Growth in Data. Stored data is growing in size and complexity due to the proliferation of different types of stored data, including graphics, video, text and audio, as well as the implementation of enterprise-wide databases containing both traditional and nontraditional business management information. Organizations in all industries, including technology, telecommunications, manufacturing, financial services, entertainment and broadcast, are increasingly dependent on their ability to collect, access, use and transfer these new types of stored data. Further, governmental regulation in certain industries is mandating increased data retention

Contract Categories: Human Resources - Retention Agreements
EX-10.9 5 v86970orexv10w9.txt EXHIBIT 10.9 Exhibit 10.9 ADVANCED DIGITAL INFORMATION CORPORATION 2002 TEAM MEMBER RETENTION STOCK OPTION PLAN SECTION 1. PURPOSE The purpose of the Advanced Digital Information Corporation 2002 Team Member Retention Stock Option Plan (the "PLAN") is to enhance the long-term shareholder value of Advanced Digital Information Corporation, a Washington corporation (the "COMPANY"), by offering opportunities to selected persons to participate in the Company's growth and success, and to encourage them to remain in the service of the Company and its Related Corporations (as defined in Section 2) and to acquire and maintain stock ownership in the Company. SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below: "BOARD" means the Board of Directors of the Company. "CAUSE" means dishonesty, fraud, misconduct, unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information or trade secrets, or conviction or confession of a crime punishable by law (except minor violations), in each case as determined by the Plan Administrator, and its determination shall be conclusive and binding. "CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. "COMMON STOCK" means the common stock, no par value, of the Company. "CORPORATE TRANSACTION" means any of the following events: (a) Consummation of any merger or consolidation of the Company in which the Company is not the continuing or surviving corporation, or pursuant to which shares of the Common Stock are converted into cash, securities or other property, if following such merger or consolidation the holders of the Company's outstanding voting securities immediately prior to such merger or consolidation own less than 2/3 of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving corporation; (b) Consummation of any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer in one transaction or a series of related transactions of all or substantially all of the Company's assets other than a transfer of the Company's assets to a majority-owned subsidiary corporation (as the term "subsidiary corporation" is defined in Section 424(f) of the Code) of the Company; (c) Approval by the holders of the Common Stock of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or (d) Acquisition by a person, within the meaning of Section 3(a)(9) or of Section 13(d)(3) (as in effect on the date of adoption of the Plan) of the Exchange Act of a majority or more of the Company's outstanding voting securities (whether directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record). Ownership of voting securities shall take into account and shall include ownership as determined by applying Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) (as in effect on the date of adoption of the Plan) pursuant to the Exchange Act. "DISABILITY," unless otherwise defined by the Plan Administrator, means a mental or physical impairment of the Participant that is expected to result in death or that has lasted or is expected to last for a continuous period of 12 months or more and that causes the Participant to be unable, in the opinion of the Company, to perform his or her duties for the Company or a Related Corporation and to be engaged in any substantial gainful activity. "EXCHANGE ACT" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. "FAIR MARKET VALUE" shall be as established in good faith by the Plan Administrator or (a) if the Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq National Market, the average of the high and low per share sales prices for the Common Stock as reported by the Nasdaq National Market for a single trading day or (b) if the Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange, the average of the high and low per share sales prices for the Common Stock as such price is officially quoted in the composite tape of transactions on such exchange for a single trading day. If there is no such reported price for the Common Stock for the date in question, then such price on the last preceding date for which such price exists shall be determinative of Fair Market Value. "GOOD REASON" means the occurrence of any of the following events or conditions and the failure of the Successor Corporation to cure such event or condition within 30 days after receipt of written notice from the Participant: (a) a change in the Participant's status, title, position or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) that, in the Participant's reasonable judgment, represents a substantial reduction in the status, title, position or responsibilities as in effect immediately prior thereto; the assignment to the Participant of any duties or responsibilities that, in the Participant's reasonable judgment, are materially inconsistent with such status, title, position