RDA HOLDING CO. 2007 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

EX-10.14 5 a2188120zex-10_14.htm EXHIBIT 10.14

Exhibit 10.14

 

RDA HOLDING CO.
2007 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

 

SECTION 1.  Purpose.  The purpose of this RDA Holding Co. 2007 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan is to promote the interests of RDA Holding Co., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and its stockholders by (a) attracting and retaining exceptional directors, officers, employees and consultants (including prospective directors, officers, employees and consultants) of the Company and its Affiliates (as defined below) and (b) enabling such individuals to participate in the long-term growth and financial success of the Company.

 

SECTION 2.  Definitions.  As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any entity, (a) any other entity that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by, controls or is under common control with, such entity and (b) any other entity in which such entity has a significant equity interest, in either case as determined by the Board.

 

Award” means any award that is permitted under Section 6 and granted under the Plan.

 

Award Agreement” means any written agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing any Award, which may, but need not, require execution or acknowledgment by a Participant.

 

Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor statute thereto.

 

Exercise Price” means (a) in the case of Options, the price specified in the applicable Award Agreement as the price per Share at which Shares may be purchased pursuant to such Option or (b) in the case of SARs, the price specified in the applicable Award Agreement as the reference price per Share used to calculate the amount payable to the Participant.

 

Fair Market Value” means, except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, (a) with respect to any property other than Shares, the fair market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Board and (b) with respect to the Shares, as of any date, (i) the closing per share sales price of the Shares as reported on any national securities exchange on which the Shares are traded or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares are quoted, as reported on the stock exchange composite tape for Shares traded on such stock exchange or inter-dealer quotation system for such date or, if there were no sales on such

 



 

date, on the closest preceding date on which there were sales of Shares or (ii) in the event that the Shares are not so traded or quoted on such date, the fair market value of the Shares as determined in good faith by the Board.

 

Incentive Stock Option” means an option to purchase Shares from the Company that (a) is granted under Section 6 and (b) is intended to qualify for special Federal income tax treatment pursuant to Sections 421 and 422 of the Code, as now constituted or subsequently amended, or pursuant to a successor provision of the Code, and which is so designated in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

IPO” means the initial bona fide underwritten public offering and sale of Shares pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (other than a public offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-4 or S-8 or any similar or successor form) that results in the listing of the Shares on a United States national securities exchange or the quotation of the Shares on a United States inter-dealer quotation system.

 

IRS” means the Internal Revenue Service or any successor thereto and includes the staff thereof.

 

Nonqualified Stock Option” means an option to purchase Shares from the Company that (a) is granted under Section 6 and (b) is not an Incentive Stock Option.

 

Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option or both, as the context requires.

 

Participant” means any director, officer, employee or consultant (including any prospective director, officer, employee or consultant) of the Company or one of its Affiliates who is eligible for an Award under Section 5 and who is selected by the Board to receive an Award under the Plan or who receives a Substitute Award pursuant to Section 4(c).

 

Plan” means this RDA Holding Co. 2007 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as in effect from time to time.

 

Restricted Share” means a Share delivered under the Plan that is subject to certain transfer restrictions, forfeiture provisions and/or other terms and conditions specified herein and in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

RSU” means a restricted stock unit Award that is designated as such in the applicable Award Agreement and that represents an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Shares, cash, other securities, other Awards or other property in accordance with the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.

 

SAR” means a stock appreciation right Award that represents an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Shares, cash, other securities, other Awards or other property equal in value to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value per Share

 

2



 

over the Exercise Price per Share of the SAR, subject to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.

 

Shares” means shares of common stock of the Company, par value $1.00 per share, or such other securities of the Company (a) into which such shares shall be changed by reason of a recapitalization, merger, consolidation, split-up, combination, exchange of shares or other similar transaction or (b) as may be determined by the Board pursuant to Section 4(b).

 

Substitute Awards” shall have the meaning specified in Section 4(c).

 

SECTION 3.  Administration.  (a)  Composition of Board.  The Plan shall be administered by the Board; provided that after the date of the consummation of an initial public offering of Shares, the Plan shall be administered by a committee, all of whom shall meet the independence requirements of any national securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares may be traded or quoted, and references herein (and in any Award Agreement) to the Board shall be deemed to refer to such committee, as appropriate.

