Pottery Barn 2007 Annual Report Download - page 91

3250 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, California 94109
www.williams-sonomainc.com
PROXY STATEMENT FOR THE 2008 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
GENERAL INFORMATION
Our Board of Directors is soliciting this Proxy Statement and the enclosed proxy card for use at our 2008 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders, to be held on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and for any
adjournment or postponement of the meeting. Our Annual Meeting will be held at our corporate headquarters
located at 3250 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California 94109. Our Annual Report to Shareholders for the
fiscal year ended February 3, 2008, or fiscal 2007, including our financial statements for fiscal 2007, is also
enclosed. These proxy materials are first being mailed to shareholders on or about May 15, 2008.
What is the purpose of the Annual Meeting?
Shareholders will be asked to vote on the following matters:
1) The election of our Board of Directors;
2) The ratification of the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public
accounting firm for the fiscal year ending February 1, 2009;
3) The approval of the equity award exchange program; and
4) Such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement of
the meeting, including shareholder proposals. At this time, we do not know of any other matters to be
brought before the Annual Meeting.
Who may vote?
Only shareholders of record at the close of business on April 23, 2008, the record date, are entitled to receive
notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. Each holder of our common stock will be entitled to one vote for
each share of our common stock owned as of the record date. As of the record date, there were 105,544,570
shares of our common stock outstanding and entitled to vote, and there were 476 shareholders of record, which
number does not include shares held in the name of a bank or brokerage firm. We do not have any outstanding
shares of preferred stock.
How do I vote?
You may vote in person at the Annual Meeting, electronically by submitting your proxy through the Internet, by
telephone or by returning the enclosed proxy card in the enclosed envelope before the Annual Meeting. Proxies
properly executed, returned to us on a timely basis and not revoked will be voted in accordance with the
instructions contained in the proxy. If any matter not described in this Proxy Statement is properly presented for
action at the meeting, the persons named in the enclosed proxy will have discretionary authority to vote
according to their best judgment.
How do I vote electronically or by telephone?
You may vote electronically by submitting your proxy through the Internet or by telephone. The Internet and
telephone voting procedures are designed to authenticate your identity as a Williams-Sonoma, Inc. shareholder,
to allow you to vote your shares and to confirm that your instructions have been properly recorded. Specific
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Proxy