Document:

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                                                               Exhibit 10.xxviii
                             THE MEAD CORPORATION
                            1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            ----------------------

                                                                       COMPOSITE
                                                                       ---------
                                                                        06/24/99

Section 1.  Purposes.
---------   --------

     The purposes of The Mead Corporation 1996 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan")
are (i) to provide incentives to officers, other key employees and non-employee
directors of the Company upon whose judgment, initiative and efforts the long-
term growth and success of the Company is largely dependent; (ii) to assist the
Company in attracting and retaining key employees and non-employee directors of
proven ability; and (iii) to increase the identity of interests of such key
employees and non-employee directors with those of the Company's shareholders by
providing such employees and directors with options to acquire Shares of the
Company.

Section 2.  Definitions.
---------   -----------

     For purposes of the Plan:

     (a)    "Acquisition Transaction" means a transaction of the type described
in Section 9(b) (ii).

     (b)    "Affiliate" shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2
promulgated under Section 12 of the 1934 Act.

     (c)    "Board of Directors" or "Board" means the Board of Directors of the
Company.

     (d)    "Change in Composition of the Board," means an event of the type
described in Section 9(b) (iv).

     (e)    "Change in Control," means a transaction of the type described in
Section 9 (b) (iii).

     (f)    "Committee" means the committee referred to in Section 4.

     (g)    "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

     (h)    "Company" means The Mead Corporation, an Ohio corporation; when used
in the Plan with reference to employment, "Company" shall include any Subsidiary
of the Company.

     (i)    "Designation of Beneficiary" means such person(s) or entity whom the
Option Holder has designated by a transfer on death or other designation of
beneficiary to receive the Holder's Option on the Holder's death in accordance
with such procedures established from time to time by the Committee.

     (j)    "Fair Market Value" means the average of the highest sale price and
the lowest sale price of a Share on the date the value of a Share is to be
determined, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange - Composite Transactions
Tape or, if no sale is reported for such date, then on the next preceding date
for which a sale is reported.

     (k)    "Grantee" means the employee who received the option from the
Company.

     (l)    "Holder" means the person(s) or entity who owns the option, whether
Grantee, Transferee, heir or other beneficiary.
<PAGE>

     (m)    "Incentive Stock Option" means an option granted under the Plan
which qualifies as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code.

     (n)    "Initial Director" means a person who is a Non-Employee Director at
the date of requisite approval of this Plan by the shareholders of the Company.

     (o)    "Limited Right" means a right granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

     (p)    "Non-Employee Director" means a member of the Board who is not also
an employee of the Company.

     (q)    "Nonqualified Option" means an option granted under the Plan which
does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code.

     (r)    "1934 Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     (s)    "Reload Option" means a Nonqualified Option granted under Section
6(d) of the Plan.

     (t)    "Share" or "Shares" means shares of common stock, without par value,
of the Company.

     (u)    "Subsequent Director" means a person who becomes a Non-Employee
Director subsequent to the date of requisite approval of this Plan by the
shareholders of the Company.

     (v)    "Subsidiary" means any corporation, partnership or other person or
entity at least 10% of the voting or equity interest of which is owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company.

     (w)    "Tender Offer" means a tender offer or a request or invitation for
tenders or an exchange offer subject to regulation under Section 14(d) of the
1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, as the same may be amended,
modified or superseded from time to time.

     (x)    "Tax Date" means the date as of which the amount of the withholding
tax payment with respect to the exercise of a Nonqualified Option is calculated.

     (y)    "Transferee" means the person who received the option from the
Grantee during the Grantee's lifetime.

     (z)    "Person" shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the 1934
Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, except that such
term shall not include (i) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) a
trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of
the Company or any of its Affiliates, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding
securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, or (iv) a corporation
owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

Section 3.  Shares Subject to the Plan.
---------   --------------------------

     (a)    Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 11,
            ----------------
the maximum number of Shares that may be issued and/or
<PAGE>

delivered under the Plan upon the exercise of options is 8,000,000. Subject to
adjustment as provided in Section 11, the maximum number of Shares that may be
issued and/or delivered under the Plan to any individual over the term of the
Plan upon the exercise of options shall not exceed 800,000. Such Shares may be
either authorized and unissued or treasury Shares. Any shares (i) subject to an
option which for any reason has terminated or expired or has been cancelled
prior to being fully exercised or (ii) which have been received by the Company
as full or partial payment for Shares purchased pursuant to Section 8(b), may
again be granted pursuant to options under the Plan.

     (b)    Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 11, the maximum number
of Limited Rights which may be granted under the Plan is 8,000,000. Subject to
adjustment as provided in Section 11, the maximum number of Limited Rights that
may be granted under the Plan to any individual over the term of the Plan shall
not exceed 800,000. Any Limited Rights granted under the Plan which for any
reason terminate or expire or have been cancelled prior to being fully exercised
may again be granted under the Plan.

Section 4.  Administration.
---------   --------------

     The Plan shall be administered by a committee (the "Committee") of the
Board of Directors, consisting of three or more directors, who shall from time
to time be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of, the Board of Directors. No
director shall serve as a member of the Committee if (i) he or she does not
qualify as a disinterested person with respect to the Plan under Rule 16b-3 (or
any successor provision) under the 1934 Act or (ii) he or she does not qualify
as an outside director within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

     The Committee shall have and exercise all the power and authority granted
to it under the Plan. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall
in its sole discretion determine the persons to whom, and the times at which,
Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Options, Reload Options and Limited Rights
shall be granted; the number of Shares to be subject to each option; the option
price per Share; and the term of each option. In making such determinations, the
Committee may take into consideration each participant's present and/or
potential contribution to the success of the Company and any other factors which
the Committee may deem relevant and proper. Subject to the provisions of the
Plan, the Committee shall also interpret the Plan; prescribe, amend and rescind
rules and regulations relating to the Plan; correct defects, supply omissions
and reconcile any inconsistencies in the Plan; and make all other determinations
necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. The Committee may in
its discretion change the terms of any Limited Right granted hereunder in
connection with an Incentive Stock Option to permit the Limited Right to be
exercisable even though the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise
does not exceed the exercise price of the related option. Such determinations of
the Committee shall be conclusive. A majority of the Committee shall constitute
a quorum for meetings of the Committee, and the act of a majority of the
Committee at a meeting, or an act reduced to or approved in writing by all
members of the Committee, shall be the act of the Committee.

Section 5.  Eligibility.
---------   -----------

     From time to time during the term of the Plan, the Committee may grant one
or more Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Options and Reload Options to any
person who is then an officer or other key employee of the Company. Each Non-
Employee Director shall be eligible
<PAGE>

to receive Nonqualified Options granted under the formula provision set forth in
Section 7 of the Plan.

Section 6.  Terms and Conditions of Options.
---------   -------------------------------

     (a)    Option Grant Document. The terms of each option granted under the
            ---------------------
Plan (at any time after the establishment of the Plan) shall be set forth in a
written agreement or other grant document, the form of which shall be approved
by the Committee.

     (b)    Terms and Conditions of General Application. The following terms and
            -------------------------------------------
provisions shall apply to all options granted under the Plan, except to the
extent otherwise provided in Sections 6 (c), 6 (d), 6 (e), 6 (f) and 7 hereof,
if applicable:

            (1)   No option may be granted under the Plan at an option price per
Share which is less than the Fair Market Value of a share on the date of grant.

            (2)   No option may be exercised more than ten years after the date
of grant.

