EQUITY ONE, INC. AMENDED AND RESTATED 2000 EXECUTIVE INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

EX-10.1 2 g27101exv10w1.htm EX-10.1 exv10w1
Exhibit 10.1
 
 
 
EQUITY ONE, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
2000 EXECUTIVE INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
 
 
 

 


 

EQUITY ONE, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
2000 EXECUTIVE INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
                 
            Page  
1.   Purpose     1  
 
2.   Definitions     1  
 
3.   Administration     5  
 
    (a)  
Authority of the Committee
    5  
    (b)  
Manner of Exercise of Committee Authority
    5  
    (c)  
Limitation of Liability
    5  
 
4.   Stock Subject to Plan     6  
 
    (a)  
Limitation on Overall Number of Shares Subject to Awards
    6  
    (b)  
Application of Limitations
    6  
    (c)  
Limitation on Incentive Stock Options
    6  
 
5.   Eligibility; Per-Person Award Limitations     6  
 
6.   Specific Terms of Awards     7  
 
    (a)  
General
    7  
    (b)  
Options
    7  
    (c)  
Stock Appreciation Rights
    9  
    (d)  
Restricted Stock
    9  
    (e)  
Deferred Stock
    11  
    (f)  
Bonus Stock and Awards in Lieu of Obligations
    12  
    (g)  
Dividend Equivalents
    12  
    (h)  
Other Stock-Based Awards
    12  
 
7.   Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards     13  
 
    (a)  
Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards
    13  
    (b)  
Term of Awards
    13  
    (c)  
Form and Timing of Payment Under Awards; Deferrals
    14  
    (d)  
Exemptions from Section 16(b) Liability
    14  
 
8.   Performance and Annual Incentive Awards     14  
 
    (a)  
Performance Conditions
    14  
    (b)  
Performance Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees
    14  
    (c)  
Settlement of Performance Awards; Other Terms
    16  
    (d)  
Annual Incentive Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees
    16  
    (e)  
Written Determinations
    17  
    (f)  
Status of Section 8(b) and Section 8(d) Awards Under Code Section 162(m)
    18  
     i     

 


 

                 
            Page  
9.   Change in Control     18  
 
    (a)  
Effect of “Change in Control.”
    18  
    (b)  
Definition of “Change in Control.”
    19  
    (c)  
Definition of “Change in Control Price.”
    19  
 
10.   General Provisions     20  
 
    (a)  
Compliance With Legal and Other Requirements
    20  
    (b)  
Limits on Transferability; Beneficiaries
    20  
    (c)  
Adjustments
    21  
    (d)  
Taxes
    21  
    (e)  
Changes to the Plan and Awards
    22  
    (f)  
Limitation on Rights Conferred Under Plan
    22  
    (g)  
Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts
    22  
    (h)  
Nonexclusivity of the Plan
    23  
    (i)  
Payments in the Event of Forfeitures; Fractional Shares
    23  
    (j)  
Governing Law
    23  
    (k)  
Plan Effective Date and Stockholder Approval; Termination of Plan
    23  
    (l)  
Section 409A Compliance
    23  

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1.     Purpose. The purpose of this AMENDED AND RESTATED 2000 EXECUTIVE INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN (the “Plan”) is to assist EQUITY ONE, INC., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”) and its subsidiaries in attracting, motivating, retaining and rewarding high-quality executives and other employees, officers, directors and independent contractors by enabling such persons to acquire or increase a proprietary interest in the Company in order to strengthen the mutuality of interests between such persons and the Company’s stockholders, and providing such persons with annual and long term performance incentives to expend their maximum efforts in the creation of shareholder value. In the event that the Company is or becomes a Publicly Held Corporation (as hereinafter defined), the Plan is intended to qualify certain compensation awarded under the Plan for tax deductibility under Section 162(m) of the Code (as hereafter defined) to the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee (or any successor committee) of the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.     Definitions. For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below, in addition to such terms defined in Section 1 hereof.
     (a) “Annual Incentive Award” means a conditional right granted to a Participant under Section 8(c) hereof to receive a cash payment, Stock or other Award, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, for all or a portion of a specified fiscal year.
     (b) “Award” means any Option, SAR (including Limited SAR), Restricted Stock, Deferred Stock, Stock granted as a bonus or in lieu of another award, Dividend Equivalent, Other Stock-Based Award, Performance Award or Annual Incentive Award, together with any other right or interest, granted to a Participant under the Plan.
     (c) “Beneficiary” means the person, persons, trust or trusts which have been designated by a Participant in his or her most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Committee to receive the benefits specified under the Plan upon such Participant’s death or to which Awards or other rights are transferred if and to the extent permitted under Section 10(b) hereof. If, upon a Participant’s death, there is no designated Beneficiary or surviving designated Beneficiary, then the term Beneficiary means the person, persons, trust or trusts entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive such benefits.
     (d) “Beneficial Owner”, “Beneficially Owning” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act and any successor to such Rule.
     (e) “Board” means the Company’s Board of Directors.

 


 

     (f) “Cause” shall, with respect to any Participant, have the equivalent meaning (or the same meaning as “cause” or “for cause”) set forth in any employment agreement between the Participant and the Company or Parent Corporation or Subsidiary or, in the absence of any such agreement, such term shall mean (i) the failure by the Participant to perform his or her duties as assigned by the Company (or Parent Corporation or Subsidiary) in a reasonable manner, (ii) any violation or breach by the Participant of his or her employment agreement with the Company (or Parent Corporation or Subsidiary), if any, (iii) any violation or breach by the Participant of his or her non-competition and/or non-disclosure agreement with the Company (or Parent Corporation or Subsidiary), if any, (iv) any act by the Participant of dishonesty or bad faith with respect to the Company (or Parent Corporation or Subsidiary), (v) chronic addition to alcohol, drugs or other similar substances affecting the Participant’s work performance, or (vi) the commission by the Participant of any act, misdemeanor, or crime reflecting unfavorably upon the Participant or the Company. The good faith determination by the Committee of whether the Participant’s employment was terminated by the Company for “Cause” shall be final and binding for all purposes hereunder.
     (g) “Change in Control” means a Change in Control as defined with related terms in Section 9 of the Plan.
     (h) “Change in Control Price” means the amount calculated in accordance with Section 9(c) of the Plan.
     (i) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including regulations thereunder and successor provisions and regulations thereto.
     (j) “Committee” means a committee designated by the Board to administer the Plan; provided, however, that the Committee shall consist of at least two directors, and, in the event the Company is or becomes a Publicly Held Corporation (as hereinafter defined), each member of which shall be (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, unless administration of the Plan by “non-employee directors” is not then required in order for exemptions under Rule 16b-3 to apply to transactions under the Plan, and (ii) an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, unless administration of the Plan by “outside directors” is not then required in order to qualify for tax deductibility under Section 162(m) of the Code.
     (k) “Corporate Transaction” means a Corporate Transaction as defined in Section 9(b)(i) of the Plan.
     (l) “Covered Employee” means an Eligible Person who is a Covered Employee as specified in Section 8(e) of the Plan.
     (m) “Deferred Stock” means a right, granted to a Participant under Section 6(d)(v) hereof, to receive Stock, cash or a combination thereof at the end of a specified deferral period.
     (n) “Director” means a member of the Board.
     (o) “Disability” means a permanent and total disability (within the meaning of Section 22(e) of the Code), as determined by a medical doctor satisfactory to the Committee.