or responsibilities; or any removal of the Participant from or failure to reappoint or reelect the Participant to any of such positions, except in connection with the termination of the Participant's employment for Cause, for Disability or as a result of his or her death, or by the Participant other than for Good Reason; (b) a reduction in the Participant's annual base salary; (c) the Successor Corporation's requiring the Participant (without the Participant's consent) to be based at any place outside a 35-mile radius of his or her place of employment prior to a Corporate Transaction, except for reasonably required travel on the Successor Corporation's business that is not materially greater than such travel requirements prior to the Corporate Transaction; (d) the Successor Corporation's failure to (i) continue in effect any material compensation or benefit plan (or the substantial equivalent thereof) in which the Participant was participating at the time of a Corporate Transaction, including, but not limited to, the Plan, or (ii) provide the Participant with compensation and benefits substantially equivalent (in terms of benefit levels and/or reward opportunities) to those provided for under each material employee benefit plan, program and practice as in effect immediately prior to the Corporate Transaction; -2- (e) any material breach by the Successor Corporation of its obligations to the Participant under the Plan or any substantially equivalent plan of the Successor Corporation; or (f) any purported termination of the Participant's employment or service relationship for Cause by the Successor Corporation that is not in accordance with the definition of Cause under the Plan. "GRANT DATE" means the date on which the Plan Administrator completes the corporate action relating to the grant of an Option. "OPTION" means the right to purchase Common Stock granted under Section 6. "OPTION TERM" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3. "PARENT" means any entity, whether now or hereafter existing, that directly or indirectly controls the Company. "PARTICIPANT" means (a) the person to whom an Option is granted; (b) for a Participant who has died, the personal representative of the Participant's estate, the person(s) to whom the Participant's rights under the Option have passed by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution, or the beneficiary designated in accordance with Section 8; or (c) the person(s) to whom an Option has been transferred in accordance with Section 8. "PLAN ADMINISTRATOR" means the Board or any committee or committees designated by the Board or any person to whom the Board has delegated authority to administer the Plan under Section 3.1. "RETIREMENT" means retirement as of the individual's normal retirement date under the Company's 401(k) Plan or other similar successor plan applicable to salaried employees, unless otherwise defined by the Plan Administrator from time to time for purposes of the Plan. "RELATED CORPORATION" means any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. "SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. "SUBSIDIARY" means any entity that is directly or indirectly controlled by the Company. "SUCCESSOR CORPORATION" has the meaning set forth in Section 9.3. "TERMINATION DATE" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.6. SECTION 3. ADMINISTRATION 3.1 PLAN ADMINISTRATOR The Plan shall be administered by the Board and/or a committee or committees (which term includes subcommittees) appointed by, and consisting of two or more members of, the Board (a "PLAN ADMINISTRATOR"). The Board may delegate the responsibility for administering the Plan with respect to designated classes of eligible persons to different committees consisting of two or more -3- members of the Board, subject to such limitations as the Board deems appropriate. Committee members shall serve for such term as the Board may determine, subject to removal by the Board at any time. 3.2 ADMINISTRATION AND INTERPRETATION BY PLAN ADMINISTRATOR Except for the terms and conditions explicitly set forth in the Plan, the Plan Administrator shall have exclusive authority, in its discretion, to determine all matters relating to Options under the Plan, including the selection of individuals to be granted Options, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option, all terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations, if any, of an Option and the terms of any instrument that evidences the Option. The Plan Administrator shall also have exclusive authority to interpret the Plan and the terms of any instrument evidencing the Option and may from time to time adopt and change rules and regulations of general application for the Plan's administration. The Plan Administrator's interpretation of the Plan and its rules and regulations, and all actions taken and determinations made by the Plan Administrator pursuant to the Plan, shall be conclusive and binding on all parties involved or affected. The Plan Administrator may delegate administrative duties to such of the Company's officers as it so determines. SECTION 4. STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN 4.1 AUTHORIZED NUMBER OF SHARES Subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 9.1, the number of shares of Common Stock that shall be available for issuance under the Plan shall be 540,000 shares. Shares issued under the Plan shall be drawn from authorized and unissued shares or shares now held or subsequently acquired by the Company. 4.2 NO REUSE OF SHARES Shares of Common Stock that have been made subject to an Option that cease to be subject to the Option as a result of the cancellation or expiration of the Option or for any other reason may not be reused for issuance in connection with future grants of Options under the Plan. SECTION 5. ELIGIBILITY Options may be granted under the Plan to selected officers and other key employees of the Company and its Related Corporations as the Plan Administrator from time to time selects, provided that no Options may be granted to any director or to any executive officer of the Company or any Related Corporation who is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act. SECTION 6. OPTIONS 6.1 GRANT OF OPTIONS The Plan Administrator is authorized under the Plan to issue Options only as nonqualified stock options (options that are not intended to qualify as an "incentive stock option" under Section 422 of the Code). -4- 6.2 OPTION EXERCISE PRICE The exercise price for shares purchased under an Option shall be as determined by the Plan Administrator, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Grant Date. 6.3 TERM OF OPTIONS The term of each Option (the "OPTION TERM") shall be five years from the Grant Date. 6.4 EXERCISE OF OPTIONS The Plan Administrator shall establish and set forth in each instrument that evidences an Option the time at which, or the installments in which, the Option shall vest and become exercisable, which provisions may be waived or modified by the Plan Administrator at any time. If not so established in the instrument evidencing the Option, the Option shall vest and become exercisable according to the following schedule, which may be waived or modified by the Plan Administrator at any time:
PERIOD OF PARTICIPANT'S CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICE WITH THE COMPANY PERCENT OF TOTAL OR ITS RELATED CORPORATIONS FROM THE OPTION THAT IS VESTED OPTION GRANT DATE AND EXERCISABLE -------------------------------------- --------------------- After 1 year 25% After 2 years 50% After 3 years 75% After 4 years 100%
The Plan Administrator may adjust the vesting schedule of an Option held by a Participant who works less than "full-time" as that term is defined by the Plan Administrator. To the extent that an Option has vested and become exercisable, the Option may be exercised from time to time by delivery to the Company of a written stock option exercise agreement or notice, in a form and in accordance with procedures established by the Plan Administrator, setting forth the number of shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised, the restrictions imposed on the shares purchased under such exercise agreement, if any, and such representations and agreements as may be required by the Plan Administrator, accompanied by payment in full as described in Section 6.5. An Option may not be exercised for less than 100 shares at any one time (or the lesser number of remaining shares covered by the Option). -5- 6.5 PAYMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE The exercise price for shares purchased under an Option shall be paid in full to the Company by delivery of consideration equal to the product of the Option exercise price and the number of shares purchased. Such consideration must be paid in cash or by check or, unless the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion determines otherwise, either at the time the Option is granted or at any time before it is exercised, in any combination of (a) cash or check; (b) tendering (either actually or, if and so long as the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, by attestation) shares of Common Stock already owned by the Participant for at least six months (or any shorter period necessary to avoid a charge to the Company's earnings for financial reporting purposes) having a Fair Market Value on the day prior to the exercise date equal to the aggregate Option exercise price; (c) if and so long as the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, delivery of a properly executed exercise notice, together with irrevocable instructions, to (i) a brokerage firm designated by the Company to deliver promptly to the Company the aggregate amount of sale or loan proceeds to pay the Option exercise price and any withholding tax obligations that may arise in connection with the exercise and (ii) the Company to deliver the certificates for such purchased shares directly to such brokerage firm, all in accordance with the regulations of the Federal Reserve Board; or (d) such other consideration as the Plan Administrator may permit. In addition, to assist a Participant (including a Participant who is an officer of the Company) in acquiring shares of Common Stock pursuant to an Option granted under the Plan, the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, may authorize, either at the Grant Date or at any time before the acquisition of Common Stock pursuant to the Option, (i) the payment by a Participant of a full-recourse promissory note, (ii) the payment by the Participant of the purchase price, if any, of the Common Stock in installments, or (iii) the guarantee by the Company of a full-recourse loan obtained by the Participant from a third party. Subject to the foregoing, the Plan Administrator shall in its sole discretion specify the terms of any loans, installment payments or loan guarantees, including the interest rate and terms of and security for repayment. 