Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
EARL E. SMITH,
Plaintiff,
v.
Defendants.
_______________________________/
COMPLAINT
Plaintiff Earl E. Smith, by and through undersigned counsel, hereby sues Defendants
Wilbur C. Smith, III and Mary Melonie Smith, individually and in their capacities as Trustees of
the Wilbur C. Smith Estate Reduction Trust f/b/o Wilbur C. Smith and Mary Melonie Smith, for
I. Overview
1. Plaintiff Earl E. Smith (“Earl”) has filed this action in court against his brother
Wilbur C. Smith, III (“Billy”) and sister Mary Melonie Smith (“Melonie”) after they refused to
address the issues raised herein without the involvement of lawyers and the legal system.
2. As described more fully herein, with the assistance of Melonie, Billy has committed
a fraud upon, and breached his contractual obligations to, his brother Earl by improperly wresting
operational and financial management of the family’s business, Bill Smith, Inc. (the “Company”)
from Earl.
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3. Earl has worked at the Company for forty-nine (49) years (since January 3, 1971),
and, after learning the business from their father, Earl has run the Company successfully for
approximately the last thirty two years. Even though neither Billy (with the exception of a brief
failed effort to manage the company’s air conditioning division) nor Melonie have ever taken an
active role in the Company during their approximately one hundred and forty years on this planet,
Melonie and Billy have conspired to wrest operational and financial management from Earl, which
places at risk the future of the Company, the well-being of its employees, and its outstanding
4. By way of example, during the real estate crash that hit the community between
2007 and 2010, through Earl’s effective management, the Company focused on maintaining jobs
for its many employees. On the other hand, as the COVID-19 crises hit in the past few weeks,
Billy ordered the immediate termination of all employees (with the exception of a few supervisory
employees) in order to preserve cash that would inure to his benefit as an owner, with the Company
to re-hire replacement employees at lower hourly rates when the crisis passed.
5. On the other hand, as the COVID-19 crises grew, Earl urged the Company to pay a
$500 bonus to each employee so that each could have a small buffer for unexpected expenses such
as extra food during a prolonged crisis. Since Billy had already wrested control of operational and
financial management from Earl, Billy rejected the $500 bonus to each employee.
6. To be clear, there has been no vote of all the shareholders or directors of the
Company to remove control of operational and financial management from Earl. Earl’s effective
management of the Company for the financial benefit of its shareholders, its employees, and the
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7. Indeed, in February of 2020, Billy acknowledged in a Voting Agreement (described
more fully below) that in “recognition of [Earl’s] beneficial service to the Corporation and to
provide continuity in the Corporation’s operations, the Stockholders have agreed that Earl should
8. Billy never intended to honor his agreement to maintain Earl as President in control
of operational and financial management of the Company in order “to provide continuity in the
allowing Billy to transfer his shares in the Company to his wife, Billy improperly, and with the
assistance of Melonie, wrongfully took total control over every aspect of the Company, including
9. Herein, Earl seeks declaratory and injunctive relief regarding his rights arising from
corporate documents described below so that he can continue his efforts to ensure that the
Company is passed on to the next generation of the family as a strong yet compassionate employer
13. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this case as the amounts in
controversy exceed $30,000, which is the jurisdictional requirement for this Court.
14. This Court has personal jurisdiction over the Defendants as each reside within this
judicial circuit and because the acts described herein occurred within this judicial circuit.
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15. Pursuant to Section 47.011, Florida Statutes, venue of this action in this judicial
circuit is proper and appropriate because the Defendants reside in this judicial circuit and the
causes of action set forth in this Complaint accrued within this judicial circuit. In addition, Earl
and Billy have chosen Lee County as the venue for any disputes arising out of the Voting
Agreement that Billy has breached and is the subject of this lawsuit.
16. In 1942, Wilbur C. “Bill” Smith Jr. began living in Ft. Myers, Florida while serving
in the armed forces. While serving in Ft. Myers, he met and married Mary Alice Fohl, whose
family, in the 1920s, founded and operated Fohl Hardware in Ft. Myers.
