible to receive equity awards under the 2016 Plan, materially increases the benefits accruing to optionees and other participants under the 2016 Plan or materially reduces the price at which shares of common stock may be issued or purchased under the 2016 Plan, materially extends the term of the 2016 Plan, expands the types of awards available for issuance under the 2016 Plan, or as to which stockholder approval is required by applicable laws, rules or regulations.

Unless sooner terminated by our Board, the 2016 Plan will terminate on the earliest to occur of: (i) March 25, 2026; (ii) the date on which all shares available for issuance under the 2016 Plan have been issued as fully-vested shares; (iii) and the termination of all outstanding equity awards upon specified changes in control or ownership. If the 2016 Plan terminates on March 25, 2026, then all equity awards outstanding at that time will continue to have force and effect in accordance with the provisions of the documents evidencing those awards.

Federal Income Tax Consequences

The following discussion summarizes the principal income tax consequences of equity awards granted under the 2016 Plan under current federal income tax law, which is subject to change, and is intended for general information only. In addition, the tax consequences described below may be subject to the limitations of Code Section 162(m), as discussed in further detail below. Other federal taxes and foreign, state and local income taxes are not discussed, and may vary depending upon individual circumstances and from locality to locality. We will not summarize the special rules that may apply if the recipient pays the exercise price of any equity award or any associated tax withholdings by delivery of shares the recipient already owns or will acquire with respect to the equity award.

Option Grants. Options granted under the 2016 Plan may be either incentive stock options, which satisfy the requirements of Code Section 422, or non-statutory stock options, which are not intended to meet those requirements. The federal income tax treatment for the two types of options differs as follows:

Incentive Stock Options. No taxable income is recognized by the optionee at the time of the option grant, and, if there is no disqualifying disposition of the underlying shares at the time of exercise, no taxable income is recognized for regular tax purposes at the time the option is exercised, although taxable income may arise at that time for alternative minimum tax purposes equal to the excess of the fair market value of the purchased shares at the time over the exercise price paid for those shares.

The optionee will recognize taxable income in the year in which the purchased shares are sold or otherwise made the subject of some dispositions. For federal tax purposes, dispositions are divided into two categories: qualifying and disqualifying. A qualifying disposition occurs if the sale or other disposition is made more than two years after the date the option for the shares involved in the sale or disposition was granted and more than one year after the date the option was exercised for those shares. If either of these two requirements is not satisfied, a disqualifying disposition will result.

Upon a qualifying disposition, the optionee will recognize long-term capital gain in an amount equal to the excess of the amount realized upon the sale or other disposition of the purchased shares over the exercise price paid for the shares or long-term capital loss to the extent the amount realized is less than the exercise price paid for the shares. If there is a disqualifying disposition of the shares, the excess of the fair market value of those shares on the exercise date over the exercise price paid for the shares will be taxable as ordinary income to the optionee if the amount realized exceeds the sum of that excess plus the exercise price paid for the shares. Otherwise, only the excess of the amount realized over the price paid for the shares will be treated as ordinary income to the optionee. Any additional gain or any loss recognized upon the disposition will be taxable as a capital gain or capital loss (long-term if the shares were held for more than one year and short-term otherwise).

If the optionee makes a disqualifying disposition of the purchased shares, we will generally be entitled to an income tax deduction, for our taxable year in which the disposition occurs, equal to the amount of ordinary income the optionee is to recognize. If the optionee makes a qualifying disposition, we will not be entitled to any income tax deduction.

Non-Statutory Stock Options. No taxable income is generally recognized by an optionee upon the grant of a non-statutory option (assuming the option is exempt from Code Section 409A). The optionee will, in general, recognize ordinary income, in the year in which the option is exercised, equal to the excess of the fair market value of the purchased shares on the exercise date over the exercise price paid for the shares, and we will be required to collect withholding taxes from the optionee on that amount of ordinary income. A participant’s subsequent disposition of shares acquired upon the exercise of an option generally will result in only capital gain or loss.

We will generally be entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the amount of any ordinary income recognized by the optionee with respect to an exercised non-statutory option. The deduction will in general be allowed for our taxable year in which the ordinary income is recognized by the optionee.

If the shares acquired upon exercise of the non-statutory option are unvested and subject to repurchase in the event of the optionee’s cessation of service prior to vesting in those shares, however the optionee will not recognize any taxable income at the time of exercise but will have to report as ordinary income (and we will have to withhold with respect thereto), as and when our repurchase right lapses, an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date the repurchase right lapses over the exercise price paid for the shares. The optionee may elect under Code Section 83(b) to include as ordinary income in the year of exercise of the option an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the purchased shares on the exercise date over the exercise price paid for the shares. If a timely Code Section 83(b) election is made, the optionee will not recognize any additional income as and when the repurchase right lapses.

Stock Appreciation Rights. No taxable income is generally recognized upon receipt of a stock appreciation right. The holder will recognize ordinary income in the year in which the stock appreciation right is settled in an amount equal to the cash and the fair market value of the shares of common stock on the settlement date received for the right, and we will be required to collect withholding taxes from the holder on that ordinary income. A participant’s subsequent disposition of shares acquired upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right generally will result in only capital gain or loss.

We will generally be entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the amount of any ordinary income recognized by the holder in connection with the exercise of a stock appreciation right. The deduction will in general be allowed for our taxable year in which the ordinary income is recognized by the holder.

Direct Stock Issuances. Stock granted under the 2016 Plan may include issuances of unrestricted stock, restricted stock and restricted stock units (in each case, subject to a minimum initial vesting period of one (1) year).

Unrestricted Stock Grants. The holder will recognize ordinary income in the year in which shares are issued to the holder. The amount of that income will be equal to the fair market value of the shares on the date of issuance (minus the amount, if any, paid by the participant for the shares), and we will be required to collect withholding taxes from the holder on that ordinary income. A participant’s subsequent disposition of shares issued pursuant to an unrestricted stock grant generally will result in only capital gain or loss.

We generally will be entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the holder at the time the shares are issued. The deduction will in general be allowed for our taxable year in which the ordinary income is recognized by the holder.

Restricted Stock Grants. No taxable income is recognized upon receipt of stock that qualifies as restricted stock unless the recipient elects to have the value of the stock (without consideration of any effect of the vesting conditions) included in income on the date of receipt. In that event, the recipient may elect under Code Section 83(b) to include as ordinary income in the year the shares are issued an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares at the time of issuance (and we will be required to withhold on that amount). If a timely Code Section 83(b) election is made, the holder will not recognize any additional income when the vesting conditions lapse and will not be entitled to a deduction in the event the stock is forfeited as a result of failure to vest.

If the recipient does not file an election under Code Section 83(b), the recipient will not recognize income until the shares vest. At that time, the holder will recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares on the date the shares vest. We will be required to collect withholding taxes from the holder at that time on that ordinary income. A participant’s subsequent disposition of shares issued pursuant to a restricted stock grant generally will result in only capital gain or loss.

The holder also will recognize ordinary income and be subject to withholdings with respect to any cash dividends that are paid in connection with a restricted stock grant if they are paid prior to the time the shares vest (and assuming the holder does not make the election under Code Section 83(b)). If the holder makes the Code Section 83(b) election, all dividends received on a restricted stock award will be taxed as an ordinary dividend.

We generally will be entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the holder at the time the shares are issued, if the holder elects to file an election under Code Section 83(b), or we will be entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the holder at the time the vesting conditions occur if the holder does not elect to file an election under Code Section 83(b).

Restricted Stock Units. No taxable income is generally recognized upon receipt of a restricted stock unit award. The holder will recognize ordinary income in the year in which the cash is paid and/or shares subject to that unit are issued to the holder. The amount of that income will be equal to the cash and the fair market value of the shares received on the date of issuance, and we will be required to collect withholding taxes from the holder on that ordinary income. A participant’s subsequent disposition of shares issued pursuant to a restricted stock unit grant generally will result in only capital gain or loss.

We will generally be entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the holder at the time the shares are issued. The deduction will in general be allowed for our taxable year in which the ordinary income is recognized by the holder.

Code Section 409A. A number of awards, including non-statutory stock options and stock appreciation rights granted with an exercise price that is less than fair market value, and some restricted stock units, might be considered “non-qualified deferred compensation” and subject to Code Section 409A. Awards that are subject to but do not meet the requirements of Code Section 409A will result in an additional 20% tax obligation, plus penalties and interest to the recipient, and may result in accelerated imposition of income tax at the time of vesting (as opposed to settlement) and the related withholding. The foregoing tax discussion assumes that the applicable equity award is exempt from Code Section 409A. Equity awards subject to Code Section 409A may only be paid on certain trigger events and are subject to a myriad number of other requirements.

Deductibility of Executive Compensation

Any compensation deemed paid by us in connection with awards under the 2016 Plan may be taken into account for purposes of the annual $1,000,000 limitation per covered individual on the deductibility of compensation paid to certain executive officers under Code Section 162(m).