            (3)   No option shall be exercisable within one year after the date
of grant. At the time an option is granted, the Committee may provide that after
such one year period, the option may be exercised with respect to all Shares
subject thereto, or may be exercised with respect to only a specified number of
Shares over a specified period or periods.

            (4)   Except as provided in Sections 6 (b) (5) and 6 (b) (6), an
option may be exercised only if the Grantee of such option has been continuously
employed by the Company since the date of grant. Whether authorized leave of
absence or absence for military or governmental service shall constitute a
termination of employment shall be determined by the Committee in its sole
discretion.

            (5)   At the time an option is granted, or at such other time as the
Committee may determine, the Committee may provide that, if the Grantee of the
Option ceases to be employed by the Company for any reason (including retirement
or disability) other than death, the option will continue to be exercisable by
the Holder (including a Transferee under Section 10 hereof) for such additional
period (not to exceed the remaining term of such option) after such termination
of employment as the Committee may provide.

            (6)   At the time an option is granted, the Committee may provide
that, if the Grantee of such option dies while employed by the Company or while
entitled to the benefits of any additional exercise period established by the
Committee with respect to such option in accordance with Section 6(b) (5), then
the option will continue to be exercisable by the person or persons to whom the
Grantee's rights with respect to such option shall have passed by will or by the
laws of descent and distribution (or in accordance with the procedures set forth
in Section 10 hereof) for such additional period after death (not to exceed the
remaining term of such option) as the Committee may provide.

            (7)   At the time an option is granted, the Committee may provide
for any restriction or limitation on the exercise of such option and/or for any
restriction or limitation on the transferability of the Shares issuable upon the
exercise of such option as it may deem appropriate.

     (c)    Additional Provisions Applicable to Incentive Stock Options. The
            -----------------------------------------------------------
following additional terms and provisions shall apply to Incentive
<PAGE>

Stock Options granted under the Plan, notwithstanding any provision of Section 6
(b) to the contrary:

            (1)   No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to an officer or
other employee who possesses directly or indirectly (within the meaning of
Section 424(d) of the Code) at the time of grant more than 10% of the voting
power of all classes of Shares of the Company or of any parent corporation or
any corporation, 50% or more of the voting stock of which is owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company, unless the option price is
at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the option on
the date the option is granted and the option is not exercisable after the
expiration of five years from the date of grant.

            (2)   The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined on the date an
Incentive Stock Option is granted) of Shares with respect to which Incentive
Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any individual in any
calendar year (under the Plan and all of the plans of the Company and any
Subsidiary and any parent corporation) shall not exceed $100,000, or such other
maximum amount permitted by the Code.

            (3)   Any Stock Option granted under the Plan may contain a feature
providing for, upon the exercise thereof, the grant of a Reload Option subject
to and in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Section 6 (d)
below.

     (d)    Additional Provisions Applicable to Reload Options. Whenever the
            --------------------------------------------------
Grantee of any option containing a reload feature (the "Original Option")
outstanding under this Plan exercises such Original Option, the Grantee of such
Original Option (except as provided in Section 6 (d) (5) below) shall be granted
on the date of such exercise (the "Reload Date") a new option (the "Reload
Option") for a number of Shares (the "Original Shares") equal to the number of
Shares subject to the Original Option being exercised less the number of Shares
subject to the Original Option which are (A) withheld by the Company as full or
partial payment of the option price for such Original Option, (B) otherwise
disposed of for purposes of having the proceeds applied for such purpose or (C)
withheld by the Company for purposes of tax withholding in accordance with
Section 8 (d) hereof. The following additional terms and provisions shall apply
to Reload Options granted under the Plan, notwithstanding any provision of
Section 6 (b) to the contrary:

            (1)   Option Price. The option price per Share covered by a Reload
                  ------------
Option shall be an amount equal to the Fair Market Value per Share as of the
Reload Date.

            (2)   Expiration Date. Subject to Section 6 (d) (4) below, the
                  ---------------
option exercise period shall expire on, and the Reload Option shall no longer be
exercisable following, the tenth anniversary of the Reload Date.

            (3)   Vesting Period. Reload Options granted under this Section 6
                  --------------
(d) shall vest and become exercisable with respect to all Shares covered thereby
on the third anniversary of the Reload Date, subject to Section 6 (f) hereof.

            (4)   Automatic Cancellation. Except as otherwise provided in the
                  ----------------------
agreement evidencing a Reload Option, a Reload Option shall be immediately
cancelled (without any action taken by the Company) with respect to that number
of Shares subject to such Reload Option (such number of Shares being determined
in accordance with the succeeding sentence), effective immediately upon any
sale, disposition or purported assignment or transfer of any or all of the
Original Shares subject to
<PAGE>

the Original Option prior to the third anniversary of the Reload Date. The
number of Shares subject to the Reload Option so cancelled shall equal the
number of Original Shares subject to the Original Option so sold, disposed of,
assigned or transferred prior to the third anniversary of the Reload Date;
provided, however, that such Shares subject to the Reload Option shall not be
-----------------
cancelled if such Original Shares are used in connection with the exercise of
another option with respect to which Section 6 (d) hereof applies.

            (5)   Active Employee. No Reload Option shall be granted to any
                  ---------------
person who is not employed by the Company at the time of exercise of an Original
Option.

     (e)    Waiver of Terms. Subject to the ten-year limitation in Section 6 (b)
            ---------------
(3), the Committee may waive or modify at any time, either before or after the
granting of an option (including a Reload Option but excluding any option
granted under Section 7 hereof) any condition or restriction with respect to the
exercise of such option imposed by or pursuant to this Section 6 in such
circumstances as the committee may deem appropriate (including, without
limitation, in the event the Grantee retires with the approval of the Company,
or in the event of a proposed Acquisition Transaction, a Change in Control,
Tender Offer for Shares, or other similar transaction involving the Company).

     (f)    Acceleration Upon Certain Events. Subject to the first sentence of
            --------------------------------
Section 6(b)(3) hereof, but notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan,
immediately prior to the occurrence of an "Acceleration" (as defined in this
Section 6(e)), all outstanding options granted hereunder (including Reload
Options and options granted pursuant to Section 7 hereof) shall become fully
vested and exercisable. As used in the immediately preceding sentence,
"immediately prior" to the Acceleration shall mean sufficiently in advance of
the Acceleration to permit the grantee to take all steps reasonably necessary to
exercise the option fully and to deal with the Shares purchased under the option
so that those Shares may be treated in the same manner in connection with the
Acceleration as the Shares of other shareholders. For purposes of this Section 6
(e), an "Acceleration" shall mean any of the following: (i) the date of the
first purchase of Shares pursuant to a Tender Offer (other than an offer by the
Company), (ii) the date of shareholder approval of an Acquisition Transaction,
(iii) the date of filing of the Schedule 13D or shareholder authorization of the
control share acquisition giving rise in either case to a Change in Control, or
(iv) the date of a Change in Composition of the Board.

Section 7.  Non-Employee Directors Formula Options.
---------   --------------------------------------

     The following additional terms and provisions of this Section 7 shall apply
to grants of options to Non-Employee Directors under the Plan, notwithstanding
any provision of Section 6(b) to the contrary. The provisions of this Section 7
shall not be amended more than once every six months, other than to comport with
changes in the Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended, or the rules promulgated thereunder.

     (a)    General. Non-Employee Directors shall receive Nonqualified Options
            -------
under the Plan. The option price per Share shall equal the Fair Market Value of
a Share on the date of grant.