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     (p) “Dividend Equivalent” means a right, granted to a Participant under Section 6(f) hereof, to receive cash, Stock, other Awards or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock, or other periodic payments.
     (q) “Effective Date” means the effective date of the Plan, which shall be April 24, 2000.
     (r) “Eligible Person” means each Executive Officer of the Company (as defined under the Exchange Act) and other officers, Directors and employees of the Company or of any Subsidiary, and independent contractors with the Company or any Subsidiary. The foregoing notwithstanding, only employees of the Company or any Subsidiary shall be Eligible Persons for purposes of receiving any Incentive Stock Options. An employee on leave of absence may be considered as still in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary for purposes of eligibility for participation in the Plan.
     (s) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, including rules thereunder and successor provisions and rules thereto.
     (t) “Executive Officer” means an executive officer of the Company as defined under the Exchange Act.
     (u) “Fair Market Value” means the fair market value of Stock, Awards or other property as determined by the Committee or the Board, or under procedures established by the Committee or the Board. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee or the Board, the Fair Market Value of Stock as of any given date shall be the closing sale price per share reported on a consolidated basis for stock listed on the principal stock exchange or market on which Stock is traded on the date as of which such value is being determined or, if there is no sale on that date, then on the last previous day on which a sale was reported.
     (v) “Incentive Stock Option” or “ISO” means any Option intended to be designated as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.
     (w) “Incumbent Board” means the Incumbent Board as defined in Section 9(b)(ii) of the Plan.
     (x) “Limited SAR” means a right granted to a Participant under Section 6(c) hereof.
     (y) “Option” means a right granted to a Participant under Section 6(b) hereof, to purchase Stock or other Awards at a specified price during specified time periods.
     (z) “Other Stock-Based Awards” means Awards granted to a Participant under Section 6(g) hereof.

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     (aa) “Parent Corporation” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company, if each of the corporations in the chain (other than the Company) owns stock possessing 50% or more of the combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain.
     (bb) “Participant” means a person who has been granted an Award under the Plan which remains outstanding, including a person who is no longer an Eligible Person.
     (cc) “Performance Award” means a right, granted to an Eligible Person under Section 8(b) hereof, to receive Awards based upon performance criteria specified by the Committee or the Board for a performance period that is longer than one fiscal years of the Company.
     (dd) “Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, and shall include a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) thereof.
     (ee) “Publicly Held Corporation” shall mean a publicly held corporation as that term is used under Section 162(m)(2) of the Code.
     (ff) “Restricted Stock” means Stock granted to a Participant under Section 6(d) hereof, that is subject to certain restrictions and to a risk of forfeiture.
     (gg) “Rule 16b-3” and “Rule 16a-1(c)(3)” means Rule 16b-3 and Rule 16a-1(c)(3), as from time to time in effect and applicable to the Plan and Participants, promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
     (hh) “Stock” means the Company’s Common Stock, and such other securities as may be substituted (or resubstituted) for Stock pursuant to Section 10(c) hereof.
     (ii) “Stock Appreciation Rights” or “SAR” means a right granted to a Participant under Section 6(c) hereof.
     (jj) “Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect ownership interest of 50% or more of the total combined voting power of the then outstanding securities or interests of such corporation or other entity entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or in which the Company has the right to receive 50% or more of the distribution of profits or 50% or more of the assets on liquidation or dissolution.

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3.     Administration.
     (a) Authority of the Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee; provided, however, that except as otherwise expressly provided in this Plan or, during the period that the Company is a Publicly Held Corporation, in order to comply with Code Section 162(m) or Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, the Board may exercise any power or authority granted to the Committee under this Plan. The Committee or the Board shall have full and final authority, in each case subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, to select Eligible Persons to become Participants, grant Awards, determine the type, number and other terms and conditions of, and all other matters relating to, Awards, prescribe Award agreements (which need not be identical for each Participant) and rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan, construe and interpret the Plan and Award agreements and correct defects, supply omissions or reconcile inconsistencies therein, and to make all other decisions and determinations as the Committee or the Board may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. In exercising any discretion granted to the Committee or the Board under the Plan or pursuant to any Award, the Committee or the Board shall not be required to follow past practices, act in a manner consistent with past practices, or treat any Eligible Person in a manner consistent with the treatment of other Eligible Persons.
     (b) Manner of Exercise of Committee Authority. In the event that the Company is or becomes a Publicly Held Corporation, the Committee, and not the Board, shall exercise sole and exclusive discretion on any matter relating to a Participant then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to the Company to the extent necessary in order that transactions by such Participant shall be exempt under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. Any action of the Committee or the Board shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its subsidiaries, Participants, Beneficiaries, transferees under Section 10(b) hereof or other persons claiming rights from or through a Participant, and stockholders. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee or the Board, and the taking of any action by the Committee or the Board, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee or the Board. The Committee or the Board may delegate to officers or managers of the Company or any subsidiary, or committees thereof, the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee or the Board shall determine, (i) to perform administrative functions, (ii) with respect to Participants not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, to perform such other functions as the Committee or the Board may determine, and (iii) with respect to Participants subject to Section 16, to perform such other functions of the Committee or the Board as the Committee or the Board may determine to the extent performance of such functions will not result in the loss of an exemption under Rule 16b-3 otherwise available for transactions by such persons, in each case to the extent permitted under applicable law and subject to the requirements set forth in Section 8(e). The Committee or the Board may appoint agents to assist it in administering the Plan.
     (c) Limitation of Liability. The Committee and the Board, and each member thereof, shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him or her by any executive officer, other officer or employee of the Company or a Subsidiary, the Company’s independent auditors, consultants or any other agents assisting in the administration of the Plan. Members of the Committee and the Board, and any officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary acting at the direction or on behalf of the Committee or the Board, shall not be personally liable for any action or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any such action or determination.

