Document:

avd-ex1018_15.htm

 

Exhibit 10.18

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This Employment Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of December 31, 2014 (the “Effective Date”), by and between AMVAC CHEMICAL CORPORATION, a California corporation (the “Company”), and Ulrich Trogele (“Employee”) to set forth the terms and conditions of the Company’s employment of Employee.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. Employment.

(a) The Company hereby employs Employee and Employee hereby accepts employment by the Company pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(b) Employee is engaged by the Company with such title and capacity as set forth in the Schedule of Responsibilities attached to this Agreement as Schedule “A” (the “Schedule of Responsibilities”). Employee shall fully, faithfully, diligently and competently render the services and perform the duties described in the Schedule of Responsibilities and such other duties not inconsistent therewith that may be assigned to Employee from time to time by the Company. Employee shall conform to and comply with the lawful and reasonable directions and instructions given to Employee by the Company.

(c) Employee shall devote Employee’s full time, attention and energies to the business of the Company during Company working hours. Employee shall use Employee’s best efforts to further enhance and develop the best interests and welfare of the Company. The Company shall be entitled to all of the benefits, profits and other results arising from or incident to all work, services and advice of Employee.

(d) Employee shall not be employed or engaged in any other business activity, whether or not such activity is pursued for gain, profit, or other pecuniary advantage, without the prior written consent of the Company.

(e) The Company will advise Employee of its corporate rules, policies and procedures that apply to Company employees generally then in effect and as may be amended or adopted by the Company from time to time in the Company’s sole and absolute discretion (the “Company Policies”). Employee shall comply with all Company Policies. If there are any inconsistencies between any term of this Agreement and any of the Company Policies, this Agreement shall govern and control.

2. Period of Employment. Employee’s employment by the Company shall be for a period of three (3) years, commencing on the Effective Date and ending not later than three (3) years after the Effective Date, unless earlier terminated pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement (the “Employment Period”). After the Employment Period, Employee shall be an “at will” employee of the Company.

3. Compensation. For services rendered to and duties performed by Employee for the Company during the Employment Period pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company will offer to Employee such compensation and benefits specifically set forth in the Compensation Schedule attached to this Agreement as Schedule “B” (collectively, the “Compensation”).

4. Business Expenses. The Company, pursuant to its Company Policies, will reimburse Employee for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred within the scope of Employee’s employment in carrying out Employee’s services and duties under this Agreement, provided that such expenses are (a) deductible by the Company to the maximum extent permitted under the relevant rules and regulations of the Internal Revenue Code, (b) incurred and submitted for reimbursement in accordance with the Company Policies, and (c) evidenced by itemized and documented accounting of such expenditures.

5. Withholdings. The Company shall deduct and withhold from all compensation payable to Employee hereunder, including, without limitation, the Compensation, all applicable federal, state and local income and employment withholding taxes and any other amounts required to be deducted or withheld by the Company under applicable statutes, regulations, ordinances, or orders governing or requiring the withholding or deduction of amounts otherwise payable as compensation or wages to Employee.

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6. Termination.

(a) Termination for Cause. The Company shall have the right to terminate Employee’s employment for “Cause” (as defined below) at any time, without prior notice. In the event of termination of Employee’s employment for Cause, all rights of Employee (and Employee’s dependents and legal representatives) under Sections 1, 2 and 3 of this Agreement shall cease as of the date of such termination. For purposes of this Agreement, termination for “Cause” by the Company is defined as follows:

(1) Employee is convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to (i) a felony that is likely to impair Employee’s ability to perform under this Agreement or otherwise have a significant adverse effect upon the Company, any of its affiliates, or any of their businesses or reputations, or (ii) a felony or misdemeanor which results in a term of incarceration in any correctional institution;

(2) Employee commits or conspires to commit an act of dishonesty, theft, gross carelessness, or other misconduct against the Company or any of its affiliates;

(3) has engaged in the abuse of alcohol or any illegal drug or intoxicant, or distributed or conspired to distribute any such substance, or engaged in the abuse of any prescription drug, during working hours or at any facilities of the Company or any of its affiliates;

(4) has committed or conspired to commit any act or series of acts that constitute unlawful harassment or discrimination based on an unlawful classification;

(5) has committed or conspired to commit any act or series of acts without approval by the Company’s Board of Directors which would have a significant adverse effect on the Company, any of its affiliates, or any of their businesses or reputations;