     (b)    Initial Grants to Initial Directors. Upon the requisite approval of
            -----------------------------------
the Plan by the shareholders of the Company, each Initial Director shall be
granted automatically an option to purchase 600 Shares.
<PAGE>

     (c)    Initial Grants To Subsequent Directors. Each Subsequent Director
            --------------------------------------
shall, at the time such director becomes a Non-Employee Director, be granted
automatically an option to purchase 600 Shares.

     (d)    Subsequent Grants To Directors. On January 3rd of each year
            ------------------------------
beginning on January 3, 1997, each continuing Initial Director shall be granted
automatically an option to purchase a number of Shares determined below. On
January 3rd of each year subsequent to a Subsequent Director's becoming a Non-
Employee Director, each Subsequent Director shall be granted automatically an
option to purchase a number of Shares determined below. The number of Shares
subject to each grant made pursuant to this Paragraph (d) shall equal the
product obtained by multiplying (w) 600, by (x) an adjustment factor (the
"Factor"). The Factor shall equal the quotient obtained by dividing (y) the
"base line number" for average "total compensation" paid to directors by
companies with annual sales in excess of $4 billion, as published in the Hay
Consulting Group's "Directors Compensation Report" (or comparable successor
report) in the calendar year immediately preceding the year in which such grant
is made, which report covers compensation paid in the year ending immediately
prior to the year of publication, by (z) $36,246. In the event that such
Directors Compensation Report (or comparable successor report) is not published
with respect to any year, the Factor shall equal one (1).

     (e)    Exercisability. Subject to Section 6 (f) hereof, each option granted
            --------------
under this Section 7 shall be exercisable as to 100 percent of the Shares
covered by the option on the first anniversary of the date the option is
granted.

     (f)    Termination. Upon the termination of a Non-Employee Director from
            -----------
such position, for any reason, after such director has attained either age 70 or
ten (10) years of service as a director of the Company (whether or not as a Non-
Employee Director), each option granted to such Non-Employee Director pursuant
to this Section 7 which is exercisable at the time of such termination shall
remain exercisable for the remainder of its term. Upon the termination of a Non-
Employee Director from such position, for any reason, prior to the attainment of
age 70 or ten (10) years of service as a director of the Company (whether or not
as a Non-Employee Director), all options granted to such Non-Employee Director
pursuant to this Section 7 which are exercisable at the time of such termination
shall remain exercisable for a period of one year following the date of such
termination, but in no event may the term of an option be extended beyond its
expiration date. Each option granted pursuant to this Section 7 which is not
exercisable at the time of such termination shall be immediately cancelled.

Section 8.  Exercise of Options.
---------   -------------------

     (a)    Notice of Exercise. The Holder of an option granted under the Plan
            ------------------
may exercise all or part of such option by giving written notice of exercise to
the Committee or its designee; provided, however, that an option may not be
exercised for a fraction of a Share. No Holder of an option nor such Holder's
legal representatives, legatees, Transferees, distributees or Designation of
Beneficiary will be, or will be deemed to be, a Holder of any Shares covered by
such option unless and until the option shall have been exercised in accordance
with the Plan.

     (b)    Payment of Option Price. The option price for Shares with respect to
            -----------------------
which an option is exercised shall be paid in full at the time such notice is
given. An option shall be deemed exercised on the date the Committee or its
designee receives written notice of exercise, together with full payment for the
Shares purchased. The option price shall be paid to the Company either in cash
or Shares (including Shares
<PAGE>

     withheld from the Shares otherwise receivable by the Option Holder upon the
     exercise of the option) having a Fair Market Value equal to the option
     price (or a combination of cash and Shares such that the sum of the Fair
     Market Value of the Shares plus the cash equals the option price). The
     Committee shall have the authority, subject to such conditions and
     procedures that it deems necessary and advisable, to authorize the use of a
     cashless exercise procedure with a registered broker/dealer.

          (c)    Payment in Cancellation of Option. The Committee shall have the
                 ---------------------------------
     authority in its sole discretion to authorize the payment to an Option
     Holder (with the consent of such Holder) in exchange for the cancellation
     of all or a part of such Holder's Option (other than an option granted
     under Section 7 hereof), of cash in an amount per Share not to exceed the
     difference between the aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of such
     cancellation of the Shares and the aggregate option price of such Shares;
     provided, however, that if an Acceleration has occurred, for purposes of
     this subparagraph, "Fair Market Value" on the date of such cancellation
     shall be calculated in the same manner as the "exercise value" of a Limited
     Right would be calculated under Section 9(c) with respect to such date
     (whether or not any Limited Rights are actually outstanding).

          (d)    Tax Withholding. With the approval of the Committee, the
                 ---------------
     Grantee of a Nonqualified Option may elect to have the Company retain from
     the Shares to be issued upon the exercise by the Grantee of such option
     Shares having a Fair Market Value on the Tax Date equal to all or any part
     of the required minimum federal, state and local withholding tax payments
     to be made by the Grantee with respect to the exercise of the option in
     lieu of making such payments in cash. The Committee may establish from time
     to time rules or limitations with respect to the right of a Grantee to
     elect to have the Company retain Shares in satisfaction of withholding
     payments; provided, however, that, in any event, any such election made by
     a person subject to Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act must be made in
     accordance with any applicable rules established under such Section.

          If a Grantee transfers a Nonqualified Option pursuant to Section 10,
     the Grantee is required to satisfy the applicable withholding taxes by
     paying cash or other property to the Company with respect to any income
     recognized by the Grantee on the exercise of such option by the Transferee.
     The Grantee's withholding obligations must be satisfied on the date that
     the Transferee exercises the option.  If the Grantee does not satisfy the
     applicable withholding tax obligation, the Company shall retain from the
     Shares to be issued Shares having a Fair Market Value on the Tax Date equal
     to the mandatory withholding tax payable by the Grantee.

          In connection with the exercise of an option or Limited Right, the
     Company has the right to require the Grantee to remit or otherwise make
     available to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy any federal, state
     and/or local withholding tax requirements prior to the delivery or transfer
     of any certificate or certificates for Shares (and prior to a cash payment
     in the case of a Limited Right) or to take whatever action it deems
     necessary to protect its interests with respect to tax liabilities in
     connection with the issuance of Shares or cash payment.

     Section 9.  Limited Rights
     ----------  -------------

          (a)    Grant of Limited Rights.  The Committee may grant Limited
                 ------------------------
     Rights with respect to any option granted under the Plan (other than an
     option granted under Section 7) either at the time the option is granted or
     at any time thereafter prior to the exercise, cancellation, termination or
     expiration of such option. The number of Limited Rights
<PAGE>

     covered by any such grant shall not exceed, but may be less than, the
     number of Shares covered by the related option. The term of any Limited
     Right shall be the same as the term of the option to which it relates. The
     right of a Holder to exercise a Limited Right shall be cancelled if and to
     the extent a related option is exercised, and the right of a Holder to
     exercise an option shall be cancelled if and to the extent a related
     Limited Right is exercised.