Accounting Treatment

In accordance with accounting standards established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Stock Compensation, we are required to recognize all share-based payments, including grants of stock options, restricted stock and restricted stock units, in our financial statements. Accordingly, stock options are valued at fair value as of the grant date under an appropriate valuation formula, and that value will be charged as stock-based compensation expense against our reported earnings over the designated vesting period of the award. For shares issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units that may be awarded under the 2016 Plan, we are required to expense over the vesting period a compensation cost equal to the fair market value of the underlying shares on the date of the award. Restricted stock issued under the 2016 Plan results in a direct charge to our reported earnings equal to the excess of the fair market value of those shares on the issuance date over the cash consideration (if any) paid for the shares. If the shares are unvested at the time of issuance, then any charge to our reported earnings is amortized over the vesting period. This accounting treatment for restricted stock units and restricted stock issuances is applicable whether vesting is tied to service periods or performance criteria.

New Plan Benefits

No additional awards under the 2016 Plan are determinable at this time because awards under the 2016 Plan are discretionary and no specific additional awards have been approved by the plan administrator beyond currently outstanding unvested restricted stock grants in respect of 8,624,434 shares of common stock.

Other Arrangements Not Subject to Stockholder Action

Information regarding our equity compensation plan arrangements that existed as of the end of 2022 is included in this Proxy Statement under the heading “Equity Compensation Plan Information.”

Interests of Related Parties

The 2016 Plan provides that our officers, employees, non-employee directors, and some consultants and independent advisors will be eligible to receive awards under the 2016 Plan. However, if this proposal is not approved by our stockholders, then no awards in excess of the existing 8,900,000 shares authorized for issuance under the 2016 Plan will be made under the 2016 Plan unless stockholder approval is otherwise obtained.

As discussed above, we may be eligible in some circumstances to receive a tax deduction for some executive compensation resulting from awards under the 2016 Plan that would otherwise be disallowed under Section 162(m).

Possible Anti-Takeover Effects

Although not intended as an anti-takeover measure by our Board, one of the possible effects of the 2016 Plan could be to place additional shares, and to increase the percentage of the total number of shares outstanding, or to place other incentive compensation, in the hands of the directors and officers of Alto Ingredients. Those persons may be viewed as part of, or friendly to, incumbent management and may, therefore, under some circumstances be expected to make investment and voting decisions in response to a hostile takeover attempt that may serve to discourage or render more difficult the accomplishment of the attempt.

In addition, options or other incentive compensation may, in the discretion of the plan administrator, contain provisions providing for the acceleration of the exercisability or vesting of outstanding options and other incentive compensation upon a hostile takeover or other change in control, including a tender or exchange offer, merger, consolidation, other business combination, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, significant changes in the composition of our Board, or other attempted changes in the control of Alto Ingredients, in each case subject to the limitations imposed under the terms of the 2016 Plan. In the opinion of our Board, this acceleration provision merely ensures that optionees under the 2016 Plan will be able to exercise their options or obtain their incentive compensation as intended by our Board and stockholders prior to any extraordinary corporate transaction which might serve to limit or restrict that right. Our Board is, however, presently unaware of any threat of hostile takeover involving Alto Ingredients.

Clawback Policy

The plan administrator has the power and authority, and is required, to terminate any vested or unvested award or require repayment to us of the proceeds received by our executive officers, including any named executive officer, arising from any award, to apply our Policy for Recoupment of Incentive Compensation dated March 29, 2018. The plan administrator will also apply any amended or successor “clawback” or similar policy adopted by us, including any policy or policy changes mandated by or implemented pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or the applicable listing requirements or rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Capital Market, if applicable, and any other stock exchange or other market on which our common stock is then quoted or listed for trading.

Required Vote of Stockholders

Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c) generally requires us to obtain stockholder approval of compensation plans pursuant to which our stock may be acquired by officers, directors, employees or consultants. The approval of this Proposal Three requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes of the shares of our common stock and Series B Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class, present at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy and entitled to vote.

Recommendation of the Board of Directors

OUR BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” APPROVAL OF PROPOSAL THREE.

Proposal Four

Ratification of Appointment of
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Our Audit Committee has appointed the independent registered public accounting firm RSM US LLP to audit and comment on our financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2023, and to conduct whatever audit functions are deemed necessary. RSM US LLP audited our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022 that were included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. A representative of RSM US LLP will not be present at the Annual Meeting.

Required Vote of Stockholders

Although a vote of stockholders is not required on this proposal, our Board is asking our stockholders to ratify the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm. The ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm requires the affirmative votes of a majority of the votes of the shares of our common stock and Series B Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class, present at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy and entitled to vote.

If our stockholders do not ratify the appointment of RSM US LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm, the appointment will be reconsidered by our Audit Committee. Even if the appointment is ratified, our Audit Committee, in its discretion, may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if the Audit Committee believes that such a change would be in our and our stockholders’ best interests.

Recommendation of the Board of Directors

OUR BOARD unanimously recommends a vote “FOR” RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF RSM US LLP TO SERVE AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2023.

Other Matters

Our Board knows of no other matters to be brought before the Annual Meeting. However, if other matters should come before the Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the person named in the proxy to vote such proxy in accordance with his or her judgment on such matters.

Audit Matters

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

The following table presents fees for professional audit services rendered by RSM US LLP for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.

Audit Fees. Consist of amounts billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, reviews of our interim consolidated financial statements included in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our Registration Statements on Forms S-3 and S-8, and for professional services performed in connection with our acquisition activities.

Audit-Related Fees. Audit-Related Fees consist of fees billed for professional services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our consolidated financial statements but are not reported under “Audit Fees.” Such fees would include amounts billed for professional services performed in connection with audits of 401(k) plans, pension plans and RIN audits.

Tax Fees. Tax Fees consist of fees for professional services for tax compliance activities, including the preparation of federal and state tax returns and related compliance matters.

All Other Fees. Consists of amounts billed for services other than those noted above.

Our Audit Committee considered all non-audit services provided by RSM US LLP and determined that the provision of such services was compatible with maintaining such firm’s audit independence.

Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy

Our Audit Committee is responsible for approving all audit, audit-related, tax and other services. The Audit Committee pre-approves all auditing services and permitted non-audit services, including all fees and terms to be performed for us by our independent auditor at the beginning of the fiscal year. Non-audit services are reviewed and pre-approved by project at the beginning of the fiscal year. Any additional non-audit services contemplated by us after the beginning of the fiscal year are submitted to the Chairman of our Audit Committee for pre-approval prior to engaging our independent auditor for such services. These interim pre-approvals are reviewed with the full Audit Committee at its next meeting for ratification. During 2022 and 2021, all services performed by RSM US LLP were pre-approved by our Audit Committee in accordance with these policies and applicable Securities and Exchange Commission regulations.

Audit Committee Report

The Audit Committee is comprised entirely of independent directors who meet the independence requirements of the Listing Rules of Nasdaq and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board that is available on Alto Ingredients’ website at https://ir.altoingredients.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents. As described more fully in its charter, the Audit Committee oversees, among other things, the financial reporting process, the internal control structure and disclosure controls and procedures on behalf of the Board.

Management is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of Alto Ingredients’ financial statements; the appropriateness of the accounting principles and reporting policies that are used; and procedures designed to reasonably assure compliance with accounting standards, and applicable laws and regulations. Management is also responsible for the effectiveness of Alto Ingredients’ internal control over financial reporting, and reports to the Audit Committee on any deficiencies found.

Alto Ingredients’ independent registered public accounting firm, RSM US LLP, is responsible for performing an independent audit of Alto Ingredients’ consolidated financial statements in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and, when required, expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of Alto Ingredients’ internal control over financial reporting. The Audit Committee is directly responsible for the selection, compensation, evaluation and oversight, and retention of Alto Ingredients’ independent registered public accounting firm, and evaluates its independence.

Under its written charter, the Audit Committee has the authority to conduct any investigation appropriate to fulfilling its responsibilities, has direct access to Alto Ingredients’ independent registered public accounting firm as well as any of Alto Ingredients’ employees, and may retain, at Alto Ingredients’ expense, special legal, accounting, or other experts or advisors it deems necessary in the performance of its duties, apart from counsel or advisors hired by management.

Audit Committee members are not acting as professional accountants or auditors, and their functions are not intended to duplicate or to certify the activities of management or Alto Ingredients’ independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee serves a Board-level oversight role in which it provides advice, counsel, and direction to management and to the auditors on the basis of the information it receives, discussions with management and the auditors, and the experience of the Audit Committee’s members in business, financial, and accounting matters.

In accordance with Audit Committee policy and the requirements of law, the Audit Committee pre-approves all services to be provided by Alto Ingredients’ independent registered public accounting firm. Pre-approval includes audit services, audit-related services, tax services, and all other services.

The Audit Committee reviewed and discussed with management its assessment of and report on the effectiveness of Alto Ingredients’ internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, which it made based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework).

The Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements in Alto Ingredients’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 with management and RSM US LLP. The Audit Committee also discussed with RSM US LLP the matters required to be discussed by Auditing Standard No. 1301, “Communications with Audit Committees” issued by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The Audit Committee has also discussed with RSM US LLP all other matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the Audit Committee obtained from RSM US LLP the written disclosures and the letter required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountants’ communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence and discussed with RSM US LLP its independence from Alto Ingredients, Inc. and management.

