PARK HOTELS & RESORTS INC. 2017 STOCK PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS
Exhibit 10.6
PARK HOTELS & RESORTS INC.
2017 STOCK PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS
1. Purpose. The purpose of the Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. 2017 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors is to provide a means through which the Company and the other members of the Company Group may attract and retain members of the board of directors of the Company and to provide a means whereby members of the board of directors of the Company can acquire and maintain an equity interest in the Company, thereby strengthening their commitment to the welfare of the Company Group and aligning their interests with those of the Companys stockholders.
2. Definitions. The following definitions shall be applicable throughout the Plan.
(a) Absolute Share Limit has the meaning given to such term in Section 5(b) of the Plan.
(b) Adjustment Event has the meaning given to such term in Section 11(a) of the Plan.
(c) Affiliate means any Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company. The term control (including, with correlative meaning, the terms controlled by and under common control with), as applied to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.
(d) Award means, individually or collectively, any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, and Other Equity-Based Award.
(e) Award Agreement means the document or documents by which each Award is evidenced, which may be in written or electronic form.
(f) Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(g) Cause means, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award Agreement states otherwise, a good faith determination of the Committee or its designee that (i) there is cause to terminate a Participants service as a non-employee director of the Board, as defined in and in accordance with any consulting or other agreement between the Participant and any member of the Company Group or an Affiliate in effect at the time of such termination or (ii) in the absence of any such agreement (or the absence of any definition of Cause contained therein), any of the following has occurred with respect to a Participant: (A) such Participant has failed to reasonably perform his or her duties to any member of the Company Group, or has failed to follow the lawful instructions of the Board, in each case other than as a result of his or her incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, in a manner that could reasonably be expected to result in harm (whether financially, reputationally or otherwise) to any member of the Company Group or an Affiliate, following notice by the Company Group or
such Affiliate of such failure, (B) such Participant has engaged or is about to engage in conduct harmful (whether financially, reputationally or otherwise) to any member of the Company Group or an Affiliate, (C) such Participant has been convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to, a felony or any crime involving as a material element fraud or dishonesty, (D) the willful misconduct or gross neglect of such Participant that could reasonably be expected to result in harm (whether financially, reputationally or otherwise) to any member of the Company Group or an Affiliate, (E) the willful violation by such Participant of the written policies of any member of the Company Group or any applicable written policies of any member of the Company Group that could reasonably be expected to result in harm (whether financially, reputationally or otherwise) to any member of the Company Group or an Affiliate; (F) such Participants fraud or misappropriation, embezzlement or misuse of funds or property belonging to the Company Group or an Affiliate (other than good faith expense account disputes); (G) such Participants act of personal dishonesty which involves personal profit in connection with such Participants service as a non-employee director of the Board, or (H) the willful breach by such Participant of fiduciary duty owed to any member of the Company Group.
(h) Change in Control shall have the meaning set forth in the Companys 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan (as amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time).
(i) Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, regulations or guidance.
(j) Committee means the Board or any properly delegated subcommittee thereof.
(k) Common Stock means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (and any stock or other securities into which such Common Stock may be converted or into which it may be exchanged).
(l) Company means Park Hotels & Resorts Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto, including any entity that is a constituent party in any merger or other combination involving the Company and that survives or succeeds as a publicly traded entity (including, without limitation, by virtue of a triangular merger structure) as part of any Internal Reorganization (as defined in Section 11(c) of the Plan) or other restructuring.
(m) Company Group means, collectively, the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(n) Date of Grant means the date on which the granting of an Award is authorized, or such other date as may be specified in such authorization.
(o) Disability means, unless in the case of a particular Award the applicable Award Agreement states otherwise, the Company or an Affiliate having cause to terminate a Participants service on account of disability, as defined in any then-existing consulting or other similar agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate or, in the absence of such an agreement (or the absence of any definition of Disability contained therein), the complete and permanent inability by reason of illness or accident to perform the duties of the occupation at which a Participant was employed or served when such disability commenced. Any determination of whether Disability exists shall be made by the Committee (or its designee) in its sole discretion.
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(p) Effective Date means January 3, 2017.
(q) Eligible Director means a member of the Board, elected or appointed, who is not also an employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates. An individual who is elected to the Board at an annual meeting of the shareholders of the Company shall be deemed to be a member of the Board as of the date of such meeting.
(r) Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.
(s) Exercise Price has the meaning given to such term in Section 7(b) of the Plan.
(t) Fair Market Value means, on a given date, (i) if the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, the closing sales price of the Common Stock reported on the primary exchange on which the Common Stock is listed and traded on such date, or, if there are no such sales on that date, then on the last preceding date on which such sales were reported; (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed on any national securities exchange but is quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system on a last sale basis, the average between the closing bid price and ask price reported on such date, or, if there is no such sale on that date, then on the last preceding date on which a sale was reported; or (iii) if the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange or quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system on a last sale basis, the amount determined by the Committee in good faith to be the fair market value of the Common Stock.