          (b)  Events permitting Exercise of Limited Rights.  A Limited Right
               --------------------------------------------
     shall be exercisable only if and to the extent that the related option is
     exercisable; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) a
     Limited Right shall not be exercisable during the first six months of its
     term, and (y) in the case of a Limited Right issued in connection with an
     Incentive Stock Option, such Limited Right shall not be exercisable unless
     the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise exceeds the
     exercise price of a Share subject to the related option.  A Limited Right
     which is otherwise exercisable may be exercised only during the following
     periods:

               (i)   during a period of 30 days following the date of expiration
     of a Tender Offer (other than an offer by the Company), if the offeror
     acquires Shares pursuant to such Tender Offer;

               (ii)  during a period of 30 days following the date of approval
     by the shareholders of the Company of a definitive agreement: (x) for the
     merger or consolidation of the Company into or with another corporation, if
     the Company will not be the surviving corporation or will become a
     subsidiary of another corporation, other than a merger or consolidation
     which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding
     immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining
     outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving
     or parent entity) at least 80% of the combined voting power of the voting
     securities of the Company or such surviving or parent entity outstanding
     immediately after such merger or consolidation, (y) for the merger or
     consolidation of the Company with another corporation, if the Company will
     be the surviving corporation and will not become a subsidiary of another
     corporation, or for the merger or consolidation of any direct or indirect
     subsidiary of the Company into or with another corporation, other than (in
     either case) a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting
     securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing
     to represent ((i) in the case of a merger or consolidation of the Company,
     either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting
     securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof, or (ii) in the
     case of a merger or consolidation of any direct or indirect subsidiary of
     the Company, either by remaining outstanding if the Company continues as a
     parent of the merged or consolidated subsidiary or by being converted into
     voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least
     51% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or
     surviving or parent entity outstanding immediately after such merger or
     consolidation, or (z) for the sale or disposition of all or substantially
     all of the assets of the Company (each of the foregoing transactions is
     hereinafter referred to as an "Acquisition Transaction");

               (iii) during a period of 30 days following:  (x) the date upon
     which the Company is provided a copy of a Schedule 13D (filed pursuant to
     Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
     thereunder) indicating that any person or group (as such terms are defined
     in Section 13(d)(3) of the 1934 Act) has become the beneficial owner (as
     defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of the
     outstanding voting Shares of the Company or (y) the date of authorization,
     by both a majority of the voting power of the Company and a majority of the
     portion of such voting power excluding the voting
<PAGE>

     power of interested Shares, of a control share acquisition (as such term is
     defined in Chapter 1701 of the Ohio Revised Code) (each of the foregoing
     transactions is hereinafter referred to as a "Change in Control"); and

               (iv)  during a period of 30 days following a change in the
     composition of the Board of Directors such that individuals who were
     members of the Board of Directors on the date two years prior to such
     change (and any new directors (other than 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) who were elected, or were
     nominated for election, by the Company's shareholders with the affirmative
     vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who
     either were directors at the beginning of such two year period or whose
     election or nomination for election was previously so approved) no longer
     constitute a majority of the Board of Directors (such a change in
     composition is hereinafter referred to as a "Change in Composition of the
     Board").

          (c)  Exercise of Limited Rights.  Upon exercise of a Limited Right,
               --------------------------
     the Holder thereof shall receive from the Company a cash payment equal to
     the excess of: (x) the aggregate "exercise value" on the date of exercise
     (determined as provided below) of that number of Shares as is equal to the
     number of Limited Rights being exercised over (y) the aggregate exercise
     price under the related option of that number of Shares as is equal to the
     number of Limited Rights being exercised. A Holder shall exercise a Limited
     Right by giving written notice of such exercise to the Committee. A Limited
     Right shall be deemed exercised on the date the Committee receives such
     written notice.

          The "exercise value" of a Limited Right on the date of exercise shall
     be:

               (i)    in the case of an exercise during a period described in
     Section 9 (b) (i), the highest price per Share paid pursuant to any Tender
     Offer which is in effect at any time during the 60-day period prior to the
     date on which the Limited Right is exercised;

               (ii)   in the case of an exercise during a period described in
     Section 9(b) (ii), the greater of: (x) the highest sale price of a Share
     during the 30-day period prior to the date of shareholder approval of the
     Acquisition Transaction, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange -
     Composite Transactions Tape, or (y) the highest fixed or formula per Share
     price payable pursuant to the Acquisition Transaction (if determinable on
     the date of exercise);

               (iii)  in the case of an exercise during a period described in
     Section 9(b) (iii), the greater of:  (x) the highest sale price of a Share
     during the 30-day period prior to the date the Company is provided with a
     copy of the Schedule 13D, or the date of authorization of the control Share
     acquisition, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange - Composite
     Transactions Tape, or (y) the highest acquisition price of a Share shown on
     such schedule 13D or to be paid in such control Share acquisition; and

               (iv)   in the case of an exercise during a period described in
     Section 9 (b) (iv), the highest sale price of a Share during the 30-day
     period prior to the date of the change in Composition of the Board, as
     reported on the New York Stock Exchange - Composite Transactions Tape.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the exercise value of a
     Limited Right issued in connection with an Incentive Stock Option exceed
     the maximum permissible exercise value for such a right
<PAGE>

     for purposes of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations and
     interpretations issued pursuant thereto. Any securities or property which
     form part or all of the consideration paid for Shares pursuant to a Tender
     Offer or Acquisition Transaction shall be valued at the higher of (1) the
     valuation placed on such securities or property by the person making such
     Tender Offer or the other party to such Acquisition Transaction, or (2) the
     value placed on such securities or property by the Committee.

          (d)  Compliance with Law. The exercise of Limited Rights by directors
               -------------------
     and officers of the Company shall be subject to, and comply with, the
     applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3 (e) under the 1934 Act (or any
     successor provision), as the same may be amended, modified or superseded
     from time to time.

     Section 10.  Transfers Upon Death; Nonassignability.
     -----------  --------------------------------------

          Except as provided in this Section 10, options granted under the Plan
     may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated or transferred other than
     by Designation of Beneficiary, or, if none, then by will or the laws of
     descent and distribution and may be exercised during the lifetime of the
     Grantee only by such Grantee or by his guardian or legal representative.

          Upon the death of an Option Holder, outstanding Options held by such
     Holder may be exercised only by Designation of Beneficiary, or, if none,
     then by the executor or administrator of the Holder's estate or by a person
     who shall have acquired the right to such exercise by will or by the laws
     of descent and distribution.

          Subject to such conditions as the Committee may prescribe, during an
     option Grantee's lifetime, the Committee may permit the transfer or
     assignment of an outstanding option by such Grantee; provided, that such
     transfer or assignment shall not apply to (y) an option which is an
     Incentive Stock Option (but only if nontransferability is necessary in
     order for the option to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option) and (z) an
     option granted to a person subject to Section 16 of the 1934 Act (but only
     if nontransferability is necessary in order for the option to qualify for
     the exemption under Rule 16b-3 of the 1934 Act)

     Section 11.  Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization.
     -----------  ------------------------------------------

          In the event of a change in outstanding Shares by reason of a Share
     dividend, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, split-up, combination or
     exchange of Shares, or the like, or in the event of any similar corporate
     transaction which the Committee determines requires the adjustments
     described herein, the maximum number of Shares subject to option during the
     existence of the Plan, the number of Limited Rights which may be granted
     under the Plan, the number of Shares subject to, and the option price of,
     each outstanding option, the maximum number of Shares or Limited Rights
     which may be granted to any individual over the term of the Plan, the
     number of Limited Rights outstanding, the Fair Market Value of a Share on
     the date a Limited Right is granted, and the like shall be appropriately
     adjusted by the Committee (disregarding any fractional Shares resulting
     therefrom), whose determination in each case shall be conclusive.

