Q HOLDINGS, INC.

 

2011 EQUITY INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

 

Article 1. ESTABLISHMENT, PURPOSE AND DURATION

 

1.1        Establishment of the Plan. Q Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), hereby establishes an equity incentive compensation plan to be known as the 2011 Equity Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan permits the grant of Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units and Stock-Based Awards. The Plan is adopted on October 13, 2011 (the “Effective Date”) and shall remain in effect as provided in Section 1.3 hereof.

 

1.2        Purpose of the Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to promote the success and enhance the value of the Company by linking the personal interests of the Participants to those of the Company’s stockholders, and by providing Participants with an incentive for outstanding performance. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to attract, motivate and retain the services of Participants upon whose judgment, interest and special effort the success of the Company is substantially dependent.

 

1.3        Duration of the Plan. The Plan shall commence on the Effective Date, as described in Section 1.1 hereof, and shall remain in effect, subject to the right of the Committee or the Board to amend or terminate the Plan at any time pursuant to Article 16 hereof, until the earlier of (i) the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, or (ii) all Shares subject to the Plan have been purchased or acquired according to the Plan’s provisions.

 

Article 2. DEFINITIONS 

 

Whenever used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, and when such meaning is intended, such term shall be capitalized.

 

2.1        “Affiliate” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, with reference to the Company, and shall also include any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, at least fifty percent (50%) of the total combined Voting Power of such corporation or of the capital interest or profits interest of such partnership or other entity.

 

2.2        “Award” means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of ISOs, NQSOs, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Stock-Based Awards, in each case subject to the terms of the Plan.

 

2.3        “Award Agreement” means either (i) a written agreement entered into by the Company or an Affiliate and a Participant setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to Awards granted under the Plan; or (ii) a written statement issued by the Company or an Affiliate to a Participant describing the terms and provisions of such Award. All Award Agreements shall be deemed to incorporate the provisions of the Plan. An Award Agreement need not be identical to other Award Agreements either in form or substance.

 

  

2.4        “Beneficial Owner” or “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

 

2.5        “Board” or “Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

2.6        “Change of Control” shall, unless otherwise defined for a particular Award in the applicable Award Agreement, be deemed to occur if any of the following events occur:

 

(i)        Any Person acquires Beneficial Ownership, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined Voting Power of the Company’s securities;

 

(ii)        Within any twelve (12) month period, the individuals who were Directors of the Company at the beginning of such period (the “Incumbent Directors”) shall cease to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors or the Board of Directors of any successor to the Company; provided, however, that any Director elected or nominated for election to the Board of Directors by a majority of the Incumbent Directors then still in office shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director for purposes of this Section 2.6(ii);

 

(iii)        The stockholders of the Company approve a merger, consolidation, share exchange, division, sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company which is consummated (a “Corporate Event”), and immediately following the consummation of which the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such Corporate Event do not hold, directly or indirectly, a majority of the Voting Power of (i) in the case of a merger or consolidation, the surviving or resulting entity, (ii) in the case of a share exchange, the acquiring entity, or (iii) in the case of a division or a sale or other disposition of assets, each surviving, resulting or acquiring entity which, immediately following the relevant Corporate Event, holds more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the consolidated assets of the Company immediately prior to such Corporate Event; or

 

(iv)        Any other event occurs which the Board of Directors declares to be a Change of Control.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may modify the definition of a Change of Control for a particular Award or Awards as the Committee deems appropriate to comply with Section 409A of the Code and the definition of Change of Control shall be construed and interpreted so that a Change of Control shall not occur under the Plan unless there would be a “change in the ownership” or a “change of effective control” of the Company would be considered to have occurred under Reg. § 1.409A-3(i)(5)(v) or § 1.409A-3(i)(5)(vi).

 

2.7        “Change of Control Price” means the highest price per Share offered in conjunction with any transaction resulting in a Change of Control (as determined in good faith by the Committee if any part of the offered price is payable other than in cash) or, in the case of a Change of Control occurring solely by reason of a change in the composition of the Board, the highest Fair Market Value of the Company’s common stock on any of the thirty (30) trading days immediately preceding the date on which a Change of Control occurs.

 

 

2.8        “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor thereto.

 

2.9        “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, or any other duly authorized committee of the Board appointed or designated by the Board to administer the Plan; provided, that if the Board deems necessary and appropriate, the number of members of the Committee and their qualifications shall satisfy the requirements for exemptions from Section 16 of the Exchange Act under Rule 16b-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act and tax deductibility under Section 162(m) of the Code. The full Board may perform any function of the Committee hereunder, except with respect to matters which the Board determines shall be performed in the sole discretion of a qualifying Committee in order to comply with Rule 16b-3, Section 162(m) or other applicable laws, regulations or rules (including applicable stock exchange or market rules).

 

2.10        “Company” means Q Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto as provided in Article 18 hereof.

 

2.11        “Constructively Terminated” means, unless otherwise specified by the Committee in the Award Agreement, a voluntary termination of employment by an Employee within ten (10) business days after any of the following actions by the Company, an Affiliate, or an individual acting on behalf of either:

 

(i)        Requiring the Employee to be based as his or her regular or customary place of employment at any office or location more than fifty (50) miles from the location at which the Employee performed his or her duties immediately prior to the Change of Control, or in a state other than the one in which the Employee performed his or her duties immediately prior to the Change of Control, in each case except for travel reasonably required in the performance of the Employee’s normal employment responsibilities;

 

(ii)        Reducing the Employee’s base salary below the rate in effect at the time of a Change of Control; or

 

(iii)        Failing to pay the Employee’s base salary, other wages or employment-related benefits as required by law.

 

2.12        “Consultant” means a natural person who provides bona fide consulting or advisory services to the Company or an Affiliate, and such services are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities.

 

2.13        “Covered Employee” means an Employee who is, or who the Committee expects to become, a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

2.14        “Director” means any individual who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

  

2.15        “Dividend Equivalent” means a right with respect to an Award to receive cash, Shares or other property equal in value and form to dividends declared by the Board and paid with respect to outstanding Shares. Dividend Equivalents shall not apply to an Award unless specifically provided for in the Award Agreement, and if specifically provided for in the Award Agreement shall be subject to such terms and conditions set forth in the Award Agreement as the Committee shall determine.

