exv10w1






Exhibit 10.1




ARBITRON INC.

2008 EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN

(Effective as of May 13, 2008)




1. Purpose




     The purpose of this 2008 Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) of Arbitron Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), is to advance the interests of the Company’s stockholders by enhancing
the Company’s ability to attract, retain and motivate persons who are expected to make important
contributions to the Company and by providing such persons with equity ownership opportunities and
performance-based incentives that are intended to better align the interests of such persons with
those of the Company’s stockholders. Except where the context otherwise requires, the term
“Company” includes any of the Company’s present or future parent or subsidiary corporations as
defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any
regulations issued thereunder (the “Code”) and any other business venture (including, without
limitation, joint venture or limited liability company) in which the Company has a controlling
interest, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”).



2. Eligibility




     All of the Company’s employees, officers, and directors are eligible to be granted options,
stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), deferred
stock units (“DSUs”) and other stock-based awards (each, an “Award”) under the Plan. Each person
who receives an Award under the Plan is deemed a “Participant.”



3. Administration and Delegation




     (a) Administration by Board of Directors. The Plan will be administered by the
Board. The Board has the authority to grant Awards and to adopt, amend and repeal such
administrative rules, guidelines and practices relating to the Plan as it considers advisable. The
Board may construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and any Award agreements entered into under
the Plan. The Board may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in
the Plan or any Award in the manner and to the extent it considers expedient to carry the Plan into
effect and will be the sole and final judge of such expediency. All decisions by the Board may be
made in the Board’s sole discretion and will be final and binding on all persons having or claiming
any interest in the Plan or in any Award. No director or person acting pursuant to the authority
delegated by the Board shall be liable for any action or determination relating to or under the
Plan made in good faith.



     (b) Appointment of Committees. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board
may delegate any or all of its powers under the Plan to one or more committees or subcommittees of
the Board (a “Committee”). All references in the Plan to the “Board” mean the Board or a Committee
of the Board or the officers referred to in Section 3(c) to the extent that the Board’s powers or
authority under the Plan have been delegated to such Committee or officers.



     (c) Delegation to Officers. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board may
delegate to one or more officers of the Company the power to grant Awards (subject to any
limitations under the Plan) to employees or officers of the Company or any of its present or future
subsidiary corporations and to exercise such other powers under the Plan as the Board may
determine, provided that the Board must fix the terms of the Awards to be granted by such officers
(including the exercise price of such Awards, which may include a formula by which the exercise
price will be determined) and the maximum number of shares subject to Awards that the officers may
grant; provided further, however, that no officer will be authorized to grant Awards to any
“executive officer” of the Company (as defined by Rule 3b-7 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) or to any “officer” of the Company (as defined by Rule 16a-1
under the Exchange Act).



     (d) Awards to Non-Employee Directors. Discretionary Awards to non-employee directors
will only be granted and administered by a Committee, all of the members of which are independent
as defined by Section 303A.02 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual.



4. Stock Available for Awards




     (a) Number of Shares; Share Counting.



     (1) Authorized Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment under Section 9, Awards may
be made under the Plan for up to 2,500,000 shares of common stock, $0.50 par value per share, of
the Company (the “Common Stock”). Shares issued under the Plan may consist in whole or in part of
authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares.



     (2) Share Counting. For purposes of counting the number of shares available for the
grant of Awards under the Plan and under the sublimits contained in Sections 4(b)(2), 4(b)(3),
4(b)(4), and 7(b)(1) with respect to vesting of Restricted Stock Awards, (i) all shares of Common
Stock covered by independent SARs must be counted against the number of shares available for the
grant of Awards; (ii) if any Award (A) expires or is terminated, surrendered or canceled without
having been fully exercised or is forfeited in whole or in part or (B) results in any Common Stock
not being issued, the unused Common Stock covered by such Award will again be available for the
grant of Awards; provided, however, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, the foregoing will be
subject to any limitations under the Code; and provided further, in the case of independent SARs,
that the full number of shares subject to any stock-settled SAR will be counted against the shares
available under the Plan and against the sublimits listed in the first clause of this Section
regardless of the number of shares actually used to settle such SAR upon exercise; (iii) shares of
Common Stock delivered (either by actual delivery or attestation) to the Company by a Participant
to (A) purchase shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an Award or (B) satisfy tax withholding
obligations (including shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation) will not be
added back to the number of shares available for the future grant of Awards; and (iv) shares of
Common Stock repurchased by the Company on the open market using the proceeds from the exercise of
an Award cannot increase the number of shares available for future grant of Awards.