The Audit Committee considered all non-audit services provided by RSM US LLP and determined that the provision of such services was compatible with maintaining such firm’s audit independence.

Based on the reviews and discussions referred to above, as well as such other matters deemed relevant and appropriate by the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board, and the Board approved, the inclusion of the audited financial statements referred to above in Alto Ingredients’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our voting securities as of April 24, 2023, the date of the table, by:

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and includes voting or investment power with respect to the securities. To our knowledge, except as indicated by footnote, and subject to community property laws where applicable, the persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock shown as beneficially owned by them. Shares of common stock underlying derivative securities, if any, that currently are exercisable or convertible or are scheduled to become exercisable or convertible for or into shares of common stock within 60 days after the date of the table are deemed to be outstanding in calculating the percentage ownership of each listed person or group but are not deemed to be outstanding as to any other person or group. Except as indicated by footnote, percentage of beneficial ownership is based on 76,105,690 shares of common stock and 926,942 shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding as of the date of the table.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table provides information about our common stock that may be issued upon the exercise of options, warrants and rights under our existing equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2022.

Executive Compensation and Related Information

Executive Officers

The following table sets forth certain information regarding our named executive officers as of April 24, 2023:

Michael D. Kandris has served as a director since June 2008, as our sole President and Chief Executive Officer since September 2020 and as our Chief Operating Officer since January 6, 2013. Mr. Kandris was appointed as our Co-President and Co-Chief Executive Officer in May 2020. Mr. Kandris served as an independent contractor with supervisory responsibility for plant operations from January 1, 2012 to January 5, 2013. Mr. Kandris was President of the Western Division of Ruan Transportation Management Systems from November 2008 until his retirement in September 2009. From January 2000 to November 2008, Mr. Kandris served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Ruan Transportation Management Systems, where he had overall responsibility for all operations, finance and administrative functions. Mr. Kandris has 30 years of experience in all modes of transportation and logistics, and 11 years managing our operations, including as our Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Kandris served on the Executive Committee of the American Trucking Association and as a board member for the National Tank Truck Organization until his retirement from Ruan Transportation Management Systems in September 2009. Mr. Kandris has a B.S. degree in Business from California State University, Hayward.

Bryon T. McGregor has served as our Chief Financial Officer since November 19, 2009. Mr. McGregor served as Vice President, Finance at Alto Ingredients from September 2008 until he became Interim Chief Financial Officer in April 2009. Prior to joining Alto Ingredients, Mr. McGregor was employed as Senior Director for E*TRADE Financial from February 2002 to August 2008, serving in various capacities including International Treasurer based in London, England from 2006 to 2008, Brokerage Treasurer and Director from 2003 to 2006 and Assistant Treasurer and Director of Finance and Investor Relations from 2002 to 2003. Prior to joining E*TRADE, Mr. McGregor served as Manager of Finance and Head of Project Finance for BP (formerly Atlantic Richfield Company – ARCO) from 1998 to 2001. Mr. McGregor has extensive experience in banking and served as a Director of International Project Finance for Credit Suisse from 1992 to 1998, as Assistant Vice President for Sumitomo Mitsubishi Banking Corp (formerly The Sumitomo Bank Limited) from 1989 to 1992, and as Commercial Banking Officer for Bank of America from 1987 to 1989. Mr. McGregor has a B.S. degree in Business Management from Brigham Young University.

Auste M. Graham has served as General Counsel, Vice President and Secretary since February 2022. Prior to joining Alto Ingredients, Ms. Graham was employed as Vice President, Legal for Essentra plc, a packaging, components and filters manufacturer headquartered in the U.K., where she was responsible for all legal affairs in the Americas from January 2018 to February 2022. Prior to joining Essentra plc, Ms. Graham served as Senior Legal Counsel in the U.S. for AkzoNobel, a global paints, coatings and special chemicals company headquartered in the Netherlands, from 2015 to 2018. Ms. Graham began her career at Schiff Hardin LLP, where she provided general corporate representation to public and private companies, managing mergers and acquisitions, governance and compliance matters, and corporate and securities transactions, including corporate debt and equity offerings and private equity investments. Ms. Graham has a B.A. degree in Latin American Studies from Vassar College and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.

James R. Sneed has served as a Vice President since September 2012. Mr. Sneed has worked for over 20 years in various senior management and executive positions in the alcohol production industry. Prior to joining Alto Ingredients in 2012, Mr. Sneed was employed by Hawkeye Gold, LLC from April 2010 to September 2012, ultimately serving as Vice President – Ethanol Marketing and Trading. Prior to that time, from May 2003 to April 2010, Mr. Sneed was employed by Aventine Renewable Energy, an ethanol production and marketing company, where he helped build its operations from two ethanol plants in two states to marketing for fifteen production facilities in eight states, ultimately serving as Vice President, Marketing and Logistics. Mr. Sneed is a Certified Public Accountant, has a B.S. degree in Accounting from Olivet Nazarene University, and has an MBA degree from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management.

Christopher W. Wright served as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from June 2006 until stepping down from his position as General Counsel and Secretary in February 2022 in anticipation of his retirement. Mr. Wright then served as our Senior Vice President until his retirement in May 2022. Thereafter, and through the filing of this Proxy Statement, Mr. Wright has served as a consultant to us. From April 2004 until he joined Alto Ingredients in June 2006, Mr. Wright operated an independent consulting practice, advising companies on complex transactions, including acquisitions and financings. Prior to that time, from January 2003 to April 2004, Mr. Wright was a partner with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP, and from July 1998 to December 2002, Mr. Wright was a partner with Cooley Godward LLP, where he served as Partner-in-Charge of the Pacific Northwest office. Mr. Wright has extensive experience advising boards of directors on compliance, securities matters and strategic transactions, with a particular focus on guiding the development of rapidly growing companies. He has acted as general counsel for numerous technology enterprises in all aspects of corporate development, including fund-raising, business and technology acquisitions, mergers and strategic alliances. Mr. Wright has an A.B. degree in History from Yale College and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Family Relationships

Our officers are appointed by and serve at the discretion of our Board. There are no family relationships among our executive officers and directors.

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

In this section, we explain the material elements of our executive compensation program for our Chief Executive Officer and our other named executive officers, or NEOs, identified below whose compensation is in the executive compensation tables beginning with the “Summary Compensation Table” below.

The executive compensation tables provide additional important information regarding the compensation and benefits awarded to, earned by or paid to our NEOs over our last three fiscal years, as well as the compensation program in which our NEOs are eligible to participate. You should read that section in conjunction with this section.

The Compensation Committee of our Board administers our executive compensation program. Each member of the Compensation Committee is “independent” under applicable Nasdaq listing standards, is an “outside director” within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) Section 162(m) and is a non-employee director within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

Executive Summary

Our executive compensation program is intended to achieve the following objectives:

We believe that our success depends in large part on our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified executives through competitive compensation arrangements. We also believe that the compensation paid to our executive officers should be influenced by the value we create for our stockholders. For these reasons, our Compensation Committee believes that our compensation program should provide incentives to attain both short- and long-term financial and other business objectives and reward those executive officers who contribute meaningfully to attaining those objectives. The Compensation Committee supports a pay-for-performance philosophy within a compensation structure that is competitive, internally equitable and responsible.

Our executive compensation program consists of three primary elements:

2022 Business Highlights

Our base salary, annual performance-based cash incentive compensation and long-term equity incentive compensation decisions for 2022 described in this Executive Compensation section were made in March 2022 and 2023. Although we experienced a challenging commodity price environment throughout most of the year, and particularly in the second half of 2022, during the year we achieved significant progress towards our strategic and other business objectives. Highlights of 2022 include:

As a result of our financial performance and other factors discussed under “Compensation Decisions for 2022” below and elsewhere in this Executive Compensation and Related Information section, total actual direct compensation for 2022 as compared to 2021—which includes actual base salary, annual performance-based cash incentive compensation and long-term equity incentive compensation—declined by approximately 21% for Michael D. Kandris, our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer; declined by approximately 21% for Bryon T. McGregor, our Chief Financial Officer; did not change for Auste M. Graham, our General Counsel, Vice President and Secretary, as she first joined us in February 2022; and declined by approximately 24% for James R. Sneed, our Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. Christopher W. Wright retired and his employment relationship with us was terminated in May 2022, but he continued on in a consultant capacity for the remainder of the year and through the filing of this Proxy Statement.

These declines reflect a challenging business environment and our financial performance in 2022 compared to our strong financial performance in 2021.

The 2022 compensation information in this Proxy Statement includes actual results for 2022 under our performance-based annual cash incentive compensation plan. Our annual cash incentive compensation plan payouts were determined and made in or about March 2023. No payouts were made in respect of the financial performance element of our annual cash incentive compensation plan because our Adjusted EBITDA of negative $9,760,000 fell below the payout threshold for 2022 of positive Adjusted EBITDA of $27,000,000. Our NEOs performed well, however, in their execution of a number of strategic and other initiatives in 2022, as noted in the 2022 business highlights summarized above, and consequently, our NEOs each received maximum payouts under the individual performance element of the plan.

