Form of Restricted Stock Award Agreement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.            Stock Award.  The Company hereby awards and issues to the Participant [______________] of the Company’s common stock (the “Issued Shares”) under and pursuant to the Plan, effective as of [________________] (the “Grant Date”) with a close of day price of [$______].  The following vesting provisions shall be in effect for the Issued Shares:

 

 

2.            Participant’s Rights.  Subject to the terms hereof, the Participant shall have all stockholder rights with respect to all of the Issued Shares subject to this Agreement, whether or not those shares are at the time held in escrow hereunder, including (without limitation) the right to vote those shares and to receive any cash dividends declared thereon.

 

3.            Vesting Schedule.  The Participant shall vest in the Restricted Stock on the first to occur of (i) [__________, 20___] (ii) the occurrence of Change of Control, as defined in the Plan, or (iii) the date the Participant ceases to be an executive office of the Company on account of death or Permanent Disability.  The term “Permanent Disability” shall mean the failure of the Board to elect the Participant as an executive officer or as an employee by reason of permanent and total disability within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

  Restriction on Transfer of Restricted Stock.  Except for the escrow described in Section 5 or the transfer of the shares of Restricted Stock to the Company or its assignees in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, none of the shares of Restricted Stock subject to this Agreement or any beneficial interest therein shall be transferred, encumbered or otherwise disposed of in any way until such shares vest and are thereby released from all forfeiture provisions in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

4.            Restricted Stock Escrow.  As security for the faithful performance of the terms of this Agreement with respect to the Restricted Stock and to insure the availability of such Restricted Stock for delivery to the Company upon forfeiture pursuant to the vesting provisions set forth in Section 3, the Participant agrees to deliver to and deposit with the secretary of the Company, or such other person designated by the Company (the “Escrow Agent”), as Escrow Agent in this transaction, a stock assignment duly endorsed (with date and number of shares blank) in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, together with the certificate or certificates evidencing the shares of Restricted Stock; said documents are to be held by the Escrow Agent and delivered by said Escrow Agent pursuant to the Joint Escrow Instructions of the Company and the Participant set forth in Exhibit B attached hereto, which instructions shall also be delivered to the Escrow Agent.  Subject to the provisions of this Agreement and the Joint Escrow Instructions, the Participant shall have all rights and privileges of a shareholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock deposited in said escrow.

 

5.            Investor Representations.  Participant represents that he/she is acquiring the Issued Shares for his/her own account for investment and has no present intent to resell or distribute all or any portion of the Issued Shares. Participant agrees that the Issued Shares will be sold or otherwise disposed of only in accordance with applicable federal and state statutes, rules and regulations.

 

6.            Legends.

 

 

 

7.            Adjustment.  All references to the number of Issued Shares in this Agreement shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or other similar change in the outstanding shares of the Company’s outstanding common stock effected with the Company’s receipt of the consideration that may occur after the date of this Agreement as set forth in the Plan.  Any new, substituted or additional securities or other property (including cash paid on the shares of Restricted Stock other than as a regular cash dividend) which is distributed with respect to the Issued Shares pursuant to the Plan shall be immediately subject to the applicable transfer restrictions under Section 4 or Section 6 and the applicable escrow requirements under Section 5 or Section 6, but only to the extent the Issued Shares are at the time covered by such restrictions or escrow requirements.

 

8.            Tax Consequences.  The Participant understands that under Section 83 of the Code, the fair market value of the shares of Restricted Stock on the date the forfeiture restrictions applicable to those shares lapse will be reportable as ordinary income at that time.  The Participant understands that the Participant may elect to be taxed at the time the shares of Restricted Stock are issued and thereby recognize ordinary income equal to the fair market value of those shares at the time of issuance, rather than when those shares of Restricted Stock subsequently vest and cease to be subject to forfeiture restrictions. Should the Participant decide to make such election, the Participant must file the requisite election form under Section 83(b) of the Code with the Internal Revenue Service within thirty (30) days after the issuance date of the Restricted Stock. The form for making this election is attached hereto as Exhibit D.  Participant understands that failure to make this filing within the thirty (30) day period will result in the recognition of ordinary income by the Participant as the forfeiture restrictions lapse.

 

 

 

 

 

9.            No Impairment of Rights.  Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to interfere with or otherwise restrict the rights of the Company or the Company’s stockholders to remove the Participant from the Board at any time in accordance with the provisions of applicable law.

 

10.            Indemnification.  The Participant agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the Company for any and all liabilities resulting to it through violation by the Participant of the warranties and representations made by the Participant in, and other provisions of, this Agreement.

 

11.            Termination.  This Agreement, and the respective rights and obligations of the Participants hereto, shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of the following: (i) the expiration of ten (10) years from the date of this Agreement; or (ii) the agreement among the parties hereto to terminate the Agreement.

 

12.            General Provisions.

 

(a)            This Agreement shall be governed by the internal substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of Delaware.

 

(b)            Any notice required or permitted hereunder shall be given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon personal delivery or upon deposit in the United States Post Office, by registered or certified mail with postage and fees prepaid, addressed to the Participant at his address shown on the Company's records and to the Company at the address of its principal corporate offices (attention: President) or at such other address as such party may designate by ten (10) days' advance written notice to the other party hereto.

 

 

(c)            The rights of the Company under this Agreement shall be transferable to any one or more persons or entities, and all covenants and agreements hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by the Company’s successors and assigns.  The rights and obligations of the Participant under this Agreement may not be assigned; however, such rights and obligations shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the heirs, executors, administrators of the Participant’s estate.

 

(d)            Either party’s failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision, nor prevent that party from thereafter enforcing any other provision of this Agreement.  The rights granted both parties hereunder are cumulative and shall not constitute a waiver of either party’s right to assert any other legal remedy available to it.

 

(e)            The Participant agrees upon request to execute any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes or intent of this Agreement.

 

(f)            The Issued Shares have been awarded to the Participant under the Plan, a copy of which, together with official prospectus for such Plan, has been previously provided to the Participant.  All of the terms, conditions, and other provisions of the Plan are hereby incorporated by reference into this Agreement.  If there is any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall govern.  The Participant hereby acknowledges such prior receipt of a copy of the Plan and the prospectus for the Plan and agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement and the Plan (as presently in effect or hereafter amended), rules and regulations adopted from time to time thereunder, and by all decisions and determinations of the Board and the Committee made from time to time thereunder.