ex10_4.htm








EXHIBIT 10.4







MEDIWARE INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.


Amended and Restated


2003 Equity Incentive Plan







ARTICLE I


PURPOSE AND EFFECTIVENESS







1.1 Purpose. The purpose of the Mediware Information Systems, Inc. 2003 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") is to promote the success of Mediware Information Systems, Inc. (the "Company") by providing a method whereby employees, directors, and independent contractors providing services to the Company and its Affiliates may be encouraged to increase their proprietary interest in the Company. By offering incentive compensation opportunities that are competitive with those of similar enterprises and based on the Company's common stock, the Plan will motivate Participants to continue to provide services and achieve long-range goals, further identify their interests with those of the Company's other shareholders, and promote the long-term financial interest of the Company and its Affiliates, including enhancement of long-term shareholder value. The Plan is also intended to aid in attracting persons of exceptional ability and leadership qualities to become officers, employees, directors, and independent contractors of the Company and its Affiliates.







1.2 Effective Date and Shareholder Approval. The Plan became effective on October 22, 2003, the date on which the Plan was adopted by the Company's Board of Directors (the "Effective Date"). Such adoption shall be subject to approval at the 2003 annual meeting of the Company's shareholders, pursuant to the provisions of Section 12.2 of the Plan. Any Awards granted under the Plan prior to such shareholder approval shall be conditioned upon such approval and shall be null and void if such approval is not obtained.







1.3 Term of Plan. The Plan shall be unlimited in duration and, in the event of Plan termination, shall remain in effect as long as any Awards under it are outstanding; provided, however, that no Awards may be granted under the Plan after the ten-year anniversary of the Effective Date (except for Awards granted pursuant to commitments entered into under the Plan prior to such ten-year anniversary).







1.4 Forms of Awards. Awards made under the Plan may be in the form of Incentive Options, Nonqualified Options, or Stock Awards, all as the Committee in its sole discretion shall decide. The terms and conditions of any Award to any Participant shall be reflected in such form of written document as is determined by the Committee. A copy of such document shall be provided to the Participant, and the Committee may, but need not, require that the Participant sign a copy of such document.







ARTICLE II


DEFINITIONS







Capitalized terms not defined elsewhere in the Plan shall have the following meanings (whether used in the singular or plural):






  





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"Affiliate" means any corporation, partnership, joint venture or other entity during any period in which at least a 25% voting or profits interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company (or by any entity that is a successor to the Company), and any other business venture designated by the Committee in which the Company (or any entity that is a successor to the Company) has a significant interest, as determined in the discretion of the Committee. An entity shall be deemed an Affiliate of the Company for purposes of this definition only for such periods as the requisite ownership or control relationship is maintained.







"Agreement" means a written agreement between a Participant and the Company which sets out the terms of the grant of an Option or Stock Award, as described in Section 1.4, as any such Agreement may be supplemented or amended from time to time.







"Award" means any award or benefit granted under the Plan, including, without limitation, Options and Stock Awards.







"Beneficiary" means the person, persons, trust or trusts which have been designated by an Optionee in his most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Company to receive the benefits specified under the Plan upon his death, or, if there is no designated Beneficiary or surviving designated Beneficiary, then the person, persons, trust or trusts entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive such benefits.







"Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.







"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor statute or statutes thereto. Reference to any specific Code section shall include any successor section.







"Committee" means either or both of the committees of the Board appointed or designated pursuant to Sections 3.1 and 3.3 to administer the Plan in accordance with its terms.







"Company" means Mediware Information Systems, Inc. and any successor entity.







"Consultant" means any person who is engaged by the Company or any Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services, in a capacity other than that of an Employee or Director, and is compensated for such services.







"Date of Grant" means the date on which the Committee determines the terms of an Award to a specified Eligible Individual, including, in the case of an Option, the number of Shares subject to the Option and the applicable Exercise Price.







"Director" means a duly elected member of the Company's Board of Directors.







"Disability" means a Participant is qualified for long-term disability benefits under the applicable health and welfare plan of the Company, or if no such benefits are then in existence, that the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which, in the opinion of a physician selected by the Committee, can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than six months.







"Eligible Individual" means an Employee, Consultant, and Director, whether or not a resident alien of the United States, who is described in Section 5.1.







"Employee" means a common law employee (as defined in accordance with the Regulations and Revenue Rulings then applicable under Section 3401(c) of the Code) of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company. The term "Employee" will also include an individual who is granted an Award, in connection with his hiring by the Company or any Affiliate, prior to the date the individual first becomes an Employee, but if and only if such Award does not vest prior to the date the individual first becomes an Employee.






  





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"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, or any successor statute or statutes thereto. Reference to any specific Act section shall include any successor section.







"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor statute or statutes thereto. Reference to any specific Exchange Act section shall include any successor section.







"Executive Officer" means an Employee who is subject to the provisions of Section 16b of the Exchange Act.







"Exercise Price" means the price that must be paid by an Optionee upon exercise of an Option to purchase a share of Stock.







"Fair Market Value" of a Share of Stock means the fair market value of such Stock determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the per share Fair Market Value of Stock as of a particular date shall mean the average of the high and low sales price per share of Stock on the principal exchange or market on which the Stock is then listed for the last preceding date on which there was a sale of such Stock on such exchange or market.







"Incentive Option" means an option granted under this Plan that is both intended to and qualifies as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.







