FRANKLIN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC. 2007 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN (formerly the 2007 Qualified-Nonqualified Stock Option Plan)

EX-10.45 55 d672637dex1045.htm EX-10.45 EX-10.45

Exhibit 10.45

FRANKLIN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC.

2007 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

(formerly the 2007 Qualified-Nonqualified Stock Option Plan)

COMES NOW, Franklin Financial Network, Inc., a Tennessee Corporation (the “Corporation”), this 23rd day of April, 2013, to amend and restate the Franklin Financial Network, Inc. 2007 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (formerly known as the Franklin Financial Network, Inc. 2007 Qualified-Nonqualified Stock Option Plan) (the “Plan”) to be effective June 1, 2012

WHEREAS, the Corporation previously established the Franklin Financial Network, Inc. 2007 Qualified-Nonqualified Stock Option Plan which awarded qualified and nonqualified stock options to key employees, directors and consultants in order to advance the interests of the Corporation and its subsidiaries, including Franklin Synergy Bank and Banc Compliance Group, Inc., by stimulating the efforts of key employees, directors and consultants, increasing their desire to continue in their employment with or services to the Corporation and its subsidiaries, assisting the Corporation and its subsidiaries in competing effectively with other enterprises for the services of its incorporators, new employees, directors, and others necessary for the continued improvement of operations, and attracting and retaining the best possible personnel for service as employees, officers and directors of Corporation and its subsidiaries;

WHEREAS, the Corporation desires to amend and restate the Plan (i) to offer additional forms of equity compensation; (ii) to change the Plan’s name to the Franklin Financial Network, Inc. 2007 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan to reflect the increased variety of permissible awards; (iii) to increase the number of authorized shares to 1,500,000; and (iv) to update the document for applicable changes in the law;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Corporation hereby amends and restates the Plan, as follows:

1. PURPOSE.

The purpose of the Plan is to promote the interests of the Corporation and its stockholders by (i) attracting and retaining key officers, employees, and directors of, and consultants to, the Corporation and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates; (ii) motivating such individuals by means of performance-related incentives to achieve long-range performance goals; (iii) enabling such individuals to participate in the long-term growth and financial success of the Corporation; (iv) encouraging ownership of stock in the Corporation by such individuals; and (v) linking their compensation to the long-term interests of the Corporation and its stockholders. Toward this objective, the Committee may grant stock options, SAR, Stock Awards, cash bonuses and other incentive awards to Employees of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan. In addition, this Plan is intended to enable the Corporation to effectively attract, retain and reward Outside Directors by providing for grants of Outside Director Awards to Outside Directors. No Award under this Plan (or modification thereof) shall provide for deferral of compensation that does not comply with Section 409A of the Code unless the Committee, at the time of grant, specifically provides that the Award is not intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, if one or more of the payments or benefits received or to be received by a Participant pursuant to an Award would cause the Participant to incur any additional tax or interest under Section 409A of the Code, the Committee may reform such provision to maintain to the maximum extent practicable the original intent of the applicable provision without violating the provisions of Section 409A of the Code.

 

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2. DEFINITIONS.

2.1 “Affiliate” means any entity (other than the Corporation and any Subsidiary) that is designated by the Board as a participating employer under the Plan, provided that the Corporation directly or indirectly owns at least 20% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of that entity or at least 20% of the ownership interests in that entity.

2.2 “Award” means any form of Option, SAR, Stock Award, cash bonus or other incentive award granted under the Plan, whether singly, in combination, or in tandem, to a Participant by the Committee pursuant to terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations, if any, as the Committee may establish by the Award Notice or otherwise.

2.3 “Award Notice” means a written notice from the Corporation to a Participant that establishes the terms, conditions, restrictions, and limitations applicable to an Award in addition to those established by the Plan and by the Committee’s exercise of its administrative powers. In the event of a conflict between the terms of the Plan and any Award Notice, the terms of the Plan shall prevail. The Committee shall, subject to applicable law, determine the date an Award is deemed to be granted. The Committee or, except to the extent prohibited under applicable law, its delegate(s) may establish the terms of agreements or other documents evidencing Awards under this Plan and may, but need not, require as a condition to any such agreement’s or document’s effectiveness that such agreement or document be executed by the Participant, including by electronic signature or other electronic indication of acceptance, and that such Participant agree to such further terms and conditions as specified in such agreement or document.

2.4 “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

2.5 “Cause” means the engaging by a Participant in illegal conduct that, in the sole discretion of the Committee, is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Corporation unless otherwise defined in an agreement between Participant and the Corporation.

2.6 “Change In Control” means the happening of any of the following:

a. The Corporation has actual knowledge that any person or entity other than the Corporation, a subsidiary of the Corporation, or any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Corporation or subsidiary has acquired the beneficial ownership (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 25% or more of the then outstanding Stock;

b. A tender offer is made to acquire securities of the Corporation entitling the holders thereof to 25% or more of the voting power to elect directors of the Corporation;

c. A solicitation subject to Rule 14a-l1 under the Exchange Act (or any successor Rule) relating to the election or removal of 50% or more of the members of the Board shall be made by any person or entity other than the Corporation;

d. Individuals who constitute the Board immediately prior to any meeting of shareholders (the “Incumbent Board”) have ceased for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof;

e. The shareholders of the Corporation shall approve a merger, consolidation, share exchange, division or other reorganization of the Corporation as a result of which the shareholders of the Corporation immediately prior to such transaction shall not hold, directly or indirectly, immediately following such transaction 51% or more of the voting power to elect directors of (i) the surviving or resulting corporation in the case of a merger or consolidation, (ii) the acquiring corporation, in the case of a share exchange, or (iii) each surviving, resulting or acquiring corporation which, immediately following such transaction, in the case of a division, holds more than 15% of the consolidated assets of the Corporation immediately preceding such transaction; or

 

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f. The shareholders of the Corporation shall approve a complete liquidation and dissolution of the Corporation or the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation other than to a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Corporation.