     (b) Sub-limits. Subject to adjustment under Section 9, the following sub-limits on
the number of shares subject to Awards will apply:



 









 





     (1) Section 162(m) Per-Participant Limit. The maximum number of shares of Common
Stock with respect to which Awards may be granted to any Participant under the Plan will be 700,000
in the aggregate during any period of three consecutive fiscal years of the Company. For purposes
of the foregoing limit, the combination of an Option in tandem with a SAR (as each is hereafter
defined) will be treated as a single Award. The per Participant limit described in this
Section 4(b)(1) will be construed and applied consistently with Section 162(m) of the Code or any
successor provision thereto, and the regulations thereunder (“Section 162(m)”).



     (2) Limit on Incentive Stock Options. The maximum number of shares with respect to
which Incentive Stock Options may be granted is 2,500,000.



     (3) Limit on Awards other than Options and SARS. The maximum number of shares with
respect to which Awards other than Options and SARs may be granted will be 25% of the maximum
number of authorized shares set forth in Section 4(a)(1).



     (4) Limit on Awards to Directors. The maximum number of shares with respect to which
Awards may be granted to directors who are not employees of the Company at the time of grant will
be 25% of the maximum number of authorized shares set forth in Section 4(a)(1).



     (c) Substitute Awards. In connection with a merger or consolidation of an entity
with the Company or the acquisition by the Company of property or stock of an entity, the Board may
grant Awards in substitution for any options or other stock or stock-based awards granted by such
entity or an affiliate thereof. Substitute Awards may be granted on such terms as the Board deems
appropriate in the circumstances, notwithstanding any limitations on Awards contained in the Plan.
Substitute Awards do not count against the overall share limit set forth in Section 4(a)(1) or any
sublimits contained in the Plan, except as may be required by reason of Section 422 and related
provisions of the Code.



5.  Stock Options




     (a) General. The Board may grant options to purchase Common Stock (each, an
“Option”) and determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by each Option, the
exercise price of each Option and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of each
Option, including conditions relating to applicable federal or state securities laws, as it
considers necessary or advisable. An Option that is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option
(as hereinafter defined) will be designated a “Non-statutory Stock Option.”



     (b) Incentive Stock Options. An Option that the Board intends to be an “incentive
stock option” as defined in Section 422 of the Code (an “Incentive Stock Option”) will only be
granted to employees of Arbitron Inc., any of Arbitron Inc.’s present or future parent or
subsidiary corporations as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, and any other entities
the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code, and will be
subject to and will be construed consistently with the requirements of Section 422 of the Code. The
Company shall have no liability to a Participant, or any other party, if an Option (or any part
thereof) that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option is not an Incentive Stock Option or for
any action taken by the Board, including without limitation the conversion of an Incentive Stock
Option to a Nonstatutory Stock Option.



     (c) Exercise Price. The Board will establish the exercise price of each Option and
specify the exercise price in the applicable option agreement. The exercise price will be not less
than 100% of the Fair Market Value (as defined below) on the date the Option is granted; provided
that if the Board approves the grant of an Option with an exercise price to be determined on a
future date, the exercise price will be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on such future
date.



     “Fair Market Value” of a share of Common Stock for purposes of the Plan will be determined as
follows:



     (1) if the Common Stock trades on a national securities exchange, the closing sale price (for
the primary trading session) on the date of grant; or



     (2) if the Common Stock does not trade on any such exchange, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as reported by an authorized OTCBB market data vendor as listed on the OTCBB
website (otcbb.com) on the date of grant; or



     (3) if the Common Stock is not publicly traded, the Board will determine the Fair Market
Value for purposes of the Plan using any measure of value it determines to be appropriate
(including, as it considers appropriate, relying on appraisals) in a manner consistent with the
valuation principles under Code Section 409A, except as the Board or Committee may expressly
determine otherwise.



     For any date that is not a trading day, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock for
such date will be determined by using the closing sale price or average of the bid and asked
prices, as appropriate, for the immediately preceding trading day and with the timing in the
clauses above adjusted accordingly. The Board can substitute a particular time of day or other
measure of “closing sale price” or “bid and asked prices” if appropriate because of exchange or
market procedures or can, in its sole discretion, use weighted averages either on a daily basis or
such longer period as complies with Code Section 409A.



     The Board has sole discretion to determine the Fair Market Value for purposes of this Plan,
and all Awards are conditioned on the participants’ agreement that the Administrator’s
determination is conclusive and binding even though others might make a different determination.



     (d) Duration of Options. Each Option will be exercisable at such times and subject
to such terms and conditions as the Board may specify in the applicable option agreement; provided,
however, that no Option will be granted with a term in excess of 10 years.



     (e) Exercise of Option. Options may be exercised by delivery to the Company of a
written notice of exercise signed by the proper person or by any other form of notice (including
electronic notice) approved by the Board, together with payment in full as specified in
Section 5(f) for the number of shares for which the Option is exercised. Shares of Common Stock
subject to the Option will be delivered by the Company as soon as practicable following exercise.