6.6 POST-TERMINATION EXERCISES The Plan Administrator shall establish and set forth in each instrument that evidences an Option whether the Option shall continue to be exercisable, and the terms and conditions of such exercise, if a Participant ceases to be employed by, or to provide services to, the Company or its Related Corporations, which provisions may be waived or modified by the Plan Administrator at any time. If not so established in the instrument evidencing the Option, the Option shall be exercisable according to the following terms and conditions, which may be waived or modified by the Plan Administrator at any time: -6- (a) Any portion of an Option that is not vested and exercisable on the date of termination of the Participant's employment or service relationship (the "TERMINATION DATE") shall expire on such date. (b) Any portion of an Option that is vested and exercisable on the Termination Date shall expire upon the earliest to occur of (i) the last day of the Option Term; (ii) if the Participant's Termination Date occurs for reasons other than Disability, Retirement, Cause or death, the three-month anniversary of such Termination Date; (iii) if the Participant's Termination Date occurs by reason of Disability, Retirement or death, the one-year anniversary of such Termination Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Participant dies after the Termination Date while the Option is otherwise exercisable, the portion of the Option that is vested and exercisable on such Termination Date shall expire upon the earlier to occur of (y) the last day of the Option Term and (z) the first anniversary of the date of death, unless the Plan Administrator determines otherwise. Also notwithstanding the foregoing, in case of termination of the Participant's employment or service relationship for Cause, the Option shall automatically expire upon first notification to the Participant of such termination, unless the Plan Administrator determines otherwise. If a Participant's employment or service relationship with the Company is suspended pending an investigation of whether the Participant shall be terminated for Cause, all the Participant's rights under any Option likewise shall be suspended during the period of investigation. A Participant's transfer of employment or service relationship between or among the Company and its Related Corporations, or a change in status from an employee to a consultant, agent, advisor or independent contractor, shall not be considered a termination of employment or service relationship for purposes of this Section 6. The effect of a Company-approved leave of absence on the terms and conditions of an Option shall be determined by the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion. 6.7 SETTLEMENT OF OPTIONS The Company may settle Options through the delivery of shares of Common Stock, cash payments, the granting of replacement Options or any combination thereof as the Plan Administrator shall determine. Any Option settlement, including payment deferrals, may be subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Plan Administrator shall determine. The Plan Administrator may permit or require the deferral of any Option payment, subject to such rules and procedures as it may establish, which may include provisions for the payment or crediting of interest, or dividend equivalents, including converting such credits into deferred stock equivalents. The Plan Administrator may at any time offer to buy out, for a payment in cash or Common Stock, an Option previously granted based on such terms and conditions as the Plan Administrator shall establish and communicate to the Participant at the time such offer is made. -7- SECTION 7. WITHHOLDING The Company may require the Participant to pay to the Company the amount of any withholding taxes that the Company is required to withhold with respect to the grant, vesting or exercise of any Option. Subject to the Plan and applicable law, the Plan Administrator may, in its sole discretion, permit the Participant to satisfy withholding obligations, in whole or in part, (a) by paying cash, (b) by electing to have the Company withhold shares of Common Stock (up to the minimum required federal tax withholding rate) or (c) by transferring to the Company shares of Common Stock (already owned by the Participant for the period necessary to avoid a charge to the Company's earnings for financial reporting purposes), in such amounts as are equivalent to the Fair Market Value of the withholding obligation. The Company shall have the right to withhold from any Option or any shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to an Option or from any cash amounts otherwise due or to become due from the Company to the Participant an amount equal to such taxes. The Company may also deduct from any Option any other amounts due from the Participant to the Company or a Related Corporation. SECTION 8. ASSIGNABILITY Options granted under the Plan and any interest therein may not be assigned, pledged or transferred by the Participant and may not be made subject to attachment or similar proceedings otherwise than by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution, and, during the Participant's lifetime, such Options may be exercised only by the Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, may permit such assignment, transfer and exercisability and