Compensation Philosophy and Objectives

Our compensation philosophy and objectives are to align the interests of our executive officers with those of our stockholders and incentivize our executive officers to attain our short- and long-term financial and other business goals. We also seek to ensure that our executive compensation structure and total compensation is fair, reasonable and competitive in the marketplace so that we can attract and retain superior personnel in key positions. In addition, we endeavor to provide an executive compensation structure and total compensation that are internally equitable based upon each executive officer’s role and responsibilities. Our Compensation Committee seeks to make executive compensation decisions that embody this philosophy and that are directed towards attaining these objectives.

In implementing our compensation philosophy and objectives, our Compensation Committee reviews and analyzes each executive position, including the importance and scope of the role and how the position compares to other Alto Ingredients executive officers and personnel. Our Compensation Committee also compares these positions to similar positions at organizations from across the United States, including organizations engaged in the chemicals, light and heavy manufacturing, and construction and materials industries, as further described below under “Benchmarking.” In addition, our Compensation Committee draws from other compensation-related market data. This information helps provide our Compensation Committee with an understanding of how total compensation for each executive officer relates to the value of his or her position.

We believe that structuring our executive officer compensation program to align the interests of our executive officers with our interests and those of our stockholders, and properly incentivizing our executive officers to attain our short- and long-term business goals, best serves the interests of our stockholders and creates stockholder value. We believe this occurs through motivating our executive officers to attain our short- and long-term business goals and retaining these executive officers by providing compensation opportunities that are competitive in the marketplace and internally equitable. We also endeavor to design our executive compensation program so that it is not reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect us, as discussed in more detail in “Compensation Risk Analysis” below. We intend that total compensation paid or available to our executive officers, including base salary, annual cash incentive compensation and any special discretionary bonuses, long-term equity incentive compensation and benefits, is consistent with our compensation philosophy and objectives described above.

Compensation Governance Practices

Below we highlight various executive compensation governance practices intended to align the interests of our executive officers with those of our stockholders, incentivize the attainment of our short- and long-term business objectives, and attract and retain superior employees in key positions.

Executive Compensation Program and Processes

Participants

Compensation Committee

Our Compensation Committee, with input from our management and one or more independent compensation consultants, establishes, updates and administers our executive compensation program. Our Compensation Committee establishes our compensation philosophy and objectives; oversees the design and administration of our executive compensation program; establishes the elements and mix of total compensation; sets the parameters and specific target metrics of our performance-based incentive compensation plan; and determines the target compensation of our executive officers.

Our Compensation Committee has the authority to retain independent counsel, advisors and other experts to assist it in the compensation-setting process and receives adequate funding to engage those service providers.

Independent Compensation Consultant

In 2013, following a competitive request for proposal from three different compensation consultants, our Compensation Committee retained Korn Ferry as its independent advisor for its compensation review. Korn Ferry was selected based on its expertise and skilled team dedicated to meet the needs of our Compensation Committee and its experience with alcohol production and other companies closely tied to agriculture and commodity businesses. Our Compensation Committee reengaged Korn Ferry as its independent advisor in subsequent years, with the latest engagement occurring in 2021.

Korn Ferry furnishes independent data, market analyses and advice to our Compensation Committee concerning executive compensation, including regarding the competitiveness of compensation plan design and evolving executive compensation trends and practices. Korn Ferry is available to attend and participate in Compensation Committee meetings from time to time as and when requested by our Compensation Committee. Korn Ferry also advises our Compensation Committee on the principal aspects of our executive compensation program, including the implementation of our compensation philosophy and objectives, and specific elements of executive compensation.

In evaluating Korn Ferry’s independence, our Compensation Committee considered multiple factors. In particular, our Compensation Committee reviewed all services Korn Ferry provided to Alto Ingredients since our business relationship commenced. These services included consulting services and market benchmarking to help us determine appropriate compensation for our NEOs as well as certain non-NEO personnel, including our non-employee directors. Korn Ferry’s services also included dilution modeling for our equity incentive plan and advice concerning our long-term equity incentive compensation. The fees for these consulting services were not segregated between consulting services in respect of NEO compensation and consulting services in respect of non-NEO personnel compensation. In total, fees paid to Korn Ferry for services rendered to help us determine appropriate compensation for 2020-2021 were approximately $41,000. We had no such expenses for 2022. We did not engage Korn Ferry, and no fees were paid to Korn Ferry, in respect of any services other than Korn Ferry’s work with our Compensation Committee and management to help us determine appropriate compensation for 2020 through 2022 for our NEOs and certain non-NEO personnel, including our non-employee directors. In evaluating Korn Ferry’s independence, our Compensation Committee also considered Korn Ferry’s internal mechanisms and policies to ensure Korn Ferry’s ability to provide objective advice, including that:

Korn Ferry also represented to the Compensation Committee that there are no personal or business relationships between the Korn Ferry account manager and any member of the Compensation Committee or any NEO beyond the Alto Ingredients relationship. Further, the Korn Ferry account manager does not directly own any Alto Ingredients shares (although some of the account manager’s investments controlled solely by independent, third-party managers may own Alto Ingredients shares by way of indexed funds). Based on the above and other factors, including the factors set forth under Rule 10C-1 of the Exchange Act, the Compensation Committee assessed Korn Ferry’s independence and concluded that no conflict of interest exists that would prevent Korn Ferry from independently advising the Compensation Committee.

Management

Our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers attend Compensation Committee meetings as requested by the Compensation Committee. These individuals are not present during executive sessions of Compensation Committee meetings except at the invitation of the Compensation Committee. Our Vice President of Human Resources, under the direction of our Chief Executive Officer, leads our management in preparing recommendations on executive and employee compensation requested by the Compensation Committee.

Benchmarking

Our Compensation Committee benchmarks the total compensation of our NEOs using compensation market data as a reference to assist it in understanding the competitive pay positioning of total compensation and each element of compensation. Our Compensation Committee reviews compensation for each executive officer in relation to the 25^th, 50^th and 75^th percentiles of the compensation market data that, along with other factors, provides context for executive pay decisions. Korn Ferry provided, for comparative purposes, compensation data from surveys of third parties that includes information from United States industrial companies, including organizations engaged in the chemicals, light and heavy manufacturing, and construction and materials industries. We have included in Appendix B to this Proxy Statement the companies included in the survey data.

Other Factors Considered in Setting Compensation

In addition to a review of our competitive market position, our Compensation Committee also considered several other important factors in setting executive compensation for 2022, including company performance, such as progress towards our strategic and other business objectives; internal pay equity considerations; the experience and responsibilities of each NEO; budget constraints; market conditions; and individual performance, including individual contributions to company achievements.

As part of the 2022 compensation-setting process for our NEOs, our Compensation Committee also reviewed “tally sheets” comprised of spreadsheets and tabular information that indicated the dollar amount of each component of compensation, including current and proposed base salaries, the proposed actual cash incentives to be paid for the prior year and the targeted cash incentives for the current year, and current projected values for the proposed equity-based awards based on stock price assumptions. The purpose of those tally sheets was to provide our Compensation Committee with a comprehensive snapshot of both the actual compensation provided to our executive officers and the potential compensation that could result from the various components of their proposed 2022 compensation packages. The Compensation Committee did not consider the potential payments under our severance and change-in-control arrangements as the Compensation Committee sought to maintain the appropriate incentives with regard to transactions that might result in severance and change-in-control payments. See “Other Policies and Factors Affecting Executive Officer Compensation—Severance and Change-in-Control Arrangements” below.

The Role of Stockholder Say-on-Pay Votes

We provide our stockholders with the opportunity to cast an advisory vote on the compensation of our NEOs each year. Our 2022 “say-on-pay” proposal received approximately 51% support. The Compensation Committee and the full Board took this vote outcome very seriously and, as a result, was highly focused on gathering and responding to our stockholders’ feedback regarding our executive compensation programs. Beginning in the fall of 2022, we conducted a stockholder engagement outreach program led by our engagement team that included the Chair of our Compensation Committee, General Counsel, Vice President of Human Resources, and Vice President and Treasurer. Since commencing our engagement, we contacted approximately 25 of our largest stockholders representing approximately 43% of outstanding shares of common stock and met with all three responding stockholders representing approximately 10% of our outstanding shares (in each case, based on stockholder data as of December 31, 2022). Key topics discussed during those meetings included, among others, executive compensation, Board composition, and ESG matters. Several attempts were made to obtain an audience with other large stockholders, but our meeting requests were declined. As part of our stockholder outreach efforts, we also engaged Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS) and Alliance Advisors, LLC to assist us in addressing a multitude of issues important to our stockholders.

While the primary focus of engagement was to gain stockholders’ perspectives on our executive compensation program, we also discussed topics including responsiveness to stockholder feedback, director evaluations and Board composition, and our ESG program.

We expressed to our stockholders that we are open to and appreciate candid feedback on not only compensation, but all aspects of our corporate governance.

Below is a summary of stockholder feedback we received that influenced our 2022 say-on-pay vote results and other items we discussed with our stockholders. This summary table also highlights the actions that our Compensation Committee intends to take in response to the feedback we received.