Notwithstanding the occurrence of any of the foregoing, the Board may determine, if it deems it to be in the best interest of the Corporation and consistent with a good faith interpretation of this Plan, that an event or events otherwise constituting a Change of Control shall not be so considered. Such determination shall be effective if it is made by the Board prior to the occurrence of an event that otherwise would be or probably will lead to a Change in Control or after such event if made by the Board a majority of which is composed of all directors who were members of the Board immediately prior to the event that otherwise would be or probably will lead to a Change in Control. Upon such determination, such event or events shall not be deemed to be a Change in Control for any purposes under this Plan.

2.7 “Change In Control Price” means the highest closing price per share paid for the purchase of stock in a national securities market during the ninety day period preceding the date the Change in Control occurs, or of no such market exists, the Fair Market Value.

2.8 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

2.9 “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board, or any other committee designated by the Board, authorized to administer the Plan under Section 3 of this Plan. The Committee shall consist of not less than 2 members who shall be appointed by, and shall serve at the pleasure of, the Board. The directors appointed to serve on the Committee shall be: (i) “independent” within the meaning of the listing standards of any securities exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Common Stock is listed or quoted; (ii) “non-employee directors” (within the meaning of Rule 16b-3(b)(3) under the Exchange Act); and (iii) “outside directors” (within the meaning of Code Section 162(m) and its related regulations). However, the mere fact that a Committee member fails to qualify under any of the foregoing requirements shall not invalidate any Award made by the Committee if the Award is otherwise validly made under the Plan.

2.10 “Common Stock” means the $0.001 par value common stock of the Corporation,

2.11 “Corporation” means Franklin Financial Network, Inc. or any successor.

2.12 “Consultant” shall mean any consultant to the Corporation or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates.

2.13 “Covered Employee” means an individual who is, with respect to the Corporation, an individual defined in Code Section 162(m)(3).

2.13 “Director” means an individual who is a member of the Board.

2.14 “Disability” means an individual: (i) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months; or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three (3) months under an accident and health plan covering employees or directors of the Corporation. Medical determination of Disability may be made by either the Social Security Administration or by the provider of an accident or health plan covering Employees or Directors of the Corporation provided that the definition of “disability” applied under such disability insurance program complies with the requirements of the preceding sentence. Upon the request of the plan administrator, the Employee must submit proof to the plan administrator of the Social Security Administration’s or the provider’s determination.

 

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2.15 “Effective Date” is defined in Section 6.

2.16 “Employee” means an employee or prospective employee of the Corporation, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate.

2.17 “Exchange Act” means the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

2.18 “Exercise Price” means the purchase price payable to purchase one Share upon the exercise of an Option or the price by which the value of a SAR shall be determined upon exercise, pursuant to Section 2.30.

2.19 “Fair Market Value” means the closing price of the shares of Stock on a national securities exchange on which it is principally traded on the day on which such value is to be determined or, if no shares were traded on such day, on the next preceding day on which shares of Stock were traded, as reported by the National Quotation Bureau, Inc. or other national quotation service. If the shares are not traded on a national securities exchange but are traded in the over-the-counter market, Fair Market Value of Stock means the closing “asked” price of the shares in the over-the-counter market on the day on which such value is to be determined or, if such “asked” price is not available, the last sales price on such day or, if no shares of Stock were traded on such day, on the next preceding day on which shares of Stock were traded, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (NASDAQ) or other national quotation service. If the Stock is traded neither on a national securities exchange nor in the over-the-counter market, the Fair Market Value of Stock shall be determined based upon such factors as the Board or Committee, as applicable, shall reasonably deem appropriate, including without limitation prices or values at which the Stock has most recently been issued to third parties or redeemed or purchased from shareholders, and which shall be in accordance with Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-l(b)(5)(iv).

2.20 “Immediate Family” means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, and includes adoptive relationships.

2.21 “Incentive Stock Option” means an option to purchase Common Stock from the Corporation that is granted under Section 8 of the Plan and that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto. To the extent the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted) of the Common Stock with respect to which all Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by an Employee during any calendar year (under all plans described in subsection (d) of Section 422 of the Code of the Employee’s employer corporation and its parent and Subsidiaries) exceeds $100,000, such Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options.

2.22 “Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean an option to purchase Common Stock from the Corporation that is granted under Section 8 or 24 of the Plan and is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option.

2.23 “Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

2.24 “Outside Director” means a member of the Board who is not an officer or employee of the Corporation or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Corporation.

2.25 “Outside Director Award” means either a Director Option or a Director Stock Award or combination thereof awarded to an Outside Director under Section 24.

 

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2.26 “Participant” means any individual to whom an Award has been granted by the Committee under this Plan.