 

2.16        “Employee” means any employee of the Company or an Affiliate. Directors who are not otherwise employed by the Company or an Affiliate shall not be considered Employees under the Plan.

  

2.17        “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor act thereto.

 

2.18        “Exercise Price” means the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to an Option, as determined by the Committee.

 

2.19        “Fair Market Value” or “FMV” means, unless otherwise required by any applicable provision of the Code or any regulations thereunder or by any applicable accounting standard for the Company’s desired accounting for Awards, a price that is based on the opening, closing, actual, high, low or average selling prices of a Share on the established securities market (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(k)) on which the Shares are then readily tradable, on the applicable date, the preceding trading day, the next succeeding trading day, or an average of trading days (within not more than 30 days before and not more than 30 days after the applicable valuation date, and provided that any such averaging shall be in accordance with the provisions of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iv)(A)), as determined by the Committee in its discretion. In the event that the Shares are not readily tradable on an established securities market (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(k)), the FMV shall be determined by the Committee by reasonable application of a reasonable method, taking into account factors under Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iv)(B) as the Committee deems appropriate. In all cases, FMV shall be determined in accordance with Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iv). Such definition(s) of FMV may differ depending on whether FMV is in reference to the grant, exercise, vesting, settlement or payout of an Award.

 

2.20        “Fiscal Year” means the Company’s fiscal year commencing on January 1 and ending on December 31 or such other fiscal year as approved by the Board.

 

2.21        “Freestanding SAR” means a SAR that is not a Tandem SAR, as described in Article 7 hereof.

 

2.22        “Grant Price” means the price against which the amount payable is determined upon exercise of a SAR.

 

2.23        “Incentive Stock Option” or “ISO” means an Option to purchase Shares granted under Article 6 hereof and that is designated as an Incentive Stock Option and is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code, or any successor provision.

 

2.24        “Non-Employee Director” means a Director who is not an Employee.

 

  

2.25        “Nonqualified Stock Option” or “NQSO” means an Option to purchase Shares granted under Article 6 hereof which is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option or that otherwise does not meet the requirements for treatment as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code, or any successor provision.

 

2.26        “Option” means the conditional right to purchase Shares at a stated Exercise Price for a specified period of time in the form of an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option subject to the terms of the Plan.

 

2.27        “Participant” means an Employee, Non-Employee Director or Consultant who has been selected to receive an Award, or who has an outstanding Award, granted under the Plan.

 

2.28        “Performance-Based Compensation” means compensation under an Award that is granted in order to provide remuneration solely on account of the attainment of one or more Performance Goals under circumstances that satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

2.29        “Performance Goal” means a performance criterion selected by the Committee for a given Award for purposes of Article 11 based on one or more Performance Measures.

 

2.30        “Performance Measures” means measures as described in Article 11, the attainment of one or more of which shall, as determined by the Committee, determine the vesting, payability or value of an Award to a Covered Employee that is designated to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation.

 

2.31        “Performance Period” means the period of time during which the assigned performance criteria must be met in order to determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to an Award.

 

2.32        “Performance Share” means an Award granted under Article 9 hereof and subject to the terms of the Plan, denominated in Shares, the value of which at the time it is payable is determined as a function of the extent to which corresponding performance criteria have been achieved.

 

2.33        “Performance Unit” means an Award granted under Article 9 hereof and subject to the terms of the Plan, denominated in units, the value of which at the time it is payable is determined as a function of the extent to which corresponding performance criteria have been achieved.

 

2.34        “Period of Restriction” means the period when an Award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units is subject to forfeiture based on the passage of time, the achievement of performance criteria, and/or upon the occurrence of other events as determined by the Committee, in its discretion.

 

2.35        “Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) thereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall not include (i) the Company or any Affiliate, or (ii) any employee benefit plan (including an employee stock ownership plan) sponsored by the Company or any Affiliate.

 

 

2.36        “Restricted Stock” means an Award of Shares subject to a Period of Restriction, granted under Article 8 hereof and subject to the terms of the Plan.

 

2.37        “Restricted Stock Unit” means an Award denominated in units subject to a Period of Restriction, with a right to receive Shares or cash or a combination thereof upon settlement of the Award, granted under Article 8 hereof and subject to the terms of the Plan.

 

2.38        “Shares” means shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

 

2.39        “Significant Stockholder” means a person who at the time of a grant of an ISO to such person owns (or is deemed to own pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

2.40        “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means the conditional right to receive the difference between the FMV of a Share on the date of exercise over the Grant Price, pursuant to the terms of Article 7 hereof and subject to the terms of the Plan.

 

2.41        “Stock-Based Award” means an equity-based or equity-related Award granted under Article 10 hereof and subject to the terms of the Plan, and not otherwise described by the terms of the Plan.

 

2.42        “Tandem SAR” means a SAR that the Committee specifies is granted in connection with a related Option pursuant to Article 7 hereof and subject to the terms of the Plan, the exercise of which shall require forfeiture of the right to purchase a Share under the related Option (and when a Share is purchased under the Option, the Tandem SAR shall similarly be cancelled), or a SAR that is granted in tandem with an Option but the exercise of such Option does not cancel the SAR, but rather results in the exercise of the related SAR. Regardless of whether an Option is granted coincident with a SAR, a SAR is not a Tandem SAR unless so specified by the Committee at the time of grant.

 

2.43        “Voting Power” shall mean such number of Voting Securities as shall enable the holders thereof to cast all the votes which could be cast in an annual election of directors of a company.

 

2.44        “Voting Securities” shall mean all securities entitling the holders thereof to vote in an annual election of directors of a company.

 

Article 3. ADMINISTRATION

 

3.1        General. The Committee shall be responsible for administering the Plan. The Committee may employ attorneys, consultants, accountants, agents and other individuals, any of whom may be an Employee, and the Committee, the Company, and its officers and Directors shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions or valuations of any such persons. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding upon the Participants, the Company, and all other interested parties.