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4.     Stock Subject to Plan.
     (a) Limitation on Overall Number of Shares Subject to Awards. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10(c) hereof, the total number of shares of Stock reserved and available for delivery in connection with Awards under the Plan shall be the sum of (i) 13,500,000, plus (ii) the number of shares with respect to Awards previously granted under the Plan that terminate without being exercised, expire, are forfeited or canceled, and the number of shares of Stock that are surrendered in payment of any Awards or any tax withholding with regard thereto. Any shares of Stock delivered under the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares.
     (b) Application of Limitations. The limitation contained in Section 4(a) shall apply not only to Awards that are settleable by the delivery of shares of Stock but also to Awards relating to shares of Stock but settleable only in cash (such as cash-only SARs). The Committee or the Board may adopt reasonable counting procedures to ensure appropriate counting, avoid double counting (as, for example, in the case of tandem or substitute awards) and make adjustments if the number of shares of Stock actually delivered differs from the number of shares previously counted in connection with an Award.
     (c) Limitation on Incentive Stock Options. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10(c) hereof, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan as a result of the exercise of Incentive Stock Options is 13,500,000 shares.
5.     Eligibility; Per-Person Award Limitations. Awards may be granted under the Plan only to Eligible Persons. In each fiscal year during any part of which the Plan is in effect, an Eligible Person may not be granted Awards relating to more than 700,000 shares of Stock, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10(c), under each of Sections 6(b), 6(c), 6(d), 6(d)(v), 6(e), 6(f), 6(g), and, to the extent the Award is valued by reference to a designated number of shares of Stock, under Section 8(d). In each fiscal year during any part of which the Plan is in effect, an Eligible Person may not be granted Performance Awards under Section 8(b) valued by reference to a designated number of shares of Stock in respect of a performance period exceeding one year of more than the product of (i) 700,000 shares, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10(c), multiplied by (ii) the number of fiscal years (or a portion thereof) in the performance periods for the Awards. The maximum dollar amount that may be earned as an Annual Incentive Award valued by reference to a designated amount of property (including cash) other than Shares in any fiscal year by any one Participant shall be $2,800,000, and the maximum dollar amount that may be earned as a Performance Award valued by reference to a designated amount of property (including cash) other than Shares in respect of a performance period exceeding one year by any one Participant shall be the product of (i) $2,800,000 multiplied by (ii) the number of fiscal years (or a portion thereof) in the performance period for the Award.

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6.     Specific Terms of Awards.
     (a) General. Awards may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 6. In addition, the Committee or the Board may impose on any Award or the exercise thereof, at the date of grant or thereafter (subject to Section 10(e)), such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee or the Board shall determine, including terms requiring forfeiture of Awards in the event of termination of employment by the Participant and terms permitting a Participant to make elections relating to his or her Award. The Committee or the Board shall retain full power and discretion to accelerate, waive or modify, at any time, any term or condition of an Award that is not mandatory under the Plan. Except in cases in which the Committee or the Board is authorized to require other forms of consideration under the Plan, or to the extent other forms of consideration must be paid to satisfy the requirements of Maryland law, no consideration other than services may be required for the grant (but not the exercise) of any Award.
     (b) Options. The Committee and the Board each is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the following terms and conditions:
     (i) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of Stock purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee or the Board, provided that such exercise price shall not, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the date of grant of the Option and shall not, in any event, be less than the par value of a share of Stock on the date of grant of such Option. If an employee owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules applicable under Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent Corporation or Subsidiary and an Incentive Stock Option is granted to such employee, the option price of such Incentive Stock Option (to the extent required by the Code at the time of grant) shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted.
     (ii) Time and Method of Exercise. The Committee or the Board shall determine the time or times at which or the circumstances under which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), the time or times at which Options shall cease to be or become exercisable following termination of employment or upon other conditions, the methods by which such exercise price may be paid or deemed to be paid (including in the discretion of the Committee or the Board a cashless exercise procedure), the form of such payment, including, without limitation, cash, Stock, other Awards or awards granted under other plans of the Company or any subsidiary, or other property (including notes or other contractual obligations of Participants to make payment on a deferred basis), and the methods by or forms in which Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants.

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     (iii) ISOs. The terms of any ISO granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. Anything in the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no term of the Plan relating to ISOs (including any SAR in tandem therewith) shall be interpreted, amended or altered, nor shall any discretion or authority granted under the Plan be exercised, so as to disqualify either the Plan or any ISO under Section 422 of the Code, unless the Participant has first requested the change that will result in such disqualification. Thus, if and to the extent required to comply with Section 422 of the Code, Options granted as Incentive Stock Options shall be subject to the following special terms and conditions:
  (A)   the Option shall not be exercisable more than ten years after the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted; provided, however, that if a Participant owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent Corporation and the Incentive Stock Option is granted to such Participant, the term of the Incentive Stock Option shall be (to the extent required by the Code at the time of the grant) for no more than five years from the date of grant; and
 
  (B)   The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date the Incentive Stock Option is granted) of the shares of stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan and all other option plans of the Company or its Parent Corporation during any calendar year exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year shall not (to the extent required by the Code at the time of the grant) exceed $100,000.
     (iv) Repurchase Rights. The Committee and the Board shall have the discretion to grant Options which are exercisable for unvested shares of Common Stock. Should the Optionee cease to be employed with or perform services to the Company (or a Parent Corporation or Subsidiary) while holding such unvested shares, the Company shall have the right to repurchase, at the exercise price paid per share, any or all of those unvested shares. The terms upon which such repurchase right shall be exercisable (including the period and procedure for exercise and the appropriate vesting schedule for the purchased shares) shall be established by the Committee or the Board and set forth in the document evidencing such repurchase right.