2.27 “Qualified Performance-Based Award” means (i) any Option or SAR granted under the Plan, or (ii) any other Award that is intended to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption and is made subject to performance goals based on Qualified Performance Measures as set forth in Section 12.

2.28 “Qualified Performance Measures” means 1 or more of the performance measures listed in Section 12.2 upon which performance goals for certain Qualified Performance-Based Awards may be established by the Committee.

2.29 “Restricted Stock” means a share of Common Stock subject to restrictions, as the Committee may determine in accordance with Plan Section 10.

2.30 “SAR” is an Award that shall entitle the recipient to receive, with respect to each share of Common Stock encompassed by the exercise of the SAR, a payment equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise over the Fair Market Value on the date of grant.

2.31 “Section 162(m)” means Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder and any successor provision thereto as in effect from time to time.

2.32 “Section 162(m) Cash Maximum” means $5,000,000.

2.33 “Section 162(m) Exemption” means the exemption from the limitation on deductibility imposed by Section 162(m) that is set forth in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code or any successor provision thereto.

2.34 “Section 16” means Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules promulgated thereunder and any successor provision thereto as in effect from time to time.

2.35 “Section 16 Insider” means a Participant who is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16 as a result of the Participant’s position with the Corporation.

2.36 “Stock Award” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 10 in the form of shares of Common Stock or restricted shares of Common Stock.

2.37 “Subsidiary” means a corporation or other business entity in which the Corporation directly or indirectly has an ownership interest of 50% or more, which shall include Franklin Synergy Bank and Banc Compliance Group, Inc.

3. ADMINISTRATION.

The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have the discretionary authority to: (a) interpret the Plan; (b) establish any rules and regulations it deems necessary for the proper operation and administration of the Plan; (c) select persons to become Participants and receive Awards under the Plan; (d) determine the form of an Award, whether an Option, SAR, Stock Award, cash bonus, or other incentive award established by the Committee, the number of shares subject to the Award, all the terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations, if any, of an Award, including the time and conditions of exercise or vesting, and the terms of any Award Notice; (e) determine whether Awards should be granted singly, in combination or in tandem; (f) grant waivers of Plan terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations; (g) accelerate the vesting, exercise or payment of an Award or the performance period of an Award in the event of a Participant’s termination of employment or when that action or actions would be in the best interests of the Corporation; (h) establish such other types of Awards, besides those specifically enumerated in Section 2.2, which the Committee determines

 

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are consistent with the Plan’s purpose; and (i) take all other action it deems necessary or advisable for the proper operation or administration of the Plan. Subject to Section 21, the Committee also shall have the authority to grant Awards in replacement of Awards previously granted under the Plan or any other executive compensation plan of the Corporation or a Subsidiary. All determinations of the Committee shall be made by a majority of its members, and its determinations shall be final, binding and conclusive on all persons, including the Corporation and Participants.

The Committee, in its discretion, may delegate its authority and duties under the Plan to the Chief Executive Officer or to other senior officers of the Corporation under conditions and limitations the Committee may establish; however, only the Committee may select, grant, and establish the terms of Awards to Section 16 Insiders or Covered Employees.

4. ELIGIBILITY.

Any Employee, Director or Consultant shall be eligible to be designated a Participant; provided, however, that Non-Employee Directors shall only be eligible to receive Awards granted consistent with Section 24.

5. NUMBER OF SHARES AVAILABLE.

Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 16 of the Plan, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that shall be available for grant of Awards under the Plan (including incentive stock options) during its term shall not exceed 1,500,000 shares. Any shares of Common Stock related to Awards that are settled in cash in lieu of Common Stock shall be available again for grant under the Plan. Similarly, any shares of Common Stock related to Awards that terminate by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation or otherwise without the issuance of the related shares or are exchanged with the Committee’s permission for Awards not involving Common Stock, shall be available again for grant under the Plan. Further, any shares of Common Stock that are used by a Participant for the full or partial payment to the Corporation of the purchase price of Common Stock upon exercise of a stock option, or for withholding taxes due as a result of that exercise, shall again be available for Awards under the Plan. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject to adjustment as provided in Section 16 hereof, no Participant may receive Options, SARs, or Stock Awards under the Plan during any one calendar year under the Plan in any calendar year that, taken together, relate to more than 200,000 shares of Common Stock. For purposes of this limitation, forfeited, canceled or repriced shares granted to a Participant in any given calendar year shall continue to be counted against the maximum number of shares that may be granted to that Participant in that calendar year. The shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan may be authorized and unissued shares.

6. EFFECTIVE DATE; TERM.

The Plan was originally effective April 9, 2007 (“Effective Date”), the date on which the Board of the Corporation approved the Plan, and was properly approved of by stockholders within the subsequent twelve-month period. This amendment and restatement of the Plan shall effective June 1, 2012, subject to the approval of at least a majority vote of stockholders voting in person or by proxy at a duly held stockholders’ meeting, or if the provisions of the corporate charter, by-laws or applicable state law prescribes a greater degree of stockholder approval for this action, the approval by the holders of that percentage, at a duly held meeting of stockholders within one year following the effective date. No Options intended to be Incentive Stock Options may be granted after the tenth anniversary of the original Effective Date of the Plan. This Plan shall remain in effect until terminated by action of the Board.