may permit a Participant to designate a beneficiary who may exercise the Option or receive compensation under the Option after the Participant's death; provided, however, that any Option so assigned or transferred shall be subject to all the same terms and conditions contained in the instrument evidencing the Option. SECTION 9. ADJUSTMENTS 9.1 ADJUSTMENT OF SHARES In the event that, at any time or from time to time, a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, distribution to shareholders other than a normal cash dividend, or other change in the Company's corporate or capital structure results in (a) the outstanding shares, or any securities exchanged therefor or received in their place, being exchanged for a different number or class of securities of the Company or of any other corporation or (b) new, different or additional securities of the Company or of any other corporation being received by the holders of shares of Common Stock of the Company, then the Plan Administrator shall make proportional adjustments in the number and kind of securities that are subject to any outstanding Option and the per share price of such securities, without any change in the aggregate price to be paid therefor. The determination by the Plan Administrator as to the terms of any of the foregoing adjustments shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a dissolution or liquidation of the Company or a Corporate Transaction shall not be governed by this Section 9.1 but shall be governed by Sections 9.2 and 9.3, respectively. -8- 9.2 DISSOLUTION OR LIQUIDATION In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Plan Administrator shall notify each Participant as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction. The Plan Administrator in its discretion may permit a Participant to exercise an Option until ten days prior to such transaction with respect to all vested and exercisable shares of Common Stock covered thereby and with respect to such number of unvested shares as the Plan Administrator shall determine. In addition, the Plan Administrator may provide that any forfeiture provision or Company repurchase option applicable to any Option shall lapse as to such number of shares as the Plan Administrator shall determine, contingent upon the occurrence of the proposed dissolution or liquidation at the time and in the manner contemplated. To the extent an Option has not been previously exercised, the Option shall terminate automatically immediately prior to the consummation of the proposed action. 9.3 CORPORATE TRANSACTION In the event of a Corporate Transaction, each outstanding Option shall be assumed or continued or an equivalent option or right substituted by the surviving corporation, the successor corporation or its parent corporation, as applicable (the "Successor Corporation"). In the event that the Successor Corporation refuses to assume, continue or substitute for the Option, the Participant shall fully vest in and have the right to exercise the Option as to all of the shares of Common Stock subject thereto, including shares as to which the Option would not otherwise be vested or exercisable. If an Option will become fully vested and exercisable in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a Corporate Transaction, the Plan Administrator shall notify the Participant in writing or electronically that the Option shall be fully vested and exercisable for a specified time period after the date of such notice, and the Option shall terminate upon the expiration of such period, in each case conditioned on the consummation of the Corporate Transaction. For the purposes of this Section 9.3, the Option shall be considered assumed if, following the Corporate Transaction, the option or right confers the right to purchase or receive, for each share of Common Stock subject to the Option, immediately prior to the Corporate Transaction, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) received in the Corporate Transaction by holders of Common Stock for each share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the Corporate Transaction is not solely common stock of the Successor Corporation, the Plan Administrator may, with the consent of the Successor Corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of the Option, for each share of Common Stock subject thereto, to be solely common stock of the Successor Corporation equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the Corporate Transaction. All Options shall terminate and cease to remain outstanding immediately following the consummation of the Corporate Transaction, except to the extent assumed by the Successor Corporation. Any such Options that are assumed or replaced in the Corporate Transaction and do not otherwise accelerate at that time shall be accelerated in the event the Participant's employment or services should subsequently terminate within two years following such Corporate Transaction, unless such employment or services are terminated by the Successor Corporation for Cause or by the Participant voluntarily without Good Reason. -9- 9.4 FURTHER ADJUSTMENT OF OPTIONS Subject to Sections 9.2 and 9.3, the Plan Administrator shall have the discretion, exercisable at any time before a sale, merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or change in control of the Company, as defined by the Plan Administrator, to take such further action as it determines to be necessary or advisable, and fair and equitable to the Participants, with respect to Options. Such authorized action may include (but shall not be limited to) establishing, amending or waiving the type, terms, conditions or duration of, or restrictions on, Options so as to provide for earlier, later, extended or additional time for exercise, lifting restrictions and other modifications, and the Plan Administrator may take such actions with respect to all Participants, to certain categories of Participants or only to individual Participants. The Plan Administrator may take such action before or after granting Options to which the action relates and before or after any public announcement with respect to such sale, merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or change in control that is the reason for such action. 