Exhibit 4.4


 


DASEKE, INC.


 


NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT


 


This NON-QUALIFIED STOCK
OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is made as of April 20, 2020 between Daseke, Inc. (the “Company”),
and Jason Bates (the “Participant”). The grant of the Non-Qualified Stock Option (the “Option”)
under Section 1 hereof (the “Option”) is intended to qualify as an “employment inducement grant”
under NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The Option is being granted outside of the Company’s 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as
amended and restated (the “Plan”), but shall be subject to certain terms and conditions of the Plan as specified
herein. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Plan. For the purposes of this Agreement,
the “Grant Date” shall be April 20, 2020.


 


Section
1.                  
Non-Qualified Stock Option


 


(a)               
Grant. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company hereby grants to the Participant,
as of the Grant Date, the Option to purchase from the Company 186,300 Shares (such Shares are referred to as the “Option
Shares”) at an exercise price per Share of $1.38, subject to such vesting, transfer and other restrictions and conditions
as set forth in this Agreement (the “Award”).


 


(b)               
Plan. The Award is granted outside of the Plan; provided, however, that this Agreement shall
be administered by the Committee and is otherwise subject in all respects to the following terms and provisions of the Plan: Section 1;
Section 2; Section 3; Section 4(b); Section 4(d); Section 6; Section 12; Section 13; Section 14;
Section 15; Section 16; and Section 17, all of which terms and provisions are incorporated herein by reference as
a part of this Agreement. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the Plan, this Agreement shall control.


 


Section
2.                  
Vesting Requirements.


 


(a)               
Generally. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Award shall vest and become exercisable with respect to
the percentage of Option Shares set forth across from each “Option Vesting Date” (as defined below), subject
to the Participant’s continuous service or employment with the Company or an Affiliate (“Service”) from
the Grant Date through such Option Vesting Date, as set forth in the following “Vesting Schedule”:


 


	
        Vesting
        Schedule

	
        Option
        Vesting Date
	 	
        Percentage
        of Option Shares Vested*

	1st anniversary of Grant Date	 	33.33%
	2nd anniversary of Grant Date	 	33.33%
	3rd anniversary of Grant Date	 	33.34%



 


*Any resultant fractional Option Shares shall not become vested and instead shall be subject to the next Option Vesting Date.



 


(b)               
Change in Control. Notwithstanding Section 2(a) hereof, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control,
except to the extent that a Replacement Award (as such award is defined and determined under Section 13 of the Plan) is provided
to the Participant in connection with the Change in Control to replace or adjust this outstanding Award, 100% of any then unvested,
outstanding Option Shares shall immediately become fully vested and exercisable, provided that the Participant remains in
continuous Service from the Grant Date through the occurrence of the Change in Control.


 






     


     


    

 


(c)               
 Termination of Service Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason. Notwithstanding Section 2(a)
hereof, in the event of the Participant’s termination of Service (x) by the Company without Cause or (y) by the Participant’s
resignation for Good Reason, any then unvested Option Shares shall immediately become vested and exercisable as of the date of
the Participant’s termination (the “Termination Date”). For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause”
and “Good Reason” shall have the meanings set forth in that certain Employment Agreement, dated as of April
20, 2020, between the Company and the Participant (the “Employment Agreement”). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Participant’s eligibility and entitlement to acceleration of vesting described under this Section 2(c) is dependent
upon the satisfaction of all conditions to receipt of severance consideration pursuant to Section 6(f) of the Employment Agreement.


 


(d)               
Termination of Service Due to Death or Disability. Notwithstanding Section 2(a) hereof, in the
event of the Participant’s termination of Service due to death or Disability, in each case prior to any Option Vesting Date,
any then unvested Option Shares that would have vested within the calendar year of the Termination Date shall immediately become
vested and exercisable as of the Termination Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Participant’s eligibility and entitlement
to acceleration of vesting described under this Section 2(d) is dependent upon the satisfaction of all conditions to receipt
of severance consideration pursuant to Section 6(f) of the Employment Agreement.


 


(e)               
Other Terminations of Service. Upon the occurrence of a termination of the Participant’s Service for
any reason other than as contemplated by Section 2(c) or Section 2(d) hereof, all outstanding and unvested Option
Shares shall immediately be forfeited and cancelled, and the Participant shall not be entitled to any compensation or other amount
with respect thereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, upon a termination of the Participant’s Service for
Cause, all Option Shares, whether vested or unvested, shall immediately be forfeited and cancelled, and the Participant shall not
be entitled to any compensation or other amount with respect thereto.


 


Section
3.                  
Option Exercise. Subject to this Agreement, on and after a Vesting Date, the Option may be exercised in whole
or in part with respect to the number of Option Shares which have become vested pursuant to Section 2 hereof by filing
a written notice with the Company on a form approved by the Committee in accordance with rules and procedures established by the
Committee; provided, however, that in no event shall the Option (or any portion thereof) be exercisable after the
Expiration Date of the Option. Any such notice shall specify the number of Option Shares which the Participant elects to purchase
and shall be accompanied by payment of the aggregate exercise price for such Option Shares indicated by the Participant’s
election (except as otherwise provided by the Committee in connection with a broker-assisted cashless exercise program). Subject
to applicable law and as approved by the Committee, the Exercise Price shall be payable (a) in cash, or its equivalent, (b) through
delivery of irrevocable instructions to a broker to sell the Option Shares otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option
and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the aggregate Exercise Price, (c) the Company’s withholding of
Option Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of an Option pursuant to a “net exercise” arrangement, (d) by a combination
of the foregoing, or (e) by such other methods as may be approved by the Committee.