17. After serving his country, Bill Smith worked at Fohl Hardware for several years,
18. In 1954, Bill and Mary Smith opened their first appliance store, which was
incorporated into Bill Smith, Inc. (the “Company”) in 1959. The business has operated
continuously in Ft. Myers for over sixty-six years. Although its business model has evolved over
the years, for decades the Company has been the leading appliance and electronics retail business
in Lee, Collier, and Charlotte Counties. Additionally, the Company has been heavily involved in
the economic revitalization of downtown Ft. Myers through Bill Smith’s vision and efforts.
19. Bill and Mary Smith opened their first store in 1954.
20. In 1959, Bill and Mary Smith incorporated Bill Smith, Inc. through which the
21. Bill and Mary Smith were the original shareholders of the Company.
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22. The Company’s Bylaws from 1959 created the offices of President, Vice President,
23. Bill and Mary Smith ran the day to day operations of the Company beginning in
24. Bill and Mary Smith had three children: Billy, Melonie, and Earl.
25. Although Billy and Melonie have held officer and director titles over the years,
neither has ever been actively involved in the operational management of the Company.
26. Of the three children, Earl is the only child to have actively participated in running
the operations of the Company. Billy became a lawyer and also served as Mayor of Fort Myers
for two terms. For a brief period of time he managed the air conditioning division, but dropped
out of such role after failing at it. Melonie has never been an active participant with regard to the
27. Earl began his career at the Company over forty-nine years ago on January 3, 1971
at the age of 23. Under the guidance of his father and other management personnel, Earl learned
every aspect of the Company’s business and also learned from his father that to have a successful
business one must provide outstanding customer service and customer satisfaction as well as
learning that having a highly trained, respected, and valued team of employees will help achieve
that goal.
28. After Earl had worked successfully by his side for years, Bill Smith decided it was
time to promote Earl to President of the Company so that Earl could more effectively manage the
appliance and electronics business of the Company while Bill Smith continued to oversee and
manage the properties division, which primarily consisted of the company owned property in
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downtown Fort Myers. At this time, the Company’s Bylaws were amended to create the office of
29. Pursuant to the amended Bylaws, the Chief Executive Officer “shall preside with
the President in the general management and supervision of the Company and other officers.” Bill
Smith took on the role of Chief Executive Officer, which he held until his death in 2011, and Earl
was appointed President. The two worked together managing the Company, with Bill Smith’s
daily role reducing as he grew older. When Bill Smith passed away in 2011, no person took over
the role of CEO as the position was specifically created for Bill Smith. Instead, Earl continued to
exercise control over the operational and financial management of the Company as President, as
30. Under Earl’s leadership, the Company’s sales continued to increase and with the
teams he assembled through the decades, the Company was able to effectively compete with
powerful regional and national retailers such as Standard Brands, Sears, Circuit City, H.H. Gregg,
Best Buy, The Home Depot, and Lowe’s. Earl was able to maintain profitability while competing
and growing sales volume. The Company currently employs approximately one hundred and
sixteen local residents. The Company has survived the economic tumult and change in the way
consumers buy products through excellent customer service. Such customer service is the result
of training the Company’s employees to work as a team and to be knowledgeable and courteous.
Because the success of the Company depends on its employees, the Company has also prided itself
on paying its employees well. Employee turnover at the Company has never been an issue under
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C. Restrictions on Ownership of the Shares of the Company and the Relevant Events of
2019
31. In 1985, as the sole owners of the shares of the Company, Bill and Mary Smith
entered into a Stockholder’s Agreement “to establish certain restrictions on the disposition of
shares of stock of the corporation during the shareholder’s lifetime or at death.” In short, Bill and
Mary required that the shares of the Company inure to the benefit of and could only be transferred
33. In 2003, the above described restrictions were amended and restated in the
Amended and Restated Stock Buy-Sell Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 3. As of 2003, Bill
Smith, through a trust, held 4,635 shares of the Company, and Billy, Melonie, and Earl each owned
34. Bill Smith and his three children each signed the 2003 Amended and Restated Stock
Buy-Sell Agreement, which restricts the transfer of shares of the Company in accordance with the
Shareholder, the descendants of a Shareholder, or a trust having one or more Shareholders or their
descendants as beneficiaries, but such trust cannot result in the shares passing for the benefit of a
35. After Bill Smith passed away in 2011, his shares were distributed in equal parts for
the benefit of each of his three children, but with all of Earl’s shares going directly to Earl’s
daughter Stacey Smith Gavin. In addition, each of Bill Smith’s three children held shares
individually and through the Wilbur C. Smith Estate Reduction Trust (the “Trust”). Specifically,
after Bill Smith’s death through the present, each of Billy, Melonie, and Earl each own 16.73333%
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of the Company’s shares as Trustee’s of that portion of Trust set up for their benefit and also each
100%
36. In 2019, the shareholders discussed updating the Company’s Bylaws, but never
discussed removing operational and financial management from Earl or otherwise changing the
37. In mid-2019, the Company sold a large property in downtown Ft. Myers, netting
the Company in excess of thirteen million dollars. Because the property generated significant
annual revenue, Earl noted for each of the shareholders that Company profit distributions to each
of the shareholders would be reduced accordingly going forward. The proceeds of the sale were
distributed to the shareholders, who had the ability to invest same on an individual basis to help
offset the reduction in cash flow from future Company profit distributions. Billy promptly spent
a large portion of his share of the net proceeds. Recognizing that gaining control over the
operational and financial management of the Company would afford him control over further funds
that could be distributed to him, Billy put in place his plan to oust Earl.