9.5 LIMITATIONS The grant of Options shall in no way affect the Company's right to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise change its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets. 9.6 FRACTIONAL SHARES In the event of any adjustment in the number of shares covered by any Option, each such Option shall cover only the number of full shares resulting from such adjustment. SECTION 10. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN 10.1 AMENDMENT OF PLAN The Plan may be amended only by the Board in such respects as it shall deem advisable. 10.2 TERMINATION OF PLAN The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. The Plan shall have no fixed expiration date. 10.3 CONSENT OF PARTICIPANT The amendment or termination of the Plan or the amendment of an outstanding Option shall not, without the Participant's consent, impair or diminish any rights or obligations under any Option theretofore granted to the Participant under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any adjustments made pursuant to Section 9 shall not be subject to these restrictions. -10- SECTION 11. GENERAL 11.1 EVIDENCE OF OPTIONS Options granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by a written instrument that shall contain such terms, conditions, limitations and restrictions as the Plan Administrator shall deem advisable and that are not inconsistent with the Plan. 11.2 NO INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS Nothing in the Plan or any Option granted under the Plan shall be deemed to constitute an employment contract or confer or be deemed to confer on any Participant any right to continue in the employ of, or to continue any other relationship with, the Company or any Related Corporation or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Related Corporation to terminate a Participant's employment or other relationship at any time, with or without Cause. 11.3 REGISTRATION Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver any shares of Common Stock under the Plan or make any other distribution of benefits under the Plan unless such issuance, delivery or distribution would comply with all applicable laws (including, without limitation, the requirements of the Securities Act), and the applicable requirements of any securities exchange or similar entity. The Company shall be under no obligation to any Participant to register for offering or resale or to qualify for exemption under the Securities Act, or to register or qualify under state securities laws, any shares of Common Stock, security or interest in a security paid or issued under, or created by, the Plan, or to continue in effect any such registrations or qualifications if made. To the extent that the Plan or any instrument evidencing an Option provides for issuance of stock certificates to reflect the issuance of shares of Common Stock, the issuance may be effected on a noncertificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules of any stock exchange. 11.4 NO RIGHTS AS A SHAREHOLDER No Option shall entitle the Participant to any cash dividend, voting or other right of a shareholder unless and until the date of issuance under the Plan of the shares that are the subject of such Option. 11.5 NO TRUST OR FUND The Plan is intended to constitute an "unfunded" plan. Nothing contained herein shall require the Company to segregate any monies or other property, or shares of Common Stock, or to create any trusts, or to make any special deposits for any immediate or deferred amounts payable to any Participant, and no Participant shall have any rights that are greater than those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company. -11- 11.6 SEVERABILITY If any provision of the Plan or any Option is determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or as to any person, or would disqualify the Plan or any Option under any law deemed applicable by the Plan Administrator, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws, or, if it cannot be so construed or deemed amended without, in the Plan Administrator's determination, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Option, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or Option, and the remainder of the Plan and any such Option shall remain in full force and effect. 11.7 CHOICE OF LAW The Plan and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant hereto, to the extent not otherwise governed by the laws of the United States, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Washington without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws. SECTION 12. EFFECTIVE DATE The Effective Date of the Plan is May 15, 2002. -12-