 

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7. PARTICIPATION.

The Committee shall select, from time to time, Participants from those Employees and Consultants who, in the opinion of the Committee, can further the Plan’s purposes. Once a Participant is selected, the Committee shall determine the type or types of Awards to be made to the Participant and shall establish in the related Award Notices the terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations, if any, applicable to the Awards in addition to those set forth in the Plan and the administrative rules and regulations issued by the Committee.

8. STOCK OPTIONS.

8.1 Grants. Awards may be granted in the form of Options. Options may be Incentive Stock Options, other tax-qualified stock options, or Non-Qualified Stock Options, or a combination of any of those.

8.2 Terms and Conditions of Options. An Option shall be exercisable in whole or in such installments and at the times determined by the Committee, The Committee also shall determine the performance or other conditions, if any, which must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may be exercised. The price at which Common Stock may be purchased upon exercise of a stock option shall be established by the Committee, but such price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the Option is granted in the case of Incentive Stock Options when the Employee to whom the option is to be granted owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation or of any of its Subsidiaries (a “Ten Percent Owner”), and in the case of all Options other than Incentive Stock Options, not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the Option is granted. Each Option shall expire not later than 10 years (or, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Owner, not later than 5 years) from its date of grant.

8.3 Restrictions Relating to Incentive Stock Options. Incentive Stock Options shall, in addition to being subject to all applicable terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations established by the Committee, comply with Section 422 of the Code. Accordingly, Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Employees who are employees of the Corporation or a Subsidiary, and the aggregate market value (determined at the time the option was granted) of the Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year (under the Plan or any other plan of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries) shall not exceed $100,000 (or other limit required by the Code). Except with respect to Ten Percent Owners, each Incentive Stock Option shall expire not later than 10 years from its date of grant. No Incentive Stock Option may be exercisable more than three (3) months after a Participant ceases to be an Employee.

8.4 Additional Terms and Conditions. The Committee may, by way of the Award Notice or otherwise, establish other terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations, if any, on any Option, provided they are not inconsistent with the Plan. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Options may provide for the automatic granting of new options (“reload options”) at the time of exercise.

8.5 Exercise. The Committee shall determine the methods by which the Exercise Price of an Option may be paid, the form of payment, including, without limitation, cash, shares of Common Stock, or other property (including “cashless exercise” arrangements, so long as they do not in any way conflict with the requirements of applicable law), and the methods by which shares of Common Stock shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered by Participants. If, however, shares of Common Stock are used to pay the Exercise Price of an Option, those shares must have been held by the Participant for at least 6 months (or any shorter or longer period necessary to avoid a charge to the Corporation’s earnings for financial reporting purposes).

9. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.

9.1 Grants. Awards may be granted in the form of SARs. The SAR may be granted in tandem with all or a portion of a related Option under the Plan (“Tandem SARs”), or may be granted separately (“Freestanding SARs”). A Tandem SAR may be granted either at the time of the grant of the related Option or at any time thereafter during the term of the Option. In the case of SARs granted in tandem with Options granted prior to the grant of the SARs, the appreciation in value is the difference between the option price of the related stock option and the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of exercise.

 

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9.2 Terms and Conditions of Tandem SARs. A Tandem SAR shall be exercisable to the extent, and only to the extent, that the related Option is exercisable, and the “exercise price” of that SAR (the base from which the value of the SAR is measured at its exercise) shall be the Exercise Price under the related Option. If a related Option is exercised as to some or all of the shares of Common Stock covered by the Award, the related Tandem SAR, if any, shall be canceled automatically to the extent of the number of shares of Common Stock covered by the Option exercise. Upon exercise of a Tandem SAR as to some or all of the shares of Common Stock covered by the Award, the related Option shall be canceled automatically to the extent of the number of shares of Common Stock covered by the exercise.

9.3 Terms and Conditions of Freestanding SARs. Freestanding SARs shall be exercisable in whole or in the installments and at the times determined by the Committee. Freestanding SARs shall have a term specified by the Committee, in no event to exceed 10 years. The Exercise Price of a Freestanding SAR shall also be determined by the Committee; however, that price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant of the Freestanding SAR of the number of shares of Common Stock to which the Freestanding SAR relates. The Committee also shall determine the Qualified Performance Measures or other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of a Freestanding SAR may be exercised.

9.4 Deemed Exercise. The Committee may provide that an SAR shall be deemed to be exercised at the close of business on the scheduled expiration date of the affected SAR if at that time the SAR by its terms remains exercisable and, if so exercised, would result in a payment to the holder of the SAR.

9.5 Additional Terms and Conditions. The Committee may, by way of the Award Notice or otherwise, determine such other terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations, if any, of any SAR Award, provided they are not inconsistent with the Plan.

 

10. RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS.

10.1 Grants. Awards may be granted in the form Restricted Stock. Restricted Stock Awards shall be awarded in such numbers and at such times during the term of the Plan as the Committee shall determine and shall be made in actual shares of Common Stock.

10.2 Award Restrictions. Restricted Stock shall be subject to terms, conditions, restrictions, and limitations, if any, the Committee deems appropriate including, without limitation, restrictions on transferability and continued employment of the Participant. The Committee also shall determine the Qualified Performance Measures or other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of the applicable restrictions lapse. The Committee may, at its discretion, waive all or any part of the restrictions applicable to any or all outstanding Restricted Stock Awards.

