StandardGold, Inc. StockOption Agreement

EX-10.4 5 v180073_ex10-4.htm
EXHIBIT 10.4
Standard Gold, Inc.
Stock Option Agreement

This Stock Option Agreement (the  “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the 1st day of April, 2010, between Deborah King (“Optionee”) and Standard Gold, Inc., a Colorado corporation (the “Company”).

Background

A.           Stephen D. King (“Executive”), the spouse of Optionee, currently serves as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and the Company desires to induce Executive to continue to serve as an executive of the Company.

B.           The Company has adopted the 2010 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to which shares of common stock of the Company have been reserved for issuance under the Plan.

C.           The Plan allows for assignment of an option, and Executive has directed and authorized the Company to enter into this Agreement directly with Optionee to reflect his assignment of the underlying option to purchase 800,000 shares of the Company’s common stock granted on the date hereof at the terms set forth herein.

Now, Therefore, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.           Incorporation by Reference.  The terms and conditions of the Plan, a copy of which has been delivered to Optionee, are hereby incorporated herein and made a part hereof by reference as if set forth in full. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and those of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall govern and control.

2.           Grant of Option; Exercise Price.  Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby irrevocably grants from the Plan to Optionee the right and option, hereinafter called the “Option”, to purchase all or any part of an aggregate of 800,000 shares of common stock, $.001 par value, of the Company (the “Shares”) at the price per Share set forth at the end of this Agreement after “Exercise Price”.

3.           Exercise and Vesting of Option.  The Option shall be exercisable only to the extent that all, or any portion thereof, has vested in the Optionee.  The right to purchase the Shares subject to the Option shall vest pro rata in three annual installments beginning on the date of this Agreement and continuing each year thereafter until the Option is fully vested, so long as Executive has not resigned, retired, is removed or in any other manner ceases being an executive of the Company, for any reason or no reason, with or without cause, as set forth in the following schedule (each such date is hereinafter referred to singularly as a “Vesting Date” and collectively as “Vesting Dates”):

Total Shares Subject
to Vesting Date
 
Vesting Date
266,667
April 1, 2010
266,667
April 1, 2011
266,666
April 1, 2012

 

 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Option shall immediately vest in its entirety upon the occurrence of (i) the Executive’s death, or (ii) a Change of Control (as defined below).  For purposes of this Paragraph 3, a “Change of Control” means (i) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, following the date hereof by any person (as such term is defined in Section 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of securities of the Company representing in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities if such person or his/her/its affiliate(s) do not own in excess of fifty percent (50%) of such voting power on the date of this Agreement, provided, however, that a Change of Control shall not include any transaction or series of related transactions effected primarily for capital raising purposes; or (ii) the disposition by the Company (whether direct or indirect, by sale of assets or stock, merger, consolidation or otherwise) of all or substantially all of its business and/or assets in one transaction or series of related transactions (other than a merger effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company), provided, however, that a Change of Control shall not include any merger, consolidation or other transaction (or series of related transactions) in which, following such transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction continue to own in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the surviving or resulting entity.

4.           Term of Option.  To the extent vested and except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Option shall be exercisable for ten (10) years from the date of this Agreement;  provided, however, that in the event Executive resigns, retires, is removed or in any other manner ceases being an executive of the Company, for any reason or no reason, with or without cause, except for reason of Executive’s death, Optionee shall have ninety (90) days from the date of such termination of Executive’s position as an executive to exercise all or any part of the Option, subject to the ten-year option period. In the event of Executive’s death during the term of his employment, Optionee shall have a period of one (1) year from the date of Executive’s death to exercise all or any part of the Option, subject to the ten-year option period.  Upon the expiration of such ninety (90) day period (or, in the event of Executive’s death, such one (1) year period), or, if earlier, upon the expiration date of the Option as set forth above, the Option shall terminate and become null and void.

5.           Rights of Option Holder.  Optionee, as holder of the Option, shall not have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to the Shares covered by the Option except to the extent that one or more certificates for such Shares shall be delivered to her upon the due exercise of all or any part of the Option.

6.           Transferability.  The Option shall not be transferable except to the extent permitted by the Plan.

7.           Securities Law Matters.  Optionee acknowledges that the Shares to be received by her upon exercise of the Option may have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Blue Sky laws of any state (collectively, the “Securities Acts”).  If such Shares have not been so registered, Optionee acknowledges and understands that the Company is under no obligation to register, under the Securities Acts, the Shares received by her or to assist her in complying with any exemption from such registration if she should at a later date wish to dispose of the Shares. Optionee acknowledges that if not then registered under the Securities Acts, the Shares shall bear a legend restricting the transferability thereof, such legend to be substantially in the following form:

“The shares represented by this certificate have not been registered or qualified under federal or state securities laws.  The shares may not be offered for sale, sold, pledged or otherwise disposed of unless so registered or qualified, unless an exemption exists or unless such disposition is not subject to the federal or state securities laws, and the Company may require that the availability or any exemption or the inapplicability of such securities laws be established by an opinion of counsel, which opinion of counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company.”

 
2

 
8.           Optionee Representations.  Optionee hereby represents and warrants that Optionee has reviewed with her own tax advisors the federal, state, and local tax consequences of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  Optionee is relying solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representation of the Company or any of its agents. Optionee understands that she will be solely responsible for any tax liability that may result to her as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  The Option, if exercised, will be exercised for investment and not with a view to the sale or distribution of the Shares to be received upon exercise thereof.

9.           Notices.  All notices and other communications provided in this Agreement will be in writing and will be deemed to have been duly given when received by the party to whom it is directed at the following addresses:
 
If to the Company:
If to Optionee:
   
Standard Gold, Inc.
900 IDS Center
80 South Eighth Street
Minneapolis, MN ###-###-####
Deborah King
450 Glenmont Court
Dunwoody, GA 30350
 
10.           General.

(a)           The Option is granted pursuant to the Plan and is governed by the terms thereof.  The Company shall at all times during the term of the Option reserve and keep available such number of Shares as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Agreement.

(b)           Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed as conferring upon or giving to any person, firm, or corporation other than the parties hereto, any rights or benefits under or by reason of this Agreement.

(c)           Each party hereto agrees to execute such further documents as may be necessary or desirable to effect the purposes of this Agreement.

(d)           This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement.

(e)           This Agreement, in its interpretation and effect, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Colorado applicable to contracts executed and to be performed therein.

[Signature page to follow]
 
 
 
3

 

 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

Number of Shares: 800,000
OPTIONEE:
   
Exercise Price:   $0.90 
/s/ Deborah King                                                 
 
Name:  Deborah King 
   
   
 
STANDARD GOLD, INC.
   
 
By:  /s/ Mark D. Dacko                                       
 
Mark D. Dacko, Chief Financial Officer
 
 
 

 
 
4