     Section 12.  Conditions Upon Granting and Exercise of Options and Limited
     -----------  ------------------------------------------------------------
                  Rights and Issuance of Shares.
                  -----------------------------

          No option or Limited Right shall be granted, no option or Limited
     Right shall be exercised and Shares shall not be issued or delivered
<PAGE>

     upon the exercise of an option unless the grant and exercise thereof, and
     the issuance and/or delivery of Shares pursuant thereto, or the payment
     therefor, shall comply with all relevant provisions of state and federal
     law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
     the 1934 Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the
     requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares then may be
     listed.

     Section 13.  Amendment and Termination of Plan.
     -----------  ---------------------------------

          (a)  Amendment.  The Board of Directors may from time to time amend
               ---------
     the Plan, or any provision thereof, in such respects as the Board of
     Directors may deem advisable; provided, however, that any such amendment
     shall be approved by the holders of Shares by such vote and otherwise in
     compliance with applicable federal or state law (including Rule 16b-3 (or
     any successor provision) under the 1934 Act) or the requirements of any
     stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed.

          (b)  Termination.  The Board may at any time terminate the Plan.
               ------------

          (c)  Effect of Amendment or Termination.  No amendment to or
               ----------------------------------
     termination of the Plan shall adversely affect any option or Limited Right
     previously granted under the Plan without the consent of the Holder
     thereof.

     Section 14.    Notices.
     -----------    -------

          Each notice relating to this Plan shall be in writing and delivered in
     person or by mail to the proper address.  Except as otherwise provided by
     the Committee, each notice shall be deemed to have been given on the date
     it is delivered or mailed, provided, however, that for a notice of exercise
     given in accordance with Section 8 (b), which shall be deemed to have been
     given on the date it is received by the Committee with payment of the
     option price.  Each notice to the Committee shall be addressed as follows:
     The Mead Corporation, Mead World Headquarters, Courthouse Plaza Northeast,
     Dayton, Ohio 45463, Attention:  Compensation Committee.  Each notice to the
     Holder of an option or other person or persons then entitled to exercise an
     option shall be addressed to such person or persons at The Holder's address
     as set forth in the records of the Company.  Anyone to whom a notice may be
     given under this Plan may designate a new address by written notice to the
     party to that effect.

     Section 15.  Benefits of Plan.
     -----------  ----------------

          This Plan shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon each
     successor and assign of the Company.  All rights and obligations imposed
     upon the Holder of an option and all rights granted to the Company under
     this Plan shall be binding upon such Holder's heirs, legal representatives
     and successors.

     Section 16.  Pronouns and Plurals.
     -----------  ---------------------

          All pronouns shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine,
     singular or plural, as the identity of the person or persons may require.

     Section 17.  Shareholder Approval and Term of Plan.
     -----------  -------------------------------------

          The Plan shall become effective upon its approval by the affirmative
     vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares entitled to vote thereon
     held by shareholders present in person or by proxy at any shareholders'
     meeting at which a quorum is present.  The Plan shall
<PAGE>

     expire on September 30, 2005, unless sooner terminated in accordance with
     Section 13.

     Section 18.  Interpretation.
     -----------  --------------

          The Plan is designed and intended to comply with Rule 16b-3
     promulgated under the 1934 Act and Section 162(m) of the Code and all
     provisions hereof shall be construed in a manner to so comply.
<PAGE>

                  ___________________________________________

NOTES:
-----

(1)  Adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company on October 28, 1995, and
     approved by the Company's shareholders on April 25, 1996.

(2)  Amendments to Sections 2, 6 (b) and (e), 8 (a) and (d), 10 and 14 to allow
     for the designation of a beneficiary of the stock option grant.

(3)  Amendments to Section 2(b), with an addition of subsection (z); Section
     6(a), (f); Section 9(b) with addition of subsections (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
     as adopted by the Board of Directors on June 24, 1998.

(4)  Administrative Amendment to Section 8(d) as adopted by the Compensation
     Committee of the Board of Directors on June 24, 1999.
<PAGE>

                                   AMENDMENT
                                      TO
                             THE MEAD CORPORATION
                            1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN

     THIS AMENDMENT (this "Amendment") is made as of February 22, 2001 to The
Mead Corporation 1996 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").

     WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has determined that it is in
the best interests of The Mead Corporation (the "Company"), its shareholders and
Grantees that the Plan be amended, in accordance with Section 13 thereof, as
provided herein;

     NOW, THEREFORE, the Plan is hereby amended as follows, provided that this
Amendment shall be subject to the approval of the Company's shareholders at the
Company's annual shareholder's meeting on April 26, 2001:

     1.   The first sentence of Section 3 (a) of the Plan is hereby amended in
its entirety to read as follows:

     Number of Shares.  Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 11, the
     ----------------
     maximum number of Shares that may be issued and/or delivered under the Plan
     upon the exercise of options is 10,500,000.

     2.   The second paragraph of Section 4 of the Plan is hereby amended by
adding the phrase "under option agreements entered into prior to April 26, 2001"
after the phrase "Reload Options" in the second sentence thereof.

     3.   Section 4 of the Plan is hereby amended by the addition of the
following sentence at the end of the second paragraph thereof:

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, except in connection with an adjustment
     pursuant to Section 11 hereof, in no event shall the Committee have the
     authority to take any action which would have the result of adjusting
     downward the exercise price of any Incentive Stock Option or Nonqualified
     Option granted hereunder, whether through any amendment of the terms of
     such option, through the cancellation and subsequent replacement of such
     option with a new option in connection therewith or through any other
     means.

     4.   The first sentence of Section 5 of the Plan is hereby amended in its
entirety to read as follows:

     From time to time during the term of the Plan, the Committee may grant one
     or more Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Options and Reload Options
     under option agreements entered into prior to April 26, 2001 to any person
     who is then an officer or other key employee of the Company.

                                      17
<PAGE>

     5.   Section 6 (b) (5) of the Plan is hereby amended in its entirety to
read as follows:

     At the time the option is granted, or at such other time as the Committee
     may determine, the Committee may provide that, if the Grantee of the option
     ceases to be employed by the Company for any reason (including, but not
     limited to, the Grantee's disability), other than death or retirement of
     the Grantee, the option will continue to be exercisable by the Holder
     (including a Transferee under Section 10 hereof) for such additional period
     (not to exceed the remaining term of such option) as the Committee may
     provide. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at the time an option
     is granted, if the Grantee of an option granted after April 26, 2001 ceases
     to be employed by the Company due to the Grantee's retirement, all options
     granted after April 26, 2001 which are then exercisable by such Grantee
     shall remain exercisable by the Holder for up to five (5) years after the
     date of such termination of employment, but in no event may the option be
     exercised later than its otherwise applicable expiration date.

     6.   Section 6 (d) of the Plan is hereby amended by adding the phrase
"under option agreements entered into prior to April 26, 2001" immediately
before the defined term "(the "Original Option")."

     7.   Section 6 (e) of the Plan is hereby amended by adding the phrase
"under option agreements entered into prior to April 26, 2001" after the phrase
"including a Reload Option" from the first parenthetical contained therein.

     This Amendment shall be effective as of the date first written above to
options first granted after April 26, 2001, but shall be subject to the approval
of the Company's shareholders at the Company's annual shareholder's meeting in
the year 2001.  Except as modified by this Amendment, the Plan shall remain in
full force and effect.