"Independent Auditor" means the certified public accounting firm that has been retained by the Audit Committee of the Board (or its functional equivalent) to opine on the interim or annual financial statements of the Company.







"Named Executive Officer" means an Executive Officer whose compensation is subject to the potential tax deduction disallowance provisions of Section 162(m) of the Code.







"Nonqualified Option" means an option granted under this Plan that either is not intended to be or is not denominated as an Incentive Option, or that does not qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.







"Option" means a Nonqualified Option or an Incentive Option.







"Optionee" means an Eligible Individual of the Company or a Subsidiary who has received an Option under this Plan, for the period of time during which such Option is held in whole or in part.







"Option Shares" means, with respect to any Option granted under this Plan, the Stock that may be acquired upon the exercise of such Option.







"Participant" means an Eligible Individual who has received an Option or a Stock Award under this Plan.







"Plan" means this Mediware Information Systems, Inc. 2003 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.







"Retirement" means retirement, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Such term shall be applicable only to Participants who are Employees.







"Secretary" means the secretary of the Company or his designee.






  





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"Shares" or "Stock" mean shares of common stock of the Company.







"Stock Award" means an Award consisting of either Shares of Stock or a right to receive Shares in the future, each pursuant to Article VIII of the Plan.







"Subsidiary" of the Company means any present or future subsidiary (as that term is defined in Section 424(f) of the Code) of the Company. An entity shall be deemed a Subsidiary of the Company for purposes of this definition only for such periods as the requisite ownership or control relationship is maintained.







"Termination of Service, Terminate or Termination" occurs when a Participant ceases to be an Employee of, or ceases to provide services as a Director or Consultant to, the Company and its Affiliates, as the case may be, for any reason (including by reason of an Affiliate ceasing to be an Affiliate by reason of disposition or otherwise).







"Vested, Vest and Vesting" means, with respect to all or a portion of any Stock Award or Option, that legal ownership of such Stock Award or Option is not subject to forfeiture by the Participant pursuant to the provisions of Article IX in the event the Participant Terminates Service with the Company or any Affiliate (other than for Cause), and with respect to an Option, that the Option may be exercised.







"Vesting Date" with respect to any Award granted hereunder means the date on which such Award becomes Vested, as designated in or determined in accordance with the Agreement with respect to such Award (subject to the terms of the Plan). If more than one Vesting Date is designated for an Award, reference in the Plan to a Vesting Date in respect of such Award shall be deemed to refer to each part of such Award and the Vesting Date for such part.







ARTICLE III


ADMINISTRATION







3.1 Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board unless a different committee is appointed by the Board.







3.2 Powers of Committee. The Committee's administration of the Plan shall be subject to the following:







3.2.a. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee will have the authority and discretion to select from among the Eligible Individuals those persons who shall receive Awards, to determine the time or times of receipt, to determine the types of Awards and the number of Shares covered by the Awards, to establish the terms, conditions, performance criteria, restrictions, and other provisions of such Awards, and, subject to the restrictions of Article XII, to cancel or suspend Awards.







3.2.b. To the extent that the Committee determines that the restrictions imposed by the Plan preclude the achievement of the material purposes of the Awards in jurisdictions outside the United States, the Committee will have the authority and discretion to modify those restrictions as the Committee determines to be necessary or appropriate to conform to applicable requirements or practices of those jurisdictions.






  





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3.3 Delegation by Committee. With respect to the grant of Awards to those Participants who are Named Executive Officers, the powers enumerated in Section 3.2 above shall not be delegated by the Committee. With respect to the grant of Awards to Eligible Individuals who are not Executive Officers or Directors, and except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules of a stock exchange, the Committee may delegate to any person or persons selected by it, who may or may not be Directors (a "Subcommittee"), all or any part of its responsibilities and powers as set forth above. Any such allocation or delegation may be revoked by the Committee at any time.







3.4 Information to be Furnished to Committee. The Company and its Affiliates shall furnish the Committee with such data and information as the Committee determines may be required for it to discharge its duties. The records of the Company and its Affiliates as to an Employee's or Participant's employment (or other provision of services), Termination of Service, leave of absence, reemployment (or return to service) and compensation shall be conclusive on all persons unless determined to be incorrect. Participants and other persons entitled to benefits under the Plan must furnish to the Committee such evidence, data, or information as the Committee considers desirable to carry out the terms of the Plan.







3.5 Rules and Interpretations. The Committee is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Plan, to establish, amend and rescind such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or advisable for the proper administration of the Plan and to take such other action in connection with or in relation to the Plan as it deems necessary or advisable. Each action and determination made or taken pursuant to the Plan by the Committee, including any interpretation or construction of the Plan, shall be final and conclusive for all purposes and upon all persons.







3.6 Liabilities and Indemnification. No member of the Committee shall be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made by him or the Committee in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award granted pursuant thereto. Each member of the Committee shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against any cost or expense (including counsel fees) reasonably incurred by him or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the approval of the Company) arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with this Plan, unless arising out of such member's own fraud or bad faith. Such indemnification shall be in addition to any rights of indemnification the members of the Committee may have as directors or otherwise under the by-laws of the Company.







3.7 Costs of Plan. All expenses and liabilities incurred by the Committee in the administration of the Plan shall be borne by the Company. The Committee may employ attorneys, consultants, accountants or other persons in connection with the administration of the Plan. The Company, and its officers and directors, shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions or valuations of any such persons.