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     (c) Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee and the Board each is authorized to grant SAR’s to Participants on the following terms and conditions:
     (i) Right to Payment. A SAR shall confer on the Participant to whom it is granted a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of one share of stock on the date of exercise (or, in the case of a “Limited SAR” that may be exercised only in the event of a Change in Control, the Fair Market Value determined by reference to the Change in Control Price, as defined under Section 9(c) hereof), over (B) the grant price of the SAR as determined by the Committee or the Board. The grant price of an SAR shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of grant except as provided under Section 7(a) hereof.
     (ii) Other Terms. The Committee or the Board shall determine at the date of grant or thereafter, the time or times at which and the circumstances under which a SAR may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), the time or times at which SARs shall cease to be or become exercisable following termination of employment or upon other conditions, the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by or forms in which Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants, whether or not a SAR shall be in tandem or in combination with any other Award, and any other terms and conditions of any SAR. Limited SARs that may only be exercised in connection with a Change in Control or other event as specified by the Committee or the Board, may be granted on such terms, not inconsistent with this Section 6(c), as the Committee or the Board may determine. SARs and Limited SARs may be either freestanding or in tandem with other Awards.
     (d) Restricted Stock. The Committee and the Board each is authorized to grant Restricted Stock to Participants on the following terms and conditions:
     (i) Grant and Restrictions. Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability, risk of forfeiture and other restrictions, if any, as the Committee or the Board may impose, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), in such installments or otherwise, as the Committee or the Board may determine at the date of grant or thereafter. Except to the extent restricted under the terms of the Plan and any Award agreement relating to the Restricted Stock, a Participant granted Restricted Stock shall have all of the rights of a stockholder, including the right to vote the Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends thereon (subject to any mandatory reinvestment or other requirement imposed by the Committee or the Board). During the restricted period applicable to the Restricted Stock, subject to Section 10(b) below, the Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, hypothecated, margined or otherwise encumbered by the Participant.
     (ii) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee or the Board at the time of the Award, upon termination of a Participant’s employment during the applicable restriction period, the Participant’s Restricted Stock that is at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited and reacquired by the Company; provided that the Committee or the Board may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock shall be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Committee or the Board may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Restricted Stock.

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     (iii) Certificates for Stock. Restricted Stock granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee or the Board shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, the Committee or the Board may require that such certificates bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, that the Company retain physical possession of the certificates, and that the Participant deliver a stock power to the Company, endorsed in blank, relating to the Restricted Stock.
     (iv) Dividends and Splits. As a condition to the grant of an Award of Restricted Stock, the Committee or the Board may require that any cash dividends paid on a share of Restricted Stock be automatically reinvested in additional shares of Restricted Stock or applied to the purchase of additional Awards under the Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee or the Board, Stock distributed in connection with a Stock split or Stock dividend, and other property distributed as a dividend, shall be subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the Restricted Stock with respect to which such Stock or other property has been distributed.
     (v) Automatic Restricted Stock Grants to Non-Employee Directors. Non-Employee Directors shall be eligible to receive Restricted Stock Awards under this Section 6(d)(v).
     (vi) Automatic Restricted Stock Grants to Non-Employee Directors. Non-Employee Directors shall be eligible to receive Restricted Stock Awards under this Section 6(d)(vi).
  (A)   Initial Grants. On the date that an eligible Non-Employee Director is first elected to the Board, such Non-Employee Director shall receive 2,000 shares of Restricted Stock (an “Initial Grant”); provided that any Non-Employee Director who is a member of the Board as of the Effective Date of this Plan shall be entitled to received an Initial Grant. The Initial Grant shall be subject to the availability and adjustment of shares of Stock issuable under the Plan pursuant to Section 4 and shall not be subject to the discretion of any person or persons.

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  (B)   Service Grants. On each January 1 while the Plan remains in effect, each then Non-Employee Director shall be granted an additional 2,000 shares of Restricted Stock (a “Service Grant”), subject to the availability and adjustment of shares of Stock issuable under the Plan pursuant to Section 4 and shall not be subject to the discretion of any person or persons. In addition, on each January 1 while the Plan remains in effect, the lead director of the Company, if any, shall be granted an additional 1,000 shares of Restricted Stock, as an additional Service Grant, subject to the availability and adjustment of shares of Stock issuable under the Plan pursuant to Section 4 and shall not be subject to the discretion of any person or persons.
 
  (C)   Terms of Initial Grants and Service Grants. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee or in any Restricted Stock Agreement, each Restricted Stock Award granted pursuant to this Section 6(d)(vi) shall vest in two (2) equal installments on the first and second December 31 subsequent to the date on which the shares of Restricted Stock are granted.
     (e) Deferred Stock. The Committee and the Board each is authorized to grant Deferred Stock to Participants, which are rights to receive Stock, cash, or a combination thereof at the end of a specified deferral period, subject to the following terms and conditions:
     (i) Award and Restrictions. Satisfaction of an Award of Deferred Stock shall occur upon expiration of the deferral period specified for such Deferred Stock by the Committee or the Board (or, if permitted by the Committee or the Board, as elected by the Participant). In addition, Deferred Stock shall be subject to such restrictions (which may include a risk of forfeiture) as the Committee or the Board may impose, if any, which restrictions may lapse at the expiration of the deferral period or at earlier specified times (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), separately or in combination, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee or the Board may determine. Deferred Stock may be satisfied by delivery of Stock, cash equal to the Fair Market Value of the specified number of shares of Stock covered by the Deferred Stock, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee or the Board at the date of grant or thereafter. Prior to satisfaction of an Award of Deferred Stock, an Award of Deferred Stock carries no voting or dividend or other rights associated with share ownership.

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     (ii) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee or the Board, upon termination of a Participant’s employment during the applicable deferral period thereof to which forfeiture conditions apply (as provided in the Award agreement evidencing the Deferred Stock), the Participant’s Deferred Stock that is at that time subject to deferral (other than a deferral at the election of the Participant) shall be forfeited; provided that the Committee or the Board may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Deferred Stock shall be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Committee or the Board may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Deferred Stock.
     (iii) Dividend Equivalents. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee or the Board at date of grant, Dividend Equivalents on the specified number of shares of Stock covered by an Award of Deferred Stock shall be either (A) paid with respect to such Deferred Stock at the dividend payment date in cash or in shares of unrestricted Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends, or (B) deferred with respect to such Deferred Stock and the amount or value thereof automatically deemed reinvested in additional Deferred Stock, other Awards or other investment vehicles, as the Committee or the Board shall determine or permit the Participant to elect.
     (f) Bonus Stock and Awards in Lieu of Obligations. The Committee and the Board each is authorized to grant Stock as a bonus, or to grant Stock or other Awards in lieu of Company obligations to pay cash or deliver other property under the Plan or under other plans or compensatory arrangements, provided that, in the case of Participants subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the amount of such grants remains within the discretion of the Committee to the extent necessary to ensure that acquisitions of Stock or other Awards are exempt from liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. Stock or Awards granted hereunder shall be subject to such other terms as shall be determined by the Committee or the Board.
     (g) Dividend Equivalents. The Committee and the Board each is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents to a Participant entitling the Participant to receive cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock, or other periodic payments. Dividend Equivalents may be awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with another Award. The Committee or the Board may provide that Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or distributed when accrued or shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Stock, Awards, or other investment vehicles, and subject to such restrictions on transferability and risks of forfeiture, as the Committee or the Board may specify.