     (f) Payment Upon Exercise. Common Stock purchased upon the exercise of an Option
granted under the Plan will be paid for as follows:



     (1) in cash or by check, payable to the order of the Company;



     (2) except as may otherwise be provided in the applicable option agreement, by (i) delivery
of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a creditworthy broker to deliver promptly to the
Company sufficient funds to pay the exercise price and any required
tax withholding or (ii) delivery by the Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable
and unconditional instructions to a creditworthy broker to deliver promptly to the Company cash or
a check sufficient to pay the exercise price and any required tax withholding;



 









 





     (3) to the extent provided for in the applicable option agreement or approved by the Board,
in its sole discretion, by delivery (either by actual delivery or attestation) of shares of Common
Stock owned by the Participant valued at their Fair Market Value, provided (i) such method of
payment is then permitted under applicable law, (ii) such Common Stock, if acquired directly from
the Company, was owned by the Participant for such minimum period of time, if any, as may be
established by the Board in its discretion and (iii) such Common Stock is not subject to any
repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting or other similar requirements;



     (4) to the extent permitted by applicable law and provided for in the applicable option
agreement or approved by the Board, in its sole discretion, by payment of such other lawful
consideration as the Board may determine; or



     (5) by any combination of the above permitted forms of payment.



     (g) Limitation on Repricing. Unless such action is approved by the Company’s
stockholders: (1) no outstanding Option granted under the Plan may be amended to provide an
exercise price per share that is lower than the then-current exercise price per share of such
outstanding Option (other than adjustments pursuant to Section 9) and (2) the Board may not cancel
any outstanding option (whether or not granted under the Plan) and grant in substitution therefor
new Awards under the Plan covering the same or a different number of shares of Common Stock and
having an exercise price per share lower than the then-current exercise price per share of the
cancelled option.



     (h) No Reload Options. No Option granted under the Plan will contain any provision
entitling the Participant to the automatic grant of additional Options in connection with any
exercise of the original Option.



     (i) No Dividend Equivalents. No option will provide for the payment or accrual of
the right to receive an amount equal to any dividends or other distributions declared and paid on
an equal number of outstanding shares of Common Stock (“Dividend Equivalents”).



6.  Stock Appreciation Rights. 




     (a) General. The Board may grant Awards consisting of SARs entitling the holder,
upon exercise, to receive an amount of Common Stock determined in whole or in part by reference to
appreciation, from and after the date of grant, in the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock
over the measurement price established pursuant to Section 6(c). The date as of which such
appreciation is determined will be the exercise date.



     (b) Grants. SARs may be granted in tandem with, or independently of, Options granted
under the Plan.



     (c) Measurement Price. The Board will establish the measurement price of each SAR
and specify it in the applicable SAR agreement. The measurement price must not be less than 100% of
the Fair Market Value on the date the SAR is granted; provided that if the Board approves the grant
of a SAR with an exercise price to be determined on a future date, the exercise price must be not
less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on such future date.



     (d) Duration of SARs. Each SAR will be exercisable at such times and subject to such
terms and conditions as the Board may specify in the applicable SAR agreement; provided, however,
that no SAR will be granted with a term in excess of 10 years.



     (e) Exercise of SARs. SARs may be exercised by delivery to the Company of a written
notice of exercise signed by the proper person or by any other form of notice (including electronic
notice) approved by the Board, together with any other documents required by the Board.



     (f) Limitation on Repricing. Unless such action is approved by the Company’s
stockholders: (1) no outstanding SAR granted under the Plan may be amended to provide an exercise
price per share that is lower than the then-current exercise price per share of such outstanding
SAR (other than adjustments pursuant to Section 9) and (2) the Board may not cancel any outstanding
SAR (whether or not granted under the Plan) and grant in substitution therefor new Awards under the
Plan covering the same or a different number of shares of Common Stock and having an exercise price
per share lower than the then-current exercise price per share of the cancelled SAR.



     (g) Dividend Equivalents. No SAR will provide for the payment or accrual of Dividend
Equivalents.



7. Restricted Stock; Restricted Stock Units.




     (a) General. The Board may grant Awards entitling recipients to acquire shares of
Common Stock (“Restricted Stock”), subject to the right of the Company to repurchase all or part of
such shares at their issue price or other stated or formula price (or to require forfeiture of such
shares if issued at no cost) from the recipient if conditions specified by the Board in the
applicable Award are not satisfied before the end of the applicable restriction period or periods
established by the Board for such Award. Instead of granting Awards for Restricted Stock, the Board
may grant Awards entitling the recipient to receive shares of Common Stock or cash to be delivered
at the time such Award vests (“Restricted Stock Units”) or at a future date (“Deferred Stock
Units”) (Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units are each referred to
herein as a “Restricted Stock Award”).



     (b) Limitations on Vesting.