10.3 Rights as Shareholder. During the period in which any restricted shares of Common Stock are subject to restrictions imposed pursuant to Section 10.2, the Participant to whom restricted shares have been awarded shall generally have the rights and privileges of a stockholder as to such Common Stock,, including the right to receive dividends and the right to vote such shares, subject to the following restrictions: (i) the Participant shall not be entitled to delivery of the stock certificate until the expiration of the restricted period and the fulfillment of any other restrictive conditions set forth in the Award Notice with respect to such Common Stock; (ii) none of the Common Stock represented by the Award may be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or disposed of during such restricted period or until after the fulfillment of any such other restrictive conditions; and (iii) except as otherwise determined by the Committee at or after grant, all of the shares of Common Stock subject to the Award shall be forfeited and all rights of the Participant to such Common Stock shall terminate, without further obligation on the part of the Corporation, unless the Participant remains in the continuous employment of the Corporation for the entire restricted period in relation to which such shares of Common Stock were granted and unless any other restrictive conditions relating to the restricted Share Award are met. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Notice, any shares of Common Stock, any other securities of the Corporation and any other property (except for cash dividends)

 

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distributed with respect to the Common Stock subject to restricted Stock Awards shall be subject to the same restrictions, terms and conditions as such Restricted Stock Award including the right vote such Common Stock. Cash dividends with respect to the Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Award shall be currently paid to the Participant.

10.4 Evidence of Award. Subject to Section 10.5, any Restricted Stock Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by issuance of a stock certificate or certificates or, in the discretion of the Committee, through issuance of instructions to the Corporation’s transfer agent to issue the shares of Common Stock subject to the Award in book-entry (uncertificated) form on the books and records of the transfer agent through the Direct Registration System (“DRS”) or any successor system.

10.5 Delivery of Shares and Transfer Restrictions. Upon issuance of a certificate evidencing a Restricted Stock Award, such certificate shall be held by the Corporation or any custodian appointed by the Corporation for the account of the Participant subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, and shall bear such a legend setting forth the restrictions imposed thereon as the Committee, in its discretion, may determine. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Notice, the grantee shall have all rights of a stockholder with respect to the Restricted Stock. Upon the issuance of a Restricted Stock Award in book entry form, the Corporation’s transfer agent shall be apprised of and shall duly note any restrictions such as those set forth above that are applicable to the restricted Stock Award.

10.6 Termination of Restrictions. At the end of the restricted period and provided that any other restrictive conditions of the restricted Share Award are met, or at such earlier time as otherwise determined by the Committee, all restrictions set forth in the Award Notice relating to the Restricted Stock Award or in the Plan shall lapse as to the restricted shares of Common Stock subject thereto, and either: (i) a stock certificate for the appropriate number of shares of Common Stock, free of the restrictions and restricted stock legend, shall be delivered to the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary or estate, as the case may be; or (ii) in the event the Stock Award was evidenced in book entry form, the Corporation’s transfer agent shall be notified of the lapse and or termination of the restrictions and to remove all references thereto in its books and records.

11. PLAN CASH BONUSES.

While cash bonuses may be granted at any time outside this Plan, cash awards may also be granted in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan and in addition to cash awards made outside of the Plan. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have authority to determine the persons to whom cash bonuses under the Plan shall be granted and the amount, terms and conditions of those cash bonuses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, no Covered Employee shall be eligible to receive a cash bonus granted under the Plan in excess of the Section 162(m) Cash Maximum in any fiscal year; no cash bonus shall be granted pursuant to this Plan to any Covered Employee unless the cash bonus constitutes a Qualified Performance-Based Award, and no cash bonus awarded pursuant to the Plan shall be paid later than 2 12 months after the end of the calendar year in which such bonus was earned.

12. PERFORMANCE GOALS FOR CERTAIN SECTION 162(m) AWARDS.

12.1 162(m) Exemption. Upon the Corporation’s designation as a “publicly held corporation” within the meaning of Section 162(m)(2) of the Code, this Plan shall be operated to ensure that upon such designation all subsequent stock options and SARs granted hereunder to any Covered Employee qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption.

12.2 Qualified Performance-Based Awards. When granting any Award other than stock options or SARs, the Committee may designate the Award as a Qualified Performance-Based Award, based upon a determination that the recipient is or may be a Covered Employee with respect to that Award, and the Committee wishes the Award to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption. If an Award is so designated, the Committee shall establish performance goals for the Award within the time period prescribed by Section 162(m)

 

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of the Code based on one or more of the following Qualified Performance Measures, which may be expressed in terms of Corporation-wide objectives or in terms of objectives that relate to the performance of a Subsidiary or a division, region, department or function within the Corporation or a Subsidiary:

 

  (1) return on capital, equity, or assets (including economic value created),

 

  (2) productivity or operating efficiencies,

 

  (3) cost improvements,

 

  (4) cash flow,

 

  (5) sales revenue growth,

 

  (6) net income, earnings per share, or earnings from operations,

 

  (7) quality,

 

  (8) customer satisfaction,

 

  (9) comparable store sales,

 

  (10) stock price or total shareholder return,

 

  (11) EBITDA or EBITDAR,

 

  (12) after tax operating income,

 

  (13) book value per Share,

 

  (14) debt reduction,

 

  (15) strategic business objectives, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified cost targets, business expansion goals and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures, or

 

  (16) any combination of the foregoing.

