Form of Restricted Stock Award - Officer



 Exhibit 10.16 
 March 1, 2012 
 Employee Name 
 Address 
 City, State ZIP 
 Dear EE: 
 Pursuant to the Lumos Networks Corp. 2011 Equity and Cash Incentive (the
“Plan”), the Plan’s administrative committee (the “Committee”) hereby grants xxx shares of Restricted Stock, par value $.01 (“Award”). This Award is subject to the applicable terms and conditions of the Plan, which
are incorporated herein by reference, and in the event of any contradiction, distinction or difference between this letter and the terms of the Plan, the terms of the Plan will control. All capitalized terms used herein have the meanings set forth
herein or in the Plan, as applicable. 
 Subject to your continued employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries, your Award will fully vest
and become non-forfeitable as of March 10, 2015 (“Vesting Date”). 
 The following enhanced vesting provisions shall also apply
to your Award shares in the event your employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries terminates under the circumstances described below before your Award shares become vested. 

 

	 	•	 	 In the event the Company terminates your employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries involuntarily and without Cause in contemplation of or within
nine (9) months after a Change in Control, as defined in the Plan, then your entire Award will fully vest and become non-forfeitable immediately prior to your Termination Date. Your employment will be considered to have been terminated “in
contemplation of” a Change in Control only if the Company makes a public announcement or files a report or proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing a transaction or series of transactions which, if completed, would
constitute a Change in Control and your employment is terminated by the Company without Cause during the period beginning with such announcement or filing and ending on the earlier of (x) the date that the Board, acting in good faith, adopts a
resolution stating that the transaction or series of transactions been abandoned or (y) the date that such transaction or series of transactions are completed. You will not be entitled to receive this enhanced vesting if your employment
terminates on account of your death, disability, retirement, termination by the Company for Cause or your voluntary resignation for whatever reason. 


  

	 	•	 	 In the event the Company terminates your employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries involuntarily and without Cause other than in contemplation
of or within nine (9) months after a Change in Control, as defined in the Plan, then your Award will fully vest and become non-forfeitable immediately prior to your Termination Date with respect to 25% of your Award shares for each full year of
your continued employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries subsequent to date of this grant. You will not be entitled to receive this enhanced vesting if your employment terminates on account of your death, disability, retirement, termination
by the Company for Cause or your voluntary resignation for whatever reason. 









 By accepting this Award, you agree upon grant of your Award to be bound by the following confidentiality and
non-solicitation restrictions: 
 Confidentiality 
 You understand and acknowledge that during your employment with the Company, you have been and will be making use of, acquiring or adding to the Company’s Confidential Information (as defined below).
In order to protect the Confidential Information, you will not, during your employment with the Company or at any time thereafter, in any way utilize any of the Confidential Information except in connection with your employment by the Company. You
will not at any time use any Confidential Information for your own benefit or the benefit of any person except the Company. At the end of your employment with the Company, you will surrender and return to the Company any and all Confidential
Information in your possession or control, as well as any other Company property that is in your possession or control. The term “Confidential Information” shall mean any information that is confidential and proprietary to the Company,
including but not limited to the following general categories: (a) trade secrets; (b) lists and other information about current and prospective customers; (c) plans or strategies for sales, marketing, business development, or system
build-out; (d) sales and account records; (e) prices or pricing strategy or information; (f) current and proposed advertising and promotional programs; (g) engineering and technical data; (h) the Company’s methods,
systems, techniques, procedures, designs, formula, inventions and know-how; (i) personnel information; (j) legal advice and strategies; and (k) other information of a similar nature not known or made available to the public or the
Company’s competitors. “Confidential Information” shall also include any such information that you may prepare or create during your employment with the Company, as well as such information that has been or may be created or prepared
by others. This promise of confidentiality is in addition to any common law or statutory rights of the Company to prevent disclosure of its trade secrets and/or Confidential Information. 
 Non-Solicitation 
 While you are employed by the Company and for one (1) year after
your Termination Date, you will not, directly or indirectly, solicit or encourage any employee of the Company to terminate employment with the Company; hire, or cause to be hired, for any employment by a Competitor, any person who within the
preceding 12 month period has been employed by the Company, or assist any other person, firm, or corporation to do any of the foregoing acts. Additionally, while you are employed by the Company and for one (1) year after your Termination Date,
you will not, directly or indirectly, sell, attempt to sell, provide or attempt to provide, any wireless or wireline telecommunication services, including but not limited to internet services, to any person or entity who was a customer or an
actively sought prospective customer of the Company, at any time during the Executive’s employment with the Company. 
 In the event you
breach any of foregoing confidentiality or non-solicitation restrictions, in addition to any contractual or common law right the Company may have against you, you will waive and forfeit any and all rights to any further benefits under this letter or
under the Plan and you will repay the Company for any benefit you may have already received under this letter or under the Plan. 
 Taxes