3.8 Grant and Use of Awards. In the discretion of the Committee, Awards may be granted as alternatives to or replacements of awards granted or outstanding under the Plan, or any other plan or arrangement of the Company or an Affiliate. Subject to the overall limitation on the number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Awards under the Plan, the Committee may use available Shares as the form of payment for compensation, grants or rights earned or due under any other compensation plans or arrangements of the Company or an Affiliate, including the plans and arrangements of the Company or an Affiliate assumed in a business combination.







3.9 Compliance as an SEC Registrant. During any period in which the Company has issued and outstanding any class of common equity securities which is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, the 162(m) Committee shall be comprised of not less than two persons each of whom qualifies as both: (i) a "Non-Employee Director" within the meaning of the rules promulgated under Section 16b of the Exchange Act, and (ii) an "outside director" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.






  





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ARTICLE IV


SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN







4.1 Number of Shares. Subject to the following provisions of this Article IV, the maximum number of Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted during the term of the Plan shall be 500,000 (or the number and kind of Shares or other securities which are substituted for those Shares or to which those Shares are adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Article IX of the Plan). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the foregoing, not more than 200,000 Shares may be subject to Stock Awards.







4.2 Source of Shares. During the term of this Plan, the Company will at all times reserve and keep available the number of Shares of Stock that shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Plan. Shares of Stock will be made available from the currently authorized but unissued shares of the Company or from shares currently held or subsequently reacquired by the Company as treasury shares, including shares purchased in the open market or in private transactions.







4.3 Counting of Shares. The grant of any Option or Restricted Stock Award hereunder shall count, equal in number to the Shares represented by such Award, towards the share maximum indicated in Section 4.1. To the extent that (i) any outstanding Option for any reason expires, is terminated, forfeited or canceled without having been exercised, or if any Restricted Stock is forfeited, (ii) any Shares covered by an Award are not delivered because the Award is settled in cash or used to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligation, such Shares shall be deemed to have not been delivered and shall be restored to the share maximum. If the exercise price of any Option granted under the Plan is satisfied by tendering Shares to the Company (by either actual delivery or attestation), the number of Shares tendered shall be restored to the share maximum.







ARTICLE V


ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION







5.1 General. The persons who shall be eligible to participate in the Plan and to receive Awards shall be such Employees (including officers) and Directors of the Company and its Affiliates or Consultants as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall select. Awards may be made to Eligible Individuals who hold or have held Awards under this Plan or any similar plan or other awards under any other plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates. Any member of the Committee shall be eligible to receive Awards while serving on the Committee, subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules promulgated thereunder.







5.2 Committee Discretion. Awards may be granted by the Committee at any time and from time to time to new Participants, or to then Participants, or to a greater or lesser number of Participants, and may include or exclude previous Participants, as the Committee shall determine. Except as required by this Plan, Awards granted at different times need not contain similar provisions. The Committee's determinations under the Plan (including without limitation, determinations of which Eligible Individuals, if any, are to receive Awards, the form, amount and timing of such Awards, the terms and provisions of such Awards and the agreements evidencing same) need not be uniform and may be made by it selectively among individuals who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards under the Plan.






  





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ARTICLE VI


GRANTS OF STOCK OPTIONS







6.1 Grant of Options. The grant of an Option shall convey to the Participant the right to purchase Shares of Stock at an Exercise Price and for a period of time established by the Committee. Subject to the limitations of the Plan, the Committee shall designate from time to time those Eligible Individuals to be granted Options, the time when each Option shall be granted, the number of Shares of Stock subject to such Option, whether such Option is an Incentive Option or a Nonqualified Option and, subject to Section 6.3, the Exercise Price of the Option Shares. Options shall be evidenced by Agreements in such form and containing such terms and provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Committee may from time to time approve. Each Optionee shall be notified promptly of such grant and a written Agreement shall be promptly executed and delivered by the Company to the Optionee. Subject to the other provisions of the Plan, the same person may receive Incentive Options and Nonqualified Options at the same time and pursuant to the same Agreement, provided that Incentive Options and Nonqualified Options are clearly designated as such.







6.2 Provisions of Options. Option Agreements shall conform to the terms and conditions of the Plan. Such Agreements may provide that the grant of any Option under the Plan, shall be subject to such other conditions (whether or not applicable to an Option or Stock received by any other Optionee) as the Committee determines appropriate, including, without limitation, provisions conditioning exercise upon the occurrence of certain events or performance or the passage of time, provisions to assist the Optionee in financing the purchase of Stock through the exercise of Options, provisions for forfeiture, restrictions on resale or other disposition of shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of Options, provisions conditioning the grant of the Option or future Options upon the Optionee retaining ownership of Shares acquired upon exercise for a stated period of time, and provisions to comply with federal and state securities laws and federal and state income tax and other payroll tax withholding requirements.







6.3 Exercise Price. The price at which Shares may be purchased upon exercise of an Option shall be fixed by the Committee on the Date of Grant and may not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the Option as of the Date of Grant, or, if greater, the par value of a Share.







6.4 Limitations on Exercisability. No Option may be exercised in part or in full before the Vesting Date(s) applicable to such Option, other than in the event of an acceleration as provided in Article IX. No Option may be exercised after the Option expires by its terms as set forth in the applicable Agreement. In the case of an Option that is exercisable in installments, installments that are exercisable and not exercised shall remain exercisable during the term of the Option. The grant of an Option shall impose no obligation on the Optionee to exercise such Option.