     (1) Restricted Stock Awards that vest solely based on the passage of time will be zero
percent vested before the first anniversary of the date of grant (or, in the case of Awards to
non-employee directors, if earlier, the date of the first annual meeting held after the date of
grant), no more than one-third vested before the second anniversary of the date of grant (or, in
the case of Awards to non-employee directors, if earlier, the date of the second annual meeting
held after the date of grant), and no more than two-thirds vested before the third anniversary of
the date of grant (or, in the case of Awards to non-employee directors, if earlier, the date of the
third annual meeting held after the date of grant). Restricted Stock Awards that do not vest solely
based on the passage of time will not vest before the first anniversary of the date of grant (or,
in the case of Awards to non-employee directors, if earlier, the date of the first annual meeting
held after the date of grant). The two foregoing sentences will not apply to (y) Performance Awards
granted pursuant to Section 10(i) or (z) Restricted Stock Awards granted, in the aggregate, for up
to 20% of the maximum number of authorized shares set forth in Section 4(a)(1).





 









 





     (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan (other than Section 10(i), if
applicable), the Board may, in its discretion, either at the time a Restricted Stock Award is made
or at any time thereafter, waive its right to repurchase shares of Common Stock (or waive the
forfeiture thereof) or remove or modify any part or all of the restrictions applicable to the
Restricted Stock Award, provided that the Board may only exercise such rights in extraordinary
circumstances, which will include, without limitation, death, disability or retirement of the
Participant; or a merger, consolidation, sale, reorganization, recapitalization, or change in
control of the Company; or any other nonrecurring significant event affecting the Company, a
Participant, or the Plan.



     (c) Terms and Conditions for All Restricted Stock Awards. The Board will determine
the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Award, including the conditions for vesting and
repurchase (or forfeiture) and the issue price, if any.



     (d) Additional Provisions Relating to Restricted Stock.



     (1) Dividends. Participants holding shares of Restricted Stock will be entitled to
all ordinary cash dividends paid with respect to such shares, unless otherwise provided by the
Board. Unless otherwise provided by the Board, if any dividends or distributions are paid in
shares, or consist of a dividend or distribution to holders of Common Stock other than an ordinary
cash dividend, the shares, cash or other property will be subject to the same restrictions on
transferability and forfeitability as the shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which they
were paid. Each dividend payment will be made no later than the end of the calendar year in which
the dividends are paid to shareholders of that class of stock or, if later, the 15th day of the
third month following the date the dividends are paid to shareholders of that class of stock.



     (2) Stock Certificates. The Company may require that any stock certificates issued
in respect of shares of Restricted Stock must be deposited in escrow by the Participant, together
with a stock power endorsed in blank, with the Company (or its designee). At the expiration of the
applicable restriction periods, the Company (or such designee) will deliver the certificates no
longer subject to such restrictions to the Participant or if the Participant has died, to the
beneficiary designated, in a manner determined by the Board, by a Participant to receive amounts
due or exercise rights of the Participant in the event of the Participant’s death (the “Designated
Beneficiary”). In the absence of an effective designation by a Participant, “Designated
Beneficiary” means the Participant’s estate.



     (e) Additional Provisions Relating to Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock
Units.



     (1) Settlement. Upon the vesting of and/or lapsing of any other restrictions (i.e.,
settlement) with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit, the Participant will be entitled to receive
from the Company one share of Common Stock or an amount of cash equal to the Fair Market Value of
one share of Common Stock, as provided in the applicable Award agreement. The Board may, in its
discretion, provide that settlement of Restricted Stock Units will be deferred, on a mandatory
basis or at the election of the Participant and become a Deferred Stock Unit.



     (2) Voting Rights. A Participant will have no voting rights with respect to any
Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units.



     (3) Dividend Equivalents. To the extent provided by the Board, in its sole
discretion, a grant of Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units may provide Participants with
Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents may be paid currently or credited to an account for the
Participants, may be settled in cash and/or shares of Common Stock and may be subject to the same
restrictions on transfer and forfeitability as the Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units
with respect to which paid, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, subject in each case
to such terms and conditions as the Board establishes, in each case to be set forth in the
applicable Award agreement.



8.  Other Stock-Based Awards. 




     (a) General. Other Awards of shares of Common Stock, and other Awards that are
valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based on, shares of Common Stock or
other property, may be granted hereunder to Participants (“Other Stock-Based-Awards”), including
without limitation Awards entitling recipients to receive shares of Common Stock to be delivered in
the future. Such Other Stock-Based Awards will also be available as a form of payment in the
settlement of other Awards granted under the Plan or as payment in lieu of compensation to which a
Participant is otherwise entitled. Other Stock-Based Awards may be paid in shares of Common Stock
or cash, as the Board determines.



     (b) Terms and Conditions. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board will
determine the terms and conditions of each Other Stock-Based Award, including any purchase price
applicable thereto.