 


Section
4.                  
Certificates: Cash in Lieu of Fractional Shares. Option Shares or other securities of the Company or any
Affiliate delivered pursuant to this Award or the exercise hereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions
as the Committee may deem advisable under this Agreement or the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the SEC, any stock
exchange upon which such Option Shares or other securities are then listed, and any applicable Federal or state laws, and the
Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.
In lieu of issuing a fraction of a Share pursuant to this Agreement, the Company may pay to the Participant an amount equal to
the Fair Market Value of such fractional Share.


 






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Section
5.                  Restrictions
on Transfer. No Options (nor any interest therein) may be sold, assigned, alienated, pledged,
attached or otherwise transferred or encumbered by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution,
and any such purported sale, assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable
against the Company or any Affiliate; provided that the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute a sale, assignment,
alienation, pledge, attachment, transfer or encumbrance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the discretion of the Committee, Options
may be transferred by the Participant solely to the Participant’s spouse, siblings, parents, children and grandchildren
or trusts for the benefit of such persons or partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies or other entities owned solely
by such persons, including, but not limited to, trusts for such persons.


 


Section
6.                  
Expiration Date. The Expiration Date of the Option shall occur on the earliest to occur of the following:
(a) the 10-year anniversary of the Grant Date or (b) if the Participant’s Termination Date occurs for Cause, the Termination
Date.


 


Section
7.                  
Adjustments. The Award granted hereunder shall be subject to the adjustment as provided in Section 4(b) of
the Plan.


 


Section
8.                  
No Right of Continued Service. Nothing in the Plan or this Agreement shall confer upon the Participant any
right to continued Service.


 


Section
9.                  
Tax Withholding. Unless determined otherwise by the Committee, the Company shall withhold from the Option
Shares to be issued to the Participant pursuant to Section 3 hereof the number of Option Shares (and any amount of
cash) determined at up to the maximum allowable rate in the Participant’s relevant tax jurisdiction on the Option Shares’
Fair Market Value at the time such determination is made.


 


Section
10.              
No Voting Rights as a Stockholder; Rights to Dividends or Other Distributions. The Participant shall not
have any voting privileges of a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Option unless and until Option Shares underlying
the Option are delivered to the Participant in accordance with Section 3 hereof.


 


Section
11.              
Clawback. The Award shall be subject to recoupment in accordance with any existing clawback policy or clawback
policy that the Company is required to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association
on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by applicable law. In addition, the Board may impose
such other clawback, recovery or recoupment provisions as the Board determines necessary or appropriate, including but not limited
to a reacquisition right in respect of previously acquired Option Shares or other cash or property upon the occurrence of Cause.
The implementation of any clawback policy shall not be deemed a triggering event for purposes of any definition of “constructive
termination.”


 


Section
12.              
Amendment and Termination. Subject to Section 12 of the Plan, any amendment to this Agreement shall be in
writing and signed by the parties hereto. Notwithstanding the immediately-preceding sentence, subject to Section 12 of the Plan,
the Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate,
this Agreement and/or the Award; provided that, subject to Section 12 of the Plan, any such waiver, amendment, alteration,
suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially impair the rights of the Participant or any holder
or beneficiary of the Award shall not be effective without the written consent of the Participant, holder or beneficiary.


 






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Section
13.                Securities
Law Requirements. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall
have no liability to make any distribution of Option Shares under this Agreement unless such delivery or distribution would comply
with all applicable laws. In particular, no Option Shares shall be delivered to a Participant unless, at the time of delivery,
the shares qualify for exemption from, or are registered pursuant to, applicable federal and state securities laws.


 


Section
14.              
Construction. The Participant hereby acknowledges that a copy of the Plan has been delivered to the Participant
and accepts the Award hereunder subject to all terms and provisions of this Agreement. The construction of and decisions under
this Agreement are vested in the Committee, whose determinations shall be final, conclusive and binding upon the Participant.


 


Section
15.              
Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of
Delaware, without giving effect to the choice of law principles thereof.


 


Section
16.              
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original
but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.


 


Section
17.              
Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their
respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns.


 


Section
18.              
Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the
subject matter hereof and thereof.


 


[SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]


 






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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement
effective as of the Grant Date.


 


	 	DASEKE, INC.
	 	By:	 /s/ Chris Easter
	 	Name:  	Chris Easter
	 	Title:	 CEO
	 	 	 
	 	PARTICIPANT
	 	 
	 	/s/ Jason Bates               April 20, 2020
	 	Participant’s Signature        Date
	 	 
	 	Name: Jason Bates
	 	Address: [Redacted]