6.5 Vesting. The Committee may specify in any Agreement a vesting schedule that must be satisfied before Options become Vested, such that all or any portion of an Option may not become Vested until a Vesting Date or Vesting Dates, or until the occurrence of one or more specified events, subject in any case to the terms of the Plan. Subsequent to the grant of an Option, the Committee may, at any time before complete termination of such Option, accelerate the time or times at which such Option may become Vested in whole or in part (without reducing the term of such Option).






  





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6.6 Limited Transferability of Options. Subject to the exceptions noted in this Section 6.6, no Option shall be transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. During the lifetime of the Optionee, the Option shall be exercisable only by such Optionee (or his or her court-appointed legal representative). The Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide in the applicable Agreement evidencing a Nonqualified Option that the Optionee may transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of an option (i) to his spouse, parents, siblings and lineal descendants, (ii) to a trust for the benefit of the Optionee and any of the foregoing, or (iii) to any corporation or partnership controlled by the Optionee, subject to such conditions or limitations as the Committee may establish to ensure compliance with any rule promulgated pursuant to the Exchange Act, or for other purposes. The terms applicable to the assigned Option shall be the same as those in effect for the Option immediately prior to such assignment and shall be set forth in such documents issued to the assignee as the Committee may deem appropriate.







6.7 No Rights as a Shareholder. An Optionee or a transferee of an Option shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any Share covered by his Option until he shall have become the holder of record of such Share, and he shall not be entitled to any dividends or distributions or other rights in respect of such Share for which the record date is prior to the date on which he shall have become the holder of record thereof.







6.8 Special Provisions Applicable to Incentive Options.







6.8.a. Options granted under this Plan that are intended to qualify as Incentive Options shall be specifically designated as such in the applicable Agreement, and may be granted only to those Eligible Individuals who are both (i) Employees, and (ii) citizens or resident aliens of the United States.







6.8.b. To the extent the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time the Option is granted) of the Stock with respect to which any Incentive Options granted hereunder may be exercisable for the first time by the Optionee in any calendar year (under this Plan or any other compensation plan of the Company or any Subsidiary thereof) exceeds $100,000, such Options shall not be considered Incentive Options.







6.8.c. No Incentive Option may be granted to an individual who, at the time the Option is granted, owns directly, or indirectly within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code, stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Subsidiary thereof, unless such Option (i) has an exercise price of at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the Date of Grant of such option; and (ii) cannot be exercised more than five years after the Date of Grant.







6.8.d. Each Incentive Option will require the Optionee to notify the Company in writing immediately after the Optionee makes a Disqualifying Disposition of any Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Option. A Disqualifying Disposition is any disposition of such Stock before the later of (i) two years after the date the Optionee was granted the Incentive Option or (ii) one year after the date the Optionee acquired Stock by exercising the Incentive Option, other than a transfer (i) from a decedent to an estate, (ii) by bequest or inheritance, (iii) pursuant to a tax-free corporate reorganization, or (iv) to a spouse or incident to divorce. Any transfer of ownership to a broker or nominee shall be deemed to be a disposition unless the Optionee provides proof satisfactory to the Committee of his continued beneficial ownership of the Stock.






  





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6.8.e. No Incentive Option shall be granted after the date that is ten years from (i) the Effective Date, or (ii) the date the Plan is approved by the shareholders, whichever is earlier.







6.8.f. The Exercise Price for Incentive Options shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Date of Grant, and no Incentive Option may be exercisable after the tenth anniversary of the Date of Grant.







6.8.g. No Incentive Option shall be transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.







6.9 Cancellation and Regrant of Options, Etc. No Option may be repriced, replaced, regranted through cancellation, or modified without shareholder approval (except in connection with an event described in Sections 9.1 or 9.6), if the effect of such change in terms would be to reduce the exercise price for the shares underlying such Option.







6.10 Compliance as an SEC Registrant. During any period in which (i) Section 162(m) of the Code imposes restrictions on the amount and form of compensation that may be paid to Participants in order to claim a tax deduction for such compensation, and (ii) the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines that this Plan should be administered in such a manner so as to avoid the disallowance of any portion of such tax deduction, Stock Awards granted to affected Participants shall comply with such restrictions, which as of the Effective Date apply only to Named Executive Officers, as are contained in Section 162(m) of the Code.







6.11 Option Term. All Options shall specify the term during which the Option may be exercised, which shall be in all cases ten years or less. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, subject to the exceptions specified in the provisions of Article IX, all options shall expire upon the Optionee's Termination of Service.







ARTICLE VII


EXERCISES OF STOCK OPTIONS







7.1 General. Any Option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time to the extent such Option has become Vested during the term of such Option; provided, however, that each partial exercise shall be for whole Shares only. Each Option, or any exercisable portion thereof, may only be exercised by delivery to the Secretary or his office, in accordance with such procedures for the exercise of Options as the Committee may establish from time to time, of (i) notice in writing signed by the Optionee (or other person then entitled to exercise such Option) that such Option, or a specified portion thereof, is being exercised; (ii) payment in full for the purchased Shares (as specified in Section 7.3 below); (iii) such representations and documents as are necessary or advisable to effect compliance with all applicable provisions of Federal or state securities laws or regulations; (iv) in the event that the Option or portion thereof shall be exercised by any individual other than the Optionee, appropriate proof of the right of such individual to exercise the Option or portion thereof; and (v) full payment to the Company of all amounts which, under federal or state law, it is required to withhold upon exercise of the Option (as specified in Section 7.4 below).