 

  

3.2        Authority of the Committee. The Committee shall have full and exclusive discretionary authority and power to interpret the terms and the intent of the Plan and any Award Agreement or other agreement ancillary to or in connection with the Plan, to determine eligibility for Awards, and to adopt such rules, regulations and guidelines for administering the Plan as the Committee may deem necessary or proper. Such authority shall include, but not be limited to, selecting Award recipients, establishing all Award terms and conditions and, subject to Article 16 hereof, adopting modifications and amendments, or subplans to the Plan or any Award Agreement, including, without limitation, any that are necessary or appropriate to comply with the laws or compensation practices of the jurisdictions in which the Company and Affiliates operate.

 

3.3        Delegation. The Committee may delegate to one or more of its members any of the Committee’s administrative duties or powers as it may deem advisable; provided, however, that any such delegation shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or Section 162(m) of the Code as to actions to be taken by the Committee in connection therewith.

 

Article 4. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN AND MAXIMUM AWARDS

 

4.1        Number of Shares Available for Awards. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.2 hereof, the number of Shares hereby reserved for issuance to Participants under the Plan shall be 1,728,472 (such total number of Shares, including such adjustment, the “Total Share Authorization”). Any Shares issued in connection with an Option or SAR shall be counted against the Total Share Authorization limit as one (1) Share for every one (1) Share issued; for Awards other than Options and SARs, any Shares issued shall be counted against the Total Share Authorization limit as two (2) Shares for every one (1) Share issued. The maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued through Nonqualified Stock Options shall be equal to the Total Share Authorization. The maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued through Incentive Stock Options shall be equal to the Total Share Authorization.

 

Any Awards that are not settled in Shares shall not be counted against the Total Share Authorization limit. Any Shares related to Awards which (i) terminate by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation or otherwise without the issuance of such Shares, (ii) are settled in cash either in lieu of Shares or otherwise, or (iii) are exchanged with the Committee’s approval for Awards not involving Shares, shall be available again for issuance under the Plan. In addition, if the Exercise Price of any Option granted under the Plan or the tax withholding requirements with respect to any Award granted under the Plan are satisfied by tendering Shares to the Company (by either actual delivery or by attestation) or by having the Company withhold Shares, or if a SAR is exercised, only the number of Shares issued, net of the Shares tendered or withheld, if any, will be deemed issued and delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan. The maximum number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall not be reduced to reflect any dividends or Dividend Equivalents that are reinvested into additional Shares or credited as additional Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares or Stock-Based Awards. The Shares available for issuance under the Plan may be authorized and unissued Shares or treasury Shares.

 

 

Unless and until the Committee determines that an Award to a Covered Employee shall not be designed to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the following limits (“Award Limits”) shall apply to grants of Awards to Covered Employees under the Plan:

 

(a)        Options and SARs: The maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be granted in the form of Options or SARS in any one Fiscal Year to any one Participant shall be 250,000.

 

(b)        Restricted Stock/Restricted Stock Units: The maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be granted in the form of Restricted Stock/Restricted Stock Units in any one Fiscal Year to any one Participant shall be 250,000.

 

(c)        Performance Shares/Performance Units: The maximum aggregate Award of Performance Shares or Performance Units that a Participant may receive in any one Fiscal Year shall be 250,000 Shares, and the maximum value of Performance Units that a Participant may receive with respect to Awards in any one Fiscal Year shall be a value of $500,000, determined as of the date of vesting or payout, as applicable.

 

(d)        Stock-Based Awards: The maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be granted in the form of Stock-Based Awards in any one Fiscal Year to any one Participant shall be 250,000.

 

4.2        Adjustments in Authorized Shares. In the event of any corporate event or transaction (including, but not limited to, a change in the Shares of the Company or the capitalization of the Company) such as a merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, separation, stock dividend, extraordinary dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, split up, spin-off or other distribution of stock or property of the Company, combination of securities, exchange of securities, dividend in kind, or other like change in capital structure or distribution (other than normal cash dividends) to stockholders of the Company, or any similar corporate event or transaction, the Committee shall make or provide for such adjustments or substitutions, as applicable, in the number and kind of Shares that may be issued under the Plan, the number and kind of Shares subject to outstanding Awards, the Exercise Price or Grant Price applicable to outstanding Awards, the Award Limits, the limit on issuing Awards other than Options granted with an Exercise Price equal to at least the FMV of a Share on the date of grant or Stock Appreciation Rights with a Grant Price equal to at least the FMV of a Share on the date of grant, and any other value determinations applicable to outstanding Awards or to the Plan, as are equitably necessary to prevent dilution or enlargement of Participants’ rights under the Plan that otherwise would result from such corporate event or transaction. Such adjustments shall be made automatically, without the necessity of Committee action, on the customary arithmetical basis in the case of any stock split, including a stock split effected by means of a stock dividend, and in the case of any other dividend paid in Shares, and shall be made in the discretion of the Committee with respect to other corporate events or transactions. The Committee shall also make, in its discretion, other appropriate adjustments in the terms of any Awards under the Plan as are equitably necessary to reflect such corporate event or transaction and prevent dilution or enlargement of Participants’ rights under the Plan that otherwise would result from such corporate event or transaction, and in connection therewith may modify any other terms of outstanding Awards, including modifications of performance criteria and changes in the length of Performance Periods. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under the Plan. Subject to the provisions of Article 15 hereof and any applicable law or regulatory requirement, without affecting the number of Shares reserved or available hereunder, the Committee may authorize the issuance, assumption, substitution or conversion of Awards under the Plan in connection with any such corporate event or transaction, upon such terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate. In addition, the Committee may amend the Plan, or adopt supplements to the Plan, in such manner as it deems appropriate to provide for such issuance, assumption, substitution or conversion as provided in the previous sentence.

 

  

Article 5. ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

 

5.1        Eligibility . Except as otherwise provided herein with respect to specific types of Awards, individuals eligible to participate in the Plan and be granted Awards under the Plan include all Employees, Non-Employee Directors and Consultants.