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     (h) Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee and the Board each is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Participants such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Stock, as deemed by the Committee or the Board to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including, without limitation, convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Stock, purchase rights for Stock, Awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or any other factors designated by the Committee or the Board, and Awards valued by reference to the book value of Stock or the value of securities of or the performance of specified subsidiaries or business units. The Committee or the Board shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards. Stock delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 6(h) shall be purchased for such consideration (including without limitation loans from the Company or a Parent Corporation or a Subsidiary), paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, cash, Stock, other Awards or other property, as the Committee or the Board shall determine. The Committee and the Board shall have the discretion to grant such other Awards which are exercisable for unvested shares of Common Stock. Should the Optionee cease to be employed with or perform services to the Company (or a Parent Corporation or Subsidiary) while holding such unvested shares, the Company shall have the right to repurchase, at the exercise price paid per share, any or all of those unvested shares. The terms upon which such repurchase right shall be exercisable (including the period and procedure for exercise and the appropriate vesting schedule for the purchased shares) shall be established by the Committee or the Board and set forth in the document evidencing such repurchase right. Cash awards, as an element of or supplement to any other Award under the Plan, may also be granted pursuant to this Section 6(h).
7.     Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards.
     (a) Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards. Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee or the Board, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution or exchange for, any other Award or any award granted under another plan of the Company, any subsidiary, or any business entity to be acquired by the Company or a subsidiary, or any other right of a Participant to receive payment from the Company or any subsidiary. Such additional, tandem, and substitute or exchange Awards may be granted at any time. If an Award is granted in substitution or exchange for another Award or award, the Committee or the Board shall require the surrender of such other Award or award in consideration for the grant of the new Award. In addition, Awards may be granted in lieu of cash compensation, including in lieu of cash amounts payable under other plans of the Company or any subsidiary, in which the value of Stock subject to the Award is equivalent in value to the cash compensation (for example, Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock), or in which the exercise price, grant price or purchase price of the Award in the nature of a right that may be exercised is equal to the Fair Market Value of the underlying Stock minus the value of the cash compensation surrendered (for example, Options granted with an exercise price “discounted” by the amount of the cash compensation surrendered).
     (b) Term of Awards. The term of each Award shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee or the Board; provided that in no event shall the term of any Option or SAR exceed a period of ten years (or such shorter term as may be required in respect of an ISO under Section 422 of the Code).

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     (c) Form and Timing of Payment Under Awards; Deferrals. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award agreement, payments to be made by the Company or a subsidiary upon the exercise of an Option or other Award or settlement of an Award may be made in such forms as the Committee or the Board shall determine, including, without limitation, cash, other Awards or other property, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or on a deferred basis. The settlement of any Award may be accelerated, and cash paid in lieu of Stock in connection with such settlement, in the discretion of the Committee or the Board or upon occurrence of one or more specified events (in addition to a Change in Control). Installment or deferred payments may be required by the Committee or the Board (subject to Section 10(e) of the Plan) or permitted at the election of the Participant on terms and conditions established by the Committee or the Board. Payments may include, without limitation, provisions for the payment or crediting of a reasonable interest rate on installment or deferred payments or the grant or crediting of Dividend Equivalents or other amounts in respect of installment or deferred payments denominated in Stock.
     (d) Exemptions from Section 16(b) Liability. If and to the extent that the Company is or becomes a Publicly Held Corporation, it is the intent of the Company that this Plan comply in all respects with applicable provisions of Rule 16b-3 or Rule 16a-1(c)(3) to the extent necessary to ensure that neither the grant of any Awards to nor other transaction by a Participant who is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act is subject to liability under Section 16(b) thereof (except for transactions acknowledged in writing to be non-exempt by such Participant). Accordingly, if any provision of this Plan or any Award agreement does not comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 or Rule 16a-1(c)(3) as then applicable to any such transaction, such provision will be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3 or Rule 16a-1(c)(3) so that such Participant shall avoid liability under Section 16(b). In addition, the purchase price of any Award conferring a right to purchase Stock shall be not less than any specified percentage of the Fair Market Value of Stock at the date of grant of the Award then required in order to comply with Rule 16b-3.
8.     Performance and Annual Incentive Awards.
     (a) Performance Conditions. The right of a Participant to exercise or receive a grant or settlement of any Award, and the timing thereof, may be subject to such performance conditions as may be specified by the Committee or the Board. The Committee or the Board may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance conditions, and may exercise its discretion to reduce the amounts payable under any Award subject to performance conditions, except as limited under Sections 8(b) and 8(d) hereof in the case of a Performance Award or Annual Incentive Award intended to qualify under Code Section 162(m). At such times as the Company is a Publicly Held Corporation, if and to the extent required under Code Section 162(m), any power or authority relating to a Performance Award or Annual Incentive Award intended to qualify under Code Section 162(m), shall be exercised by the Committee and not the Board.
     (b) Performance Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees. If and to the extent that the Committee determines that a Performance Award to be granted to an Eligible Person who is designated by the Committee as likely to be a Covered Employee should qualify as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Code Section 162(m), the grant, exercise and/or settlement of such Performance Award shall be contingent upon achievement of preestablished performance goals and other terms set forth in this Section 8(b).