(6) has engaged in a willful or grossly negligent failure to perform duties or services for the Company;

(7) has improperly used or disclosed, or conspired to improperly use or disclose, confidential or proprietary information of the Company or any of its affiliates;

(8) has committed any act or omission that constitutes a material breach by Employee of any of Employee’s obligations or agreements under this Agreement, but only after the Company has provided notice of such breach to Employee and Employee fails or refuses to correct such breach within ten (10) days of such notice; provided, however, that no prior notice is required for any event set forth in conditions (1) through (7), inclusive, of this Section 6(a); or

(9) fails to relocate to California on a permanent basis with the intention of establishing residency in California within twelve (12) months after the effective date hereof.

(b) Termination Due to Death or Disability. If Employee, due to physical or mental disability or incapacity as determined by the Company in its discretion, is unable to perform Employee’s duties under this Agreement, the Company shall have the right to terminate Employee’s employment on thirty (30) days’ prior written notice. If Employee is able to and recommences rendering services and performing Employee’s duties under this Agreement within such thirty (30)-day notice period, such notice shall be deemed to have been withdrawn. In addition, in the event of Employee’s death or disability, Employee or Employee’s personal representatives, as the case may be, shall be entitled to receive all earned but unpaid compensation through the date of termination on a pro-rated basis.

(c) Termination Without Cause. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Company shall have the right to terminate Employee’s employment without Cause or for any or no reason, at any time, effective immediately upon written notice to Employee. If the Company exercises its rights under this Section 6(c) during the Employment Period, provided that Employee signs a release and waiver acceptable to the Company and subject to the immediately following sentence, the Company will pay to Employee as severance, an amount equal to the greater of (i) the aggregate annual base salary and health insurance benefits for the remainder of the term of employment hereunder, or (ii) the Employee’s annual base salary and health insurance benefits. Such severance amount will be paid in equal amounts as per the Company’s standard payroll schedule over the remainder of the term of this Agreement, provided that Company may discontinue making such payments (and Employee will forfeit further payments) in the event that Employee accepts employment with a business that results in Employee directly competing with the Company in any of its then-current major markets. Severance payment(s) made under this paragraph 6(c) will not be paid if Employee qualifies for a severance payment under the Change-in-Control Severance Agreement. Employee shall not be terminated to avoid payment under the Change-in-Control Severance Agreement.

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7. Disclosures and Assignment of Rights.

(a) Employee hereby agrees promptly to disclose to the Company and Employee hereby, without further compensation, assigns and agrees to assign to the Company or its designees, Employee’s entire right, title, and interest in and to all designs, trademarks, logos, business plans, business models, business names, economic projections, product innovations, discoveries, formulae, processes, manufacturing techniques, trade secrets, customer lists, supplier lists, inventions, research, improvements, ideas, know-how, patents, service marks, and copyrightable works (collectively, “Inventions”), including, without limitation, all rights to obtain, register, perfect and enforce all Inventions, which relate to Employee’s work for the Company, whether or not during normal working hours, or which are aided by the use of Company time, material, equipment, or facilities; it being understood, however, that no rights are hereby conveyed in Inventions, if any, made by Employee prior to Employee’s employment with the Company and disclosed pursuant to Section 7(c) of this Agreement.

(b) Employee agrees to perform, during and after the Employment Period, all acts deemed necessary or desirable by the Company to permit and assist it, at its reasonable expense, including execution of documents and assistance and cooperation in legal proceedings, in obtaining and enforcing the full benefits, enjoyments, rights and title in the items assigned to the Company as set forth in Section 7(a) of this Agreement.

(c) Except as specifically set forth in the Disclosure of Inventions attached to this Agreement as Schedule “C” (or if nothing is listed therein), there are no Inventions that Employee wishes to exclude from the operation of Section 7(a) or 7(b) of this Agreement.

(d) Employee understands, and hereby acknowledges having received notice, that Sections 7(a) and (b) of this Agreement do not apply to an invention which qualifies fully under the provisions of California Labor Code Section 2780, which is substantially set forth in Schedule “D” attached to this Agreement.