 

5.2        Actual Participation. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, in its sole discretion select from among eligible Employees, Non-Employee Directors and Consultants those to whom Awards shall be granted under the Plan, and shall determine in its discretion the nature, terms, conditions and amount of each Award.

 

Article 6. STOCK OPTIONS

 

6.1        Grant of Options. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, Options may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee in its discretion. ISOs may be granted only to Employees of the Company or a parent or subsidiary corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code, and no ISOs may be granted more than ten (10) years after the Effective Date.

 

6.2        Award Agreement. Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement (which may be labeled as a Stock Option Agreement) that shall specify the Exercise Price, the duration of the Option, the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, the conditions upon which an Option shall become vested and exercisable, and any such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. The Award Agreement shall also specify whether the Option is intended to be an ISO or a NQSO, and the Award Agreement for an Option intended to be an ISO shall provide that the ISO cannot be exercised more than ten (10) years (five (5) years in the case of an ISO granted to a Significant Stockholder) after the date on which the ISO was granted, and that the ISO cannot be transferred other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

6.3        Exercise Price. The Exercise Price for each grant of an Option under the Plan shall be determined by the Committee and shall be specified in the Award Agreement. The Exercise Price for an Option, whether granted as an ISO or an NQSO, shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the FMV of the underlying Shares on the date of grant; provided, however, that the Exercise Price for an ISO granted to a Significant Stockholder shall be not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the FMV of the underlying Shares on the date of grant.

 

 

6.4        Duration of Options. Each Option granted to a Participant shall expire at such time as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant; provided, however, that no Option shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary date of its grant, and provided further that no ISO granted to a Significant Stockholder shall be exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years from the date of grant.

  

6.5        Exercise of Options. Options shall be exercisable at such times and on the occurrence of such events, and be subject to such restrictions and conditions, as the Committee shall in each instance approve, which need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant. Options shall be exercised by the delivery of a written notice of exercise to the Company or an agent designated by the Company in a form specified by or acceptable to the Committee, or by complying with any alternative procedures which may be authorized by the Committee, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares. Upon the exercise of any Option, the Exercise Price shall be payable to the Company in full either: (a) in cash or cash equivalents; (b) by exchanging (either by actual delivery or attestation) previously acquired Shares owned for at least six months and having an aggregate FMV at the time of exercise equal to the total Exercise Price; (c) by a combination of (a) and (b); or (d) by any other method approved or accepted by the Committee in its sole discretion and subject to such rules and regulations as the Committee may establish. Subject to Section 6.6 hereof and any governing rules or regulations, as soon as practicable after receipt of a notification of exercise and full payment for the Shares, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Participant Share certificates or evidence of book entry Shares in an appropriate amount based upon the number of Shares purchased under the Option(s), but in any event, on or before the 15^th day of the third month of the year following the year in which the Option was exercised.

 

6.6        Restrictions on Share Transferability. The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, requiring the Participant to hold the Shares acquired pursuant to exercise for a specified period of time, or restrictions under applicable laws or regulations or under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are listed and/or traded.

 

6.7        Termination of Employment. Each Participant’s Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to exercise the Option following termination of the Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company or Affiliates. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Options granted pursuant to this Article 6, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination.

 

 

6.8        Nontransferability of Options.

 

(a)        Incentive Stock Options. No ISO granted under the Plan may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. In addition, all ISOs granted to a Participant under this Article 6 shall be exercisable during such Participant’s lifetime only by such Participant.

 

(b)        Nonqualified Stock Options. Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter, an NQSO granted under this Article 6 may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. In addition, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter, all NQSOs granted to a Participant under this Article 6 shall be exercisable during such Participant’s lifetime only by such Participant.

  

6.9        Notification of Disposition of ISO Shares. The Participant to whom an ISO is granted shall notify the Company in writing upon the disposition of Shares issued pursuant to the exercise of an ISO or Shares received as a dividend on ISO Shares. The Company shall use such information to determine whether a disqualifying disposition as described in Section 421(b) of the Code has occurred.

 

6.10        $100,000 Annual ISO Limitation. To the extent that the aggregate FMV of Shares (determined as of the time the ISOs with respect to such Shares are granted) with respect to which ISOs are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under the Plan and all other plans of the Company and any Affiliate) exceeds $100,000, such ISOs shall be treated as NQSOs. The foregoing provisions shall be applied by taking ISOs into account in the order in which they were granted.

 

Article 7. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

7.1        Grant of SARs. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, SARs may be granted to Participants at any time and from time to time and upon such terms as shall be determined by the Committee in its discretion. The Committee may grant Freestanding SARs, Tandem SARs, or any combination of these forms of SARs. The SAR Grant Price for each grant of a Freestanding SAR shall be determined by the Committee and shall be specified in the Award Agreement. The SAR Grant Price may include a Grant Price based on one hundred percent (100%) of the FMV of the underlying Share on the date of grant, a Grant Price that is set at a premium to the FMV of the underlying Share on the date of grant, or is indexed to the FMV of the underlying Share on the date of grant, with the index determined by the Committee, in its discretion; provided, however, that the Grant Price may never be less than the FMV of the underlying Share on the date of grant. The Grant Price of Tandem SARs shall be equal to the Exercise Price of the related Option.

 

7.2        SAR Agreement Each SAR Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Grant Price, the term of the SAR, and any such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

 

 

7.3        Term of SAR. The term of a SAR granted under the Plan shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion, and except as determined otherwise by the Committee and specified in the SAR Award Agreement, no SAR shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary date of its grant.

  

7.4        Exercise of Freestanding SARs. Freestanding SARs may be exercised upon whatever terms and conditions that the Committee, in its sole discretion, imposes.