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     (i) Performance Goals Generally. The performance goals for such Performance Awards shall consist of one or more business criteria and a targeted level or levels of performance with respect to each of such criteria, as specified by the Committee consistent with this Section 8(b). Performance goals shall be objective and shall otherwise meet the requirements of Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder including the requirement that the level or levels of performance targeted by the Committee result in the achievement of performance goals being “substantially uncertain.” The Committee may determine that such Performance Awards shall be granted, exercised and/or settled upon achievement of any one performance goal or that two or more of the performance goals must be achieved as a condition to grant, exercise and/or settlement of such Performance Awards. Performance goals may differ for Performance Awards granted to any one Participant or to different Participants.
     (ii) Business Criteria. The following business criterion for the Company, on a consolidated basis, and/or with regard to specified subsidiaries, geographic regions or business units of the Company (except with respect to the total stockholder return and earnings per share criteria), shall be used exclusively by the Committee in establishing performance goals for such Performance Awards: (1) earnings per share, (2) revenues or margins; (3) increase in cash flow; (4) operating margin; (5) return on net assets, return on investment, return on capital, return on equity; (6) economic value added; (7) direct contribution; (8) net income; pretax earnings; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; earnings after interest expense and before extraordinary or special items; operating income; income before interest income or expense, unusual items and income taxes, local, state or federal and excluding budgeted and actual bonuses which might be paid under any ongoing bonus plans of ours; (9) working capital; (10) management of fixed costs or variable costs; (11) identification or consummation of investment opportunities or completion of specified projects in accordance with corporate business plans, including strategic mergers, acquisitions or divestitures and development and redevelopment projects; (12) total stockholder return; (13) debt reduction; (14) funds from operations on an absolute or per share basis; (15) financial measures and ratios, including debt service coverage, dividend coverage, debt to assets, debt to stockholders’ equity or other similar measures; (16) share price; (17) dividends; (18) market share or market penetration; (19) attainment of financing, refinancing, or capitalization goals; (20) value creation in the form of an increase in the net asset value of a real estate development or redevelopment project; (21) attainment of leasing goals; (22) operating or property related criteria (on a same property basis or otherwise), including occupancy, net operating income, leasing spreads, improvements in net effective rent, or other similar measures; and (23) any of the above goals determined on an absolute or relative basis and/or as compared to the performance of a published or special index deemed applicable by the compensation committee including, but not limited to, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index or peer group of industry competitors selected by the compensation committee. The foregoing business criterion shall also be exclusively used in establishing performance goals for Annual Incentive Awards granted to a Covered Employee under Section 8(c) hereof that are intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m).

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     (iii) Performance Period; Timing For Establishing Performance Goals. Achievement of performance goals in respect of such Performance Awards shall be measured over a performance period of up to ten years, as specified by the Committee. Performance goals shall be established not later than 90 days after the beginning of any performance period applicable to such Performance Awards, or at such other date as may be required or permitted for “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m).
     (iv) Performance Award Pool. The Committee may establish a Performance Award pool, which shall be an unfunded pool, for purposes of measuring Company performance in connection with Performance Awards. The amount of such Performance Award pool shall be based upon the achievement of a performance goal or goals based on one or more of the business criteria set forth in Section 8(b)(ii) hereof during the given performance period, as specified by the Committee in accordance with Section 8(b)(iii) hereof. The Committee may specify the amount of the Performance Award pool as a percentage of any of such business criteria, a percentage thereof in excess of a threshold amount, or as another amount which need not bear a strictly mathematical relationship to such business criteria.
     (c) Settlement of Performance Awards; Other Terms. Settlement of such Performance Awards shall be in cash, Stock, other Awards or other property, in the discretion of the Committee. The Committee may, in its discretion, reduce the amount of a settlement otherwise to be made in connection with such Performance Awards. The Committee shall specify the circumstances in which such Performance Awards shall be paid or forfeited in the event of termination of employment by the Participant prior to the end of a performance period or settlement of Performance Awards.
     (d) Annual Incentive Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees. The Committee may, within its discretion, grant one or more Annual Incentive Awards to any Eligible Person, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 8(d).
     (i) Annual Incentive Award Pool. The Committee may establish an Annual Incentive Award pool, which shall be an unfunded pool, for purposes of measuring Company performance in connection with Annual Incentive Awards. In the case of Annual Incentive Awards intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Code Section 162(m), the amount of such Annual Incentive Award pool shall be based upon the achievement of a performance goal or goals based on one or more of the business criteria set forth in Section 8(b)(ii) hereof during the given performance period, as specified by the Committee in accordance with Section 8(b)(iii) hereof. The Committee may specify the amount of the Annual Incentive Award pool as a percentage of any such business criteria, a percentage thereof in excess of a threshold amount, or as another amount which need not bear a strictly mathematical relationship to such business criteria.

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     (ii) Potential Annual Incentive Awards. Not later than the end of the 90th day of each fiscal year, or at such other date as may be required or permitted in the case of Awards intended to be “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m), the Committee shall determine the Eligible Persons who will potentially receive Annual Incentive Awards, and the amounts potentially payable thereunder, for that fiscal year, either out of an Annual Incentive Award pool established by such date under Section 8(d)(i) hereof or as individual Annual Incentive Awards. In the case of individual Annual Incentive Awards intended to qualify under Code Section 162(m), the amount potentially payable shall be based upon the achievement of a performance goal or goals based on one or more of the business criteria set forth in Section 8(b)(ii) hereof in the given performance year, as specified by the Committee; in other cases, such amount shall be based on such criteria as shall be established by the Committee. In all cases, the maximum Annual Incentive Award of any Participant shall be subject to the limitation set forth in Section 5 hereof.
     (iii) Payout of Annual Incentive Awards. After the end of each fiscal year, the Committee shall determine the amount, if any, of (A) the Annual Incentive Award pool, and the maximum amount of potential Annual Incentive Award payable to each Participant in the Annual Incentive Award pool, or (B) the amount of potential Annual Incentive Award otherwise payable to each Participant. The Committee may, in its discretion, determine that the amount payable to any Participant as an Annual Incentive Award shall be reduced from the amount of his or her potential Annual Incentive Award, including a determination to make no Award whatsoever. The Committee shall specify the circumstances in which an Annual Incentive Award shall be paid or forfeited in the event of termination of employment by the Participant prior to the end of a fiscal year or settlement of such Annual Incentive Award.
     (e) Written Determinations. All determinations by the Committee as to the establishment of performance goals, the amount of any Performance Award pool or potential individual Performance Awards and as to the achievement of performance goals relating to Performance Awards under Section 8(b), and the amount of any Annual Incentive Award pool or potential individual Annual Incentive Awards and the amount of final Annual Incentive Awards under Section 8(d), shall be made in writing in the case of any Award intended to qualify under Code Section 162(m). The Committee may not delegate any responsibility relating to such Performance Awards or Annual Incentive Awards if and to the extent required to comply with Code Section 162(m).

