A step forward today for the buyout offer for Iowa-based Maytag Corporation. Whirlpool’s 21-dollar-per-share offer to buy Maytag got overwhelming approval from Maytag shareholders during a 5-minute meeting this (Thursday) morning.

The preliminary vote totals showed of the more than 56-million-229-thousand proxy statements received before the meeting, 98-point-7-percent of them were in favor of the buyout. That figure represents 68 and-a-half percent of Maytag’s shares of stock.

Before the preliminary votes were read, Maytag C-E-O Ralph Hake thanked all past and president Maytag employees for their hard work and said there has to be an ending before you have “a new beginning.” An inspector will certify the official results later today after the proxies that were cast by shareholders at the meeting are added.

Radio Iowa