7.2 Certain Limitations. Shares shall not be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.






  





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7.3 Payment for Shares. Payment for Shares purchased under an Option granted hereunder shall be made in full upon exercise of the Option (except that, in the case of an exercise arrangement approved by the Committee and described in clause (v) below, payment may be made as soon as practicable after the exercise). The method or methods of payment of the purchase price for the Shares to be purchased upon exercise of an Option and of any amounts required by Section 7.4 shall be determined by the Committee and may consist of (i) cash, (ii) check, (iii) promissory note, (iv) the tendering, by either actual delivery or by attestation, of whole shares of Stock, having a Fair Market Value as of the day of exercise equal to the aggregate exercise price, or (v) through a special sale and remittance procedure pursuant to which the Optionee shall concurrently provide irrevocable written instructions to (a) a Company-designated brokerage firm to effect the immediate sale of the purchased shares and remit to the Company, out of the sale proceeds available on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the aggregate Exercise Price payable for the purchased shares plus all applicable Federal, state and local employment taxes required to be withheld by the Company by reason of such exercise, and (b) the Company to deliver the certificates for the purchased Shares directly to such brokerage firm in order to complete the sale. The permitted method or methods of payment of the amounts payable upon exercise of an Option, if other than in cash, shall be set forth in the applicable agreement and may be subject to such conditions as the Committee deems appropriate. If the Option exercise price may be paid in Shares as provided above, Shares delivered by the Optionee may be shares which were received by the Optionee upon exercise of one or more previously exercised Options, but only if such Shares have been held by the Optionee for at least six months, or such other period of time as is required, in the opinion of the Independent Auditor, to avoid adverse financial accounting results.







7.4 Withholding. Each Agreement shall require that an Optionee pay to the Company, at the time of exercise of a Nonqualified Option, such amount as the Company deems necessary to satisfy the Company's obligation to withhold federal or state income or other taxes incurred by reason of the exercise or the transfer of Shares thereupon. An Optionee may satisfy such withholding requirements by having the Company withhold from the number of Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of the Option that number of shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the minimum amount required by law to be withheld, or such other amount that may not be exceeded, in the opinion of the Independent Auditor, to avoid adverse financial accounting results.







7.5 Compliance as an SEC Registrant. So long as is required, in the opinion of the Company's general counsel, to avoid adverse tax, legal, or accounting consequences to the Company, no Executive Officer may exercise an Option through the tendering, by either actual delivery or by attestation, of whole Shares unless the Committee specifically authorized such a transaction in the applicable Agreement.







ARTICLE VIII


GRANTS OF RESTRICTED STOCK AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS







8.1 Form of Awards. A Stock Award shall be transacted as either (i) the transfer of legal ownership of one or more Shares to an Eligible Individual, or (ii) the grant of a right to receive Shares, or an equivalent cash value, at some point in the future. Except in the case of unusual and extenuating circumstances, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, both forms of Stock Awards will be subject to vesting and nontransferability restrictions (in such case, "Restricted Stock" and "Restricted Stock Units") that will lapse upon the achievement of one or more goals relating to the completion of service by the Participant, or the achievement of performance or other objectives, as determined by the Committee at the time of grant. The maximum number of Shares that may be issued in the form of Stock Awards in the aggregate is 200,000.






  





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8.2 Vesting. Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Unit Awards shall be subject to the right of the Company to require forfeiture of such Shares or rights by the Participant in the event that conditions specified by the Committee in the applicable Agreement are not satisfied prior to the end of the applicable vesting period established by the Committee for such Awards. Conditions for repurchase (or forfeiture) may be based on continuing employment or service or achievement of pre-established performance or other goals and objectives.







8.3 Non-transferability of Stock Awards. Shares represented by Stock Awards may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, except as permitted by the Committee, until becoming Vested. Shares of Stock Awards shall be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may determine. Any certificates issued in respect of shares of Stock Awards shall be registered in the name of the Participant and, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, deposited by the Participant, together with a stock power endorsed in blank, with the Company (or its designee). Upon becoming Vested, the Company (or such designee) shall deliver such certificates to the Participant or, if the Participant has died, to the Participant's Beneficiary. Each certificate evidencing stock subject to Stock Awards shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to such Award. Any attempt to dispose of stock in contravention of such terms, conditions and restrictions shall be ineffective. During the restriction period, the Participant shall have all the rights of a shareholder for all such Shares, including the right to vote and the right to receive dividends thereon as paid.







8.4 Tax Withholding. To the extent that the Company is required to withhold any Federal, state or local taxes in respect of any compensation income realized by the Participant in respect of Shares acquired pursuant to an Award, or in respect of any such Shares of Stock becoming Vested, then the Company shall deduct from any payments of any kind otherwise due to such Participant the aggregate amount of such Federal, state or local taxes required to be so withheld. If no such payments are due or to become due to such Participant, or if such payments are insufficient to satisfy such Federal, state or local taxes, then such Participant will be required to pay to the Company, or make other arrangements satisfactory to the Company regarding payment to the Company of, the aggregate amount of any such taxes. All matters with respect to the total amount of taxes to be withheld in respect of any such compensation income shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.







8.5 Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. A Stock Award may provide the Participant with the right to receive dividend payments or dividend equivalent payments with respect to Stock subject to the Award (both before and after the Stock subject to the Award is earned, Vested, or acquired), which payments may be either made currently or credited to an account for the Participant, and may be settled in cash or Stock, as determined by the Committee. Any such settlements, and any such crediting of dividends or dividend equivalents or reinvestment in Stock, may be subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Committee shall establish, including the reinvestment of such credited amounts in Stock equivalents.