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     (f) Status of Section 8(b) and Section 8(d) Awards Under Code Section 162(m). It is the intent of the Company that Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards under Section 8(b) and 8(d) hereof granted to persons who are designated by the Committee as likely to be Covered Employees within the meaning of Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder shall, if so designated by the Committee, constitute “qualified performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder. Accordingly, the terms of Sections 8(b), (c), (d) and (e), including the definitions of Covered Employee and other terms used therein, shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder. The foregoing notwithstanding, because the Committee cannot determine with certainty whether a given Participant will be a Covered Employee with respect to a fiscal year that has not yet been completed, the term Covered Employee as used herein shall mean only a person designated by the Committee, at the time of grant of Performance Awards or an Annual Incentive Award, as likely to be a Covered Employee with respect to that fiscal year. If any provision of the Plan or any agreement relating to such Performance Awards or Annual Incentive Awards does not comply or is inconsistent with the requirements of Code Section 162(m) or regulations thereunder, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.
9.     Change in Control.
     (a) Effect of “Change in Control.”If and to the extent provided in the Award, in the event of a “Change in Control,” as defined in Section 9(b):
     (i) The Committee may, within its discretion, accelerate the vesting and exercisability of any Award carrying a right to exercise that was not previously vested and exercisable as of the time of the Change in Control, subject to applicable restrictions set forth in Section 10(a) hereof;
     (ii) The Committee may, within its discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any limited SARs (and other SARs if so provided by their terms) and provide for the settlement of such SARs for amounts, in cash, determined by reference to the Change in Control Price;
     (iii) The Committee may, within its discretion, lapse the restrictions, deferral of settlement, and forfeiture conditions applicable to any other Award granted under the Plan and such Awards may be deemed fully vested as of the time of the Change in Control, except to the extent of any waiver by the Participant and subject to applicable restrictions set forth in Section 10(a) hereof; and
     (iv) With respect to any such outstanding Award subject to achievement of performance goals and conditions under the Plan, the Committee may, within its discretion, deem such performance goals and other conditions as having been met as of the date of the Change in Control.

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     (b) Definition of “Change in Control.” A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred upon:
     (i) Approval by the stockholders of the Company of (x) a reorganization, merger, consolidation or other form of corporate transaction or series of transactions, in each case, with respect to which persons who were the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such reorganization, merger or consolidation or other transaction do not, immediately thereafter, own more than 50% of the combined voting power entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the reorganized, merged or consolidated company’s then outstanding voting securities, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such reorganization, merger, consolidation or other transaction, or (y) a liquidation or dissolution of the Company or (z) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (unless such reorganization, merger, consolidation or other corporate transaction, liquidation, dissolution or sale is subsequently abandoned);
     (ii) Individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, provided (i) that any person becoming a director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board (other than an election or nomination of an individual whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest relating to the election of the Directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act) or (ii) any individual appointed to the Board by the Incumbent Board shall be, for purposes of this Agreement, considered as though such person were a member of the Incumbent Board; or
     (iii) the acquisition (other than from the Company) by any person, entity or “group”, within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act, of more than 35% of either the then outstanding shares of the Company’s Common Stock or the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (hereinafter referred to as the ownership of a “Controlling Interest”) excluding, for this purpose, any acquisitions by (1) the Company or its Subsidiaries, or (2) any person, entity or “group” that as of the Effective Date owns beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act) of a Controlling Interest or any affiliate of such person, entity or “group.”
     (c) Definition of “Change in Control Price.” The “Change in Control Price” means an amount in cash equal to the higher of (i) the amount of cash and fair market value of property that is the highest price per share paid (including extraordinary dividends) in any Corporate Transaction triggering the Change in Control under Section 9(b)(i) hereof or any liquidation of shares following a sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, or (ii) the highest Fair Market Value per share at any time during the 60-day period preceding and the 60-day period following the Change in Control.

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10.     General Provisions.
     (a) Compliance With Legal and Other Requirements. The Company may, to the extent deemed necessary or advisable by the Committee or the Board, postpone the issuance or delivery of Stock or payment of other benefits under any Award until completion of such registration or qualification of such Stock or other required action under any federal or state law, rule or regulation, listing or other required action with respect to any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Stock or other Company securities are listed or quoted, or compliance with any other obligation of the Company, as the Committee or the Board, may consider appropriate, and may require any Participant to make such representations, furnish such information and comply with or be subject to such other conditions as it may consider appropriate in connection with the issuance or delivery of Stock or payment of other benefits in compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, listing requirements, or other obligations. The foregoing notwithstanding, in connection with a Change in Control, the Company shall take or cause to be taken no action, and shall undertake or permit to arise no legal or contractual obligation, that results or would result in any postponement of the issuance or delivery of Stock or payment of benefits under any Award or the imposition of any other conditions on such issuance, delivery or payment, to the extent that such postponement or other condition would represent a greater burden on a Participant than existed on the 90th day preceding the Change in Control.
     (b) Limits on Transferability; Beneficiaries. No Award or other right or interest of a Participant under the Plan, including any Award or right which constitutes a derivative security as generally defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act, shall be pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or subject to any lien, obligation or liability of such Participant to any party (other than the Company or a Subsidiary), or assigned or transferred by such Participant otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or to a Beneficiary upon the death of a Participant, and such Awards or rights that may be exercisable shall be exercised during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant or his or her guardian or legal representative, except that Awards and other rights (other than ISOs and SARs in tandem therewith) may be transferred to one or more Beneficiaries or other transferees during the lifetime of the Participant, and may be exercised by such transferees in accordance with the terms of such Award, but only if and to the extent such transfers and exercises are permitted by the Committee or the Board pursuant to the express terms of an Award agreement (subject to any terms and conditions which the Committee or the Board may impose thereon, and further subject to any prohibitions or restrictions on such transfers pursuant to Rule 16b-3). A Beneficiary, transferee, or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Participant shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award agreement applicable to such Participant, except as otherwise determined by the Committee or the Board, and to any additional terms and conditions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee or the Board.

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     (c) Adjustments. In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Stock, or other property), recapitalization, forward or reverse split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase, share exchange, liquidation, dissolution or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Stock such that a substitution or adjustment is determined by the Committee or the Board to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants under the Plan, then the Committee or the Board shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, substitute or adjust any or all of (i) the number and kind of shares of Stock which may be delivered in connection with Awards granted thereafter, (ii) the number and kind of shares of Stock by which annual per-person Award limitations are measured under Section 5 hereof, (iii) the number and kind of shares of Stock subject to or deliverable in respect of outstanding Awards and (iv) the exercise price, grant price or purchase price relating to any Award and/or make provision for payment of cash or other property in respect of any outstanding Award. In addition, the Committee (and the Board if and only to the extent such authority is not required to be exercised by the Committee to comply with Code Section 162(m)) is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards (including Performance Awards and performance goals, and Annual Incentive Awards and any Annual Incentive Award pool or performance goals relating thereto) in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, events described in the preceding sentence, as well as acquisitions and dispositions of businesses and assets) affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any business unit, or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary, or in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles, tax rates and regulations or business conditions or in view of the Committee’s assessment of the business strategy of the Company, any Subsidiary or business unit thereof, performance of comparable organizations, economic and business conditions, personal performance of a Participant, and any other circumstances deemed relevant; provided that no such adjustment shall be authorized or made if and to the extent that such authority or the making of such adjustment would cause Options, SARs, Performance Awards granted under Section 8(b) hereof or Annual Incentive Awards granted under Section 8(d) hereof to Participants designated by the Committee as Covered Employees and intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) and the regulations thereunder to otherwise fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder.
     (d) Taxes. The Company and any Subsidiary is authorized to withhold from any Award granted, any payment relating to an Award under the Plan, including from a distribution of Stock, or any payroll or other payment to a Participant, amounts of withholding and other taxes due or potentially payable in connection with any transaction involving an Award, and to take such other action as the Committee or the Board may deem advisable to enable the Company and Participants to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award. This authority shall include authority to withhold or receive Stock or other property and to make cash payments in respect thereof in satisfaction of a Participant’s tax obligations, either on a mandatory or elective basis in the discretion of the Committee.