numerous discussions regarding Billy’s wish to include his wife as a Permitted Transferee. In
response, Earl and Stacey urged Billy to consider a trust for the benefit of his four sons and
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continued to suggest to Billy that such an arrangement could help facilitate his sons’ potential
participation in the operational management of the Company as shareholders through such a trust.
39. After many rounds with the lawyers, a document was drafted that would modify
the definition of Permitted Transferee. Stacey signed the document on December 6, 2019 and
forwarded the signed document to her father Earl. Earl signed the document on December 10,
2019 and provided it to Billy. On Saturday, December 14, 2019, Billy signed the document and
had the signed document in his possession when he met with his four sons on Sunday, December
15, 2019. Instead of telling his sons the truth regarding the changes to the Company’s documents
that would allow Billy to set up a trust with his sons as beneficiaries, but with his wife to have
rights to income during life, Billy lied to his sons regarding the efforts of Earl and Stacey to include
his sons within the family business. Billy did not tell his sons about the signed document in his
possession.
40. On December 16, 2019, Melonie executed the Amendment to Amended and
Restated Stock Buy-Sell Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 4 (making such document
effective) that provided for a limited exception to the Permitted Transferee definition with respect
to Billy’s Shares. In short, the shareholders agreed that Billy’s wife, Marilyn Smith, could be
named as a beneficiary of a trust holding his shares so long as the trust otherwise met the
requirements provided for in the Amended and Restated Stock Buy-Sell Agreement.
41. During 2019, Billy started persistently inquiring about the net worth of the
Company including Company owned real estate -- suggesting everyone needed appraisals, paid up
inventory value, vehicle values, retained earnings calculations, and more. Earl was concerned
about the manner in which Billy was going about this and the reasons. Billy never posed any
questions to Earl as President, but instead bypassed Earl and directed all inquiries to the
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Company’s Executive Vice President. Earl agreed that since the stock Billy owned had in the
Company was a significant asset for Billy that Billy had every right to request such information.
But Billy’s unreasonable persistence and continual avoidance of Earl began to raise concerns as to
Billy’s intent. This avoidance increased to the point that Billy would fail to respond to emails Earl
would send to shareholders requesting a reply. Instead Billy would reply only to the Executive
Vice President and not include Earl as a recipient. Thus, Earl became concerned that Billy was
not recognizing Earl as President and became even more concerned as to why Billy was only
42. In February 2020, Earl visited with Billy to “clear the air.” At the time Earl had
full control of operational and financial management as the President of the Company, which he
would retain as President. Billy agreed if Earl and Stacey would vote to further amend the Buy-
Sell Agreement, Billy would agree to maintain Earl as President, who had control of operational
and financial management of the Company, without any interference from Billy.
43. After the meeting between the two brothers, on Monday, February 3, 2020, Earl
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I agreed you will not be removed as Pres.