                                      18<PAGE>

                                                                 Exhibit 10.xxix

                                                                 Amended Through
                                                                October 29, 1988

                                                                       COMPOSITE
                                                                       ---------

                                1985 SUPPLEMENT
                                      TO
                              THE MEAD CORPORATION
                     INCENTIVE COMPENSATION ELECTION PLAN*
                     ------------------------------------

     WHEREAS,  The Mead Corporation Incentive Compensation Election Plan
("Plan") was established for incentive awards earned on and after January 1,
1977, for the benefit of eligible Employees; and

     WHEREAS,  the Plan has been amended on prior occasions; and

     WHEREAS,  it is currently desirable to supplement the Plan effective
August 1, 1985 (the "Effective Date"),

     NOW THEREFORE, with respect only to amounts on the Deferred Compensation
Ledger on the Effective Date, amounts of 1985 earned incentive for which a
deferral election is in force on the Effective Date under Plan Alternative A,
and amounts of salary deferral permitted under this Supplement, the following
provisions determine Participant rights and Company obligations under the Plan.
All other provisions of the Plan, to the extent not in conflict with this
Supplement, shall continue in effect.

     (1)  Amounts covered under the terms of this Supplement shall, on and after
the Effective Date, be maintained in a separate record (hereinafter referred to
as the "Supplemental Ledger").

     (2)  Contributions through salary deferral may be made to the Plan during
any portion of the period beginning October 1, 1985 and ending December 31,
1986, not exceeding twelve (12) consecutive months. Participation through salary
deferral shall be by monthly deduction of at least $200 and not less than $2400
in the aggregate. All monthly deductions shall be of an equal amount except the
monthly amount deducted during 1985 may be different than the monthly amount
deducted during 1986.

     (3)  The Participant shall elect, on or before September 30, 1985, that all
or a portion of his/her account in the Supplemental Ledger be distributed
under Option A or under Option B or be divided between them.

          (a)  OPTION A - The Participant or his/her Beneficiary will receive
     fifteen (15) level annuity payments from his/her account in the
     Supplemental Ledger commencing on the January 2 next following his/her
     Termination Date or such later January as shall have been chosen by the
     Participant, but not later than the January 2 of the Calendar Year
     following the year in which he/she becomes or would have become age 65, the
     date chosen by him/her being hereafter referred to as the "Annuity Starting
     Date."

          (b)  OPTION B - Commencement, method, and duration will be the same as
     under Option A, except that four (4) additional annual payments commencing
     on January 2, 1993 (hereinafter referred to in the aggregate as the "Annual
     Payments"), shall be paid to the Participant. The Annual Payments shall
     reduce the amount otherwise payable to the Participant or his/her
     Beneficiary on his/her Annuity Starting Date in accordance with Option A.
     Each annual installment of a Participant's Annual Payments shall be equal
     to the pro rata amount designated for Option B of the total of (i) amounts
     that were in the Deferred Compensation Ledger on the Effective Date, (ii)
     amounts of 1985 earned incentive for which a deferred election is in force
     on the Effective Date, and (iii) amounts of salary deferral elected under
     the terms of this Supplement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no payment of
     an annual installment of a Participant's Annual Payments shall be made if
     such installment coincides with or follows a Participant's Annuity Starting
     Date. Any annual installment of a Participant's Annual Payments not made in
     accordance with the preceding sentence shall be included in valuing the
     Supplemental Ledger in accordance with (4) below.

-------------------------

     *This is a composite of the 1985 Supplement to The Mead Corporation
      Incentive Compensation Election Plan, reflecting the supplement and all
      amendments adopted through October 29, 1988. The Mead Corporation
      Incentive Compensation Election Plan is set forth in a separate document.
<PAGE>

     Except to the extent otherwise provided in this Section, election of Option
A or Option B under the foregoing paragraph shall be irrevocable and may not be
subsequently changed.

     Notwithstanding the Participant's election of Option A or Option B, if this
Supplement is terminated prior to, or if his/her Termination Date for reasons
other than death or disability, precedes his/her 55th birthday, distribution of
the Participant's account in the Supplemental Ledger shall be made in one lump
sum payment on or before the last day of the month next following the date of
such occurrence. If the Participant's Termination Date occurs due to death or
disability prior to his/her 55th birthday and the value of his/her account on
such Termination Date is less than $50,000, such account shall also be so
distributed in one lump sum. If the Participant dies on or after his/her Annuity
Starting Date, remaining annuity installments, if any, shall continue to be paid
from the Plan. In all cases of death, a lump sum payment or a commencement or
continuation of a level annuity shall be to the Beneficiary designated pursuant
to Section 6(d) of the Plan.

     An Annuity Starting Date chosen by the Participant who is not an elected
officer of the Company and/or the number of installments chosen by such
Participant may be changed by the chairperson of the Compensation Committee, in
his/her sole discretion, but only, unless the Compensation Committee determines
otherwise, in the event of a severe financial hardship to the Participant
resulting from a sudden and unexpected illness or accident to the Participant or
a dependent (as defined in Section 152(a) of the Internal Revenue Code) of the
Participant, loss of the Participant's property due to casualty, or other
similar extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of
events beyond the control of the Participant. For Participants who are elected
officers of the Company, the Compensation Committee, in its sole discretion, may
change an Annuity Starting Date and/or the number of installments chosen by each
such Participant on the same basis as set forth in this paragraph. The number of
installments payable to the Participant's designated Beneficiary may be changed
by the chairperson of the Compensation Committee on the same basis as set forth
in this paragraph.

     In the event the Termination Date of a Participant who has elected Option B
occurs (for reasons other than death or disability) before receipt of all the
Annual Payments to which the Participant is entitled, remaining payments to
which the Participant or his/her Beneficiary shall be entitled shall be
calculated as if the Participant had elected Option A. If such Participant shall
have received one or more but not all of the Annual Payments, his/her
Supplemental Ledger account shall be valued pursuant to (4) below as if it had
been reduced on the Effective Date by the Effective Date value of Annual
Payments received (discounted at Basic plus Option B Incremental Rate) and
credited thereafter with the Basic plus Option A Incremental Rate. In the event
the Termination Date of such a Participant precedes receipt of all Annual
Payments because of death or disability, or in the event all Annual Payments are
not made due to coincidence with annuity payments on or after the Annuity
Starting Date, the Participant or Beneficiary shall receive payments from the
Supplemental Ledger valued at the Basic plus Option B Incremental Rate less any
Annual Payments received by the Participant.

     (4) Except as provided below, the Participant's Supplemental Ledger account
shall be valued on the Annuity Starting Date, or earlier distribution date if
applicable, according to whichever of the following (a) or (b) produces the
highest value:

          (a) as if all amounts had remained in the Deferred Compensation Ledger
     on the Effective Date in their separate accounts established pursuant to
     Section 6(a) of the Plan and were credited pursuant to Plan Section 6(b) in
     the absence of this Supplement; or

          (b) by crediting the Participant's Supplemental Ledger account each
     Calendar Year (with pro rata adjustment for partial years) with a
     percentage equal to the nine-month average composite yield on single A
     bonds rounded to the nearest 1/10 of 1% as published in the S & P Indexes
     of the Security Markets for the first nine months of the Second Calendar
     Year preceding the year such percentage is credited (hereinafter referred
     to as the "Basic Rate"), PLUS a percentage (hereinafter referred to as the
     "Incremental Rate") based on the Participant's age on the Effective Date
     and his/her choice of Option A or Option B according to the following
     table:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                              Incremental
              Age         Option A   Option B
          <S>                <C>       <C>
          39 and under        4%        7%
          40-44               5%        8%
          45-49               7%        9%
          50-54               8%       10%
          55-59              11%       11%
          60 and over        12%       --
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

     In no event, however, shall the valuation reflect the addition of the
Incremental Rate to the Basic Rate if the Participant's Termination Date (for
reasons other than death or disability) precedes his/her 55th birthday, or if
prior to his/her 55th birthday, a distribution is made to a Participant due to
adverse tax or economic consequences.