Each goal may be expressed on an absolute and/or relative basis, may be based on or otherwise employ comparisons based on internal targets, the past performance of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, operating unit, business segment or division of the Corporation and/or the past or current performance of other companies, and in the case of earnings-based measures, may use or employ comparisons relating to capital, shareholders’ equity and/or Common Stock outstanding, or to assets or net assets. The Committee may appropriately adjust any evaluation of performance under criteria set forth in this Section 12.2 to exclude any of the following events that occurs during a performance period: (i) asset write-downs, (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements, (iii) the effect of changes in tax law, accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results, (iv) accruals for reorganization and restructuring programs and (v) any extraordinary non-recurring items as described in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 and/or in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Corporation’s annual report to stockholders for the applicable year. Measurement of the Corporation’s performance against the goals established by the Committee shall be objectively determinable, and to the extent goals are expressed in standard accounting terms, performance shall be measured according to generally accepted accounting principles as in existence on the date on which the performance goals are established and without regard to any changes in those principles after that date.

12.3 Performance Goal Conditions. Each Qualified Performance-Based Award (other than an Option or SAR) shall be earned, vested and payable (as applicable) only upon the achievement of performance goals established by the Committee based upon one or more of the Qualified Performance Measures, together with the satisfaction of any other conditions, such as continued employment, the Committee may determine to be appropriate; however, (i) the Committee may provide, either in connection with the grant of an Award or by later amendment, that achievement of the performance goals will be waived upon the death or Disability of the Participant, and (ii) the provisions of Section 23 shall apply notwithstanding this sentence.

12.4 Certification of Goal Achievement. Any payment of a Qualified Performance-Based Award granted with performance goals shall be conditioned on the written certification of the Committee in each case that the performance goals and any other material conditions were satisfied. Except as specifically provided in Section 12.3, no Qualified Performance-Based Award may be amended, nor may the Committee exercise any discretionary authority it may otherwise have under the Plan with respect to a Qualified Performance-Based Award, in any manner to waive the achievement of the applicable performance goal based on Qualified Performance Measures or to increase the amount payable under, or the value of, the Award, or otherwise in a manner that would cause the Qualified Performance-Based Award to cease to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption.

 

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13. PAYMENT OF AWARDS.

At the discretion of the Committee, payment of Awards may be made in cash, Common Stock, a combination of cash and Common Stock, or any other form of property the Committee shall determine. In addition, payment of Awards may include terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations, if any, the Committee deems appropriate, including, in the case of Awards paid in the form of Common Stock, restrictions on transfer and forfeiture provisions.

14. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT.

If a Participant’s employment with the Corporation or a Subsidiary or Affiliate terminates for Cause or for a reason other than death, Disability, retirement, or any other approved reason, then, to the maximum extent allowed by applicable law, all unexercised, unvested, unearned, and unpaid Awards, including without limitation, Awards earned but not yet paid, shall be canceled or forfeited, as the case may be, unless the Participant’s Award Notice provides otherwise. The Committee shall have the authority to promulgate rules and regulations to (i) determine what events constitute Disability, retirement or termination for an approved reason for purposes of the Plan, and (ii) determine the treatment of a Participant under the Plan in the event of a Participant’s death, Disability, retirement or termination for an approved reason.

15. NO ASSIGNMENT.

No Awards (other than unrestricted Stock Awards) or any other payment under the Plan shall be subject in any manner to alienation, anticipation, sale, transfer (except by will or the laws of descent and distribution), assignment, pledge, or encumbrance; however, the Committee may (but need not) permit other transfers where the Committee concludes that transferability (i) does not result in accelerated taxation, (ii) does not cause any option intended to be an incentive stock option to fail to be described in Code Section 422(b), and (iii) is otherwise appropriate and desirable, taking into account any state or federal securities laws applicable to transferable Awards. During the lifetime of the Participant no Award shall be payable to or exercisable by anyone other than the Participant to whom it was granted, other than (a) the duly appointed conservator or other lawfully designated representative of the Participant in the case of a permanent Disability involving a mental incapacity or (b) the transferee in the case of an Award transferred in accordance with the preceding sentence.

16. CAPITAL ADJUSTMENTS.

The number and price of shares of Common Stock covered by each Award and Outside Director Award and the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be awarded under the Plan shall be proportionately adjusted to reflect any stock dividend, stock split or share combination of the Common Stock or any recapitalization of the Corporation. In the event of any merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation, or any exchange of shares involving the Common Stock, any Award or Outside Director Award granted under the Plan shall automatically be deemed to pertain to the securities and other property to which a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock covered by the Award or Outside Director Award would have been entitled to receive in connection with any such event. The Committee shall have the sole discretion to make all interpretations and determinations required under this section to the extent it deems equitable and appropriate. It is the intent of any such adjustment that the value of the Awards or Outside Director Awards held by the Participants or Outside Directors, as the case may be, immediately following the change is the same as that value immediately prior to the change.

 

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17. WITHHOLDING TAXES.