46. In accordance with Billy’s and Earl’s agreement, the following two documents
were drafted and executed on February 13, 2020 (with Earl only executing after Billy had signed
both documents):
Transferee;
b. Bill Smith, Inc. Voting Agreement (attached hereto as Exhibit 6), signed by
47. Billy had no intent of leaving Earl in control of the operational and financial
management of the Company and fraudulently induced Earl into signing the 2020 Buy-Sell
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Amendment. In breach of his obligations under the Voting Agreement and in furtherance of his
fraud to obtain the 2020 Buy-Sell Amendment, Billy enlisted Melonie to tortuously interfere with
Earl’s rights under the Voting Agreement. As described below, after getting the concessions he
wanted, Billy immediately took action, with the assistance of Melonie, to eliminate Earl’s control
over the operational and financial management of the Company violating the Voting Agreement
which required Earl to stay in control “. . . to provide continuity in the Corporation’s operations .
. . .”
48. In 2014, Billy was involved in a serious off road accident from which he has never
fully recovered. As a result of the effects of the accident, he began reducing his practice of law
49. Indeed, Billy (who will turn 75 on July 19, 2020) had been retired from his law
practice for a number of years when he decided to wrest operational management from Earl.
50. In furtherance of his fraudulent promise to his brother Earl to leave Earl in control
of the operational and financial management of the Company, as the lawyers were drafting the
Voting Agreement and 2020 Buy-Sell Amendment executed in mid February 2020, Billy was
scheming to:
• Revive the CEO position only held by his father and not held by anyone since his
• Re-write the Bylaws of the Company to give full executive supervision and
• Re-write the Bylaws of the Company to eliminate the President’s role as executive
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• Re-write the Bylaws of the Company such that the President only has such duties
51. Without any notice to the other shareholders, Earl or Stacey, Billy and Melonie
drafted and signed a whole new set of corporate documents, including Amended and Restated
Bylaws of Bill Smith, Inc. dated March 12, 2020 (attached hereto as Exhibit 7), Shareholders
Action By Written Consent without a Meeting of Bill Smith, Inc. (Exhibit 8) which included
52. The net effect of these unilaterally drafted documents signed without notice to all
the shareholders was to eliminate continuity in the Company’s operations in breach of the Voting
Agreement through the removal of operational and financial management from Earl and vesting
of same in Billy – a person who has not spent any time in the unique and highly competitive
appliance and electronics retail business, has not spent any time managing such an appliance and
electronics retail business, or anytime managing his family’s appliance and electronics retail
business during the past almost 75 years. In voting for such documents, Melonie has tortuously
53. As Billy implemented his plan to take over operational and financial management
of the Company, the COVID-19 crisis began to take hold in our country. Earl immediately tasked
senior management to protect the jobs of the Company’s employees, as he had done during the
real estate crises that befell the area over a decade ago. Earl also suggested to senior management
that each employee receive a $500 bonus on their next paycheck to assist them with buying
supplies and other items that each employee might need. Billy objected to the bonus, but finally
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agreed to a reduced amount of $250 after senior management sounded the alarm and explained to
Billy that most hourly employees don’t have big monetary reserves needed to buy the extra food
and other supplies that would be needed as the COVID-19 pandemic expanded nationwide.
54. Contrary to the suggested direction given by Earl, Billy indicated to senior
management that the COVID-19 crisis was an opportunity for the Company to save costs by firing
all of the employees and re-hiring cheaper employees after the crisis had passed. Senior
Management objected, not only for the benefit of the employees, but because Senior Management
has been taught over the decades and knows that the success of the Company depends on the
training of its employees and their longevity and experience – all of which translates into excellent
55. Earl’s and Billy’s contradictory approaches came to a head at the annual April 1,
2020 meeting of the directors and shareholders of the Company. Minutes before the meeting was
to start, Billy’s son and former law partner, Sawyer Smith, resigned from the Board. Noting her
and Earl’s objections to Billy’s improper actions and invalid corporate documents, Stacey
attempted to add a discussion of such events to the agenda for the meeting. However, Billy (his
improper takeover now complete) would not allow any discussion of his actions or the corporate
documents to occur declaring angrily that he was CEO and Stacey was out-of-order when she
persisted on speaking and further declaring that the issues would have to be resolved through
lawyers.