 

(b)  Authority of Board.  Except as otherwise provided in an applicable Award Agreement, subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Board by the Plan, the Board shall have sole and plenary authority to administer the Plan, including, but not limited to, the authority to (i) designate Participants, (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant, (iii) determine the number of Shares 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 Awards, (v) determine the vesting schedules of Awards and, if certain performance criteria must be attained in order for an Award to vest or be settled or paid, establish such performance criteria and certify whether, and to what extent, such performance criteria have been attained, (vi) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Shares, 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, (vii) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or of the Board, (viii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any default in and supply any omission in, the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award made under, the Plan, (ix) establish, amend, suspend or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan, (x) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of, payment for or lapse of restrictions on, Awards, (xi) amend an outstanding Award or grant a replacement Award for an Award previously granted under the Plan if, in its sole discretion, the Board determines that (A) the tax consequences of such Award to the Company or the Participant differ from those consequences that were expected to occur on the date the Award was granted or (B) clarifications or interpretations of, or changes to, tax law or regulations permit Awards to be granted that

 

3



 

have more favorable tax consequences than initially anticipated and (xii) make any other determination and take any other action that the Board deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

 

(c)  Board Decisions.  Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or applicable Award Agreement, all designations, determinations, interpretations and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be within the sole and plenary discretion of the Board, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all persons, including the Company, any of its Affiliates, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award and any stockholder.

 

(d)  Indemnification.  No member of the Board or the Board or any employee of the Company (each such person, a “Covered Person”) shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder.  Each Covered Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from (i) any loss, cost, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Covered Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Covered Person may be a party or in which such Covered Person may be involved by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken under the Plan or any Award Agreement and (ii) any and all amounts paid by such Covered Person, with the Company’s approval, in settlement thereof, or paid by such Covered Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Covered Person; 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 Company’s choice.  The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to a Covered Person to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or other final adjudication, in either case not subject to further appeal, determines that the acts or omissions of such Covered Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Covered Person’s bad faith, fraud or willful criminal act or omission or that such right of indemnification is otherwise prohibited by law or by the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws.  The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which Covered Persons may be entitled under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such persons or hold them harmless.

 

(e)  Delegation of Authority to Senior Officers.  The Board may delegate, on such terms and conditions as it determines in its sole and plenary discretion, to one or more senior officers of the Company the authority to make grants of Awards to officers (other than executive officers), employees and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates (including any prospective officer, employee or consultant) and all necessary and appropriate decisions and determinations with respect thereto.

 

SECTION 4.  Shares Available for Awards.  (a)  Shares Available.  Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(b), the aggregate number of Shares that

 

4



 

may be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall be 4,988,047 of which the maximum number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan shall be 1,192,812.  If, after the effective date of the Plan, any Award granted under the Plan is forfeited, or otherwise expires, terminates or is canceled without the delivery of Shares, then the Shares covered by such forfeited, expired, terminated or canceled Award shall again become available to be delivered pursuant to Awards under the Plan.  If Shares issued upon exercise, vesting or settlement of an Award, or Shares owned by a Participant (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest), are surrendered or tendered to the Company in payment of the Exercise Price of an Award or any taxes required to be withheld in respect of an Award, in each case, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, such surrendered or tendered Shares shall again become available to be delivered pursuant to Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that in no event shall such Shares increase the number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan.

 

(b)  Adjustments for Changes in Capitalization and Similar Events.  (i)  In the event of any extraordinary dividend or other extraordinary distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, split-up or spin-off, the Board shall, in order to preserve the value of the Award and in the manner determined by the Board, adjust any or all of (A) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, including (1) the aggregate number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan, as provided in Section 4(a) and (2) the maximum number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted to any Participant in any fiscal year of the Company and (B) the terms of any outstanding Award, including (1) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate and (2) the Exercise Price with respect to any Award.

 

(ii)  In the event that the Board determines that any reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Shares such that an adjustment is determined by the Board in its discretion to be appropriate or desirable, then the Board may (A) in such manner as it may deem equitable or desirable, adjust any or all of (I) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, including the aggregate number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan, as provided in Section 4(a), and (II) the terms of any outstanding Award, including (x) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate and (y) the Exercise Price with respect to any Award, (B) if deemed appropriate or desirable by the Board, make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award in consideration for the cancelation

 

5



 

of such Award, including, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment to the holder of such Option or SAR in consideration for the cancelation of such Option or SAR in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Board) of the Shares subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price of such Option or SAR and (C) if deemed appropriate or desirable by the Board, cancel and terminate any Option or SAR having a per Share Exercise Price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value of a Share subject to such Option or SAR without any payment or consideration therefor.