(u) GAAP has the meaning given to such term in Section 7(d) of the Plan.
(v) Indemnifiable Person has the meaning given to such term in Section 4(e) of the Plan.
(w) Option means an Award granted under Section 7 of the Plan.
(x) Option Period has the meaning given to such term in Section 7(c)(i) of the Plan.
(y) Other Equity-Based Award means an Award that is not an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, share of Restricted Stock, or Restricted Stock Unit, that is granted under Section 10 of the Plan and is (i) payable by delivery of Common Stock, and/or (ii) measured by reference to the value of Common Stock. Other Equity-Based Awards may include (i) operating partnership or limited liability company units or profits interests, including LTIP units, with respect to a Subsidiary of the Company and (ii) unrestricted shares of Common Stock.
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(z) Participant means an Eligible Director who accepts an Award pursuant to the Plan.
(aa) Person means any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act).
(bb) Plan means this Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. 2017 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as it may be amended and restated from time to time.
(cc) Qualifying Director means a person who is, with respect to actions intended to obtain an exemption from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, a non-employee director within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.
(dd) Restricted Period means the period of time determined by the Committee during which an Award is subject to restrictions, including vesting conditions.
(ee) Restricted Stock means Common Stock, subject to certain specified restrictions (which may include, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant provide continuous services as a non-employee director of the Board for a specified period of time), granted under Section 9 of the Plan.
(ff) Restricted Stock Unit means an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver shares of Common Stock, cash, other securities or other property, subject to certain restrictions (which may include, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant provide continuous services as a non-employee director of the Board for a specified period of time), granted under Section 9 of the Plan.
(gg) SAR Period has the meaning given to such term in Section 8(c) of the Plan.
(hh) Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Securities Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.
(ii) Stock Appreciation Right or SAR means an Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan.
(jj) Strike Price has the meaning given to such term in Section 8(b) of the Plan.
(kk) Subsidiary means, with respect to any specified Person:
(i) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of such entitys voting securities (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any voting agreement or stockholders agreement that effectively transfers voting power) is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and
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(ii) any partnership, limited liability company or any comparable foreign entity (A) the sole general partner (or functional equivalent thereof) or the managing general partner (or functional equivalent thereof) of which is such Person or Subsidiary of such Person or (B) the only general partners (or functional equivalents thereof) of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).
(ll) Termination means the cessation of a Participants service as a member of the Board for any reason.
3. Effective Date; Duration. The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date. The expiration date of the Plan, on and after which date no Awards may be granted hereunder, shall be the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date; provided, however, that such expiration shall not affect Awards then outstanding, and the terms and conditions of the Plan shall continue to apply to such Awards.
4. Administration.
(a) The Committee shall administer the Plan. To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (if the Board is not acting as the Committee under the Plan), it is intended that each member of the Committee shall, at the time such member takes any action with respect to an Award under the Plan that is intended to qualify for the exemptions provided by Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act be a Qualifying Director. However, the fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as a Qualifying Director shall not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee that is otherwise validly granted under the Plan.
(b) Subject to the provisions of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have the sole and plenary authority, in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan to (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled in, or exercised for, cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant or of the Committee; (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award granted under, the Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and (ix) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.
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(c) Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or traded, the Committee may allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any one or more of its members and may delegate all or any part of its responsibilities and powers to any person or persons selected by it. Any such allocation or delegation may be revoked by the Committee at any time.
(d) Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all Persons, including, without limitation, any member of the Company Group, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, and any stockholder of the Company.
(e) No member of the Board, the Committee or any employee or agent of any member of the Company Group (each such Person, an Indemnifiable Person) shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder (unless constituting fraud or a willful criminal act or omission). Each Indemnifiable Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense (including attorneys fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Indemnifiable Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Indemnifiable Person may be a party or in which such Indemnifiable Person may be involved by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken or determination made with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder and against and from any and all amounts paid by such Indemnifiable Person with the Companys approval, in settlement thereof, or paid by such Indemnifiable Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Indemnifiable Person, and the Company shall advance to such Indemnifiable Person any such expenses promptly upon written request (which request shall include an undertaking by the Indemnifiable Person to repay the amount of such advance if it shall ultimately be determined, as provided below, that the Indemnifiable Person is not entitled to be indemnified); provided, that the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend any such action, suit or proceeding and once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of the Companys choice. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to an Indemnifiable Person to the extent that a final judgment or other final adjudication (in either case not subject to further appeal) binding upon such Indemnifiable Person determines that the acts, omissions or determinations of such Indemnifiable Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Indemnifiable Persons fraud or willful criminal act or omission or that such right of indemnification is otherwise prohibited by law or by the organizational documents of any member of the Company Group. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of or otherwise supersede any other rights of indemnification to which such Indemnifiable Persons may be entitled under the organizational documents of any member of the Company Group, as a matter of law, under an individual indemnification agreement or contract or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such Indemnifiable Persons or hold such Indemnifiable Persons harmless.
