FRESHPET, INC. NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION POLICY
Exhibit 10.22
FRESHPET, INC.
NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION POLICY
This sets forth the Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy (the Policy) of Freshpet, Inc. (the Company), as adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the Board), which shall become effective on [ ], 2014.
WHEREAS, the Company has adopted the Freshpet, Inc. 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan), which provides for grants of equity-based awards to employees, directors and other service providers of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company to establish this Policy to set forth the compensation that will be payable to each member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company or any subsidiary (each such member of the Board, an Eligible Director) as consideration for service on the Board.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Board hereby agrees as follows:
1. General. The cash compensation and restricted stock awards described in this Policy shall be paid or be made, as applicable, automatically and without further action of the Board, to each Eligible Director. The number of shares delivered under this Policy shall reduce the aggregate number of shares available for issuance under the 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan. For the avoidance of doubt, any member of the Board who is not an Eligible Director shall not be entitled to cash, equity or any other compensation in connection with such service on the Board.
2. Cash Compensation.
(a) Annual Retainer. Each Eligible Director serving as a member of the Board shall receive an annual cash retainer of $37,500 for service on the Board; provided that the Chairman of the Board shall receive an annual cash retainer of $62,500 (each, an Annual Retainer).
(b) Serving on a Committee. An Eligible Director is entitled to additional cash compensation for service on a Committee (the Committee Compensation), payable as follows:
(i) The chairperson of the Audit Committee shall be entitled to receive an additional annual retainer of $10,000 for such service.
(ii) The chairperson of the Compensation Committee shall be entitled to receive an additional annual retainer of $5,000 for such service.
(iii) The chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall be entitled to receive an additional annual retainer of $5,000 for such service.
(c) Payment Schedule and Prorated Compensation for the Annual Retainer and Committee Compensation. The Annual Retainer and Committee Compensation for each applicable Eligible Director shall be paid by the Company in quarterly installments in arrears following the completion of each quarter. Such amounts shall be paid in the calendar quarter immediately following the quarter to which such amount relates, subject to the Eligible Directors continued service on the Board through the applicable quarter. With respect to any calendar quarter in which an Eligible Directors service is terminated, such Eligible Director shall be entitled to receive a prorated portion of the Annual Retainer and Committee Compensation, as applicable, for any partial quarter of service, payable at the time when other Eligible Directors are entitled to receive their Annual Retainer and Committee Compensation, as applicable.
(d) New Directors. In the event a new Eligible Director is elected or appointed to the Board, such Eligible Director shall be eligible to receive an Annual Retainer and Committee Compensation, as applicable, as set forth in Section 2(a)-(b) herein, which amounts shall be prorated based on the date of appointment or election and payable in accordance with Section 2(c).
3. Equity Compensation.
(a) Initial Restricted Unit Grant. Eligible Directors who served on the Board during or were appointed in connection with the Companys initial public offering received an initial restricted stock award pursuant to the 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan with a fair market value on the date of grant of $62,500 for the Chairman of the Board and $37,500 for each other Eligible Director (the Initial Restricted Stock Award). The Initial Restricted Stock Award shall fully vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant, subject to the applicable Eligible Directors continued service on the Board on each such applicable vesting date.
(b) Annual Equity Award. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors shall provide for issuance of additional equity awards on an annual basis with the fair market value equal to $62,500 as of the date of grant for the Chairman of the Board and $37,500 as of the date of grant for each other Eligible Director, subject to the terms and conditions determined by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion.
(c) New Directors. In the event a new Eligible Director is elected or appointed to the Board, the Compensation Committee of the Company or the Board shall have authority to determine, at its sole discretion, such Eligible Directors eligibility to receive an equity award.
4. Expense Reimbursement. All Eligible Directors will be eligible to be reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred to attend meetings of the Board or committees thereof or otherwise performing duties consistent with service on the Board or committees thereof in accordance with the Companys expense reimbursement policy, subject to provision by any applicable Eligible Director of documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Company.
5. Eligible Director Stock Ownership Guidelines. Non-employee directors are expected to own the Companys common stock equal in value to at least three times the cash retainer payable pursuant to this policy. The minimum number of shares expected to be held by directors for a calendar year will be calculated on the first trading day of each calendar year based on their Fair Market Value (as defined under the Company 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan). Any subsequent change in the value of the shares will not affect the amount of stock directors are expected to hold during that year pursuant to these stock ownership guidelines. Stock ownership shall be measured by (1) shares owned individually, either directly or indirectly, by the director, (2) shares owned jointly with the director, or separately by spouse, domestic partner and/or minor children, either directly or indirectly, and (3) shares underlying vested stock unit awards held by the director.
2