 

(c)  Substitute Awards.  Awards may, in the discretion of the Board, be granted under the Plan in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by the Company or any of its Affiliates or a company acquired by the Company or any of its Affiliates or with which the Company or any of its Affiliates combines (“Substitute Awards”).  The number of Shares underlying any Substitute Awards shall be counted against the aggregate number of Shares available for Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that Substitute Awards issued in connection with the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an entity that is acquired by the Company or any of its Affiliates or with which the Company or any of its Affiliates combines shall not be counted against the aggregate number of Shares available for Awards under the Plan; provided further, however, that Substitute Awards issued in connection with the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding stock options intended to qualify for special tax treatment under Sections 421 and 422 of the Code that were previously granted by an entity that is acquired by the Company or any of its Affiliates or with which the Company or any of its Affiliates combines shall be counted against the aggregate number of Shares available for Incentive Stock Options under the Plan.

 

(d)  Sources of Shares Deliverable Under Awards.  Any Shares delivered pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares or of treasury Shares.

 

SECTION 5.  Eligibility.  Any director, officer, employee or consultant (including any prospective director, officer, employee or consultant) of the Company or any of its Affiliates shall be eligible to be designated a Participant.

 

SECTION 6.  Awards.  (a)  Types of Awards.  Awards may be made under the Plan in the form of (i) Options, (ii) SARs, (iii) Restricted Shares, (iv) RSUs and  (v) other equity-based or equity-related Awards that the Board determines are consistent with the purpose of the Plan and the interests of the Company.  Awards may be granted in tandem with other Awards.  No Incentive Stock Option (other than an Incentive Stock Option that may be assumed or issued by the Company in connection with a transaction to which Section 424(a) of the Code applies) may be granted to a person who is ineligible to receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Code.

 

(b)  Options.  (i)  Grant.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall have sole and plenary authority to determine the Participants to whom Options shall be granted, the number of Shares to be covered by each Option, whether the Option will

 

6



 

be an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option and the conditions and limitations applicable to the vesting and exercise of the Option.  In the case of Incentive Stock Options, the terms and conditions of such grants shall be subject to and comply with such rules as may be prescribed by Section 422 of the Code and any regulations related thereto, as may be amended from time to time.  All Options granted under the Plan shall be Nonqualified Stock Options unless the applicable Award Agreement expressly states that the Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option.  If an Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option, and if for any reason such Option (or any portion thereof) shall not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, then, to the extent of such nonqualification, such Option (or portion thereof) shall be regarded as a Nonqualified Stock Option appropriately granted under the Plan; provided that such Option (or portion thereof) otherwise complies with the Plan’s requirements relating to Nonqualified Stock Options.

 

(ii)  Exercise Price.  Except as otherwise established by the Board at the time an Option is granted and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, the Exercise Price of each Share covered by an Option shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Share (determined as of the date the Option is granted); provided, however, that (A) except as otherwise established by the Board at the time an Option is granted and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, the Exercise Price of each Share covered by an Option that is granted effective as of the Company’s IPO shall be the  price per Share paid by the initial purchasers in the IPO and (B) in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to an employee who, at the time of the grant of such Option, owns stock representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any of its Affiliates, the per Share Exercise Price shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of the grant.

 

(iii)  Vesting and Exercise.  Each Option shall be vested and exercisable at such times, in such manner and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may, in its sole and plenary discretion, specify in the applicable Award Agreement or thereafter.  Except as otherwise specified by the Board in the applicable Award Agreement, an Option may only be exercised to the extent that it has already vested at the time of exercise.  Except as otherwise specified by the Board in the Award Agreement, Options shall become vested and exercisable with respect to one-fourth of the Shares subject to such Options on each of the first four anniversaries of the date of grant.  An Option shall be deemed to be exercised when written or electronic notice of such exercise has been given to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award by the person entitled to exercise the Award and full payment pursuant to Section 6(b)(iv) for the Shares with respect to which the Award is exercised has been received by the Company.  Exercise of an Option in any manner shall result in a decrease in the number of Shares that thereafter may be available for sale under the Option and, except as expressly set forth in Section 4(c), in the number of Shares that may be available for purposes of the Plan, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.  The Board may impose such conditions with respect to the exercise of Options, including, without limitation, any relating to the application of Federal or state securities laws, as it may deem necessary or advisable.