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     (e) Changes to the Plan and Awards. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan, or the Committee’s authority to grant Awards under the Plan, without the consent of stockholders or Participants, except that any amendment or alteration to the Plan shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders not later than the annual meeting next following such Board action if such stockholder approval is required by any federal or state law or regulation (including, without limitation, Rule 16b-3 or Code Section 162(m)) or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Stock may then be listed or quoted, and the Board may otherwise, in its discretion, determine to submit other such changes to the Plan to stockholders for approval; provided that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Board action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under any previously granted and outstanding Award. The Committee or the Board may waive any conditions or rights under, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate any Award theretofore granted and any Award agreement relating thereto, except as otherwise provided in the Plan; provided that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Committee or the Board action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under such Award. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, if any right under this Plan would cause a transaction to be ineligible for pooling of interest accounting that would, but for the right hereunder, be eligible for such accounting treatment, the Committee or the Board may modify or adjust the right so that pooling of interest accounting shall be available, including the substitution of Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the cash otherwise payable hereunder for the right which caused the transaction to be ineligible for pooling of interest accounting.
     (f) Limitation on Rights Conferred Under Plan. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as (i) giving any Eligible Person or Participant the right to continue as an Eligible Person or Participant or in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary; (ii) interfering in any way with the right of the Company or a Subsidiary to terminate any Eligible Person’s or Participant’s employment at any time, (iii) giving an Eligible Person or Participant any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan or to be treated uniformly with other Participants and employees, or (iv) conferring on a Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until the Participant is duly issued or transferred shares of Stock in accordance with the terms of an Award.
     (g) Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant or obligation to deliver Stock pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company; provided that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts and deposit therein cash, Stock, other Awards or other property, or make other arrangements to meet the Company’s obligations under the Plan. Such trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines with the consent of each affected Participant. The trustee of such trusts may be authorized to dispose of trust assets and reinvest the proceeds in alternative investments, subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee or the Board may specify and in accordance with applicable law.

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     (h) Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor its submission to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or a committee thereof to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable including incentive arrangements and awards which do not qualify under Code Section 162(m).
     (i) Payments in the Event of Forfeitures; Fractional Shares. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee or the Board, in the event of a forfeiture of an Award with respect to which a Participant paid cash or other consideration, the Participant shall be repaid the amount of such cash or other consideration. No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee or the Board shall determine whether cash, other Awards or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.
     (j) Governing Law. The validity, construction and effect of the Plan, any rules and regulations under the Plan, and any Award agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws, and applicable federal law.
     (k) Plan Effective Date and Stockholder Approval; Termination of Plan. The Plan shall become effective on the Effective Date, subject to subsequent approval within 12 months of its adoption by the Board by stockholders of the Company eligible to vote in the election of directors, by a vote sufficient to meet the requirements of Code Sections 162(m) (if applicable) and 422, Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (if applicable), applicable New York Stock Exchange requirements, and other laws, regulations, and obligations of the Company applicable to the Plan. Awards may be granted subject to stockholder approval, but may not be exercised or otherwise settled in the event stockholder approval is not obtained. The Plan shall terminate on the earliest to occur of (i) the day immediately prior to the tenth anniversary of the date the stockholders’ of the Company approved to limit the terms hereof (such date being May 2, 2021), or (ii) the date on which no shares of Common Stock remain available for issuance under the Plan and the Company has no further rights or obligations with respect to outstanding Awards under the Plan.
     (l) Section 409A Compliance.
     (i) The Award agreement for any Award that the Committee reasonably determines to constitute a Section 409A Plan, as defined in Section 10(l)(ii) hereof, and the provisions of the Plan applicable to that Award, shall be construed in a manner consistent with the applicable requirements of Section 409A, and the Committee, in its sole discretion and without the consent of any Participant, may amend any Award agreement (and the provisions of the Plan applicable thereto) if and to the extent that the Committee determines that such amendment is necessary or appropriate to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

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     (ii) If any Award constitutes a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” under Section 409A of the Code (a “Section 409A Plan”), then the Award shall be subject to the following additional requirements, if and to the extent required to comply with Section 409A of the Code:
  (A)   Payments under the Section 409A Plan may not be made earlier than the first to occur of (u) the Participant’s “separation from service”, (v) the date the Participant becomes “disabled”, (w) the Participant’s death, (x) a “specified time (or pursuant to a fixed schedule)” specified in the Award agreement for the Award at the date of the deferral of such compensation, (y) a “change in the ownership or effective control of the corporation, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets” of the Company, or (z) the occurrence of an “unforeseeble emergency”;
 
  (B)   The time or schedule for any payment of the deferred compensation may not be accelerated, except to the extent provided in applicable Treasury Regulations or other applicable guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service;
 
  (C)   Any elections with respect to the deferral of such compensation or the time and form of distribution of such deferred compensation shall comply with the requirements of Section 409A(a)(4) of the Code; and
 
  (D)   In the case of any Participant who is “specified employee”, a distribution on account of a “separation from service” may not be made before the date which is six months after the date of the Participant’s “separation from service” (or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death).
     For purposes of the foregoing, the terms in quotations shall have the same meanings as those terms have for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, and the limitations set forth herein shall be applied in such manner (and only to the extent) as shall be necessary to comply with any requirements of Section 409A of the Code that are applicable to the Award.
     (iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, or any provision of this Plan or any Award agreement for an Award, the Company does not make any representation to any Participant or Beneficiary that any Awards made pursuant to this Plan are exempt from, or satisfy, the requirements of, Section 409A, and the Company shall have no liability or other obligation to indemnify or hold harmless the Participant or any Beneficiary for any tax, additional tax, interest or penalties that the Participant or any Beneficiary may incur in the event that any provision of this Plan, or any Award agreement for an Award, or any amendment or modification thereof, or any other action taken with respect thereto, is deemed to violate any of the requirements of Section 409A.

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