In keeping with the approval of our proposal at our 2019 annual meeting to submit “say-on-pay” advisory proposals to our stockholders annually, we will continue to do so for the foreseeable future and our Compensation Committee will continue to consider the results of future “say-on-pay” advisory votes in its ongoing evaluation of our compensation program and practices.

Our Compensation Committee and our full Board value input from our stockholders. We will continue to carefully consider the results of our “say-on-pay” vote and seek direct feedback from our stockholders.

Risk Considerations

As discussed in “Compensation Risk Analysis” below, the Compensation Committee reviews our compensation program annually and for 2022 concluded that this program did not create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us.

Elements of Compensation

Our executive compensation program is comprised of three principal elements designed to operate together as part of an integrated compensation package to further our compensation objectives. The three principal elements of our executive compensation program are:

In addition, our executive compensation program also includes indirect compensation in the form of standard employee benefits, limited perquisites and other executive benefits, and severance and change-in-control benefits. Our executive compensation program also allows for special discretionary cash or equity awards to address specific individual or other circumstances not fully addressed by the three principal elements of our executive compensation program.

In making compensation decisions, our Compensation Committee exercises its judgment on the overall level of compensation provided by this total compensation package as well as the mix of the three principal elements of compensation.

Base Salary

Our Compensation Committee reviews the base salary levels of our executive officers annually and makes such adjustments as it deems appropriate after considering the officer’s level and scope of responsibility and experience, company and individual performance, competitive market data, and internal pay equity considerations.

Annual Cash Incentive Compensation

Annual cash incentive compensation for key employees, including our NEOs, consists of cash awards under our short-term incentive plan. We have an annual cash incentive compensation plan applicable to all NEOs. Participants are eligible for annual cash incentive compensation based upon the attainment of pre-established goals. Awards under the plan are based on two elements: company financial performance and the NEO’s individual performance. Our Compensation Committee believes that these elements will best incentivize our NEOs to attain our short- and long-term financial and other business goals. The 2022 payout structure under our annual cash incentive compensation plan for our NEOs is set forth below:

Our Compensation Committee selected our annual cash incentive compensation plan as the vehicle for cash incentive compensation for 2022 for our executive officers because the Compensation Committee believes the plan properly incentivizes our executive officers by focusing primarily on our financial performance, as further discussed below, while allowing awards to reflect other important factors, including an executive officer’s individual performance and accomplishments.

Financial Performance

We have an annual cash incentive compensation plan applicable to all NEOs. Our annual cash incentive compensation plan uses our Adjusted EBITDA as its sole financial performance element and is based on an Adjusted EBITDA goal established by our Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee expects to change the numerical Adjusted EBITDA goal from year to year and may include financial performance measures other than Adjusted EBITDA in future years.

The Compensation Committee selected the Adjusted EBITDA metric because it believes that earnings before interest income/expense, provision/benefit for income taxes, and depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, is an industry-accepted measure of overall financial performance and demonstrates our financial performance and ability to reinvest in our business. The Compensation Committee departed from the standard EBITDA metric because it believes Adjusted EBITDA better reflects Alto Ingredients’ financial performance on a year-over-year basis by excluding non-recurring, non-cash charges or gains from asset impairments, loss on extinguishment of debt, acquisition-related expense and fair value adjustments. Use of the Adjusted EBITDA metric also allowed the Compensation Committee to incentivize our executive officers to focus on factors over which they can exert control, such as attaining higher margins through managing production volumes relative to both specialty alcohol and essential ingredient sales prices and production input costs, increasing production efficiencies, and controlling operating costs such as selling, general and administrative expenses, all of which impact Adjusted EBITDA. The Compensation Committee also desired to omit from the financial performance metric factors over which the executive officers have less control and which it viewed as less relevant to measuring year-over-year financial performance, such as recurring interest income/expense and taxes as well as non-cash charges or gains from depreciation and amortization, asset impairments, loss on extinguishment of debt, acquisition-related expense and fair value adjustments.

The financial performance element for 2022 was weighted at 80% and was the most heavily weighted element. This element was assigned the highest weighting because the principal purpose of our annual cash incentive compensation plan is to motivate and reward participants for achieving our financial goals, while allowing significantly higher payouts for 2022 of up to 200% of the targeted payout amount for financial outperformance, and to align participant and stockholder interests.

Individual Performance

The individual performance element for 2022 was weighted at 20% and is based on individual participant goals formulated with reference to quantitative criteria and subjective elements established by each participant’s supervisor, in consultation with our executive committee. The extent to which a participant is deemed to have achieved his or her individual performance goals is determined by our executive committee in consultation with the participant’s supervisor. However, the extent to which a participant who is an executive officer (other than our Chief Executive Officer) is deemed to have achieved his or her individual performance goals is recommended by our Chief Executive Officer but ultimately determined by our Compensation Committee. Payout under the individual performance element is in the discretion of the Compensation Committee and could range from 0% to 100% of the participant’s targeted payout amount; provided, that the Compensation Committee retained discretion to grant a payout in excess of 100% of a participant’s targeted payout amount for his or her individual performance if the total amount granted to all participants for their individual performances did not exceed the total targeted payout amount for all participants for their individual performances.

Long-Term Equity Incentive Compensation

Long-term equity incentive compensation for key employees, including our NEOs, generally consists of awards of restricted stock under our equity incentive plans. Although we have granted stock options in the past, awards under our equity incentive plans have primarily been in the form of restricted stock grants as a means of providing long-term equity incentive compensation. We believe that shares of restricted stock are less subject to market volatility than stock options and therefore offer a more balanced and competitive equity compensation arrangement.

In light of feedback received from our stockholders, our Compensation Committee is reviewing our long-term equity incentive compensation program and considering potential performance metrics to tie some portion of our long-term equity incentive compensation to NEO performance. Given the timing of our shareholder engagement, our Compensation Committee was unable to complete its review of our long-term equity incentive compensation program prior to the filing of this Proxy Statement. However, our Compensation Committee intends to incorporate performance metrics as to some portion of our long-term equity incentive compensation program for NEOs, targeting the implementation of one or more performance metrics in 2024.

The Compensation Committee approves equity awards for our NEOs in connection with the annual review of their individual performance and overall compensation. The annual awards are typically made near the end of the first quarter and represent the majority of the shares granted for the year under our long-term equity incentive compensation program. Each award is designed primarily as a retention tool, typically requiring the executive to remain with Alto Ingredients for at least one year to receive the benefit of one-third of the award on partial vesting and at least three years to receive the full benefit of the award on full vesting. We believe our equity incentive compensation aligns the interests of our NEOs with those of our stockholders and provides each NEO with a significant incentive to manage our company from the perspective of an owner with an equity stake in the business by tying significant portions of the recipients’ compensation to the market price of our common stock.

Awards of restricted stock typically vest annually over a three-year period of continued service measured from the grant date. Each award of restricted stock will provide a return to the NEO only to the extent he or she remains employed with us during the partial or full vesting period.

In making long-term equity incentive awards, our Compensation Committee sets a target value for the award for each executive officer based on its judgment about the factors used in setting executive officer total compensation described under “Compensation Philosophy and Objectives” above as well as our Compensation Committee’s judgment regarding the desired mix of base salary, annual cash incentives and long-term equity incentives. Our Compensation Committee also considers outstanding vested and unvested equity awards to executive officers, the stock ownership levels of executive officers and the potential dilutive effect on our stockholders.

For annual grants, once our Compensation Committee determines the target value of a recipient’s long-term equity incentive award, we establish the specific number of shares subject to the award by dividing the target value of the equity grant by the closing price of a share of our common stock on March 15^th or a higher price determined appropriate under the circumstances by our Compensation Committee. Grants typically occur at a later date during our annual compensation decision-making cycle. We chose the date of March 15^th to avoid the appearance of market-timing and because it is a consistent date year-to-year. However, the number of shares granted multiplied by the closing price of a share of our common stock on the date of grant is the valuation model we use for our financial statements determined in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Stock Compensation. For this reason, the long-term equity incentive compensation target amounts for our NEOs differ from the actual amounts reflected in the Stock Awards column in the Summary Compensation Table below. See “Individual Executive Officer Compensation Targets” and “Summary Compensation Table” below.

Option grants are not part of our current long-term equity incentive award program or other current equity incentive grant practices, however, our grant practices in the case of options would including timing option awards in a manner to avoid grants while in the possession of material non-public information, and may include awards granted on a pre-determined schedule. We have not timed our disclosure of material nonpublic information for the purpose of affecting the value of executive compensation.

Other Compensation and Benefits

We do not currently offer retirement or pension benefits or any non-qualified deferred compensation plans. Instead, we provide our NEOs with the opportunity to accumulate retirement income primarily through a defined contribution plan and through the appreciation of the value of their equity awards. Consistent with our pay-for-performance compensation philosophy, we do not provide our executive officers with any significant perquisites, other than certain travel perquisites or those offered to our employees generally. Except as noted below, our NEOs are eligible to participate in the following employee benefit programs on the same basis as all other regular employees:

401(k) Plan. Each of our NEOs and other salaried employees are eligible to participate in a defined contribution plan qualified under Code Section 401(k). In 2022, we contributed $1.00 for each $1.00 of employee contributions, up to a maximum contribution of 6.0% of the participant’s eligible compensation, and subject to a maximum matching contribution of $20,500. We have included our contributions to the accounts of the NEOs for the applicable years in the “All Other Compensation” column in the Summary Compensation Table below to the extent “All Other Compensation” exceeded $10,000 for a particular NEO.