8.6 Compliance as an SEC Registrant. During any period in which (i) Section 162(m) of the Code imposes restrictions on the amount and form of compensation that may be paid to Participants in order to claim a tax deduction for such compensation, and (ii) the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines that this Plan should be administered in such a manner so as to avoid the disallowance of any portion of such tax deduction, Stock Awards granted to affected Participants shall comply with such restrictions, which as of the Effective Date apply only to Named Executive Officers, as are contained in Section 162(m) of the Code and include the following:






  





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8.6.a. The Committee shall specify one or more performance criteria upon the relative achievement of which each Stock Award will vest (the "Performance Factor(s)"). Performance Factors may include any or all of the following: before or after-tax net income; book value per share; stock price; return on shareholder's equity; relative performance versus peers; expense management; return on investment; improvements in capital structure; profitability of an identifiable business unit or product; profit margins; budget comparisons; total return to shareholders; revenue; or any increase or decrease of one or more of the foregoing over a specified period. Such performance factors may relate to the performance of the Company, a business unit, product line, territory, or any combination thereof and may include other objective measures determined by the Committee to contribute significantly to shareholder value creation.







8.6.b. Stock Awards granted to Executive Officers shall become vested only if and to the extent the Performance Factors with respect to such Awards are attained. The Committee may structure the terms of a Performance Factor so as to permit the reduction or elimination of any Stock Award under the Plan, but in no event may the Committee increase the amount or vesting of a Stock Award.







8.6.c. The Performance Factors applicable to any Stock Award granted to an Executive Officer shall be specified coincident with the grant of the Stock Award, and in no event later than ninety days after the commencement of any fiscal year in respect of which the relative achievement of the Performance Factor is to be measured.







ARTICLE IX


EVENTS AFFECTING PLAN RESERVE OR PLAN AWARDS







9.1 Capital Adjustments.







9.1.a. If the Company subdivides its outstanding Shares into a greater number of Shares (including, without limitation, by stock dividend or stock split) or combines its outstanding shares of Stock into a smaller number of shares (by reverse stock split, reclassification or otherwise), or the Committee determines that any stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, reclassification, recapitalization, reorganization, split-up, spin-off, combination, exchange of shares, warrants or rights offering to purchase Shares, or other similar corporate event (including mergers or consolidations) affects the Stock such that an adjustment is required in order to preserve the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under this Plan, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable and appropriate, make such adjustments to any or all of (i) the number of Shares reserved for the Plan, (ii) the number of Shares subject to outstanding Options and Stock Awards, (iii) the Exercise Price with respect to outstanding Options, and any other adjustment that the Committee determines to be equitable; provided, however, that the number of Shares subject to any Option shall always be a whole number. The Committee may provide for a cash payment to any Participant of a Plan Award in connection with any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 9.1. Any such adjustment to an Option shall be final and binding upon all Participants, the Company, their representatives, and all other interested persons.






  





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9.1.b. In the event of a transaction involving (i) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving company or (ii) the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company's assets, provision shall be made in connection with such transaction for the assumption of Options theretofore granted under the Plan, or the substitution for such Options of new options of the successor corporation, with appropriate adjustment as to the number and kind of Shares and the purchase price for Shares thereunder, or, in the discretion of the Committee, the Plan and the Options issued hereunder shall terminate on the effective date of such transaction if appropriate provision is made for payment to the Participant of an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share multiplied by the number of Shares subject to the Options (to the extent such Options have not been exercised) less the exercise price for such Options (to the extent such Options have not been exercised).







9.2 Death, Disability or Retirement of a Participant. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, if a Participant ceases to be an Employee or Director by reason of his death, Disability or Retirement, then notwithstanding any contrary waiting period, installment period or vesting schedule in any Agreement or in the Plan, each outstanding Award granted to or Share purchased by such Participant shall immediately become Vested and, if an Option, exercisable in full in respect of the aggregate number of shares covered thereby. Each Option may thereafter be exercised by the Participant or by the Participant's estate, as the case may be, for a period of thirty-six months from the date of death or Termination of Service due to Disability or Retirement, as applicable. In no event, however, shall an Option remain exercisable beyond the latest date on which it could have been exercised without regard to this Section 9.2.







9.3 Termination of Service By Company. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, if a Participant's employment or service to the Company or any of its Affiliates is terminated for reasons other than those set forth in Sections 9.2 and 9.4, all Options held by the Participant that were not Vested immediately prior to such termination shall become null and void at the time of the termination. Any Options that were exercisable immediately prior to the termination will continue to be exercisable for a period of three months, and shall thereupon terminate. In no event, however, shall an Option remain exercisable beyond the latest date on which it could have been exercised without regard to this Section 9.3. In addition, all rights to Shares or Restricted Stock Units as to which there remain unlapsed restrictions as of the date of such Termination of Service shall be forfeited by such participant to the Company without payment or any consideration by the Company, and neither the Participant nor any successors, heirs, assigns or personal representatives of such Participant shall thereafter have any further rights or interest in such Shares.