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(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Plan, the Board may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, grant Awards and administer the Plan with respect to such Awards. Any such actions by the Board shall be subject to the applicable rules of the securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted. In any such case, the Board shall have all the authority granted to the Committee under the Plan.
5. Grant of Awards; Shares Subject to the Plan; Limitations.
(a) The Committee may, from time to time, grant Awards to one or more Eligible Directors.
(b) Awards granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following limitations: (i) subject to Section 11 of the Plan, no more than 450,000 shares of Common Stock (the Absolute Share Limit) shall be available for Awards under the Plan; and (ii) the maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Awards granted during a single fiscal year to any Participant, taken together with any cash fees paid during the fiscal year to such Participant in respect of service as a member of the Board, shall not exceed $1,000,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes).
(c) To the extent that an Award expires or is canceled, forfeited or terminated without issuance to the Participant of the full number of shares of Common Stock to which the Award related, the unissued shares will again be available for grant under the Plan. Shares of Common Stock shall be deemed to have been issued in settlement of Awards if the Fair Market Value equivalent of such shares is paid in cash; provided, however, that no shares shall be deemed to have been issued in settlement of a SAR or Restricted Stock Unit that only provides for settlement in cash and settles only in cash. In no event shall (i) shares tendered or withheld on the exercise of Options or other Award for the payment of the exercise or purchase price, (ii) shares not issued upon the settlement of a SAR that settles in shares of Common Stock (or could settle in shares of Common Stock), or (iii) shares purchased on the open market with cash proceeds from the exercise of Options, again become available for other Awards under the Plan.
(d) Shares of Common Stock issued by the Company in settlement of Awards may be authorized and unissued shares, shares held in the treasury of the Company, shares purchased on the open market or by private purchase or a combination of the foregoing.
6. Eligibility. Participation in the Plan shall be limited to Eligible Directors.
7. Options.
(a) General. Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which agreement need not be the same for each Participant. Each Option so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 7, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement. All Options granted under the Plan shall be nonqualified stock options.
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(b) Exercise Price. The exercise price (Exercise Price) per share of Common Stock for each Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share (determined as of the Date of Grant).
(c) Vesting and Expiration; Termination.
(i) Options shall vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Committee. Options shall expire upon a date determined by the Committee, not to exceed ten (10) years from the Date of Grant (the Option Period).
(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, whether in an Award Agreement or otherwise, in the event of a Participants Termination due to death or Disability, each outstanding Option granted to such Participant shall become fully vested and immediately exercisable as of the date of such Termination.
(iii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, whether in an Award Agreement or otherwise, (A) in the event of a Participants Termination by any member of the Company Group for Cause, all outstanding Options granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire, and (B) in the event of a Participants Termination due to death or Disability, after taking into account any accelerated vesting under the above clause (ii), each outstanding vested Option shall remain exercisable for one (1) year thereafter (but in no event beyond the expiration of the Option Period).
(d) Method of Exercise and Form of Payment. No shares of Common Stock shall be issued pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the Exercise Price therefor is received by the Company and the Participant has paid to the Company an amount equal to any Federal, state, local and non-U.S. income, employment and any other applicable taxes required to be withheld. Options which have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company (or telephonic instructions to the extent provided by the Committee) in accordance with the terms of the Option accompanied by payment of the Exercise Price. The Exercise Price shall be payable: (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent and/or shares of Common Stock valued at the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is exercised (including, pursuant to procedures approved by the Committee, by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock in lieu of actual issuance of such shares to the Company); provided, that such shares of Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and have been held by the Participant for any period of time as established from time to time by the Committee in order to avoid adverse accounting treatment applying generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP); or (ii) by such other method as the Committee may permit, in its sole discretion, including, without limitation (A) in other property having a fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the Exercise Price; (B) if there is a public market for the shares of Common Stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted cashless exercise pursuant to which the Company is delivered (including telephonically to the extent permitted by the Committee) a copy of irrevocable
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instructions to a stockbroker to sell the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the Exercise Price; or (C) a net exercise procedure effected by withholding the minimum number of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable in respect of an Option that are needed to pay the Exercise Price. Any fractional shares of Common Stock shall be settled in cash.
(e) Compliance With Laws, etc. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall a Participant be permitted to exercise an Option in a manner which the Committee determines would violate the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as it may be amended from time to time, or any other applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or traded.
8. Stock Appreciation Rights.
(a) General. Each SAR granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement. Each SAR so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 8, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement. Any Option granted under the Plan may include tandem SARs. The Committee also may award SARs to Eligible Directors independent of any Option.
(b) Strike Price. The strike price (Strike Price) per share of Common Stock for each SAR shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share (determined as of the Date of Grant). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a SAR granted in tandem with (or in substitution for) an Option previously granted shall have a Strike Price equal to the Exercise Price of the corresponding Option.
(c) Vesting and Expiration; Termination.