 

7



 

(iv)  Payment.  (A)  No Shares shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the aggregate 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 foreign income and employment taxes required to be withheld.  Except as otherwise provided in an applicable Award Agreement, such payments may be made in cash (or its equivalent) or, in the Board’s sole and plenary discretion, (1) by exchanging Shares owned by the Participant (which are not the subject of any pledge or other security interest) or (2) if there shall be a public market for the Shares at such time, subject to such rules as may be established by the Board, through delivery of irrevocable instructions to a broker to sell the Shares otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the aggregate Exercise Price, or by a combination of the foregoing; provided that the combined value of all cash and cash equivalents and the Fair Market Value of any such Shares so tendered to the Company as of the date of such tender is at least equal to such aggregate Exercise Price and the amount of any Federal, state, local or foreign income or employment taxes required to be withheld.

 

(B)  Wherever in the Plan or any Award Agreement a Participant is permitted to pay the Exercise Price of an Option or taxes relating to the exercise of an Option by delivering Shares, the Participant may, subject to procedures satisfactory to the Board, satisfy such delivery requirement by presenting proof of beneficial ownership of such Shares, in which case the Company shall treat the Option as exercised without further payment and shall withhold such number of Shares from the Shares acquired by the exercise of the Option.

 

(v)  Expiration.  Each Option shall expire immediately, without any payment, upon the earlier of (A) the tenth anniversary of the date the Option is granted and (B) the date set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.  In no event may an Option be exercisable after the tenth anniversary of the date the Option is granted.

 

(c)  SARs.  (i)  Grant.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall have sole and plenary authority to determine the Participants to whom SARs shall be granted, the number of Shares to be covered by each SAR, the Exercise Price thereof and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise thereof.  SARs may be granted in tandem with another Award, in addition to another Award or freestanding and unrelated to another Award.  SARs granted in tandem with, or in addition to, an Award may be granted either at the same time as the Award or at a later time.

 

(ii)  Exercise Price.  Except as otherwise established by the Board at the time a SAR is granted and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, the Exercise Price of each Share covered by a SAR shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Share (determined as of the date the SAR is granted).

 

(iii)  Exercise.  A SAR shall entitle the Participant to receive an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise of the SAR over the Exercise Price thereof.  The Board shall determine, in its sole and

 

8



 

plenary discretion, whether a SAR shall be settled in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property or a combination of any of the foregoing.

 

(iv)  Other Terms and Conditions.  Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, the Board shall determine, at or after the grant of a SAR, the vesting criteria, term, methods of exercise, methods and form of settlement and any other terms and conditions of any SAR.  Any such determination by the Board may be changed by the Board from time to time and may govern the exercise of SARs granted or exercised thereafter.  The Board may impose such conditions or restrictions on the exercise of any SAR as it shall deem appropriate or desirable.

 

(d)  Restricted Shares and RSUs.  (i)  Grant.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall have sole and plenary authority to determine the Participants to whom Restricted Shares and RSUs shall be granted, the number of Restricted Shares and RSUs to be granted to each Participant, the duration of the period during which, and the conditions, if any, under which, the Restricted Shares and RSUs may vest or may be forfeited to the Company and the other terms and conditions of such Awards.

 

(ii)  Transfer Restrictions.  Restricted Shares and RSUs may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered except as provided in the Plan or as may be provided in the applicable Award Agreement; provided, however, that the Board may in its discretion determine that Restricted Shares and RSUs may be transferred by the Participant.  Certificates issued in respect of Restricted Shares shall be registered in the name of the Participant and deposited by such Participant, together with a stock power endorsed in blank, with the Company or such other custodian as may be designated by the Board or the Company, and shall be held by the Company or other custodian, as applicable, until such time as the restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares lapse.  Upon the lapse of the restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares, the Company or other custodian, as applicable, shall deliver such certificates to the Participant or the Participant’s legal representative.

 

(iii)  Payment/Lapse of Restrictions.  Each RSU shall be granted with respect to one Share or shall have a value equal to the Fair Market Value of one Share.  RSUs shall be paid in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, as determined in the sole and plenary discretion of the Board, upon the lapse of restrictions applicable thereto, or otherwise in accordance with the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(e)  Other Stock-Based Awards.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall have the sole and plenary authority to grant to Participants other equity-based or equity-related Awards (including, but not limited to, fully-vested Shares) in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board shall determine.