9.  Adjustments for Changes in Common Stock and Certain Other Events.




     (a) Changes in Capitalization. In the event of any stock split, reverse stock split,
stock dividend, recapitalization, combination of shares, reclassification of shares, spin-off or
other similar change in capitalization or event, or any dividend or distribution to holders of
Common Stock other than an ordinary cash dividend, (i) the number and class of securities available
under this Plan, (ii) the sub-limits and share counting rules set forth in Sections 4(a) and 4(b)
and 7(b)(1) with respect to vesting of Restricted Stock Awards, (iii) the number and class of
securities and exercise price per share of each outstanding Option, (iv) the share- and per-share
provisions and the exercise price of each SAR, (v) the number of shares subject to and the
repurchase price per share subject to each outstanding Restricted Stock Award and (vi) the share-
and per-share-related provisions and the purchase price, if any, of each outstanding Other
Stock-Based Award, must be equitably adjusted by the Company (or substituted Awards may be made, if
applicable) in the manner determined by the Board. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, if the Company effects a split of the Common Stock by means of a stock dividend and the
exercise price of and the number of shares subject to an outstanding Option are adjusted as of the
date of the distribution of the dividend (rather than as of the record date for such dividend),
then an optionee who exercises an Option between the record date and the distribution date for such
stock dividend will be entitled to receive, on the distribution date, the stock dividend with
respect to the shares of Common Stock acquired upon such Option exercise, notwithstanding the fact
that such shares were not outstanding as of the close of business on the record date for such stock
dividend.



     (b) Reorganization Events.



     (1) Definition. A “Reorganization Event” means: (a) any merger or consolidation of
the Company with or into another entity as a result of which all of the Common Stock of the Company
is converted into or exchanged for the right to receive cash, securities or other property or is
cancelled, (b) any exchange of all of the Common Stock of the Company for cash, securities or other
property
pursuant to a share exchange transaction or (c) any liquidation or dissolution of the Company.



 









 





     (2) Consequences of a Reorganization Event on Awards Other than Restricted Stock
Awards. In connection with a Reorganization Event, the Board may take any one or more of the
following actions as to all or any (or any portion of) outstanding Awards other than Restricted
Stock Awards on such terms as the Board determines: (i) provide that Awards must be assumed, or
substantially equivalent Awards must be substituted, by the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or
an affiliate thereof), (ii) upon written notice to a Participant, provide that the Participant’s
unexercised Awards will terminate immediately before the consummation of such Reorganization Event
unless exercised by the Participant within a specified period following the date of such notice,
(iii) provide that outstanding Awards will become exercisable, realizable, or deliverable, or
restrictions applicable to an Award will lapse, in whole or in part before or upon such
Reorganization Event, (iv) in the event of a Reorganization Event under the terms of which holders
of Common Stock will receive upon consummation thereof a cash payment for each share surrendered in
the Reorganization Event (the “Acquisition Price”), make or provide for a cash payment to a
Participant equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the Acquisition Price times the number of shares of
Common Stock subject to the Participant’s Awards (to the extent the exercise price does not exceed
the Acquisition Price) over (B) the aggregate exercise price of all such outstanding Awards and any
applicable tax withholdings, in exchange for the termination of such Awards, (v) provide that, in
connection with a liquidation or dissolution of the Company, Awards will convert into the right to
receive liquidation proceeds (if applicable, net of the exercise price thereof and any applicable
tax withholdings) and (vi) any combination of the foregoing. In taking any of the actions permitted
under this Section 9(b), the Board will not be obligated by the Plan to treat all Awards, all
Awards held by a Participant, or all Awards of the same type, identically.



     For purposes of clause (i) above, an Option will be considered assumed if, following
consummation of the Reorganization Event, the Option confers the right to purchase, for each share
of Common Stock subject to the Option immediately before the consummation of the Reorganization
Event, the consideration (whether cash, securities or other property) received as a result of the
Reorganization Event by holders of Common Stock for each share of Common Stock held immediately
before the consummation of the Reorganization Event (and if holders were offered a choice of
consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock); provided, however, that if the consideration received as a result of the
Reorganization Event is not solely common stock of the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an
affiliate thereof), the Company may, with the consent of the acquiring or succeeding corporation,
provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of Options to consist solely of
common stock of the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate thereof) equivalent in
value (as determined by the Board) to the per share consideration received by holders of
outstanding shares of Common Stock as a result of the Reorganization Event.