Group Life, Health and Disability Plans. We have established group life, health and disability plans for our employees. The NEOs may participate in these plans on the same basis as other employees.

Perquisites and Other Benefits. We furnish a limited number of perquisites to our NEOs, of which only travel-related perquisites, together with matching contributions under our 401(k) plan, as discussed above, and contributions to health savings accounts, meet the threshold for reporting in the “All Other Compensation” column in the Summary Compensation Table under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other Policies and Factors Affecting Executive Officer Compensation

Severance and Change-in-Control Arrangements

We have established executive employment agreements that include severance and change-in-control arrangements with each of our NEOs. These arrangements set forth the terms and conditions upon which these NEOs would be entitled to receive certain benefits upon termination of employment.

These agreements are intended to help us attract and retain executive talent in a competitive marketplace; enhance the prospects that the NEOs would remain with us and devote their attention to our performance in the event of a potential change in control; foster their objectivity in considering a change-in-control proposal; and facilitate their attention to our affairs without the distraction that could arise from the uncertainty inherent in severance and change-in-control situations.

The disclosure below under “—Summary Compensation Table—Executive Employment Agreements” and “—Severance and Change in Control Arrangements with Named Executive Officers” and “—Calculation of Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control” explains in detail the benefits under these arrangements and the circumstances under which these NEOs would be entitled to them.

Trading Policy

Our insider trading policy prohibits all employees, officers and directors from engaging in any short sale of Alto Ingredients securities, as well as any transaction involving puts, calls, collars, forward sales contracts, warrants or other options on Alto Ingredients securities. Additionally, our executive officers are restricted from pledging Alto Ingredients securities as collateral for a loan.

Tax Considerations

Code Section 162(m) generally disallows a tax deduction to publicly held corporations for compensation paid to certain of their executive officers to the extent such compensation exceeds $1,000,000 per covered officer in any year.

Compensation Recovery Policies

Pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, if we are required as the result of misconduct to restate our financial results due to our material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirements under the federal securities laws, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer may be legally required to reimburse us for any bonus or incentive-based or equity-based compensation they receive. In addition, on March 29, 2018, our Compensation Committee instituted a revised “clawback” policy with respect to incentive compensation that requires recoupment of incentive compensation, including any cash or equity incentive compensation, awarded or paid to any of our executive officers, including all of our NEOs, in the event we are required to restate our financial statements, regardless of cause. See “Summary Compensation Table—Clawback Policy” below.

We will also apply any amended or successor “clawback” or similar policy adopted by us, including any policy or policy changes mandated by or implemented pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or the applicable listing requirements or rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Capital Market, if applicable, and any other stock exchange or other market on which our common stock is then quoted or listed for trading.

Executive Stock Holding Policy.

We have an Executive Stock Holding Policy that requires our executive officers to hold 100% of net shares (i.e., shares remaining after payment of taxes) of our common stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of stock options or vesting of restricted stock or other equity incentive compensation until the earlier of twelve months following the exercise of stock options or vesting of restricted stock or other equity incentive compensation, or the executive officer’s termination of employment.

Compensation Decisions for 2022

Our Compensation Committee established compensation for our NEOs in 2022 in a manner consistent with our executive compensation philosophy and objectives. Our Compensation Committee made its annual compensation decisions for 2022 in March 2022 and 2023.

Our Compensation Committee’s decisions were based upon its judgment about our financial and other business performance for 2021, expected and actual financial and other business performance for 2022, and the positions, scope and importance of the roles of our NEOs and how their positions compared to other Alto Ingredients executive officers and personnel. Our Compensation Committee’s decisions were also based on comparing and adjusting the compensation of our NEOs in reference to the compensation of similarly situated personnel at other organizations through a benchmarking process. See “Benchmarking” above. The Compensation Committee also considered certain other factors such as budget constraints and executive officer recommendations. Through these efforts, our Compensation Committee established a desired level and mix of total compensation.

In setting the compensation of our executive officers, except as noted below, our Compensation Committee did not adhere to any specific formulas tied to market data, nor did it rely on market data to determine the specific mix of compensation components. Instead, our Compensation Committee used this data as a guide and a resource for tracking executive compensation trends.

Total Compensation

Our Compensation Committee targeted total compensation for our NEOs to be competitive with similarly situated personnel at the 50^th percentile relative to our third-party survey group companies based on the market data provided by Korn Ferry. Our Compensation Committee, based on Korn Ferry’s advice, generally considers target compensation as competitive if, as to base salary, it falls within 10% of the 50^th percentile of comparable market data; as to total cash compensation, if it falls within 15% of the 50^th percentile of comparable market data; and as to total direct compensation, if it falls within 20% of the 50^th percentile of comparable market data. The Compensation Committee determined that targeting total compensation for our NEOs to be competitive with similarly situated personnel at the 50^th percentile was appropriate because that level is consistent with the Compensation Committee’s intention for 2022 to target total compensation for our executive officers at the median of total compensation of similarly situated personnel at other organizations. Although the Compensation Committee set targeted compensation for 2022 at less than the 50^th percentile, we anticipate that compensation will approach the 50^th percentile as our financial performance improves over time.

Base Salary

Our Compensation Committee increased base salaries for our executive officers by between 2.5% and 5.0%, inclusive, over 2021 levels, representing merit adjustments, which we believe were generally in-line with average industry increases.

Targeted base salaries for 2022 were at approximately the 25th percentile relative to base salaries of comparable executives among our third-party survey group companies based on the market data provided by Korn Ferry.

Annual Cash Incentive Compensation

Our Compensation Committee targeted 2022 annual cash incentive compensation at 70% of base salary for our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, at 50% of base salary for our Chief Financial Officer, at 50% of base salary for our General Counsel, Vice President and Secretary, and at 50% of base salary for our Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. These levels were generally consistent with the targeted percentage bonus amounts included in each NEO’s employment agreement.

Targeted annual cash incentive compensation for 2022 was between the 25^th and 50^th percentiles relative to annual cash incentive compensation of comparable executives among our third-party survey group companies based on the market data provided by Korn Ferry.

As discussed above, awards under our annual cash incentive compensation plan are based on two elements: company financial performance and the NEO’s individual performance. For 2022, our Compensation Committee weighted for each of our NEOs, company financial performance at 80% and individual NEO performance at 20%. In doing so, our Compensation Committee desired to incentivize most heavily activities that lead to strong overall financial performance while still rewarding individual performance.

Our Compensation Committee established our 2022 financial performance goal of Adjusted EBITDA at $40,000,000 based on our financial projections determined early in the year. Our Adjusted EBITDA goal of $40,000,000 was viewed as attainable but aspirational at the time the projections were finalized. Payout under the financial performance element was non-discretionary and was funded at a rate of 0% to 200% of the participants’ targeted payout amount for the financial performance element based on our actual Adjusted EBITDA for 2022 compared to our Adjusted EBITDA goal of $40,000,000.

Our Adjusted EBITDA goal of $40,000,000 for 2022 was set slightly below our goal for 2021 as we pivoted away from the unique circumstances arising from the coronavirus pandemic to a more normal operating environment, reliant on markets for specialty alcohols and essential ingredients as compared to the more price-insensitive, higher-margin markets for disinfectants and sanitizers we temporarily experienced during the pandemic.

Our Compensation Committee approved a sliding scale of achievement and payout opportunities under which lower actual Adjusted EBITDA for 2022 corresponded to lower levels of goal achievement and lower payouts, subject to a minimum Adjusted EBITDA threshold; and higher actual Adjusted EBITDA for 2022 corresponded to higher levels of goal achievement and higher payouts, subject to a maximum payout.

The Compensation Committee established for 2022 a targeted payout amount of $3,100,000 if all personnel covered by the plan attained all of their individual performance goals and we achieved our Adjusted EBITDA goal of $40,000,000. The targeted payout amount of $3,100,000 was comprised of $1,700,000 attributable to financial performance and $1,400,000 attributable to individual performance. The Compensation Committee established for 2022 a maximum aggregate plan pool of $4,800,000 comprised of $3,400,000 attributable to financial performance and $1,400,000 attributable to individual performance.

In setting the targeted and maximum plan payout amounts, the Compensation Committee assumed that all eligible plan participants would continue their eligibility through 2022 and until final payment of amounts earned under the plan. In addition, in setting the targeted and maximum plan payout amounts, the Compensation Committee did not provide for an increase in the plan pool for any new eligible plan participants.

The $1,700,000 difference between the maximum aggregate plan pool of $4,800,000 and the targeted payout amount of $3,100,000 was available if our actual Adjusted EBITDA for 2022 equaled or exceeded approximately 140% of our Adjusted EBITDA goal of $40,000,000.