 

7.5        Exercise of Tandem SARs. Tandem SARs may be exercised for all or part of the Shares subject to the related Option upon the surrender of the right to exercise the equivalent portion of the related Option. A Tandem SAR may be exercised only with respect to the Shares for which its related Option is then exercisable. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, with respect to a Tandem SAR granted in connection with an ISO: (a) the Tandem SAR will expire no later than the expiration of the underlying ISO; (b) the value of the payout with respect to the Tandem SAR may be for no more than one hundred percent (100%) of the difference between the Exercise Price of the underlying ISO and the FMV of the Shares subject to the underlying ISO at the time the Tandem SAR is exercised; and (c) the Tandem SAR may be exercised only when the FMV of the Shares subject to the ISO exceeds the Exercise Price of the ISO.

 

7.6        Payment of SAR Amount. Upon the exercise of a SAR, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount representing the difference between the FMV of the underlying Share on the date of exercise over the Grant Price. At the discretion of the Committee, the payment upon SAR exercise may be in cash, Shares of equivalent value (based on the FMV on the date of exercise of the SAR, as defined in the Award Agreement or otherwise defined by the Committee thereafter), in some combination thereof, or in any other form approved by the Committee in its sole discretion. Payment shall be made not earlier than the date of exercise nor later than two and one-half (2 ½) months after the close of the year in which the SAR is exercised. The Committee’s determination regarding the form of SAR payout shall be set forth or reserved for later determination in the Award Agreement for the grant of the SAR.

 

7.7        Termination of Employment. Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to exercise the SAR following termination of the Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company or Affiliates. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all SARs issued pursuant to the Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination.

 

7.8        Nontransferability of SARs. Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter by the Committee, a SAR granted under the Plan may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. In addition, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter by the Committee, all SARs granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be exercisable during such Participant’s lifetime only by such Participant.

 

 

7.9        Other Restrictions. Without limiting the generality of any other provision of the Plan, the Committee may impose such other conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares received upon exercise of a SAR granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable. This includes, but is not limited to, requiring the Participant to hold the Shares received upon exercise of a SAR for a specified period of time.

 

Article 8. RESTRICTED STOCK AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

 

8.1        Grant of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Shares of Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine.

 

8.2        Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. Each Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Unit grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s) of Restriction, the number of Shares of Restricted Stock or the number of Restricted Stock Units granted, the settlement date for Restricted Stock Units, and any such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

 

8.3        Nontransferability of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or the Award Agreement, the Shares of Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units granted hereunder may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated until the end of the applicable Period of Restriction specified in the Award Agreement (and in the case of Restricted Stock Units until the date of settlement through delivery or other payment), or upon the earlier satisfaction of any other conditions, as specified by the Committee in its sole discretion and set forth in the Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter by the Committee. All rights with respect to the Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be available during such Participant’s lifetime only to such Participant, except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter by the Committee.

 

8.4        Other Restrictions. The Committee shall impose, in the Award Agreement at the time of grant or anytime thereafter, such other conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, a requirement that Participants pay a stipulated purchase price for each Share of Restricted Stock or each Restricted Stock Unit, restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance criteria, time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of performance criteria, time-based restrictions, restrictions under applicable laws or under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are listed or traded, or holding requirements or sale restrictions placed on the Shares by the Company upon vesting of such Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.

 

To the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee, subject to Section 19.5 hereof, the Company may retain the certificates representing Shares of Restricted Stock, or Shares delivered in settlement of Restricted Stock Units, in the Company’s possession until such time as all conditions and/or restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied or lapse, but in no event will delivery of such Shares be made later than two and one-half (2 ½) months after the close of the year in which such conditions or restrictions were satisfied or lapsed.

 

 

Except as otherwise provided in this Article 8, Shares of Restricted Stock covered by each Restricted Stock Award shall become freely transferable by the Participant after all conditions and restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied or lapse, and Restricted Stock Units shall be settled through payment in cash, Shares, or a combination of cash and Shares as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine.

 

8.5        Certificate Legend. In addition to any legends placed on certificates pursuant to Section 8.4 hereof, each certificate representing Shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan may bear a legend such as the following:

 

The sale or other transfer of the shares of stock represented by this certificate, whether voluntary, involuntary or by operation of law, is subject to certain restrictions on transfer as set forth in the 2011 Equity Incentive Compensation Plan of Q Holdings, Inc. and in the associated Award Agreement. A copy of the Plan and such Award Agreement may be obtained from Q Holdings, Inc.

 

8.6        Voting Rights. To the extent required by law, Participants holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder shall have the right to exercise full voting rights with respect to those Shares during the Period of Restriction. A Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to any Restricted Stock Units granted hereunder.

 

8.7        Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. During the Period of Restriction, Participants holding Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units granted hereunder may, if the Committee so determines, be credited with dividends paid with respect to the underlying Shares or Dividend Equivalents while they are so held in a manner determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Dividend Equivalents shall not apply to an Award unless specifically provided for in the Award Agreement. The Committee may apply any restrictions to the dividends or Dividend Equivalents that the Committee deems appropriate. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine the form of payment of dividends or Dividend Equivalents, including the form of cash, Shares, or additional Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.

 

8.8        Termination of Employment. Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to retain Shares of Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units following termination of the Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company or an Affiliate. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units issued pursuant to the Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination.

 

8.9        Payment in Settlement of Restricted Stock Units. If and when Restricted Stock Units become payable, a Participant having received the grant of such units shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in settlement of such units in cash, Shares of equivalent value (based on the FMV, as defined in the Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter by the Committee), in some combination thereof, or in any other form determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. The Committee’s determination regarding the form of payout shall be set forth or reserved for later determination in the Award Agreement for the grant of the Restricted Stock Unit.

 

 

Article 9. PERFORMANCE SHARES AND PERFORMANCE UNITS

 

9.1        Grant of Performance Shares and Performance Units. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Performance Shares and/or Performance Units to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine. Each Award of Performance Shares and/or Performance Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award as the Committee shall determine.

 

9.2        Value of Performance Shares and Performance Units. Each Performance Share shall have an initial value equal to the FMV of a Share on the date of grant. Each Performance Unit shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant which may be less than, equal to, or greater than the FMV of a Share. The Committee shall set performance criteria for a Performance Period in its discretion, which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine, in the manner determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement, the value and/or number of each Performance Share or Performance Unit that will be paid to the Participant.