(i) A SAR granted in connection with an Option shall become exercisable and shall expire according to the same vesting schedule and expiration provisions as the corresponding Option. A SAR granted independent of an Option shall vest and become exercisable in such a manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Committee. SARs shall expire upon a date determined by the Committee, not to exceed ten (10) years from the Date of Grant (the SAR Period).
(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, whether in an Award Agreement or otherwise, in the event of a Participants Termination due to death or Disability, outstanding SARs granted to such Participant shall become fully vested and immediately exercisable as of the date of such Termination.
(iii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, whether in an Award Agreement or otherwise, (A) in the event of a Participants Termination by any member of the Company Group for Cause, all outstanding SARs granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire, and (B) in the event of a Participants Termination due to death or Disability, each outstanding vested SAR granted to such Participant shall remain exercisable for one (1) year thereafter (but in no event beyond the expiration of the SAR Period).
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(d) Method of Exercise. SARs which have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award, specifying the number of SARs to be exercised and the date on which such SARs were awarded.
(e) Payment. Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the number of shares subject to the SAR that is being exercised multiplied by the excess of the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Common Stock on the exercise date over the Strike Price, less an amount equal to any Federal, state, local and non-U.S. income, employment and any other applicable taxes required to be withheld. The Company shall pay such amount in cash, in shares of Common Stock valued at Fair Market Value, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee. Any fractional shares of Common Stock shall be settled in cash.
9. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.
(a) General. Each grant of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement. Each Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 9, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement.
(b) Stock Certificates and Book-Entry; Escrow or Similar Arrangement. Upon the grant of Restricted Stock, the Committee shall cause a stock certificate registered in the name of the Participant to be issued or shall cause share(s) of Common Stock to be registered in the name of the Participant and held in book-entry form subject to the Companys directions and, if the Committee determines that the Restricted Stock shall be held by the Company or in escrow rather than issued to the Participant pending the release of the applicable restrictions, the Committee may require the Participant to additionally execute and deliver to the Company (i) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Committee, if applicable; and (ii) the appropriate stock power (endorsed in blank) with respect to the Restricted Stock covered by such agreement. If a Participant shall fail to execute and deliver (in a manner permitted under Section 13(a) of the Plan or as otherwise determined by the Committee) an agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted Stock and, if applicable, an escrow agreement and blank stock power within the amount of time specified by the Committee, the Award shall be null and void. Subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 9 and the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder as to shares of Restricted Stock, including, without limitation, the right to vote such Restricted Stock. To the extent shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited, any stock certificates issued to the Participant evidencing such shares shall be returned to the Company, and all rights of the Participant to such shares and as a stockholder with respect thereto shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company. A Participant shall have no rights or privileges as a stockholder as to Restricted Stock Units.
(c) Vesting; Termination. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall vest, and any applicable Restricted Period shall lapse, in such manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Committee.
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(d) Issuance of Restricted Stock and Settlement of Restricted Stock Units.
(i) Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock, the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award Agreement shall be of no further force or effect with respect to such shares, except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. If an escrow arrangement is used, upon such expiration, the Company shall issue to the Participant, or the Participants beneficiary, without charge, the stock certificate (or, if applicable, a notice evidencing a book-entry notation) evidencing the shares of Restricted Stock which have not then been forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (rounded down to the nearest full share). Dividends, if any, that may have been withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular share of Restricted Stock shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value (on the date of distribution) equal to the amount of such dividends, upon the release of restrictions on such share and, if such share is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividends.
(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement or otherwise, upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall issue to the Participant or the Participants beneficiary, without charge, one (1) share of Common Stock (or other securities or other property, as applicable) for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit; provided, however, that the Committee may, in its sole discretion, elect to (A) pay cash or part cash and part shares of Common Stock in lieu of issuing only shares of Common Stock in respect of such Restricted Stock Units; or (B) defer the issuance of shares of Common Stock (or cash or part cash and part shares of Common Stock, as the case may be) beyond the expiration of the Restricted Period if such extension would not cause adverse tax consequences under Section 409A of the Code. If a cash payment is made in lieu of issuing shares of Common Stock in respect of such Restricted Stock Units, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value per share of the Common Stock as of the date on which the Restricted Period lapsed with respect to such Restricted Stock Units. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement or by the Committee, in its sole discretion, upon the payment by the Company of dividends on shares of Common Stock, the holder of outstanding Restricted Stock Units shall be entitled to be credited with dividend equivalent payments in cash (unless, the Committee, in its sole discretion, elects to credit such payments in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividend), which payments shall be made to the holder on a current basis within fifteen (15) days following the date on which the corresponding dividend is paid to the Companys stockholders.
(e) Legends on Restricted Stock. Each certificate, if any, or book entry representing Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan, if any, shall bear a legend or book entry notation substantially in the form of the following, in addition to any other information the Company deems appropriate, until the lapse of all restrictions with respect to such shares of Common Stock:
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TRANSFER OF THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SHARES REPRESENTED HEREBY IS RESTRICTED PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF THE PARK HOTELS & RESORTS INC. 2017 STOCK PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS AND A RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT BETWEEN PARK HOTELS & RESORTS INC. AND PARTICIPANT. A COPY OF SUCH PLAN AND AWARD AGREEMENT IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF PARK HOTELS & RESORTS INC.