9.4 Termination by Company for Cause; Voluntary Termination by a Participant. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, if a Participant's employment or service relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates shall be terminated by the Company or such Affiliate for Cause or voluntarily by the Participant, then (i) any Options held by such Participant, whether or not then Vested, shall immediately terminate and (ii) all rights to Shares or Restricted Stock Units as to which there remain unlapsed restrictions as of the date of such Termination of Service shall be forfeited by such participant to the Company without payment or any consideration by the Company, and neither the Participant nor any successors, heirs, assigns or personal representatives of such Participant shall thereafter have any further rights or interest in such Shares. For these purposes, Cause shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in any employment agreement to which such Participant is a party or, in the absence thereof, shall mean (A) a felony conviction of the Optionee, (B) the commission by the Optionee of an act of fraud or embezzlement against the Company, (C) the Optionee's willful misconduct or gross negligence materially detrimental to the Company, (D) the Optionee's wrongful dissemination or use of confidential or proprietary information, or (E) the intentional and habitual neglect by the Optionee of his duties to the Company.






  





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9.5 Leave of Absence. The Committee may determine whether any given leave of absence constitutes a Termination of Service and, if it does not, whether the time spent on the leave will or will not be counted as vesting credit; provided, however, that for purposes of the Plan (i) a leave of absence, duly authorized in writing by the Company, if the period of such leave does not exceed 90 days, and (ii) a leave of absence in excess of 90 days, duly authorized in writing by the Company, provided (a) the Employee's right to reemployment is guaranteed either by statute or contract, or (b) for the purpose of military service, shall not be deemed a Termination of Service.







9.6 Change-In-Control. In the event of a Change-In-Control, each outstanding Award or Share purchased pursuant to any Award shall, if not fully vested, become fully vested and, in the case of Options, fully exercisable with respect to the total number of shares of Common Stock at the time subject to such Option and may be exercised for any or all of those Shares. For the purposes of this Section 9.6, a Change-In-Control shall mean the first to occur of:








	
  

	
i.

	
the acquisition by any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) of "beneficial ownership" (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of either the then outstanding Stock or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (i), the following transactions shall not constitute a Change-in-Control: (A) an acquisition by the Company, (B) an acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company, (C) an acquisition by an entity owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Stock, or (D) an acquisition by an entity pursuant to a Business Combination (as defined in subsection (iii) of this Section 9.6) that satisfies clauses (A), (B) and (C) of such subsection;













	
  

	
ii.

	
the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Company's Directors then serving: individuals who as of the date hereof constitute the Board (the "Initial Directors") and any new Director (a "New Director") whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders was approved or recommended by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Directors then in office who either are Initial Directors or New Directors; provided, however, that a Director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest (including but not limited to a consent solicitation) relating to the election of Directors of the Company shall not be considered a New Director;













	
  

	
iii.

	
a reorganization, merger or consolidation or a sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company's assets (a "Business Combination"), other than a Business Combination in which (A) the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto and entitled to vote generally in the election of directors continue to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or parent outstanding immediately after such Business Combination and entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (B) no "person" (as hereinabove defined), other than the Company, an employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company, or an entity resulting from such Business Combination, acquires more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were Initial Directors or New Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or











  





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iv.

	
the shareholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.












9.7 Recapture of Option Profit. In the case of an Employee who has been granted an Option and exercised such Option under this Plan, who has terminated employment, and who has engaged in Harmful Conduct, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, require such Employee to pay to the Company his Recent Option Profit. For the purposes of this Section 9.7, "Harmful Conduct" means a breach in any material respect of an agreement to not reveal confidential information regarding the business operations of the Company or any Subsidiary, or to refrain from solicitation of the customers, suppliers or employees of the Company or any Subsidiary. "Recent Option Profit" means an amount equal to the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of the Stock purchased by such individual through the exercise of Options during the fifteen month period commencing twelve months before the individual's last day of employment and ending three months after the last day of employment over (ii) the aggregate Exercise Price of such Options.







ARTICLE X


GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS AND REGISTRATION OF SHARES







10.1 General. The Plan, and the grant and exercise of Plan Awards hereunder, and the Company's obligation to sell and deliver Stock under Options, shall be subject to all applicable Federal and state laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any regulatory or governmental agency as may be required.







10.2 Compliance as an SEC Registrant. The obligation of the Company with respect to Plan Awards shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations and such approvals by any governmental agencies as may be required, including, without limitation, the effectiveness of any registration statement required under the Securities Act of 1933, and the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or association on which the Stock may be listed or quoted. For so long as the Stock of the Company is registered under the Exchange Act, the Company shall use its reasonable efforts to comply with any legal requirements (i) to maintain a registration statement in effect under the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to all shares of the applicable series of Stock that may be issued to Participants under the Plan, and (ii) to file in a timely manner all reports required to be filed by it under the Exchange Act.







ARTICLE XI


MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS







11.1 Legends. Each certificate evidencing Shares obtained through the Plan shall bear such legends as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to reflect or refer to any terms, conditions or restrictions applicable to such Shares, including, without limitation, any to the effect that the Shares represented thereby (i) are subject to contractual restrictions regarding disposition, and (ii) may not be disposed of unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, acceptable to the Company, that such dispositions will not violate any federal or state securities laws.






  





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11.2 Rights of Company. Nothing contained in the Plan or in any Agreement, and no action of the Company or the Committee with respect thereto, shall interfere in any way with the right of the Company or a Subsidiary to terminate the employment of the Participant at any time, with or without Cause. The grant of Awards pursuant to the Plan shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Company to make reclassifications, reorganizations or other changes of or to its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, liquidate, sell or otherwise dispose of all or any part of its business or assets.