 

(f)  Dividend Equivalents.  In the sole and plenary discretion of the Board, an Award, other than an Option or SAR, may provide the Participant with dividends or dividend equivalents, payable in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, on a current or deferred basis, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Board in its sole and plenary discretion, including, without limitation,

 

9



 

payment directly to the Participant, withholding of such amounts by the Company subject to vesting of the Award or reinvestment in additional Shares, Restricted Shares or other Awards.

 

SECTION 7.  Amendment and Termination.  (a)  Amendments to the Plan.  Subject to any applicable law or government regulation and to the rules of any national securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares may be traded or quoted, the Plan may be amended, modified or terminated by the Board without the approval of the stockholders of the Company except that stockholder approval shall be required for any amendment that would (i) increase the maximum number of Shares for which Awards may be granted under the Plan or increase the maximum number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan; provided, however, that any adjustment under Section 4(b) shall not constitute an increase for purposes of this Section 7(a) or (ii) change the class of employees or other individuals eligible to participate in the Plan.  No modification, amendment or termination of the Plan may, without the consent of the Participant to whom any Award shall theretofor have been granted, materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant (or his or her transferee) under such Award, unless otherwise provided by the Board in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(b)  Amendments to Awards.  The Board may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate any Award theretofor granted, prospectively or retroactively; provided, however, that, except as set forth in the Plan, unless otherwise provided by the Board in the applicable Award Agreement, any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancelation or termination that would materially and adversely impair the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofor granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the impaired Participant, holder or beneficiary.

 

(c)  Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events.  Except as otherwise provided in an applicable Award Agreement, the Board is hereby authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 4(b)) affecting the Company, any of its Affiliates, or the financial statements of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or of changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange, accounting principles or law (i) whenever the Board, in its sole and plenary discretion, determines that such adjustments are appropriate or desirable, including, without limitation, providing for a substitution or assumption of Awards, accelerating the exercisability of, lapse of restrictions on, or termination of, Awards or providing for a period of time for exercise prior to the occurrence of such event, (ii) if deemed appropriate or desirable by the Board, in its sole and plenary discretion, by providing for a cash payment to the holder of an Award in consideration for the cancelation of such Award, including, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment to the holder of such Option or SAR in consideration for the cancelation of such Option or SAR in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Board) of the Shares subject to such

 

10



 

Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price of such Option or SAR and (iii) if deemed appropriate or desirable by the Board, in its sole and plenary discretion, by canceling and terminating any Option or SAR having a per Share Exercise Price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value of a Share subject to such Option or SAR without any payment or consideration therefor.

 

SECTION 8.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nontransferability.  Except as otherwise specified in the applicable Award Agreement, during the Participant’s lifetime each Award (and any rights and obligations thereunder) shall be exercisable only by the Participant, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative, and no Award (or any rights and obligations thereunder) may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant otherwise 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 the Company or any of its Affiliates; provided that (i) the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance and (ii) the Board or the Board may permit further transferability, on a general or specific basis, and may impose conditions and limitations on any permitted transferability; provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan shall not be transferable in any way that would violate Section 1.422-2(a)(2) of the Treasury Regulations.  All terms and conditions of the Plan and all Award Agreements shall be binding upon any permitted successors and assigns.

 

(b)  No Rights to Awards.  No Participant or other Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards.  The terms and conditions of Awards and the Board’s 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.

 

(c)  Share Certificates.  All certificates for Shares or other securities of the Company or any of its Affiliates delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Board may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award Agreement, any applicable Federal or state laws or regulations and the rules, regulations and requirements of any stock exchange or quotation system upon which such Shares or other securities are then listed or reported, and the Board may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

 

(d)  Withholding.  A Participant may be required to pay to the Company or any of its Affiliates, and the Company or any of its Affiliates shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold from any Award, from any payment due or transfer made under any Award or under the Plan or from any compensation or other amount owing to a Participant, the amount (in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property) of any applicable withholding taxes in respect of an Award, its exercise or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may be

 

11



 

necessary in the opinion of the Board or the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such taxes.