 

9.3        Earning of Performance Shares and Performance Units. Subject to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, after the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Shares/Performance Units shall be entitled to receive payout on the value and number of Performance Shares/Performance Units, determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance criteria have been achieved. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have the ability to require the Participant to hold any Shares received pursuant to such Award for a specified period of time.

 

9.4        Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Shares and Performance Units. Payment of earned Performance Shares/Performance Units shall be as determined by the Committee and as set forth in the Award Agreement. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Performance Shares/Performance Units in the form of cash or in Shares (or in a combination thereof) equal to the value of the earned Performance Shares/Performance Units at the end of the applicable Performance Period. Any Shares may be issued subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee. The determination of the Committee with respect to the form of payout of such Awards shall be set forth in the Award Agreement for the grant of the Award or reserved for later determination.

 

9.5        Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. The Committee shall determine whether Participants holding Performance Shares will receive Dividend Equivalents with respect to dividends declared with respect to the Shares. Dividends or Dividend Equivalents may be subject to accrual, forfeiture or payout restrictions as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Dividend Equivalents shall not apply to an Award unless specifically provided for in the Award Agreement.

 

  

9.6        Termination of Employment. Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to retain Performance Shares/Performance Units following termination of the Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company or an Affiliate. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Awards of Performance Shares/Performance Units issued pursuant to the Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination.

 

9.7        Nontransferability of Performance Shares and Performance Units. Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter by the Committee, Performance Shares/Performance Units may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter by the Committee, a Participant’s rights under such Performance Shares/Performance Units shall inure during such Participant’s lifetime only to such Participant.

 

Article 10. OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS

 

10.1        Grant of Other Stock-Based Awards. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant other types of equity-based or equity-related Awards not otherwise described by the terms of the Plan (including the grant or offer for sale of unrestricted Shares) in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions, including, but not limited to, being subject to performance criteria, or in satisfaction of such obligations, as the Committee shall determine. Such Awards may involve the transfer of actual Shares to Participants, or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of Shares. Each Award under this Article 10 shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award as the Committee shall determine.

 

10.2        Termination of Employment. Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to retain Stock-Based Awards following termination of the Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company or an Affiliate. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Stock-Based Awards issued pursuant to the Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination.

 

10.3        Nontransferability of Other Stock-Based Awards. Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter by the Committee, Stock-Based Awards may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement at the time of grant or thereafter by the Committee, a Participant’s rights under such Stock-Based Awards shall inure during such Participant’s lifetime only to such Participant.

 

 

Article 11. PERFORMANCE MEASURES

 

Notwithstanding any other terms of the Plan, the vesting, payability or value (as determined by the Committee) of each Award other than an Option or SAR that, at the time of grant, the Committee intends to be Performance-Based Compensation to a Covered Employee, shall be determined by the attainment of one or more Performance Goals as determined by the Committee in conformity with Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder. The Committee shall specify in writing, by resolution or otherwise, the Participants eligible to receive such an Award (which may be expressed in terms of a class of individuals) and the Performance Goal(s) applicable to such Awards within ninety (90) days after the commencement of the period to which the Performance Goal(s) relate(s), or such earlier time as required to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder. No such Award shall be payable unless the Committee certifies in writing, by resolution or otherwise, that the Performance Goal(s) applicable to the Award were satisfied. In no case may the Committee increase the value of an Award of Performance-Based Compensation above the maximum value determined under the performance formula by the attainment of the applicable Performance Goal(s), but the Committee may retain the discretion to reduce the value below such maximum.

 

Unless and until the Committee proposes for stockholder vote and the Company’s stockholders approve a change in the general Performance Measures set forth in this Article 11, the Performance Goal(s) upon which the payment or vesting of an Award to a Covered Employee that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall be limited to the following Performance Measures:

 

(a) Net earnings or net income (before or after taxes);

 

(b) Earnings per share;

 

(c) Net sales growth;

 

(d) Revenue growth;

 

(e) Net operating profit;

 

(f) Operating earnings;

 

(g) Operating earnings per share;

 

(h) Return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital, equity or sales);

 

(i) Cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow and cash flow return on capital);

 

(j) Earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation and/or amortization, and including/excluding capital gains and losses;

 

(k) Gross or operating margins;

 

(l) Productivity ratios;

 

(m) Share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total stockholder return);

 

 

(n) Operating and/or non-operating expense levels or reductions;

 

(o) Working capital levels or targets;

 

(p) Results of preclinical testing;

 

(q) Results of clinical trials;

 

(r) Regulatory approvals;

 

(s) Achieving contractual or other collaborative milestones; and

 

(t) Receipt of grant funding.

 

Any Performance Measure(s) may be used to measure the performance of the Company as a whole and/or any Affiliate, business unit or regional operation of the Company or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, and any of the above Performance Measures may be used in comparison to the performance of a peer company or group of peer companies, or a published or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. The Committee shall also have the authority to provide in Award Agreements for accelerated vesting of an Award based on the achievement of Performance Goal(s).

 

The Committee may provide in any Award Agreement that any evaluation of attainment of a Performance Goal may include or exclude any of the following events that occurs during the relevant period: (i) asset write-downs; (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements; (iii) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or provisions affecting reported results; (iv) any reorganization or restructuring transactions; (v) extraordinary and unusual items as determined in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 225-20, Extraordinary and Unusual Items; and (vi) significant acquisitions or divestitures. To the extent such inclusions or exclusions affect Awards to Covered Employees, they shall be prescribed in a form that meets the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder for deductibility.

 

In the event that applicable tax and/or securities laws change to permit discretion by the Committee to alter the governing Performance Measures without obtaining stockholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such changes without obtaining stockholder approval. In addition, in the event that the Committee determines that it is advisable to grant Awards to Covered Employees that shall not qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may make such grants without satisfying the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

 

Article 12. BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION

 

A Participant’s “beneficiary” is the person or persons entitled to receive payments or other benefits or exercise rights that are available under the Plan in the event of the Participant’s death. A Participant may designate a beneficiary or change a previous beneficiary designation at such times as prescribed by the Committee and by using such forms and following such procedures approved or accepted by the Committee for that purpose. If no beneficiary designated by the Participant is eligible to receive payments or other benefits or exercise rights that are available under the Plan at the Participant’s death, the beneficiary shall be the Participant’s estate.