10. Other Equity-Based Awards. The Committee may grant Other Equity-Based Awards under the Plan to Eligible Directors, alone or in tandem with other Awards, in such amounts and dependent on such conditions as the Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion determine. Each Other Equity-Based Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement. Each Other Equity-Based Award so granted shall be subject to such conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement or other form evidencing such Award, including, without limitation, those set forth in Section 13(a) of the Plan. Grants of Other Equity-Based Awards that are operating partnership or limited liability company units or profits interests or other equity interests in an operating partnership or limited liability company Subsidiary of the Company (a) may be granted for Service to such operating partnership or limited liability company Subsidiary (or a Subsidiary thereof) and (b) shall have the rights and features of which, if applicable, will be set forth in an operating partnership or limited liability company agreement and an applicable Award Agreement.
11. Changes in Capital Structure and Similar Events. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan to the contrary, the following provisions shall apply to all Awards granted hereunder:
(a) General. In the event of (i) any dividend (other than regular cash dividends) or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event that affects the shares of Common Stock (including a Change in Control); or (ii) unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company, including changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements, that the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, could result in substantial dilution or enlargement of the rights intended to be granted to, or available for, Participants (any event in (i) or (ii), an Adjustment Event), the Committee shall, in respect of any such Adjustment Event, make such proportionate substitution or adjustment, if any, as it deems equitable, to any or all of (A) the Absolute Share Limit, or any other limit applicable under the Plan with respect to the number of Awards which may be granted hereunder; (B) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) which may be issued in respect of Awards or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan; and (C) the terms of any outstanding Award, including, without limitation, (I) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate; or (II) the
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Exercise Price or Strike Price with respect to any Award; provided, that in the case of any equity restructuring (within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor pronouncement thereto)), the Committee shall make an equitable or proportionate adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect such equity restructuring.
(b) Adjustment Events. Without limiting the foregoing, except as may otherwise be provided in an Award Agreement, in connection with any Adjustment Event, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for any one or more of the following:
(i) substitution or assumption of Awards (or awards of an acquiring company), acceleration of the vesting of, exercisability of, lapse of restrictions on, or termination of, Awards, or establishment of a period of time (which shall not be required to be more than ten (10) days) for Participants to exercise outstanding Awards prior to the occurrence of such event (and any such Award not so exercised shall terminate upon the occurrence of such event);
(ii) cancellation of any one or more outstanding Awards and payment to the holders of such Awards that are vested as of such cancellation (including, without limitation, any Awards that would vest as a result of the occurrence of such event but for such cancellation or for which vesting is accelerated by the Committee in connection with such event pursuant to clause (i) above), the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which value, if applicable, may be based upon the price per share of Common Stock received or to be received by other stockholders of the Company in such event), including, without limitation, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Committee) of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price of such Option or SAR (it being understood that, in such event, any Option or SAR having a per share Exercise Price or Strike Price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock subject thereto may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor), or, in the case of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Equity-Based Awards that are not vested as of such cancellation, a cash payment or equity subject to deferred vesting and delivery consistent with the vesting restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Equity-Based Awards prior to cancellation, or the underlying shares in respect thereof; and
(iii) subject to any limitations or reductions as may be necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code, conversion or replacement of any Award that is not vested as of the occurrence of such event into or with the right to receive a payment, based on the value of the Award (as determined consistent with clause (ii) above), which is subject to continued vesting on the same basis as the vesting requirements applicable to such converted or replaced Award.
Payments to holders pursuant to clauses (ii) or (iii) above shall be made in cash or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, in the form of such other consideration necessary for a Participant to receive property, cash, or securities (or combination thereof) as such Participant would have
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been entitled to receive upon the occurrence of the transaction if the Participant had been, immediately prior to such transaction, the holder of the number of shares of Common Stock covered by the Award at such time (less any applicable Exercise Price or Strike Price).
(c) Internal Reorganization. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) no payments or benefits or acceleration of payments, benefits or vesting will become payable or accelerated, as applicable, hereunder or under any Award Agreement or be triggered for any purpose in the event of any internal reorganization (whether by merger, consolidation, reorganization, combination, contribution, distribution, asset transfer or otherwise) or restructuring involving the Company or any of its Affiliates, including any such reorganization or restructuring pursuant to a merger or other combination involving the Company in which an Affiliate of the Company survives or succeeds as a publicly-traded entity (including, without limitation, by virtue of a triangular merger structure) and/or any such reorganization or restructuring undertaken in connection with implementation of an umbrella partnership REIT or downREIT structure (an Internal Reorganization), (ii) in connection with any Internal Reorganization, the Committee shall have the authority to transfer and assign the Plan and all related agreements, including Award Agreements, to a direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company as part of such Internal Reorganization, subject to compliance with applicable law, and (iii) if any Internal Reorganization results in a transfer of a Participants service from the Company to one of its direct or indirect subsidiaries, such a transfer shall not be considered or interpreted as a termination of employment or separation from service under any other similar provision that addresses an involuntary termination of employment or service.