56. All conditions for the filing of this lawsuit and the counts pled herein have been
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IV. Causes of Action
57. Plaintiff incorporates and restates paragraph 1 through 56 as if fully restated herein
58. Billy and Earl entered into the Voting Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 6.
59. At all times material hereto, Earl has been and is ready willing and able to serve as
President of the Company and to maintain his role as the person in charge of the operational and
60. Pursuant to the terms of the Voting Agreement, Billy and Earl agreed that Earl “has
served the Corporation as an employee and officer for approximately forty-nine years, currently
serving as its President. In recognition of that beneficial service to the Corporation and to provide
continuity in the Corporation’s operations, the Stockholders have agreed that Earl should continue
61. At the time Billy and Earl entered the Voting Agreement, Earl was the sole person
in charge of the operational and financial management of the Company, and Billy had no role in
the operational and financial management of the Company other than as a shareholder and director.
The only way for there to be continuity in the Company’s operations was for Earl to remain in
62. Paragraph 1 of the Voting Agreement obligates Billy to maintain Earl as President
of the Company for so long as Earl is wiling to serve for the purposes stated in the Voting
breached his obligations under the Voting Agreement by violating his obligation to maintain Earl
as President of the Company for so long as Earl is willing to serve for the purposes stated in the
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Voting Agreement’s recitals, including to provide continuity in the Corporation’s operations. Billy
has breached his obligations through preparing and voting to adopt documents that appoint Billy
as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and that remove the management powers of the
64. Earl does not have an adequate remedy at law. Indeed, in paragraph 5 of the Voting
Agreement, the parties agreed that “the parties shall have the right to enforce this Agreement
WHEREFORE, Earl respectfully requests that this Court enter an injunction obligating
Billy to act in accordance with his obligations under the Voting Agreement and specifically to vote
to rescind the Correctory Amended and Restated Bylaws of Bill Smith, Inc. and take such other
and further actions necessary to restore Earl as President of the Company with the authority that
was vested in Earl at the time of the execution of the Voting Agreement or, alternatively, enter an
order removing Billy as CEO of the Company and declaring that control of the management and
financial operations of the Company are the responsibility of Earl as the President of the Company.
65. Plaintiff incorporates and restates paragraph 1 through 56 as if fully restated herein
66. Billy and Earl entered into the Voting Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 6.
67. Given the terms of the Voting Agreement, Earl has the right to continue as President
of the Company in control of the operational and financial management of the Company for so
68. Melonie is aware of the Voting Agreement and Earl’s rights under the Voting
Agreement.
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69. Melonie tortuously interfered with Earl’s rights under the Voting Agreement by
participating in Billy’s breach of the Voting Agreement through her participation in and signature
upon the improper documents (including Exhibits 7 and 8), signed in violation of the Voting
Agreement.
WHEREFORE, Earl respectfully requests that this Court enter an injunction obligating
Melonie to take such actions necessary to restore Earl as President of the Company with the
authority that was vested in Earl at the time of the execution of the Voting Agreement, or,
alternatively, enter an order removing Billy as CEO of the Company and declaring that control of
the management and financial operations of the Company are the responsibility of Earl as the
71. Plaintiff incorporates and restates paragraph 1 through 56 as if fully restated herein
72. Billy made a false statement of material fact when he promised to Earl that Earl
could remain in control of the operational and financial management of the Company for so long
as Earl is willing.
73. At the time Billy made this material misrepresentation he knew it to be false
because Billy wanted to take over operational and financial control of the Company and was
planning to do so after inducing Earl into signing the 2020 Buy-Sell Amendment.
74. Billy made the material misrepresentation that Earl could remain in control of the
operational and financial management of the Company for so long as Earl is willing in order to
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75. In reasonable reliance on Billy’s representations, Earl signed the 2020 Buy-Sell
Amendment.
76. Earl did not sign the 2020 Buy-Sell Amendment until he had Billy’s signature on
77. Earl would not have signed the 2020 Buy-Sell Amendment if Billy were permitted
to take over the management of the Company, but instead signed the 2020 Buy-Sell Amendment
based on Billy’s representation that Earl could remain in control of the operational and financial
WHEREFORE, Earl respectfully requests that this Court void the 2020 Buy-Sell
79. Plaintiff incorporates and restates paragraph 1 through 56 as if fully restated herein
80. Section 607.0750 provides for a direct action by one shareholder against another
shareholder to enforce a shareholder’s rights and interests arising from the articles of
incorporation, the bylaws, or independently from another document such as a voting agreement.