     (5)  All level annuities paid under this Supplement shall be computed using
an interest rate percentage equal to an average of the valuation percentages
credited under (4) above during the three-year period immediately preceding the
Calendar Year in which the first annuity payment is made to a Participant.

     (6)  Except as provided in (7) below, the Board of Directors of the Company
may amend or terminate the Plan or this Supplement as provided in Section 9 of
the Plan.

     (7)  Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, in no event,
including but not limited to termination or amendment of the Plan or Supplement
or liquidation or reorganization of the Company:

          (a)  shall a Participant who has not reached his/her 55th birthday
     receive less than the amount credited to the Participant's Supplemental
     Ledger account with interest at the Basic Rate, or the total amounts
     credited to his/her Deferred Compensation Ledger accounts as provided in
     (4)(a) above, if greater;

          (b)  shall the Basic Rate and Incremental Rate of interest which has
     been or will be credited to the account of a Participant who has reached
     his/her 55th birthday, or the interest rate percentage for level annuities
     provided in (5) above, be changed unless the tax laws of the United States
     change to increase the cost of the Incremental Rate to the Company in which
     event the Incremental Rate may be adjusted only to the extent necessary to
     reflect such change in cost, nor shall the rights of the Participant or
     Beneficiary to commence or continue distributions from the Supplemental
     Ledger (including its valuation) be affected.

-----------------------------------

     1.  Adopted effective August 1, 1985.

     2.  Amendments to Sections (3), (5) and (6) adopted effective as of October
         1, 1987.

<PAGE>

                                FIRST AMENDMENT

                            TO THE 1985 SUPPLEMENT

                  TO THE INCENTIVE COMPENSATION ELECTION PLAN

                  -------------------------------------------

     WHEREAS, The Mead Incentive Compensation Election Plan was established for
the benefit of its eligible employees; and

     WHEREAS, it is desirable to amend the Plan;

     NOW, THEREFORE, effective as of September 1, 1987, the Plan hereby is
amended in the respects herein provided.

     1.  Section 3 of the 1985 Supplement to The Mead Corporation Incentive
Compensation Election Plan ("Plan") is hereby amended in its entirety to read as
follows:

          3.  The Participant shall elect, on or before September 30, 1985, that
          all or a portion of his/her account in the Supplemental Ledger be
          distributed under Option A or under Option B or be divided between
          them.

               (a)  OPTION A - The Director or his/her Beneficiary will receive
               fifteen (15) level annuity payments from his/her account in the
               Supplemental Ledger commencing on the January 2 next following
               his/her Termination Date or such later January 2 as shall have
               been chosen by the Participant, but not later than the January 2
               of the Calendar Year following the year in which he/she becomes
               or would have become age 65, the date chosen by him/her being
               hereafter referred to as the "Annuity Starting Date".

               (b)  OPTION B - Commencement, method, and duration will be the
               same as under Option A, except that four (4) additional annual
               payments commencing on
<PAGE>

               January 2, 1993 (hereinafter referred to in the aggregate as the
               "Annual Payments"), shall be paid to the Participant.  The Annual
               Payments shall reduce the amount otherwise payable to the
               Participant of his/her Beneficiary on his/her Annuity Starting
               Date in accordance with Option A.  Each annual installment of a
               Participant's Annual Payments shall be equal to the pro rata
               amount designated for Option B of the total of (i) amounts that
               were in the Deferred Compensation Ledger on the Effective Date,
               (ii) amounts of 1985 earned incentive for which a deferred
               election is in force on the Effective Date, and (iii) amounts of
               salary deferral elected under the terms of this Supplement.
               Notwithstanding the foregoing, no payment of an annual
               installment of a Participant's Annual Payments shall be made if
               such installment coincides with or follows a Participant's
               Annuity Starting Date.  Any annual installment of a Participant's
               Annual Payments not made in accordance with the preceding
               sentence shall be included in valuing the Supplemental Ledger in
               accordance with (4) below.

               Except to the extent otherwise provided in this Section, election
          of Option A or Option B under the foregoing paragraph shall be
          irrevocable and may not be subsequently changed.

               Notwithstanding the Participant's election of Option A or Option
          B, if this Supplement is terminated prior to, or if his/her
          Termination Date for reasons other than death or disability precedes,
          his/her 55th birthday, distribution of the Participant's account in
          the Supplemental Ledger shall be made in one lump sum payment on or
          before the last day of the month next following the date of such
          occurrence.  If the Participant's Termination Date occurs due to death
          or disability prior to his/her 55th birthday and the value of his/her
          account on such Termination Date is less than $50,000, such account
          shall also be so distributed in one lump sum.  If the Participant dies
          on or after his/her Annuity Starting Date, remaining annuity
          installments, if any, shall continue to be paid from the Plan.  In all
          cases of death, a lump sum payment or a commencement or continuation
          of a level annuity shall be to the beneficiary designated pursuant to
          Section 6(d) of the Plan.

               An Annuity Starting Date chosen by the Participant who is not an
          elected officer of the Company and/or the number of installments
          chosen by such Participant may be changed by the chairperson of the
          Compensation Committee, in his/her sole discretion, but only, unless
          the Compensation Committee determines otherwise, in the event of a
          severe financial hardship to the Participant
<PAGE>

          resulting from a sudden and unexpected illness or accident to the
          Participant or a dependent (as defined in Section 152(a) of the
          Internal Revenue Code) of the Participant, loss of the Participant's
          property due to casualty, or other similar extraordinary and
          unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the
          control of the Participant. For Participants who are elected officer
          of the Company, the Compensation Committee, in its sole discretion,
          may change an Annuity Starting Date and/or the number of installments
          chosen by each such Participant on the same basis as set forth in this
          paragraph. The number of installments payable to the Participant's
          designated Beneficiary may be changed by the chairperson of the
          Compensation Committee on the same basis as set forth in this
          paragraph.

               In the event the Termination Date of a Participant who has
          elected Option B occurs (for reasons other than death or disability)
          before receipt of all the Annual Payments to which the Participant is
          entitled, remaining payments to which the Participant or his/her
          Beneficiary shall be entitled shall be calculated as if the
          Participant had elected Option A. If such Participant shall have
          received one or more but not all of the Annual Payments, his/her
          Supplemental Ledger account shall be valued pursuant to (4) below as
          if it had been reduced on the Effective Date by the Effective Date
          value of Annual Payments received (discounted at Basic plus Option B
          Incremental Rate) and credited thereafter with the Basic plus Option A
          Incremental Rate. In the event the Termination Date of such a
          Participant precedes receipt of all Annual Payments because of death
          or disability, or in the event all Annual Payments are not made due to
          coincide with annuity payments on or after the Annuity Starting Date,
          the Participant or Beneficiary shall receive payments from the
          Supplemental Ledger valued at the Basic plus Option B Incremental Rate
          less any Annual Payments received by the Participant.