(d) Other Requirements. Prior to any payment or adjustment contemplated under this Section 11, the Committee may require a Participant to (i) represent and warrant as to the unencumbered title to the Participants Awards; (ii) bear such Participants pro rata share of any post-closing indemnity obligations, and be subject to the same post-closing purchase price adjustments, escrow terms, offset rights, holdback terms, and similar conditions as the other holders of Common Stock, subject to any limitations or reductions as may be necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code; and (iii) deliver customary transfer documentation as reasonably determined by the Committee.
(e) Fractional Shares. Any adjustment provided under this Section 11 may provide for the elimination of any fractional share that might otherwise become subject to an Award.
(f) Binding Effect. Any adjustment, substitution, determination of value or other action taken by the Committee under this Section 11 shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.
12. Amendments and Termination.
(a) Amendment and Termination of the Plan. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided, that no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination shall be made without stockholder approval if (i) such approval is necessary to comply with any regulatory requirement applicable to the Plan (including, without limitation, as necessary to comply with any rules or regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which
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the securities of the Company may be listed or quoted) or for changes in GAAP to new accounting standards; (ii) it would materially increase the number of securities which may be issued under the Plan (except for increases pursuant to Section 5 or 11 of the Plan); or (iii) it would materially modify the requirements for participation in the Plan; provided, further, that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment shall be made to the last proviso of Section 12(b) of the Plan without stockholder approval.
(b) Amendment of Award Agreements. The Committee may, to the extent consistent with the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted or the associated Award Agreement, prospectively or retroactively (including after a Participants Termination); provided, that, other than pursuant to Section 11, any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect to any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant.
(c) No Repricing. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, without stockholder approval, except as otherwise permitted under Section 11 of the Plan, (i) no amendment or modification may reduce the Exercise Price of any Option or the Strike Price of any SAR; (ii) the Committee may not cancel any outstanding Option or SAR and replace it with a new Option or SAR (with a lower Exercise Price or Strike Price, as the case may be) or other Award or cash payment that is greater than the intrinsic value (if any) of the cancelled Option or SAR; and (iii) the Committee may not take any other action which is considered a repricing for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or quoted.
13. General.
(a) Award Agreements. Each Award under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant to whom such Award was granted and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto, including, without limitation, the effect on such Award of a Termination of a Participant, or of such other events as may be determined by the Committee. For purposes of the Plan, an Award Agreement may be in any such form (written or electronic) as determined by the Committee (including, without limitation, a Board or Committee resolution, a notice, a certificate or a letter) evidencing the Award. The Committee need not require an Award Agreement to be signed by the Participant or a duly authorized representative of the Company or a Subsidiary.
(b) Nontransferability. Each Award shall be exercisable only by such Participant to whom such Award was granted during the Participants lifetime, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participants legal guardian or representative. No Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant (unless such transfer is specifically required pursuant to a domestic relations order or
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by applicable law) other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against any member of the Company Group; provided, that the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.
(c) Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide a Participant as part of an Award with dividends, dividend equivalents, or similar payments in respect of Awards, payable in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property, on a current or deferred basis, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, including, without limitation, payment directly to the Participant, withholding of such amounts by the Company subject to vesting of the Award or reinvestment in additional shares of Common Stock, Restricted Stock or other Awards; provided, that no dividends, dividend equivalents or other similar payments shall be payable in respect of outstanding Options or SARs.
(d) Tax Withholding.
(i) A Participant shall be required to pay to the Company or one or more of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, an amount in cash (by check or wire transfer) equal to the aggregate amount of any income, employment and/or other applicable taxes that are statutorily required to be withheld in respect of an Award. Alternatively, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may elect, in its sole discretion, to satisfy this requirement by withholding such amount from any cash compensation or other cash amounts owing to a Participant.
(ii) Without limiting the foregoing, the Committee may (but is not obligated to), in its sole discretion, permit or require a Participant to satisfy, all or any portion of the minimum income, employment and/or other applicable taxes that are statutorily required to be withheld with respect to an Award by (A) the delivery of shares of Common Stock (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) that have been both held by the Participant and vested for any period of time as established from time to time by the Committee in order to avoid adverse accounting treatment under GAAP) having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to such minimum statutorily required withholding liability (or portion thereof); or (B) having the Company withhold from the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable or deliverable to, or that would otherwise be retained by, the Participant upon the grant, exercise, vesting or settlement of the Award, as applicable, a number of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to an amount, subject to clause (iii) below, not in excess of such minimum statutorily required withholding liability (or portion thereof).