The Corporation shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Corporation, an amount sufficient to satisfy Federal, state, and local taxes (including the Participant’s FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of this Plan. With respect to withholding required upon any taxable event, the Corporation may elect in its discretion, and Participants may elect, subject to the approval of the Committee, to satisfy the withholding requirement, in whole or in part, by withholding or having the Corporation withhold shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value on the date the tax is to be determined equal to (and shall not exceed) the minimum statutory total tax which could be imposed on the transaction. All elections by Participants shall be irrevocable, made in writing, and signed by the Participant.

18. NONCOMPETITION; CONFIDENTIALITY.

For purposes of this Section 18, “Corporation” shall include any Subsidiary or Affiliate employing the Participant. A Participant will not, without the written consent of the Corporation, either during or after his or her employment by the Corporation, disclose to anyone or make use of any confidential information which he or she has acquired during his or her employment relating to any of the business of the Corporation, except as such disclosure or use may be required in connection with his or her work as an employee of Corporation, or as demanded by a subpoena issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, if the Participant gives notice of the demand to the Corporation as soon as reasonably possible after receipt of the subpoena. The confidential information of the Corporation includes, but is not limited to, all technology, recipes, business systems and styles, customer lists and all other Corporation proprietary information not generally known to the public. During Participant’s employment by the Corporation, he or she will not, either as principal, agent, consultant, employee or otherwise, engage in any work or other activity in competition with the Corporation in the field or fields in which he or she has worked for the Corporation. Unless the Award Notice specifies otherwise, a Participant shall forfeit all rights under this Plan to any unexercised or unpaid Awards if, in the determination of the Committee, the Participant has violated the Agreement set forth in this Section 18, and in that event any further payment or other action with respect to any Award shall be made or taken, if at all, in the sole discretion of the Committee.

19. REGULATORY APPROVALS AND LISTINGS.

Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan to the contrary, the Corporation shall have no obligation to issue or deliver certificates of Common Stock evidencing Stock Awards or any other Award resulting in the payment of shares of Common Stock prior to (a) the obtaining of any approval from any governmental agency which the Corporation shall, in its sole discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable, (b) the admission of the shares to quotation or listing on the automated quotation system or stock exchange on which the Common Stock may be listed, and (c) the completion of any registration or other qualification of the shares under any State or Federal law or ruling of any governmental body that the Corporation shall, in its sole discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable.

20. PLAN AMENDMENT.

Except as provided in Section 23, the Board or the Committee may, at any time and from time to time, suspend, amend, modify, or terminate the Plan without shareholder approval; however, if an amendment to the Plan would, in the reasonable opinion of the Board or the Committee, either (i) result in repricing stock options or otherwise increase the benefits accruing to Participants or Outside Directors, (ii) increase the number of shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan, or (iii) modify the requirements for eligibility, then that amendment shall be subject to shareholder approval; and, the Board or Committee may condition any amendment or modification on the approval of shareholders of the Corporation if that approval is necessary or deemed advisable to (i) permit Awards to be exempt from liability under Section 16(b), (ii) to comply with the listing or other requirements of an automated quotation system or stock exchange, or (iii) to satisfy any other tax, securities or other applicable laws, policies or regulations.

 

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21. AWARD AMENDMENTS.

Except as provided in Section 23, the Committee may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award or Outside Director Award without approval of the Participant or Outside Director, as applicable; however:

a. except as otherwise provided in Section 18, subject to the terms of the applicable Award Notice, an amendment, modification or termination shall not, without the Participant’s or Outside Director’s consent, as applicable, reduce or diminish the value of the Award or Outside Director Award determined as if the Award or Outside Director Award had been exercised, vested, cashed in (at the spread value in the case of stock options or SARs) or otherwise settled on the date of that amendment or termination;

b. the original term of any stock option or SAR may not be extended without the prior approval of the shareholders of the Corporation;

c. except as otherwise provided in Section 16 of the Plan, the exercise price of any stock option or SAR may not be reduced, directly or indirectly, without the prior approval of the shareholders of the Corporation; and

d. no termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect any Award or Outside Director Awards previously granted under the Plan, without the written consent of the affected Participant or Outside Director.

22. GOVERNING LAW.

This Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Tennessee, except as superseded by applicable Federal law.

23. CHANGE IN CONTROL.

a. Change in Control Followed by Employment Termination. In the event that a Change in Control shall occur and an Employee Participant’s employment shall terminate within twelve months after the Change in Control (except as provided in the next sentence), then (i) all unexercised Options (whether or not vested or then exercisable) shall automatically become one hundred percent vested and exercisable immediately, (ii) no other terms, conditions, restrictions or limitations shall be imposed upon any of such Options after such date, and in no circumstance shall an Option be forfeited on or after such date and (iii) all such Options shall be valued on the basis of the greater of the Change in Control Price or the Fair Market Value on the date of such termination, and such value shall promptly be paid to such Participant in cash by the Corporation or its successor. The foregoing shall not apply if employment termination is due to (i) death, (ii) disability entitling the Participant to benefits under the Corporation’s or its successor’s long-term disability plan, (iii) Cause or (iv) resignation (other than (A) resignation from a declined reassignment to a job that is not reasonably equivalent in responsibility or compensation or that is not in the same geographic area, or (B) resignation within 30 days following a reduction in base pay).