81. As alleged herein, Earl was operating as the President of the Company with control
over the management and financial affairs of the Company. Through the wrongful acts alleged in
paragraphs 36 through 55 of this Complaint, Billy violated the terms of a Voting Agreement and
wrongfully put in place amended bylaws that removed Earl’s control as President over the
82. Through his wrongful acts, Billy has actually injured Earl in a manner that is
personal to Earl and is not an injury solely the result of an injury suffered by the Company
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(although Earl reserves his right to amend his Complaint to add such other and further causes of
WHEREFORE, Earl respectfully requests that this Court enter an injunction obligating
Billy to act in accordance with his obligations under the Voting Agreement and specifically to vote
to rescind the Correctory Amended and Restated Bylaws of Bill Smith, Inc. and take such other
and further actions necessary to restore Earl as President of the Company with the authority that
was vested in Earl at the time of the execution of the Voting Agreement, or, alternatively, enter an
order removing Billy as CEO of the Company and declaring that control of the management and
financial operations of the Company are the responsibility of Earl as the President of the Company.
83. Plaintiff incorporates and restates paragraph 1 through 56 as if fully restated herein.
84. This count is brought pursuant to Chapter 86, Florida Statutes that provide the Court
with the authority to declare rights, status, and other equitable or legal relations, including rights
85. There is a bona fide, actual, present and practical need for a declaration regarding
the rights of Earl and the obligations of Billy and Melonie arising from the Company’s Bylaws,
the Voting Agreement, and the Correctory Amended and Restated Bylaws of Bill Smith, Inc.
86. It is Earl’s position that a fraud has been committed in an effort to remove control
of operational and financial management vested in the office of the President, which office he is
entitled to hold for so long as he is willing pursuant to the terms of the Voting Agreement. Billy
87. It is Billy and Melonie’s position that they validly executed amendments to the
Bylaws that delegate to the CEO operational and financial management of the Company, that Billy
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has been validly appointed as CEO, and that Earl is not entitled to control of operational and
financial management of the Company for so long as he is willing to act as President. Earl
88. This dispute can be resolved by the Court based on ascertainable facts, including
from the documents attached to the Complaint, the testimony of the parties, other documents, and
89. There is an actual, present, adverse and antagonistic interest in the subject matter
hereof.
WHEREFORE, Earl respectfully requests that this Court declare that : (i) the Correctory
Amended and Restated Bylaws of Bill Smith, Inc. are null and void as they were entered in
violation of the Voting Agreement; (ii) Billy was improperly appointed as CEO in violation of the
Voting Agreement and the Bylaws and is removed from the office of CEO; (iii) the terms of the
Voting Agreement require Billy to vote to maintain Earl as President in control of the operational
and financial management of the Company for so long as Earl is willing to serve as President; (iv)
under the enforceable and applicable documents of the Company, and unless removed by a vote
of the shareholders that does not violate the Voting Agreement or any other corporate document,
Earl shall serve as President for so long as he is willing with control of operational and financial
90. Plaintiff incorporates and restates paragraph 1 through 56 as if fully restated herein.
91. Billy and Melonie conspired to fraudulently induce Earl to sign the 2020 Buy-Sell
Amendment by participating in a scheme that misled Earl into believing that he would be
maintained as President in control of the operational and financial management of the Company.
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92. After conspiring in the making of fraudulent misrepresentations by Billy to Earl as
set forth in paragraphs 36 through 55 of this Complaint, Billy and Melonie in furtherance of the
fraud and in violation of Billy’s obligations under the Voting Agreement, appointed Billy as CEO
and gave Billy full control of the operational and financial management of the Company.
93. The conspiratorial acts of Billy and Melonie have harmed Earl and the Company
by removing from Earl the operational and financial management of the Company.
WHEREFORE, Earl respectfully requests that this Court enter an injunction obligating
Billy and Melonie to take such actions necessary to restore Earl as President of the Company with
the authority that was vested in Earl at the time of the execution of the Voting Agreement, or,
alternatively, enter an order removing Billy as CEO of the Company and declaring that control of
the management and financial operations of the Company are the responsibility of Earl as the
Respectfully submitted
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