(iii) The Committee, subject to its having considered the applicable accounting impact of any such determination, has full discretion to allow Participants to satisfy, in whole or in part, any additional income, employment and/or other applicable taxes payable by them with respect to an Award by electing to have the Company withhold from the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable or deliverable to, or that would otherwise be retained by, a Participant upon the grant, exercise, vesting or settlement of
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the Award, as applicable, shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value that is greater than the applicable minimum required statutory withholding liability (but such withholding may in no event be in excess of the maximum statutory withholding amount(s) in a Participants relevant tax jurisdictions).
(e) Data Protection. By participating in the Plan or accepting any rights granted under it, each Participant consents to the collection and processing of personal data relating to the Participant so that the Company and its Affiliates can fulfill their obligations and exercise their rights under the Plan and generally administer and manage the Plan. This data will include, but may not be limited to, data about participation in the Plan and shares offered or received, purchased, or sold under the Plan from time to time and other appropriate financial and other data (such as the date on which the Awards were granted) about the Participant and the Participants participation in the Plan.
(f) No Claim to Awards; No Rights to Continued Service; Waiver. No employee of any member of the Company Group, member of the Board, or other Person, shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under the Plan or, having been selected for the grant of an Award, to be selected for a grant of any other Award. There is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards. The terms and conditions of Awards and the Committees determinations and interpretations with respect thereto need not be the same with respect to each Participant and may be made selectively among Participants, whether or not such Participants are similarly situated. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the employ or service of any other member of the Company Group, nor shall it be construed as giving any Participant any rights to continued service on the Board. The Participants service as a member of the Board may be terminated free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or any Award Agreement. By accepting an Award under the Plan, a Participant shall thereby be deemed to have waived any claim to continued exercise or vesting of an Award or to damages or severance entitlement related to non-continuation of the Award beyond the period provided under the Plan or any Award Agreement, except to the extent of any provision to the contrary in any written services contract or other agreement between any member of the Company Group and the Participant, whether any such agreement is executed before, on or after the Date of Grant.
(g) Designation and Change of Beneficiary. Each Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of one or more Persons as the beneficiary(ies) who shall be entitled to receive the amounts payable with respect to an Award, if any, due under the Plan upon the Participants death. A Participant may, from time to time, revoke or change the Participants beneficiary designation without the consent of any prior beneficiary by filing a new designation with the Committee. The last such designation received by the Committee shall be controlling; provided, however, that no designation, or change or revocation thereof, shall be effective unless received by the Committee prior to the Participants death, and in no event shall it be effective as of a date prior to such receipt. If no beneficiary designation is filed by a Participant, the beneficiary shall be deemed to be the Participants spouse or, if the Participant is unmarried at the time of death, the Participants estate.
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(h) Termination. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, if a Participant undergoes a Termination of service as a member of the Board, but such Participant continues to provide services to the Company Group in a non-employee capacity, such change in status shall not be considered a Termination for purposes of the Plan.
(i) No Rights as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan or any Award Agreement, no Person shall be entitled to the privileges of ownership in respect of shares of Common Stock which are subject to Awards hereunder until such shares have been issued or delivered to such Person.
(j) Government and Other Regulations.
(i) The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in shares of Common Stock or other consideration shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by governmental agencies as may be required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling, any shares of Common Stock pursuant to an Award unless such shares have been properly registered for sale pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel (if the Company has requested such an opinion), satisfactory to the Company, that such shares may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of such exemption have been fully complied with. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the shares of Common Stock to be offered or sold under the Plan. The Committee shall have the authority to provide that all shares of Common Stock or other securities of any member of the Company Group issued under the Plan shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award Agreement, the Federal securities laws, or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or quoted and any other applicable Federal, state, local or non-U.S. laws, rules, regulations and other requirements, and, without limiting the generality of Section 9 of the Plan, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on certificates representing shares of Common Stock or other securities of any member of the Company Group issued under the Plan to make appropriate reference to such restrictions or may cause such Common Stock or other securities of any member of the Company Group issued under the Plan in book-entry form to be held subject to the Companys instructions or subject to appropriate stop-transfer orders. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee reserves the right to add any additional terms or provisions to any Award granted under the Plan that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable in order that such Award complies with the legal requirements of any governmental entity to whose jurisdiction the Award is subject.
(ii) The Committee may cancel an Award or any portion thereof if it determines, in its sole discretion, that legal or contractual restrictions and/or blockage
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and/or other market considerations would make the Companys acquisition of shares of Common Stock from the public markets, the Companys issuance of Common Stock to the Participant, the Participants acquisition of Common Stock from the Company and/or the Participants sale of Common Stock to the public markets, illegal, impracticable or inadvisable. If the Committee determines to cancel all or any portion of an Award in accordance with the foregoing, the Company shall, subject to any limitations or reductions as may be necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code, (A) pay to the Participant an amount equal to the excess of (I) the aggregate Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award or portion thereof canceled (determined as of the applicable exercise date, or the date that the shares would have been vested or issued, as applicable); over (II) the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price (in the case of an Option or SAR, respectively) or any amount payable as a condition of issuance of shares of Common Stock (in the case of any other Award). Such amount shall be delivered to the Participant as soon as practicable following the cancellation of such Award or portion thereof, or (B) in the case of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Equity-Based Awards, provide the Participant with a cash payment or equity subject to deferred vesting and delivery consistent with the vesting restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Equity-Based Awards, or the underlying shares in respect thereof.