     B. Section 5 of the Plan is hereby amended in its entirety to read as
follows:

               (5) All level annuities paid under this Supplement shall be
          computed using an interest rate percentage equal to an average of the
          valuation percentages credited under (4) above during the three-year
          period immediately preceding the Calendar Year in which the first
          annuity payment is made to a Participant.

<PAGE>

     C. Section 6 of the Plan is hereby amended in its entirety to read as
follows:

               (6) Except as provided in (7) below, the Board of Directors of
the Company may amend or terminate the Plan or this Supplement as provided in
Section 9 of the Plan.

                       *               *               *

     EXECUTED at Dayton, Ohio, this 17th day of November, 1987.

                                                         THE MEAD CORPORATION

                                                         /S/ Charles J. Mazza
                                                         -----------------------
                                                         Title:  Vice President

Attest:

/S/ LORRAINE J. FRANCIS
---------------------------
Title:  Assistant Secretary

AMEND

<PAGE>

                                SECOND AMENDMENT
                                       TO
                               1985 SUPPLEMENT TO
                              THE MEAD CORPORATION
                      INCENTIVE COMPENSATION ELECTION PLAN

          WHEREAS The Mead Corporation (the "Company") heretofore established
1985 Supplement to The Mead Corporation Incentive Compensation Election Plan
(the "Supplement") and subsequently amended the Supplement; and

          WHEREAS the Company desires to further amend the Supplement pursuant
to the power reserved to the Company's Board of Directions by Section 6 of the
Supplement;

          NOW, THEREFORE, the Supplement is hereby amended, effective as of June
24, 1998, as follows:

          1. The paragraph of Section 3 of the Supplement which begins with the
words "An Annuity Starting Date chosen by the Participant...." is amended by the
addition of the following sentence at the end thereof:

     "Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, upon and after
     the occurrence of a Change in Control (as defined in Section 8 hereof), the
     discretionary power given the Compensation Committee to change the Annuity
     Starting Date chosen by a Participant and/or the number of installments
     chosen by the Participant shall be exercisable in a manner which postpones
     the Annuity Starting Date or postpones or reduces any installment payment
     only if the Compensation Committee shall have previously received a written
     request from the Participant for such change and such power shall be
     exercisable only to determine whether to grant the particular change
     requested or to retain existing Annuity Starting Date and existing
     installments."

          2. The Supplement is amended by the addition of the following new
     Section 8:

          "(8) For purposes of the Supplement, a 'Change in Control' shall be
     deemed to have occurred if an event set forth in any one of the following
     paragraphs shall have occurred:

<PAGE>

               "(i)  date of expiration of a Tender Offer (other than an offer
     by the Company), if the offeror acquires Shares pursuant to such Tender
     Offer;

               "(ii)  the date of approval by the shareholders of the Company of
     a definitive agreement: (x) for the merger or consolidation of the Company
     or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company into or with another
     corporation, other than (l) a merger or consolidation which would result in
     the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto
     continuing to represent ((i) in the case of a merger or consolidation of
     the Company, either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into
     voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof, or (ii) in
     the case of a merger or consolidation of any direct or indirect subsidiary
     of the Company, either by remaining outstanding if the Company continues as
     a parent of the merged or consolidated subsidiary or by being converted
     into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at
     least 51% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the
     Company or such surviving or parent entity outstanding immediately after
     such merger or consolidation, or (2) a merger or consolidation effected to
     implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in
     which no Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as
     defined below), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not
     including in the securities Beneficially Owned by such Person any
     securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates)
     representing 25% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's then
     outstanding securities, or (y) for the sale or disposition of all or
     substantially all of the assets of the Company, other than a sale or
     disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's
     assets to an entity, at least 51% of the combined voting power of the
     voting securities of which are owned (directly or indirectly) by
     shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their
     ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale or disposition;

               "(iii) (x) any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner of 25%
     or more of the voting power of the then outstanding securities of the
     Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person
     any securities acquired directly from the Company or its affiliates),
     excluding any Person who becomes such a Beneficial Owner in connection with
     a transaction described in clause (x)(l) of paragraph (ii) above or (y) the
     date of authorization, by both a majority of the voting power of the
     Company and a

<PAGE>

     majority of the portion of such voting power excluding the voting power of
     interested Shares, of a control share acquisition (as such term is defined
     in Chapter 1701 of the Ohio Revised Code); and

               "(iv) a change in the composition of the Board of Directors such
     that individuals who were members of the Board of Directors on the date two
     years prior to such change (and any new directors (other than 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) who
     were elected, or were nominated for election, by the Company's shareholders
     with the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then
     still in office who either were directors at the beginning of such two year
     period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so
     approved) no longer constitute a majority of the Board of Directors.

     "Notwithstanding the foregoing, a 'Change in Control' shall not be deemed
     to have occurred by virtue of the consummation of any transaction or series
     of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders
     of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or
     series of transactions continue to have substantially the same
     proportionate ownership in an entity which owns all or substantially all of
     the assets of the Company immediately following such transaction or series
     of transactions.

     "'Affiliate' shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 promulgated
     under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

     "'Beneficial Owner' shall have the meaning defined in Rule 13d-3 under the
     Exchange Act.

     "'Exchange Act' shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
     from time to time.

     "'Person' shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange
     Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, except that
     such term shall not include (i) the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
     (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee
     benefit plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates, (iii) an underwriter
     temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities,
     or (iv) a corporation

<PAGE>

     owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in
     substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the
     Company.

     "'Shares' shall mean shares of common stock, without par value, of The Mead
      Corporation.

     "'Tender Offer' shall mean a tender offer or a request or invitation for
     tenders or an exchange offer subject to regulation under Section 14(d) of
     the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, as the same may
     be amended, modified or superseded from time to time."

<PAGE>

                                 AMENDMENT TO
                             THE MEAD CORPORATION
                            1985 SUPPLEMENT TO THE
                     INCENTIVE COMPENSATION ELECTION PLAN

     WHEREAS, The Mead Corporation ("Mead") established The Mead Corporation
1985 Supplement to the Incentive Compensation Election Plan (the "Supplement")
and subsequently amended the Supplement, and

     WHEREAS, Mead desires to further amend the Supplement pursuant to the power
reserved to Mead's Compensation Committee by Section 9 of the Plan;

     NOW, THEREFORE, the Supplement is hereby amended, effective as of October
26, 2001, as follows:

     1.   Section 3 is revised to add a new fifth paragraph to read as follows
and the current fifth paragraph becomes the sixth paragraph:

               Notwithstanding any provision in the Supplement to the contrary
          but subject to this Section 3, third paragraph (except as specifically
          otherwise provided in this paragraph), a former or current Employee
          can revise the commencement date of distributions and the number of
          installments (including a lump sum payment) with respect to the amount
          credited to an Employee's account as follows:

               (i)       prior to a Change in Control, a former or current
          Employee may revise a previously elected commencement date and number
          of installments (such revision being permitted to include receiving
          all or a portion of an account in a lump sum following a Change in
          Control and prior to employment termination), provided that any such
          revision is effective only for distributions on or following a Change
          in Control and occurring during January 2003 and thereafter and with
          respect to all or a portion of the balance of such Employee's account
          on a Change in Control; and

               (ii)      at least three months prior to employment termination
          (whether before or after a Change in Control), a current Employee may
          file such revision with respect to the balance of such Employee's
          account on such termination of service.

          An Employee can make revisions in accordance with this paragraph on a
          form furnished by and filed with the person responsible for
          administering the Supplement at any time prior to the dates stated in
          this paragraph.

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