 

 

Notwithstanding the provisions above, the Committee may, in its discretion, after notifying the affected Participants, modify the foregoing requirements, institute additional requirements for beneficiary designations, or suspend the existing beneficiary designations of living Participants or the process of determining beneficiaries under this Article 12, or both, in favor of another method of determining beneficiaries.

 

Article 13. DEFERRALS

 

The Committee may permit or require a Participant to defer such Participant’s receipt of any Award, or payment in settlement or exercise of any Award, provided that any such deferral must comply with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder so that such deferral does not cause the Participant to be subject to taxes and interest pursuant to Section 409A of the Code.

 

Article 14. RIGHTS OF PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE

 

14.1        Employment. Nothing in the Plan or an Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate any Participant’s employment, consulting or other service relationship with the Company or an Affiliate at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the capacity in which he or she is employed or otherwise serves the Company or an Affiliate.

 

Neither an Award nor any benefits arising under the Plan shall constitute part of an employment or service contract with the Company or an Affiliate, and, accordingly, subject to the terms of the Plan, the Plan may be terminated or modified at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Committee or the Board without giving rise to liability on the part of the Company or an Affiliate for severance payments or otherwise, except as provided in the Plan.

 

For purposes of the Plan, unless otherwise provided by the Committee, a transfer of employment of a Participant between the Company and an Affiliate or among Affiliates shall not be deemed a termination of employment. The Committee may provide in a Participant’s Award Agreement or otherwise the conditions under which a transfer of employment to an entity that is spun off from the Company or an Affiliate shall not be deemed a termination of employment for purposes of an Award.

 

14.2        Participation. No Employee or other person eligible to participate in the Plan shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award. No person selected to receive an Award shall have the right to be selected to receive a future Award, or, if selected to receive a future Award, the right to receive such future Award on terms and conditions identical or in proportion in any way to any prior Award.

 

 

14.3        Rights as a Stockholder. A Participant shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record holder of such Shares.

 

Article 15. CHANGE OF CONTROL

 

15.1        Discretion to Accelerate Vesting and Payment. Subject to the provisions of Sections 15.2 and 20.5 hereof and the provisions of the applicable Award Agreement, and unless otherwise specifically prohibited under law or by the rules and regulations of a national securities exchange or market on which Shares are listed or traded, the Committee may, in its discretion, at the time an Award is made hereunder or at any time prior to, coincident with or after the time of a Change of Control (a) provide for the acceleration of any time periods relating to the vesting, exercise, payability or realization of outstanding Awards, so that such Awards may be exercised or realized in full on or before a date fixed by the Committee; (b) provide for the purchase of such Awards, upon the Participant’s request, for an amount of cash equal to the amount which could have been obtained upon the exercise or realization of such Awards had such Awards been currently exercisable or payable; (c) make such adjustment to the Awards then outstanding as the Committee deems appropriate to reflect such Change of Control; or (d) cause the Awards then outstanding to be assumed, or new rights substituted therefore, by the surviving corporation in such Change of Control. The Committee may, in its discretion, include such further provisions and limitations in any Award Agreement as it may deem equitable and in the best interests of the Company.

 

15.2        Compliance with Section 280G of the Code. In the event that any accelerated Award vesting or payment received or to be received by a Participant pursuant to Section 15.1 hereof (the “Benefit”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of and subject to Section 280G of the Code and (ii) but for this Section 15.2, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then such Benefit shall be reduced to the extent necessary so that no portion of the Benefit will be subject to the Excise Tax, as determined in good faith by the Committee; provided, however, that if, in the absence of any such reduction (or after such reduction), the Participant believes that the Benefit or any portion thereof (as reduced, if applicable) would be subject to the Excise Tax, the Benefit shall be reduced (or further reduced) to the extent determined by the Participant in his or her discretion so that the Excise Tax would not apply. If, notwithstanding any such reduction (or in the absence of such reduction), the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) determines that the Participant is liable for the Excise Tax as a result of the Benefit, then the Participant shall be obligated to return to the Company, within thirty days of such determination by the IRS, a portion of the Benefit sufficient such that none of the Benefit retained by the Participant constitutes a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code that is subject to the Excise Tax.

 

Article 16. AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION

 

16.1        Amendment, Modification, Suspension and Termination. The Committee or Board may, at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, modify, suspend or terminate the Plan in whole or in part; provided, however, that:

 

 

(a) Without the prior approval of the Company’s stockholders, Options and SARs issued under the Plan shall not be repriced, replaced or regranted such that the Exercise Price of a previously granted Option or the Grant Price of a previously granted SAR is effectively reduced from the original Exercise Price or Grant Price, except for adjustments to the Exercise Price or Grant Price applicable to outstanding Awards pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof.

 

(b) No amendment or modification which would increase the total number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan or the total number of Shares available for ISOs under the Plan shall be effective unless approved by the Company’s stockholders.

 

(c) To the extent necessary under any applicable law, regulation or securities exchange or market requirement, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the Company’s stockholders in accordance with applicable law, regulation, or securities exchange or market requirement.

 

16.2        Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. The Committee may make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events, in addition to the events described in Section 4.2 hereof, affecting the Company or the financial statements of the Company or of changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent unintended dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under the Plan. To the extent such adjustment affects Awards to Covered Employees intended to be Performance-Based Compensation, they shall be prescribed in a form that meets the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder for deductibility.

 

16.3        Awards Previously Granted. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no termination, amendment, suspension or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan, without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award.

 

Article 17. WITHHOLDING

 

The Company or any Affiliate shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company or any Affiliate, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state and local taxes, domestic or foreign (including the Participant’s FICA obligation), required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising or as a result of the Plan or any Award hereunder. The Committee may provide for Participants to satisfy withholding requirements by having the Company withhold Shares or the Participant making other arrangements, in either case on such conditions as the Committee specifies. 