11.3 Designation of Beneficiaries. Each Participant who shall be granted a Plan Award may designate a Beneficiary or Beneficiaries and may change such designation from time to time by filing a written designation of Beneficiary or Beneficiaries with the Committee on a form to be prescribed by it, provided that no such designation shall be effective unless so filed prior to the death of such person.







11.4 Compliance with Other Laws and Regulations. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to sell or issue Shares if the issuance thereof would constitute a violation by the Company of any provisions of any law or regulation of any governmental authority or any national securities exchange or other forum in which Shares are traded (including without limitation Section 16 of the Exchange Act); and, as a condition of any sale or issuance of Shares, the Committee may require such agreements or undertakings, if any, as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to assure compliance with any such law or regulation. The Plan, the grant of Plan Awards and exercise of Options hereunder, and the obligation of the Company to sell and deliver shares of Common Stock, shall be subject to all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any government or regulatory agency as may be required. To the extent the Plan provides for issuance of stock certificates to reflect the issuance of shares of Stock, the issuance may be effected on a non-certificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules of any stock exchange.







11.5 Payroll Tax Withholding. The Company's obligation to deliver Shares under the Plan shall be subject to applicable federal, state and local tax withholding requirements. Federal, state and local withholding tax due upon the exercise of any Option may, in the discretion of the Committee, be paid in Shares already owned by the Optionee or through the withholding of shares otherwise issuable to such Optionee, upon such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine which shares shall have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the required minimum withholding payment. If the Optionee shall fail to pay, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Committee for the payment to the Company of all such Federal, state and local taxes required to be withheld by the Company, then the Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct from any payment of any kind otherwise due to such Optionee an amount equal to federal, state or local taxes of any kind required to be withheld by the Company.







11.6 Non-Exclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor the submission of the Plan to the shareholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options and the awarding of stock and cash otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.






  





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11.7 Exclusion from Benefit Computation. By acceptance of a Plan Award, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Agreement, each Participant shall be deemed to have agreed that such Plan Award is special incentive compensation that will not be taken into account, in any manner, as salary, compensation or bonus in determining the amount of any payment under any health and welfare, pension, retirement or other employee benefit plan, program or policy of the Company or any Subsidiary. In addition, each beneficiary of a deceased Participant shall be deemed to have agreed that such Plan Award will not affect the amount of any life insurance coverage, if any, provided by the Company on the life of the Participant which is payable to such beneficiary under any life insurance plan covering employees of the Company or any Subsidiary.







11.8 Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.







11.9 Use of Proceeds. Proceeds from the sale of Shares pursuant to Options granted under this Plan shall constitute general funds of the Company.







11.10 No Rights to Continued Employment. The Plan does not constitute a contract of employment, and selection as a Participant will not give any participating Employee or other Eligible Individual the right to be retained in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate, or the right to continue to provide services to the Company or any Affiliate, nor any right or claim to any benefit under the Plan, unless such right or claim has specifically accrued under the terms of the Plan.







11.11 Form and Time of Elections. Unless otherwise specified herein, each election required or permitted to be made by any Participant or other person entitled to benefits under the Plan, and any permitted modification, or revocation thereof, shall be in writing filed with the Committee at such times, in such form, and subject to such restrictions and limitations, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Committee shall require.







11.12 Gender and Number. Where the context permits, words in any gender shall include the other gender, words in the singular shall include the plural, and the plural shall include the singular.







11.13 Unfunded Status. Neither a Participant nor any other person shall, by reason or participation in the Plan, acquire any right in or title to any assets, funds or property of the Company or any Affiliate whatsoever, including, without limitation, any specific funds, assets, or other property which the Company or any Affiliate, in its sole discretion may set aside in anticipation of a liability under the Plan. A Participant shall have only a contractual right to the Stock or amounts, if any, payable under the Plan, unsecured by any assets of the Company or any Affiliate, and nothing contained in the Plan shall constitute a guarantee that the assets of the Company or any Affiliate shall be sufficient to pay any benefits to any person.







11.14 Successors and Assigns. The Plan shall be binding on all successors and permitted assigns of a Participant, including without limitation, the estate of such participant and the executor, administrator or trustee of such estate.







ARTICLE XII


TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT







12.1 General. The Board or the Committee may at any time prior to the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date terminate the Plan, and may, from time to time, suspend or discontinue the Plan or modify or amend the Plan in such respects as it shall deem advisable; except that no such modification or amendment shall be effective prior to approval by the Company's shareholders to the extent such approval is required by applicable legal requirements.






  





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12.2 Shareholder Approval. The Plan shall be subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted. Further, all Awards granted prior to the date of such approval shall be made subject to such approval occurring. Such shareholder approval shall be obtained in the degree and manner required under applicable state and Federal law and the rules of any stock exchange upon which the Stock may be listed during such period of time.







12.3 Modification. No termination, modification or amendment of the Plan may, without the consent of the person to whom any Plan Award shall theretofore have been granted, adversely affect the rights of such person with respect to such Plan Award. No modification, extension, renewal or other change in any Option granted under the Plan shall be made after the grant of such Option, unless the same is consistent with the provisions of the Plan. With the consent of the Participant and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee may amend outstanding Agreements with any Participant, including, without limitation, any amendment which would (i) accelerate the time or times at which the Option may be exercised or any other Award would become Vested and/or (ii) extend the scheduled expiration date of the Option.


 


 


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