 Under the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), your restricted stock grant is taxed as ordinary income when the shares fully
vest. Upon vesting of your stock, you will be required to pay applicable withholding tax on the stock’s value prior to the stock being transferred to you by making payment directly to Lumos Networks by a personal check. You may be eligible to
make a Section 83(b) election to accelerate recognition of the income from this award. You should seek advice from a qualified tax advisor immediately if you are considering this election. 







 Dividends 
 Prior to the vesting of your restricted stock, you will be eligible to receive any dividends that are declared. Any applicable dividend checks will be mailed to your address of record. Dividends that you
receive on restricted stock are treated as ordinary income (compensation) and not as dividend income. Lumos Networks will include these payments on your W-2 Wage Statement. If they also are reported on a Form 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions,
you should list them on Schedule B (Form 1040), with a statement that they have been included as wages on your W-2. Do not include them in the total dividends received. You should consider reviewing page 13 of IRS Publication 525, “Taxable and
Non-Taxable Income” for specific instructions on this issue. 
 Please contact your tax advisor if you have questions on these tax related
issues. 
 Stock Ownership Requirement 
 The Company has established Common Stock Ownership and Retention Guidelines for Directors and Officers (the “Guidelines”) to emphasize the link between officers and the long-term interests of
shareholders of the Company and to enhance the Company’s image by openly communicating to investors, market analysts and the public that officer interests are tied directly to the long-term success of the Company through personal capital
investment in Company stock. By accepting this Award, you acknowledge that you have received a copy of the Guidelines and agree to adhere to the terms and conditions contained therein. 
 By accepting this Award, you acknowledge and agree that you will accumulate and hold shares of the common stock, $.01 par value per share, of the Company pursuant to the Guidelines. If you are promoted
into another position, you acknowledge and agree that you will accumulate and hold additional shares pursuant to the Guidelines. Prior to any sale of your stock, you agree to seek clearance and to notify the Company’s Chief Financial Officer
that you will not go below your target stock ownership level (other than sales to pay taxes permitted by this letter). You are also expected to comply with all relevant securities regulations at the time of any sale of Company stock. 

You also agree to certify as the Committee requests whether or not you are in compliance with the Guidelines. You agree that until such time as you have
reached your stock ownership guideline, you will hold 100% of the shares of common stock received upon lapse of the restrictions upon restricted stock and upon exercise of stock options (net of any shares utilized to pay for tax withholding and the
exercise price of the option). You also agree to sell or otherwise dispose of any Company stock you own once your stock ownership level is met only to the extent that your remaining holdings do not fall below the minimum stock ownership level. The
Committee in its sole discretion can make hardship exceptions to the Guidelines or to permit sales pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 plans to the extent the Committee deems appropriate. The Committee reserves the right to interpret, modify or terminate the
Guidelines at any time except that no such change or modification will adversely affect you without your prior consent. 
 Other Provisions

 The Company may impose any additional conditions or restrictions on the Award or the exercise of the Award as it deems necessary or
advisable to ensure that all rights granted under the Plan satisfy the requirements of applicable securities laws. The Company shall not be obligated to issue or deliver any shares if such action violates any provision of any law or regulation of
any governmental authority or national securities exchange. 
 The Committee may amend the terms of this Award to the extent it deems
appropriate to carry out the terms of the Plan. The construction and interpretation of any provision of this Award or the Plan shall be final and conclusive when made by the Committee. 







 Nothing in this letter shall confer on you the right to continue in the service of the Company or its
Subsidiaries or interfere in any way with the right of the Company or its Subsidiaries to terminate your service at any time, which rights shall be subject to the terms and conditions of any applicable employment agreement or other contractual
relationship between you and the Company, if such agreement or other relationship exists. 
 Please sign and return a copy of this agreement to
Joe Leigh, Vice President Human Resources, designating your approval of this letter. This acknowledgement must be returned within thirty (30) days; otherwise, the Award will lapse and become null and void. Your signature will also acknowledge
that you have received and reviewed the Plan and that you agree to be bound by the applicable terms of this letter and the Plan. 
 Very truly
yours, 
  

			
	LUMOS NETWORKS CORP.
		
	By:	 	  

		 	 Mike Moneymaker

		 	 President



			
	
	ACKNOWLEDGED AND ACCEPTED
	
	  

		
	Dated: