Deploy capital in companies within our strategic focus
EX-10.6 3 c81980exv10w6.htm EXHIBIT 10.6 Exhibit 10.6
EXHIBIT 10.6
SAFEGUARD SCIENTIFICS, INC.
COMPENSATION SUMMARY NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS
COMPENSATION SUMMARY NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS
Non-employee directors are compensated for their service as a director as shown in the table below:
Compensation Item | Amount | |||
Annual Cash Board Retainers: | ||||
Chairman of the Board | $ | 50,000 | ||
Other Directors | 35,000 | |||
Additional Annual Cash Chair Retainers: | ||||
Audit Committee Chair | 15,000 | |||
Compensation Committee Chair | 7,500 | |||
Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee Chair | 5,000 | |||
Cash Meeting Attendance Fees: | ||||
Board | 2,000 | |||
Committee | 1,500 |
We also reimburse non-employee directors for expenses they incur to attend Board and Committee meetings and for reasonable expenses they may incur in connection with attendance at certain continuing education programs each year.
Each non-employee director receives an initial option grant to purchase 50,000 shares of Safeguard common stock upon initial election to the Board. Each non-employee director also will receive an annual service option grant to purchase 25,000 shares. Directors options have an eight-year term. Initial option grants vest 25% each year starting on the first anniversary of the grant date. Annual service option grants vest fully on the first anniversary of the grant date. The exercise price is equal to the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the grant date. For the Board service year beginning with our 2008 annual meeting of shareholders, each non-employee director also will receive 12,500 deferred stock units annually. The deferred stock units will fully vest on the first anniversary of the grant date. The deferred stock units are payable, on a one-for-one basis, in shares of Safeguard common stock following an individuals termination of service on the Safeguard Board.
Safeguard maintains a Group Deferred Stock Unit Program for Directors (Directors DSU Program) which allows each director, at his or her election, to receive deferred stock units in lieu of cash retainer and meeting fees paid to directors (Directors Fees). The deferral election applies to Directors Fees to be received for the following calendar year and remains in effect for each subsequent year unless the director elects otherwise at the end of the calendar year preceding the year in which the services are rendered. The number of deferred stock units awarded is determined by dividing the Directors Fees by the fair market value of Safeguards stock on the date on which the director would have otherwise received the Directors Fees. Each director also receives a number of matching share units, based on the same fair market value calculation, equal to 25% of the Directors Fees deferred. A director is always fully vested in Directors Fees deferred; the matching share units vest fully on the first anniversary of the date the matching share units are credited to the directors account. Each deferred stock unit entitles the director to receive one share of Safeguard common stock on or about the first anniversary of the date upon which the director leaves the Safeguard Board. A director also may elect to receive the stock in annual installments over a period of up to five years after leaving the Board.
At the request of Safeguard, non-employee directors of Safeguard may, from time to time, be asked to assume Safeguards designated seat on the Board of Directors of a Safeguard partner company. In exchange for providing such board service, Safeguard will directly compensate each such director on a per meeting basis at rates ranging from $500 to $2,000 for attendance at each in-person or telephonic board meeting. Safeguard also will reimburse each such director for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by him or her in connection with such service, subject to being reimbursed by the particular partner company as circumstances dictate.