     (3) Consequences of a Reorganization Event on Restricted Stock Awards. Upon the
occurrence of a Reorganization Event other than a liquidation or dissolution of the Company, the
repurchase and other rights of the Company under each outstanding Restricted Stock Award will inure
to the benefit of the Company’s successor and will, unless the Board determines otherwise, apply to
the cash, securities or other property which the Common Stock was converted into or exchanged for
pursuant to such Reorganization Event in the same manner and to the same extent as they applied to
the Common Stock subject to such Restricted Stock Award. Upon the occurrence of a Reorganization
Event involving the liquidation or dissolution of the Company, except to the extent specifically
provided to the contrary in the instrument evidencing any Restricted Stock Award or any other
agreement between a Participant and the Company, all restrictions and conditions on all Restricted
Stock Awards then outstanding will automatically be deemed terminated or satisfied.



     (c) Change in Control Events.



     (1) Definition. Except to the extent defined differently in an Award, a “Change in
Control Event” means:



     (a) the acquisition by an individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3)
or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)) (a “Person”) of beneficial
ownership of any capital stock of the Company if, after such acquisition, such Person beneficially
owns (within the meaning of Rule 13d 3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) 25% or more of either
(x) the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common
Stock”) or (y) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding securities of the Company entitled
to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”);
provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (a), the following acquisitions will not
constitute a Change in Control Event: (1) any acquisition directly from the Company or (2) any
acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a Business Combination (as defined below) which complies
with clauses (x) and (y) of subsection (c) of this definition; or



     (b) such time as the Continuing Directors (as defined below) do not constitute at least a
majority of the Board (or, if applicable, the Board of Directors of a successor corporation to the
Company), where the term “Continuing Director” means at any date a member of the Board (x) who was
a member of the Board on the date of the initial adoption of this Plan by the Board or (y) who was
nominated or elected subsequent to such date by at least a majority of the directors who were
Continuing Directors at the time of such nomination or election or whose election to the Board was
recommended or endorsed by at least a majority of the directors who were Continuing Directors at
the time of such nomination or election; provided, however, that this clause (y) excludes any
individual whose initial assumption of office occurred as a result of an actual or threatened
election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened
solicitation of proxies or consents, by or on behalf of a person other than the Board; or



 









 





     (c) the consummation of a merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or share
exchange involving the Company or a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
assets of the Company (a “Business Combination”), unless, immediately following such Business
Combination, each of the following two conditions is satisfied: (x) all or substantially all of the
individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and
Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately before such Business Combination beneficially
own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the
combined voting power of the then-outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in
the election of directors, respectively, of the resulting or acquiring corporation in such
Business Combination (which includes, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such
transaction owns the Company or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or
through one or more subsidiaries) (such resulting or acquiring corporation is referred to herein as
the “Acquiring Corporation”) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the
Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, respectively,
immediately before such Business Combination and (y) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan
(or related trust) maintained or sponsored by the Company or by the Acquiring Corporation)
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of the then-outstanding shares of common
stock of the Acquiring Corporation, or of the combined voting power of the then-outstanding
securities of such corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (except to
the extent that such ownership existed before the Business Combination); or



     (d) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.



     (2) Effect on Options. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9(b), effective
immediately before a Change in Control Event, except to the extent specifically provided to the
contrary in the instrument evidencing any Option or any other agreement between a Participant and
the Company, all Options then outstanding will automatically become immediately exercisable in
full.



     (3) Effect on Restricted Stock Awards. Notwithstanding the provisions of
Section 9(b), effective immediately before a Change in Control Event, except to the extent
specifically provided to the contrary in the instrument evidencing any Restricted Stock Award or
any other agreement between a Participant and the Company, all restrictions and conditions on all
Restricted Stock Awards then-outstanding will automatically be deemed terminated or satisfied.



     (4) Effect on SARs and Other Stock-Based Awards. The Board may specify in an Award
at the time of the grant the effect of a Change in Control Event on any SAR and Other Stock-Based
Award.



10.  General Provisions Applicable to Awards 




     (a) Transferability of Awards. Awards cannot be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged
or otherwise encumbered by the person to whom they are granted, either voluntarily or by operation
of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, other than in the case of an
Incentive Stock Option, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, and, during the life of
the Participant, will be exercisable only by the Participant; provided, however, that the Board may
permit or provide in an Award for the gratuitous transfer of the Award by the Participant to or for
the benefit of any immediate family member, family trust or other entity established for the
benefit of the Participant and/or an immediate family member thereof if, with respect to such
proposed transferee, the Company would be eligible to use a Form S-8 for the registration of the
sale of the Common Stock subject to such Award under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;
provided, further, that the Company will not be required to recognize any such transfer until such
time as the Participant and such permitted transferee must, as a condition to such transfer,
deliver to the Company a written instrument in form and substance satisfactory to the Company
confirming that such transferee will be bound by all of the terms and conditions of the Award.
References to a Participant, to the extent relevant in the context, include references to
authorized transferees.



     (b) Documentation. Each Award will be evidenced in such form (written, electronic or
otherwise) as the Board determines. Each Award may contain terms and conditions in addition to
those set forth in the Plan.



     (c) Board Discretion. Except as otherwise provided by the Plan, each Award may be
made alone or in addition or in relation to any other Award. The terms of each Award need not be
identical, and the Board need not treat Participants uniformly.



     (d) Termination of Status. The Board may determine the effect on an Award of the
disability, death, termination or other cessation of employment, authorized leave of absence or
other change in the employment or other status of a Participant and the extent to which, and the
period during which, the Participant, or the Participant’s legal representative, conservator,
guardian or Designated Beneficiary, may exercise rights under the Award.



     (e) Withholding. The Participant must satisfy all applicable federal, state, and
local or other income and employment tax withholding obligations before the Company will deliver
stock certificates or otherwise recognize ownership of Common Stock under an Award. The Company may
decide to satisfy the withholding obligations through additional withholding on salary or wages. If
the Company elects not to or cannot withhold from other compensation, the Participant must pay the
Company the full amount, if any, required for withholding or have a broker tender to the Company
cash equal to the withholding obligations. Payment of withholding obligations is due before the
Company will issue any shares on exercise or release from forfeiture of an Award or, if the Company
so requires, at the same time as is payment of the exercise price unless the Company determines
otherwise. If provided for in an Award or approved by the Board in its sole discretion, a
Participant may satisfy such tax obligations in whole or in part by delivery (either by actual
delivery or attestation) of shares of Common Stock, including shares retained from the Award
creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value; provided, however, except as
otherwise provided by the Board, that the total tax withholding where stock is being used to
satisfy such tax obligations cannot exceed the Company’s minimum statutory withholding obligations
(based on minimum statutory withholding rates for federal and state tax purposes, including payroll
taxes, that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income). Shares used to satisfy tax
withholding requirements cannot be subject to any repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting or
other similar requirements.



     (f) Amendment of Award. Except as otherwise provided in Section 5(g) with respect to
repricings, Section 7(b)(1) with respect to vesting of Restricted Stock Awards, Section 10(i) with
respect to Performance Awards or Section 11(d) with respect to actions requiring shareholder
approval, the Board may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award, including but not limited
to, substituting therefor another Award of the same or a different type, changing the date of
exercise or realization, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Nonstatutory Stock Option.
The Participant’s consent to such action will be required unless (i) the Board determines that the
action, taking into account any related action, would not materially and adversely affect the
Participant’s rights under the Plan or (ii) the change is permitted under Section 9 hereof.



 









 





     (g) Conditions on Delivery of Stock. The Company will not be obligated to deliver
any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Plan or to remove restrictions from shares previously
delivered under the Plan until (i) all conditions of the Award have been met or removed to the
satisfaction of the Company, (ii) in the opinion of the Company’s counsel, all other legal matters
in connection with the issuance and delivery of such shares have been satisfied, including any
applicable securities laws and any applicable stock
exchange or stock market rules and regulations, and (iii) the Participant has executed and
delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Company may consider appropriate
to satisfy the requirements of any applicable laws, rules or regulations.



     (h) Acceleration. Except as otherwise provided in Section 10(i) with respect to
Performance Awards or Section 11(d) with respect to actions requiring shareholder approval, the
Board may at any time provide that any Award will become immediately exercisable in full or in
part, free of some or all restrictions or conditions, or otherwise realizable in full or in part,
as the case may be.



     (i) Performance Awards.



     (1) Grants. Restricted Stock Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards under the Plan may
be made subject to the achievement of performance goals pursuant to this Section 10(i)
(“Performance Awards”), subject to the limit in Section 4(b)(1) on shares covered by such grants.
Subject to Section 10(i)(4), no Performance Awards will vest before the first anniversary of the
date of grant. Performance Awards can also provide for cash payments of up to $2,000,000 per fiscal
year per individual.



     (2) Committee. Grants of Performance Awards to any Covered Employee intended to
qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) (“Performance-Based Compensation”)
must be made only by a Committee (or subcommittee of a Committee) comprised solely of two or more
directors eligible to serve on a committee making Awards qualifying as “performance-based
compensation” under Section 162(m). In the case of such Awards granted to Covered Employees,
references to the Board or to a Committee will be treated as referring to such Committee or
subcommittee. “Covered Employee” means any person who is, or whom the Committee, in its discretion,
determines may be, a “covered employee” under Section 162(m)(3) of the Code.