(k) No Section 83(b) Elections Without Consent of Company. No election under Section 83(b) of the Code or under a similar provision of law may be made unless expressly permitted by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement or by action of the Committee in writing prior to the making of such election. If a Participant, in connection with the acquisition of shares of Common Stock under the Plan or otherwise, is expressly permitted to make such election and the Participant makes the election, the Participant shall notify the Company of such election within ten (10) days of filing notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service or other governmental authority, in addition to any filing and notification required pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code or other applicable provision.
(l) Payments to Persons Other Than Participants. If the Committee shall find that any Person to whom any amount is payable under the Plan is unable to care for the Participants affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due to such Person or the Participants estate (unless a prior claim therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative) may, if the Committee so directs the Company, be paid to the Participants spouse, child, relative, an institution maintaining or having custody of such Person, or any other Person deemed by the Committee to be a proper recipient on behalf of such Person otherwise entitled to payment. Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Committee and the Company therefor.
(m) Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor the submission of the Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of equity-based awards otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.
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(n) No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between any member of the Company Group, on the one hand, and a Participant or other Person, on the other hand. No provision of the Plan or any Award shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity to which contributions are made or otherwise to segregate any assets, nor shall the Company be obligated to maintain separate bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes. Participants shall have no rights under the Plan other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company, except that insofar as they may have become entitled to payment of additional compensation by performance of services, they shall have the same rights as other service providers under general law.
(o) Reliance on Reports. Each member of the Committee and each member of the Board shall be fully justified in acting or failing to act, as the case may be, and shall not be liable for having so acted or failed to act in good faith, in reliance upon any report made by the independent public accountant of any member of the Company Group and/or any other information furnished in connection with the Plan by any agent of the Company or the Committee or the Board, other than himself or herself.
(p) Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and performed wholly within the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions thereof. EACH PARTICIPANT WHO ACCEPTS AN AWARD IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY SUIT, ACTION, OR OTHER PROCEEDING INSTITUTED BY OR AGAINST SUCH PARTICIPANT IN RESPECT OF THE PARTICIPANTS RIGHTS OR OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER.
(q) Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award or Award Agreement is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be construed or deemed stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.
(r) Obligations Binding on Successors. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to substantially all of the assets and business of the Company (or as otherwise contemplated in connection with any Internal Reorganization).
(s) Section 409A of the Code.
(i) Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, it is intended that the provisions of the Plan comply with Section 409A of the Code, and all provisions
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of the Plan shall be construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with the requirements for avoiding taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. Each Participant is solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may be imposed on or in respect of such Participant in connection with the Plan (including any taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code), and no member of the Company Group shall have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold such Participant (or any beneficiary) harmless from any or all of such taxes or penalties. With respect to any Award that is considered deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, references in the Plan to termination of employment or termination of service (and substantially similar phrases) shall mean separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each of the payments that may be made in respect of any Award granted under the Plan is designated as separate payments.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, if a Participant is a specified employee within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, no payments in respect of any Awards that are deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code and which would otherwise be payable upon the Participants separation from service (as defined in Section 409A of the Code) shall be made to such Participant prior to the date that is six (6) months after the date of such Participants separation from service or, if earlier, the date of the Participants death. Following any applicable six (6) month delay, all such delayed payments will be paid in a single lump sum on the earliest date permitted under Section 409A of the Code that is also a business day.
(iii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement or otherwise, in the event that the timing of payments in respect of any Award (that would otherwise be considered deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code) would be accelerated upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, no such acceleration shall be permitted unless the event giving rise to the Change in Control satisfies the definition of a change in the ownership or effective control of a corporation, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of a corporation pursuant to Section 409A of the Code.
(t) Clawback/Repayment. All Awards shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment to the extent necessary to comply with (i) any clawback, forfeiture or other similar policy adopted by the Board or the Committee and as in effect from time to time; and (ii) applicable law. Further, to the extent that the Participant receives any amount in excess of the amount that the Participant should otherwise have received under the terms of the Award for any reason (including, without limitation, by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), the Participant shall be required to repay any such excess amount to the Company.
(u) Right of Offset. The Company will have the right to offset against its obligation to deliver shares of Common Stock (or other property or cash) under the Plan or any Award Agreement any outstanding amounts that the Participant then owes to any member of the Company Group and any amounts the Committee otherwise deems appropriate pursuant to any
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tax equalization policy or agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Award is deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Committee will have no right to offset against its obligation to deliver shares of Common Stock (or other property or cash) under the Plan or any Award Agreement if such offset could subject the Participant to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A of the Code in respect of an outstanding Award.
(v) Expenses; Titles and Headings. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company Group. The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.
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