b. Automatic Acceleration and Cash-Out. Upon a Change in Control that results directly or indirectly in the Stock (or the stock of any successor to the Corporation received in exchange for Stock) ceasing to be publicly traded in a national securities market, (i) all unexercised Options (whether or not vested) shall automatically become one hundred percent vested and exercisable immediately, (ii) no other terms, conditions, restrictions or limitations shall be imposed on any such Options after such date, and in no circumstances shall an

 

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Option be forfeited on or after such date, and (iii) all such Options shall be valued on the basis of the Change in Control Price, and such value shall promptly be paid to the Participants in cash by the Company or its successor.

c. Miscellaneous. Upon a Change in Control, no action, including, without limitation, the amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan, shall be taken that would adversely affect the rights of any Participant or the operation of the Plan with respect to any Option to which a Participant may have become entitled hereunder on or prior to the date of the Change in Control or to which such Participant may become entitled as a result of such Change in Control.

d. Section 16 Insiders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any Participant who is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to the Corporation, who on the date of the Change in Control holds Options that have been outstanding for a period of less than six months from their date of grant, shall not be paid the consideration described in Section 12(b) above until the first day next following the end of such six-month period.

24. AWARDS TO OUTSIDE DIRECTORS.

24.1 The Board may provide that all or a portion of an Outside Director’s annual retainer, meeting fees and/or other awards or compensation as determined by the Board, be payable (either automatically or at the election of an Outside Director) in the form of Non-Qualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock, and/or Other Stock-Based Awards, including unrestricted Shares. The Board shall determine the terms and conditions of any such Awards, including the terms and conditions which shall apply upon a termination of the Non-Employee Director’s service as a member of the Board, and shall have full power and authority in its discretion to administer such Awards, subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law.

24.2 The Board may also grant Awards to Outside Directors pursuant to the terms of the Plan, including any Award described in Sections 8, 9 and 10 above. With respect to such Awards, all references in the Plan to the Committee shall be deemed to be references to the Board.

25. NO RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT OR PARTICIPATION.

The grant of an Award under this Plan shall not confer any rights upon the Participant holding such Award other than such terms, and subject to such conditions, as are specified in this Plan as being applicable to such type of Award (or to all Awards) or as are expressly set forth in the Award Notice or other document evidencing such Award. Participation in the Plan shall not give any Participant any right to remain in the employ, or to serve as a director, of the Corporation or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, he Corporation or, in the case of employment with a Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Subsidiary or Affiliate, reserves the right to terminate the employment of any Participant at any time. Further, the adoption of this Plan shall not be deemed to give any Employee or any other individual any right to be selected as a Participant or to be granted an Award.

26. NO RIGHT, TITLE OR INTEREST IN CORPORATION ASSETS.

The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. No Participant shall have any rights as a shareholder as a result of participation in the Plan until the date of issuance of a stock certificate in the Participant’s name, and, in the case of restricted shares of Common Stock, such rights are granted to the Participant under Section 10.3 hereof. To the extent any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Corporation under the Plan, those rights shall be no greater than the rights of an unsecured creditor of the Corporation. In its sole discretion, the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or other arrangements to meet the obligations created under the Plan to deliver Common Stock or to make payments in lieu of, or with respect to, Plan awards. However, unless the Committee determines otherwise with the express consent of the affected Participant, the existence of any such trusts or other arrangements is consistent with this “unfunded” status of the Plan.

 

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26. SECURITIES LAWS.

With respect to Section 16 Insiders, transactions under this Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 or its successors under the Exchange Act. To the extent any provision of the Plan or action by the Committee fails so to comply, it shall be deemed null and void, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Committee.

27. REQUIRED WRITTEN REPRESENTATIONS.

The Committee may require each person purchasing shares pursuant to a stock option or other award under the Plan to represent to and agree with the Corporation in writing that the optionee or Participant is acquiring any shares of Common Stock without a view to their distribution. The certificates for shares may include any legend which the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer. All certificates for shares of Common Stock or other securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to stop transfer orders and other restrictions the Committee deems advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which the Common Stock is then listed, and any applicable Federal or state securities laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any certificates to make appropriate reference to the applicable restrictions. Each Participant is responsible for fully complying with all applicable state and federal securities laws and rules and the Corporation assumes no responsibility for compliance with any such laws or rules pertaining to a Participant’s resale of any shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to this Plan.

28. NON-EXCLUSIVE ARRANGEMENT.

Nothing contained in this Plan shall prevent the Board from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, subject to shareholder approval if required; and those arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

29. LIMITS ON LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION.

The members of the Committee and the Board shall not be liable to any employee or other person with respect to any determination made under the Plan in a manner that is not inconsistent with their legal obligations as members of the Board. In addition to all other rights of indemnification they may have as directors or as members of the Committee, the members of the Committee shall be indemnified by the Corporation against reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal therein, to which they or any of them may be a party because of any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan or any Award granted under it, and against all amounts paid by them in settlement (provided the settlement is approved by independent legal counsel selected by the Corporation) or paid to them in satisfaction of a judgment in that action, suit or proceeding, except in relation to matters as to which it shall be adjudged in the action, suit or proceeding that the Committee member is liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his or her duties. Within 60 days after institution of any action, suit or proceeding covered by this Section, the Committee member must inform the Corporation in writing of the claim and offer the Corporation the opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the matter.

 

   FRANKLIN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC.
  

 

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