 

(e)  Award Agreements.  Each Award hereunder shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto, including, but not limited to, the effect on such Award of the death, disability or termination of employment or service of a Participant and the effect, if any, of such other events as may be determined by the Board.

 

(f)  No Limit on Other Compensation Arrangements.  Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any of its Affiliates from adopting or continuing in effect other compensation arrangements, which may, but need not, provide for the grant of options, restricted stock, shares and other types of equity-based awards (subject to stockholder approval if such approval is required), and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

 

(g)  No Right to Employment.  The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained as a director, officer, employee or consultant of or to the Company or any of its Affiliates, nor shall it be construed as giving a Participant any rights to continued service on the Board.  Further, the Company or an Affiliate thereof may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment or discontinue any consulting relationship, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in any Award Agreement.

 

(h)  No Rights as Stockholder.  No Participant or holder or beneficiary of any Award shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any Shares to be distributed under the Plan until he or she has become the holder of such Shares.  In connection with each grant of Restricted Shares, except as provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the Participant shall not be entitled to the rights of a stockholder in respect of such Restricted Shares.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 4(b), Section 7(c) or the applicable Award Agreement, no adjustments shall be made for dividends or distributions on (whether ordinary or extraordinary, and whether in cash, Shares, other securities or other property), or other events relating to, Shares subject to an Award for which the record date is prior to the date such Shares are delivered.

 

(i)  Governing Law.  The validity, construction and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan and any Award Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.

 

(j)  Severability.  If any provision of the Plan or any Award 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 Board, 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 Board, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such

 

12



 

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.

 

(k)  Other Laws.  The Board may refuse to issue or transfer any Shares or other consideration under an Award if, acting in its sole and plenary discretion, it determines that the issuance or transfer of such Shares or such other consideration might violate any applicable law or regulation or entitle the Company to recover the same under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, and any payment tendered to the Company by a Participant, other holder or beneficiary in connection with the exercise of such Award shall be promptly refunded to the relevant Participant, holder or beneficiary.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no Award granted hereunder shall be construed as an offer to sell securities of the Company, and no such offer shall be outstanding, unless and until the Board in its sole and plenary discretion has determined that any such offer, if made, would be in compliance with all applicable requirements of the Federal and any other applicable securities laws.  In no event shall the Company be obligated to register Shares under the Federal or any other applicable securities laws, to comply with the requirements of any exemption from registration or to take any other action that may be required in order to remove any prohibition or limitation on the Shares issued pursuant to an Award granted hereunder that may be imposed by any applicable law, rule or regulation.

 

(l)  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 the Company or any of its Affiliates, on one hand, and a Participant or any other Person, on the other hand.  To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any of its Affiliates pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company or such Affiliate.

 

(m) No Fractional Shares.  No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Board shall determine whether cash, other securities or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise eliminated.

 

(n)  Requirement of Consent and Notification of Election Under Section 83(b) of the Code or Similar Provision.  No election under Section 83(b) of the Code (to include in gross income in the year of transfer the amounts specified in 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 Board in writing prior to the making of such election.  If an Award recipient, in connection with the acquisition of Shares under the Plan or otherwise, is expressly permitted under the terms of the applicable Award Agreement or by such Board action to make such an election and the Participant makes the election, the Participant shall notify the Board of such election within ten days of filing notice of the election with the IRS or other governmental authority, in addition to any filing and notification required pursuant to regulations issued under Section 83(b) of the Code or other applicable provision.

 

13



 

(o)  Requirement of Notification Upon Disqualifying Disposition Under Section 421(b) of the Code.  If any Participant shall make any disposition of Shares delivered pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option under the circumstances described in Section 421(b) of the Code (relating to certain disqualifying dispositions) or any successor provision of the Code, such Participant shall notify the Company of such disposition within ten days of such disposition.

 

(p)  Headings.  Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof.

 

SECTION 9.  Term of the Plan.  (a)  Effective Date.  The Plan shall be effective as of the date of its adoption by the Board and approval by the Company’s stockholders; provided, however, that no Incentive Stock Options may be granted under the Plan unless it is approved by the Company’s stockholders within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.

 

(b)  Expiration Date.  No Award shall be granted under the Plan after the tenth anniversary of the date the Plan is approved under Section 9(a).  Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award granted hereunder may, and the authority of the Board or the Board to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue or terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under any such Award shall, nevertheless continue thereafter.

 

14