We had to attain minimum Adjusted EBITDA of $27,000,000 for 2022, or 67.5% of our Adjusted EBITDA goal, to support any payout under the financial performance element. This feature was intended to assure that we achieved an acceptable minimum level of financial performance before annual cash incentives would be paid to any participant, including our NEOs, under the financial performance element of the plan. The Compensation Committee set an Adjusted EBITDA ceiling of $55,800,000 for 2022, above which there would be no additional incremental payout under the financial performance element. At the Adjusted EBITDA ceiling of $55,800,000, the aggregate payout for the financial performance element would have been $3,400,000; however, plan participants were capped at 200% of the participants’ targeted payout amount for the financial performance element.

The payout under the financial performance element would be calculated on a straight-line prorated basis at actual Adjusted EBITDA levels below our Adjusted EBITDA goal of $40,000,000, subject to minimum Adjusted EBITDA $27,000,000 for 2022. Likewise, the payout under the financial performance element would be calculated on a straight-line prorated basis at actual Adjusted EBITDA levels above our Adjusted EBITDA goal of $40,000,000, subject to a maximum payout of $3,400,000 corresponding to our Adjusted EBITDA ceiling of $55,800,000 for 2022.

The targeted and maximum payout for the individual performance element was $1,400,000 under all scenarios if all personnel covered by the plan attained 100% of their individual performance goals.

Long-Term Equity Incentive Compensation

Our Compensation Committee targeted 2022 long-term equity incentive compensation for our NEOs at a level comparable to similarly situated personnel at the 50^th percentiles relative to our third-party survey group companies based on the market data provided by Korn Ferry. In making equity awards, our Compensation Committee established the specific number of shares subject to the award of long-term equity incentive compensation by dividing the target value of the equity grant by the closing price of a share of our common stock on March 15^th or a higher price determined appropriate under the circumstances by our Compensation Committee. Grants typically occur at a later date during our annual compensation decision-making cycle.

Long-term equity incentive compensation decisions and grants were made in late March 2022 based on the closing price of a share of our common stock on March 15^th. As noted above, we chose the date of March 15^th to avoid the appearance of market-timing and because it is a consistent date year-to-year.

Individual NEO Compensation Targets

Target direct compensation for each of our NEOs for 2022, other than incentive compensation for Christopher W. Wright, who retired in May 2022, is set forth below.

Specific results against performance objectives that influenced the amount and mix of our NEOs’ total direct compensation for 2022 included our Adjusted EBITDA for 2022, which fell short of the Adjusted EBITDA threshold of $27,000,000, and full attainment by our NEOs of their respective individual performance goals under our annual cash incentive compensation plan. We did not achieve our Adjusted EBITDA threshold or target for 2022 due to challenging industry conditions resulting primarily from extreme commodity price volatility and negative gross profit margins. As a result, we did not make any payments to our NEOs under the financial performance element of our annual cash incentive compensation plan. Our NEOs performed well under their individual performance elements, in particular, their execution of a number of strategic and other initiatives in 2022, as noted in the 2022 business highlights summarized above, resulting in maximum payouts under that measure.

The long-term equity incentive compensation target amounts for our NEOs set forth below differ from the actual amounts reflected in the Stock Awards column in the Summary Compensation Table below. This is because our Compensation Committee determines the target value of a recipient’s long-term equity incentive award and establishes the specific number of shares subject to the award by dividing the target value of the equity grant by the closing price of a share of our common stock on March 15^th or a higher price determined appropriate under the circumstances by our Compensation Committee. Grants typically occur at a later date during our annual compensation decision-making cycle. As noted above, we chose the date of March 15^th to avoid the appearance of market-timing and because it is a consistent date year-to-year.

See “Summary Compensation Table” below for actual amounts paid to our NEOs.

Michael D. Kandris, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer

The following table shows Mr. Kandris’s direct target compensation for 2022 and 2021. The graph below shows the positioning of Mr. Kandris’s 2022 and 2021 direct target compensation relative to similarly situated personnel at our third-party survey group companies based on the market data provided by Korn Ferry:

Our Compensation Committee increased Mr. Kandris’s target total direct compensation by 1.4% for 2022 as compared to 2021. The increase in Mr. Kandris’s target total direct compensation for 2022 resulted from a merit increase in Mr. Kandris’s base salary of 2.5% and a commensurate increase in his targeted annual cash incentive compensation.

Bryon T. McGregor, Chief Financial Officer

The following table shows Mr. McGregor’s direct target compensation for 2022 and 2021. The graph below shows the positioning of Mr. McGregor’s 2022 and 2021 direct target compensation relative to similarly situated personnel at our third-party survey group companies based on the market data provided by Korn Ferry:

Our Compensation Committee increased Mr. McGregor’s target total direct compensation by 3.4% for 2022 as compared to 2021. The increase in Mr. McGregor’s target total direct compensation for 2022 resulted from a merit increase in Mr. McGregor’s base salary of 5.0% and a commensurate increase in his targeted annual cash incentive compensation.

Auste M. Graham, General Counsel, Vice President and Secretary

The following table shows Ms. Graham’s direct target compensation for 2022. Ms. Graham first joined us in early 2022 and thus no information is provided for 2021. The graph below shows the positioning of Ms. Graham’s 2022 direct target compensation relative to similarly situated personnel at our third-party survey group companies based on the market data provided by Korn Ferry:

James R. Sneed, Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer

The following table shows Mr. Sneed’s direct target compensation for 2022 and 2021. The graph below shows the positioning of Mr. Sneed’s 2022 and 2021 direct target compensation relative to similarly situated personnel at our third-party survey group companies based on the market data provided by Korn Ferry:

Our Compensation Committee increased Mr. Sneed’s target total direct compensation by 2.5% for 2022 as compared to 2021. The increase in Mr. Sneed’s target total direct compensation for 2022 resulted from a merit increase in Mr. Sneed’s base salary of 3.5% and a commensurate increase in his targeted annual cash incentive compensation.

Christopher W. Wright, Former Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

The following table shows Mr. Wright’s direct target compensation for 2022 and 2021. Mr. Wright retired in May 2022. The graph below shows the positioning of Mr. Wright’s 2022 and 2021 direct target compensation relative to similarly situated personnel at our third-party survey group companies based on the market data provided by Korn Ferry:

Due to Mr. Wright’s impending retirement, our Compensation Committee did not increase Mr. Wright’s target total direct compensation in 2022 as compared to 2021. As a result of his retirement, Mr. Wright was not eligible for annual cash incentive compensation or regular long-term equity incentive compensation for 2022; however, we made a discretionary grant of equity to Mr. Wright in consideration of his service to us in 2022 through his retirement in May 2022 and in anticipation of Mr. Wright’s post-separation consulting arrangement. The shares vested in June 2022 following Mr. Wright’s retirement. Mr. Wright did not otherwise receive any severance pay or benefits in connection with his retirement. See “Summary Compensation Table” below.

Compensation Committee Report

The following Compensation Committee Report is not deemed filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in any of our previous filings made under the Securities Act, or under the Exchange Act that might incorporate future filings made by Alto Ingredients under those statutes, the Compensation Committee Report will not be incorporated by reference into any such prior filings or into any future filings made by Alto Ingredients under those statutes.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the foregoing Compensation Discussion and Analysis with management, and based on that review and discussion, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in Alto Ingredients’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 (incorporated by reference) and in this Proxy Statement.

Compensation Risk Analysis

Our Compensation Committee, with the advice of its independent compensation consultant and input from management, reviewed the design of our employee compensation policies and practices and concluded that those policies and practices do not create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us. Significant factors considered by our Compensation Committee in reaching its conclusion include:

Other features in our incentive programs are intended to mitigate risks from our compensation program, particularly the risk of short-term decision-making. These features include the potential recoupment under our clawback policy of incentive awards from our executive officers, including all named executive officers, in the event of material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the federal securities laws, including as a result of misconduct; and the ability of our Compensation Committee to exercise discretion to reduce or eliminate payouts under the discretionary components of our compensation program, such as the individual performance element in our annual cash incentive compensation plan, if it deems appropriate.

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth summary information concerning the compensation of our NEOs for all services rendered in all capacities to us for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020.

Executive Employment Agreements

Michael D. Kandris

Our Second Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with Michael D. Kandris provides for at-will employment as our President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Kandris’s annual base salary is $528,403 as of April 24, 2022, was $515,515 as of May 20, 2021, was $500,500 as of December 6, 2020, was $498,000 as of May 25, 2020 and was $350,745 prior to that date for the balance of 2020. Mr. Kandris is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive plan with a pay-out target of 70% of his base salary, to be paid based upon performance criteria set by our Compensation Committee.

Upon termination by us without cause or resignation by Mr. Kandris for good reason, Mr. Kandris is entitled to receive (i) severance equal to eighteen months of his base salary, (ii) 150% of his total target short-term incentive plan award, (iii) continued health insurance coverage for eighteen months or until the earlier effective date of coverage under a subsequent employer’s plan, and (iv) accelerated vesting of 25% of all shares or options subject to any equity awards granted to Mr. Kandris prior to Mr. Kandris’s termination which are unvested as of the date of termination.

However, if Mr. Kandris is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason in anticipation of or twenty-four months after a change in control, Mr. Kandris is entitled to (i) severance equal to thirty-six months of base salary, (ii) 300% of his total target short-term incentive plan award, (iii) continued health insurance coverage for thirty-six months or until the earlier effective date of coverage under a subsequent employer’s plan, and (iv) accelerated vesting of 100% of all shares or options subject to any equity awards granted to Mr. Kandris prior to Mr. Kandris’s termination that are unvested as of the date of termination.