     (3) Performance Measures. For any Award that is intended to qualify as
Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee must specify that the degree of granting, vesting
and/or payout must be subject to the achievement of one or more objective performance measures
established by the Committee, which will be based on the relative or absolute attainment of
specified levels of one or any combination of the following: cash flow, earnings (including one or
more of gross profit, earnings before interest and taxes, earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization and net earnings), earnings per share, margins (including one or more
of gross, operating and net income margins), returns (including one or more of return on assets,
equity, investment, capital and revenue and total stockholder return), stock price, economic value
added, working capital, market share, cost reductions and strategic plan development and
implementation. Such goals may reflect absolute entity or business unit performance or a relative
comparison to the performance of a peer group of entities or other external measure of the selected
performance criteria and may be absolute in their terms or measured against or in relationship to
other companies comparably, similarly or otherwise situated. The Committee may specify that such
performance measures will be adjusted to exclude any one or more of (i) extraordinary items,
(ii) gains or losses on the dispositions of discontinued operations, (iii) the cumulative effects
of changes in accounting principles, (iv) the writedown of any asset, and (v) charges for
restructuring and rationalization programs. Such performance measures: (i) may vary by Participant
and may be different for different Awards; (ii) may be particular to a Participant or the
department, branch, line of business, subsidiary or other unit in which the Participant works and
may cover such period as may be specified by the Committee; and (iii) will be set by the Committee
within the time period prescribed by, and will otherwise comply with the requirements of,
Section 162(m). Awards that are not intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation may be
based on these or such other performance measures as the Board may determine.



     (4) Adjustments. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan, with respect to any
Performance Award that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may
adjust downwards, but not upwards, the cash or number of Shares payable pursuant to such Award, and
the Committee may not waive the achievement of the applicable performance measures except in the
case of the death or disability of the Participant or a change in control of the Company.



     (5) Other. The Committee will have the power to impose such other restrictions on
Performance Awards as it may deem necessary or appropriate to ensure that such Awards satisfy all
requirements for Performance-Based Compensation.



11.  Miscellaneous




     (a) No Right To Employment or Other Status. No person will have any claim or right
to be granted an Award, and the grant of an Award must not be construed as giving a Participant the
right to continued employment or any other relationship with the Company. The Company expressly
reserves the right at any time to dismiss or otherwise terminate its relationship with a
Participant free from any liability or claim under the Plan, except as expressly provided in the
applicable Award.



     (b) No Rights As Stockholder. Subject to the provisions of the applicable Award, no
Participant or Designated Beneficiary will have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any
shares of Common Stock to be distributed with respect to an Award until becoming the record holder
of such shares.



     (c) Effective Date and Term of Plan. The Plan will become effective on the date the
Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders (the “Effective Date”). No Awards will be granted
under the Plan after the expiration of 10 years from the Effective Date, but Awards previously
granted may extend beyond that date.



 









 





     (d) Amendment of Plan. The Board may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan or any
portion thereof at any time provided that (i) to the extent required by Section 162(m), no Award
granted to a Participant that is intended to comply with Section 162(m) after the date of such
amendment will become exercisable, realizable or vested, as applicable to such Award, unless and
until the Company’s stockholders approve such amendment if required by Section 162(m) (including
the vote required under Section 162(m)); (ii) no amendment that would require stockholder approval
under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) may be made effective unless and until the
Company’s stockholders approve such amendment; and (iii) if the NYSE amends its corporate
governance rules so that such rules no longer require stockholder approval of “material revisions”
to equity compensation plans, then, from and after the effective date of such amendment to the NYSE
rules, no amendment to the Plan (A) materially increasing the number of shares authorized under the
Plan (other than pursuant to Section 4(c) or 9), (B) expanding the types of Awards that may be
granted under the Plan, or (C) materially expanding the class of participants eligible to
participate in the Plan will be effective unless stockholder approval is obtained. In addition, if
at any time the approval of the Company’s stockholders is required as to any other modification or
amendment under Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision with respect to Incentive Stock
Options, the
Board may not effect such modification or amendment without such approval. Unless otherwise
specified in the amendment, any amendment to the Plan adopted in accordance with this Section 11(d)
will apply to, and be binding on the holders of, all Awards outstanding under the Plan at the time
the amendment is adopted, provided the Board determines that such amendment does not materially and
adversely affect the rights of Participants under the Plan. No Award may be made that is
conditioned upon stockholder approval of any amendment to the Plan.



     (e) Provisions for Foreign Participants. The Board may modify Awards granted to
Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States or establish subplans
or procedures under the Plan to recognize differences in laws, rules, regulations or
customs of such foreign jurisdictions with respect to tax, securities, currency, employee benefit
or other matters.



     (f) Compliance with Code Section 409A. No Award may provide for deferral of
compensation that does not comply with Section 409A of the Code, unless the Board, at the time of
grant, specifically provides that the Award is not intended to comply with Section 409A of the
Code. The Company will have no liability to a Participant, or any other party, if an Award that is
intended to be exempt from, or compliant with, Section 409A is not so exempt or compliant or for
any action taken by the Board.



     (g) Governing Law. The provisions of the Plan and all Awards made hereunder will be
governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware,
excluding choice-of-law principles of the law of such state that would require the application of
the laws of a jurisdiction other than such state.