 

  

Article 18. SUCCESSORS

 

Any obligations of the Company or an Affiliate under the Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company or Affiliate, respectively, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the businesses and/or assets of the Company or Affiliate, as applicable.

 

Article 19. GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

19.1        Forfeiture Events. Without limiting in any way the generality of the Committee’s power to specify any terms and conditions of an Award consistent with law, and for greater clarity, the Committee may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events may include, but shall not be limited to, failure to accept the terms of the Award Agreement, termination of employment under certain or all circumstances, violation of material Company and Affiliate policies, breach of noncompetition, confidentiality, nonsolicitation, noninterference, corporate property protection or other agreements that may apply to the Participant, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company and Affiliates.

 

19.2        Legend. The certificates or evidence of book entries for Shares issued under the Plan may include any legend or notation that the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer of such Shares.

 

19.3        Delivery of Title. The Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver evidence of title for Shares issued under the Plan prior to:

 

(a) Obtaining any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary or advisable; and

 

(b) Completion of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any applicable law or ruling of any governmental body that the Company determines to be necessary or advisable.

 

19.4        Investment Representations. The Committee may require a Participant receiving Shares pursuant to an Award under the Plan to represent and warrant in writing that the Participant is acquiring the Shares for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares.

 

19.5        Uncertificated Shares. To the extent that the Plan provides for issuance of certificates to reflect the issuance or transfer of Shares, the issuance or transfer of such Shares may be effected on a noncertificated basis to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the rules of any applicable stock exchange or market.

 

 

19.6        Unfunded Plan. Participants shall have no right, title or interest whatsoever in or to any investments that the Company or an Affiliate may make to aid it in meeting its obligations under the Plan. Nothing contained in the Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or an Affiliate and any Participant, beneficiary, legal representative or any other person. Awards shall be general unsecured obligations of the Company, except that if an Affiliate executes an Award Agreement instead of the Company, the Award shall be a general unsecured obligation of the Affiliate and not an obligation of the Company. To the extent that any individual acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or an Affiliate, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company or the Affiliate, as applicable. All payments to be made hereunder shall be paid from the general funds of the Company or Affiliate, as applicable, and no special or separate fund shall be established and no segregation of assets shall be made to assure payment of such amounts except as expressly set forth in the Plan. The Plan is not intended to be subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

 

19.7        No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award Agreement. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, any fractional Shares or any rights thereto that would otherwise be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award Agreement shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

 

19.8        Other Compensation and Benefit Plans. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company or an Affiliate to establish other compensation or benefit plans, programs, policies or arrangements. Except as may be otherwise specifically stated in any other benefit plan, program, policy or arrangement, no Award shall be treated as compensation for purposes of calculating a Participant’s rights under any such other plan, program, policy or arrangement.

 

19.9        No Constraint on Corporate Action. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed (i) to limit, impair or otherwise affect the Company’s or an Affiliate’s right or power to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations or changes in its capital or business structure, or to merge or consolidate, or dissolve, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets, or (ii) to limit the right or power of the Company or an Affiliate to take any action which such entity deems to be necessary or appropriate.

 

19.10        Stockholder Approval . The Plan shall be approved by the Company’s stockholders within twelve (12) months of the Effective Date.

 

Article 20. LEGAL CONSTRUCTION

 

20.1        Gender and Number. Except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein shall also include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the singular shall include the plural.

 

20.2        Severability. In the event any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

 

20.3        Requirements of Law. The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges or markets as may be required. The Company or an Affiliate shall receive the consideration required by law for the granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under the Plan. The inability of the Company or an Affiliate to obtain approval of or authorization for the issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which approval or authorization is deemed by the Company or an Affiliate to be necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company or Affiliate of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite approval or authorization shall not have been obtained.

 

 

20.4        Governing Law. The Plan and each Award Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Utah, excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction, except that the Delaware General Corporation Law shall govern as to matters of corporate law pertaining to the Company.

 

20.5        Compliance with Section 409A of the Code.

 

(a) To the extent applicable, it is intended that the Plan and any Awards made hereunder shall not provide for the payment of “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder, and Awards shall be structured in a manner and have such terms and conditions that would not cause a Participant to be subject to taxes and interest pursuant to Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder. The Plan and any Awards made hereunder shall be administrated and interpreted in a manner consistent with this intent.

 

(b) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or in any Award Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that any amount or benefit that would constitute “deferred compensation” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder would otherwise be payable or distributable under the Plan or any Award Agreement by reason of the occurrence of a Change of Control or the Participant’s disability or separation from service, such amount or benefit will not be payable or distributable to the Participant by reason of such circumstance unless (i) the circumstances giving rise to such Change of Control, disability or separation from service meet the description or definition of “change in control event,” “disability,” or “separation from service,” as the case may be, in Section 409A of the Code and applicable regulations thereunder, and (ii) the payment or distribution of such amount or benefit would otherwise comply with Section 409A of the Code and not subject the Participant to taxes and interest pursuant to Section 409A of the Code (which may require, if the Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, that the payment date shall not be earlier than the date that is six (6) months after the date of the Participant’s separation from service). This provision does not prohibit the vesting of any Award or the vesting of any right to eventual payment or distribution of any amount or benefit under the Plan or any Award Agreement.

 

(c) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or in any Award Agreement to the contrary, to the extent necessary to avoid the application of Section 409A of the Code, (i) the Committee may not amend an outstanding Option, SAR or similar Award to extend the time to exercise such Award beyond the later of the 15th day of the third month following the date at which, or December 31 of the calendar year in which, the Award would otherwise have expired if the Award had not been extended, based on the terms of the Award at the original grant date (the “Safe Harbor Extension Period”), and (ii) any purported extension of the exercise period of an outstanding Award beyond the Safe Harbor Extension Period shall be deemed to be an amendment to the last day of the Safe Harbor Extension Period and no later.