If we terminate Mr. Kandris’s employment upon his disability, Mr. Kandris is entitled to severance equal to twelve months of base salary. In addition, in the event of Mr. Kandris’s disability and if he or someone authorized to act on his behalf executes and delivers an agreed release agreement and allows the release to become effective, we have agreed to accelerate the vesting of any equity awards granted to Mr. Kandris prior to the termination of his employment such that 100% of all shares or options subject to such awards which are unvested as of termination shall be accelerated and deemed fully vested as of the effectiveness of the release.

If Mr. Kandris dies, we have agreed to accelerate the vesting of any equity awards granted to Mr. Kandris prior to his death such that 100% of all shares or options subject to such awards which are unvested as of his death will be accelerated and deemed fully vested.

The term “cause” is defined in the Second Amended and Restated Employment Agreement as (i) Mr. Kandris’s indictment or conviction of any felony or of any crime involving dishonesty, (ii) Mr. Kandris’s participation in any fraud or other act of willful misconduct against us, (iii) Mr. Kandris’s refusal to comply with any of our lawful directives, (iv) Mr. Kandris’s material breach of his fiduciary, statutory, contractual, or common law duties to us, or (v) conduct by Mr. Kandris which, in the good faith and reasonable determination of our board of directors, demonstrates gross unfitness to serve; provided, however, that in the event that any of the foregoing events is reasonably capable of being cured, we shall provide written notice to Mr. Kandris describing the nature of the event and Mr. Kandris shall thereafter have three business days to cure the event.

The term “for good reason” is defined in the Second Amended and Restated Employment Agreement as (i) the assignment to Mr. Kandris of any duties or responsibilities that result in the material diminution of Mr. Kandris’s authority, duties or responsibility, (ii) a material reduction by us in Mr. Kandris’s annual base salary, except to the extent the base salaries of all of our other executive officers are accordingly reduced, (iii) a relocation of Mr. Kandris’s place of work, or our principal executive offices if Mr. Kandris’s principal office is at these offices, to a location that increases Mr. Kandris’s daily one-way commute by more than thirty-five miles, or (iv) any material breach by us of any material provision of Mr. Kandris’s employment agreement.

A “change in control” is deemed to have occurred if, in a single transaction or series of related transactions (i) any person (as the term is used in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), or persons acting as a group, other than a trustee or fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit program, is or becomes a “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly of our securities representing a majority of our combined voting power, (ii) we merge, consolidate or otherwise engage in a business combination with or into another corporation, entity or person, other than a transaction in which the holders of at least a majority of our shares of voting capital stock outstanding immediately prior to the transaction continue to hold (either by the shares remaining outstanding or by their being converted into shares of voting capital stock of the surviving entity) a majority of the total voting power represented by our shares of voting capital stock (or the surviving entity) outstanding immediately after the transaction, or (iii) all or substantially all of our assets are sold.

Bryon T. McGregor

Our Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with Bryon T. McGregor, as amended, provides for at-will employment as our Chief Financial Officer, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Mr. McGregor’s annual base salary is $356,855 as of April 24, 2022, was $339,862 as of May 20, 2021, was $329,963 as of December 6, 2020 and was $317,963 prior to that date for the balance of 2020. Mr. McGregor is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive plan with a pay-out target of 50% of his base salary, to be paid based upon performance criteria set by our Compensation Committee.

Upon termination by us without cause or resignation by Mr. McGregor for good reason, Mr. McGregor is entitled to receive (i) severance equal to twelve months of his base salary, (ii) 100% of his total target short-term incentive plan award, (iii) continued health insurance coverage for twelve months or until the earlier effective date of coverage under a subsequent employer’s plan, and (iv) accelerated vesting of 25% of all shares or options subject to any equity awards granted to Mr. McGregor prior to Mr. McGregor’s termination which are unvested as of the date of termination.

However, if Mr. McGregor is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason in anticipation of or twenty-four months after a change in control, Mr. McGregor is entitled to (i) severance equal to twenty-four months of base salary, (ii) 200% of his total target short-term incentive plan award, (iii) continued health insurance coverage for twenty-four months or until the earlier effective date of coverage under a subsequent employer’s plan, and (iv) accelerated vesting of 100% of all shares or options subject to any equity awards granted to Mr. McGregor prior to Mr. McGregor’s termination that are unvested as of the date of termination.

All other terms and conditions of Mr. McGregor’s employment agreement are substantially the same as those contained in Mr. Kandris’s employment agreement described above.

Auste M. Graham

Our Employment Agreement with Auste M. Graham provides for at-will employment as our General Counsel, Vice President and Secretary. Ms. Graham’s annual base salary is $350,000 as of February 26, 2023 and was $325,000 as of February 1, 2022 upon beginning her employment with us. Ms. Graham is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive plan with a pay-out target of 50% of her base salary, to be paid based upon performance criteria set by our Compensation Committee.

All other terms and conditions of Ms. Graham’s Employment Agreement are substantially the same as those contained in Mr. McGregor’s Amended and Restated Employment Agreement described above.

James R. Sneed

Our Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with James R. Sneed provides for at-will employment as our Vice President of Supply & Trading, now retitled to Mr. Sneed’s current position as Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Sneed’s annual base salary is $329,409 as of April 24, 2022, was $318,270 as of May 20, 2021, was $309,000 as of December 6, 2020 and was $300,000 as of June 23, 2019. Mr. Sneed is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive plan with a pay-out target of 50% of his base salary, to be paid based upon performance criteria set by our Compensation Committee.

All other terms and conditions of Mr. Sneed’s Amended and Restated Employment Agreement are substantially the same as those contained in Mr. McGregor’s Amended and Restated Employment Agreement described above.

Christopher W. Wright

Our Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with Christopher W. Wright provided for at-will employment as our Vice President of Administration, General Counsel and Secretary. In February 2022, Mr. Wright stepped down from his position as General Counsel and Secretary in anticipation of his retirement. Mr. Wright continued on as our Senior Vice President until his retirement in May 2022.

Mr. Wright’s annual base salary was $326,546 as of May 20, 2021 and until his retirement. Mr. Wright’s annual base salary was $317,035 as of December 6, 2020 and was $307,035 prior to that date for the balance of 2020. Mr. Wright was eligible to participate in our short-term incentive plan with a pay-out target of 50% of his base salary, to be paid based upon performance criteria set by our Compensation Committee. Upon his retirement, Mr. Wright was no longer eligible to participate in our short-term incentive plan.

All other terms and conditions of Mr. Wright’s Amended and Restated Employment Agreement were substantially the same as those contained in Mr. McGregor’s Amended and Restated Employment Agreement described above.

Upon his retirement in May 2022, we engaged Mr. Wright as a consultant under a one-year Consulting Agreement to provide advice and consultation on an as-needed basis at an annual rate of compensation of $130,000.

Clawback Policy

On March 29, 2018, our Compensation Committee instituted a new “clawback” policy with respect to incentive compensation. Except as otherwise required by applicable law and regulations, the clawback policy applies to any incentive compensation, including any cash or equity incentive compensation, awarded or paid after March 29, 2018. The clawback policy is intended to mitigate the risks associated with our compensation policies because our executive officers, including all of our named executive officers, will be required to repay compensation as provided under the policy.

The clawback policy requires recoupment of all incentive compensation, including any cash or equity incentive compensation, awarded or paid to any of our executive officers, including all of our named executive officers, in the event our financial statements are required to be restated, regardless of cause, including, without limitation, due to: (i) material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirements under the federal securities laws, (ii) an error, miscalculation or omission, or (iii) the commission of an act of fraud or other misconduct, including dishonesty, unethical conduct or falsification of our records. The recoupment period is the three-year period commencing from the date of the financial statement required to be restated; and if more than one financial statement is required to be restated, the date of the earliest dated financial statement. The amount of incentive compensation subject to recoupment is the amount received that exceeds the amount that otherwise would have been received had it been determined based on the accounting restatement and is computed without regard to any taxes paid. We are prohibited under the policy from indemnifying or agreeing to indemnify any executive officer from the loss of any erroneously awarded incentive compensation.

Our clawback policy is a “no-fault” policy and applies even if the executive officer did not engage in any misconduct and even if the executive officer had no responsibility for the financial statement errors, miscalculations, omissions or other reasons requiring restatement.

We will also apply any amended or successor “clawback” or similar policy adopted by us, including any policy or policy changes mandated by or implemented pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or the applicable listing requirements or rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Capital Market, if applicable, and any other stock exchange or other market on which our common stock is then quoted or listed for trading.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards – 2022

The following table sets forth summary information regarding all grants of plan-based awards made to our NEOs during the year ended December 31, 2022. The awards were made under our annual performance-based cash incentive compensation plan and, except as noted below, our long-term equity incentive compensation plan and are described in “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Compensation Decisions for 2022” above.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End – 2022

The following table sets forth information about outstanding equity awards held by our named executive officers as of December 31, 2022.