8. Conflicts of Interest. Employee recognizes that Employee owes a primary and fiduciary duty to the Company and that Employee shall not have any interest, financial or otherwise, direct or indirect, or engage in any business or transaction of any nature, which is in conflict with the proper and faithful discharge of Employee’s duties and services as an employee of the Company. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Employee shall not, while employed by the Company, directly or indirectly:

(a) be employed by or receive any compensation from a customer, supplier or competitor of the Company or any of its affiliates;

(b) have any ownership or financial interest of any nature in a customer, supplier or competitor of the Company or an of its affiliates, except where such ownership is stock in a corporation and consists of less than one percent (1%) of the outstanding capital stock of the corporation and where such stock is publicly traded and listed on a recognized stock exchange or actively traded in the over-the-counter market;

(c) have or participate in any dealings on behalf of the Company with a customer, supplier or competitor of the Company or any of its affiliates that employs, or more than five percent (5%) of whose ownership interest is beneficially held by, Employee’s spouse or any brother, sister, parent, child or grandchild of Employee or Employee’s spouse, or any person living in Employee’s household or the spouse of any of the foregoing persons;

(d) engage or participate in any activity, business enterprise, business opportunity, employment, occupation, consulting, or other business activity which the Company shall reasonably determine to be, or reasonably planned to be, in competition with the Company or any of its affiliates, or to interfere with Employee’s duties as an employee of the Company, EXCEPT THAT, the Company is aware that Employee is directly a part of, and involved with, Trogele Energy and Consultancy, LTD, LLC, and that Employee is an adjunct Professor at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, and that Employee’s continuing work for, and connection with, both entities will not be considered a violation of this paragraph or this Agreement; or

(e) solicit, accept or receive any gift having a value of $500.00 or more, whether in the form of money, service, loan, hospitality (except for ordinary business meals), thing or promise, or in any other form, under circumstances in which it could reasonably be inferred that the gift was intended to influence Employee, in the performance of Employee’s duties on behalf of the Company or was intended as a reward for any action on Employee’s part on behalf of the Company, unless such fact or activity is first fully disclosed in writing to the Company and the Company first approves in writing of such fact or activity.

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(f) The Company agrees that Employee may, upon Board of Director approval, which approval will not be unreasonably withheld, hold independent, non-conflicting, director positions with other corporations.

9. Information of Others. Employee certifies and acknowledges that Employee will not disclose or utilize in Employee’s work with the Company any secret or confidential information of others (including any prior employers), or any inventions or innovations of Employee’s own which are not included within the scope of this Agreement.

10. Confidential Information. The Company and/or one or more of its affiliates may, from time to time, provide Employee with confidential information, proprietary information, or trade secrets regarding the Company and/or one or more of its affiliates, including, without limitation, information regarding business methods, plan, products, pricing, customer lists, and other confidential customer information, including, but not limited to, contact names, purchasing authority(ies), product, know-how and/or customer service requirements, buying patterns and other proprietary information (collectively, “Confidential Information”). Except in furtherance of the Company’s business and without the Company’s prior written consent, Employee shall not, directly or indirectly, disclose, use, communicate, appropriate, or exploit any Confidential Information during the Employment Period and thereafter.

11. intentionally omitted

12. Non-Raiding. Employee will not, either during the Employment Period or for a period of one (1) year thereafter, either directly or indirectly, hire, solicit, induce or attempt to induce or encourage any of the Company’ employees, agents, or contractors to cease or significantly reduce providing services to the Company. Employee represents and warrants that Employee’s experience and abilities are such that compliance with the covenants contained in this Section 12 will not cause any undue hardship or unreasonable restriction on Employee’s ability to earn a livelihood.

13. Return of Property. Employee agrees that upon request by the Company, and in any event upon termination of employment, Employee shall turn over to the Company all Confidential Information, Inventions, documents, notes, papers, and other material in whatever media relating to the Company in Employee’s possession or control, together with all material, documents, notes, pagers, and other work product in whatever media which is connected with or derived from Employee’s services to the Company.

14. Remedies. Employee recognizes and acknowledges that a breach of any provision under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and/or 13 of this Agreement could not reasonably be compensated in damages in an action at law and that the Company and/or any of its affiliates shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief obtainable in a court of competent jurisdiction, which may include, but shall not be limited to, restraining Employee from rendering any service which would breach this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no remedy conferred by any of the specific provisions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, this Section 14, is intended to be exclusive of any other remedy, and each and every remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other remedy given under this Agreement now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or by statute or otherwise. The election of any one or more remedies by the Company and/or any of its affiliates shall not constitute a waiver of the right to pursue other available remedies. These obligations shall survive the termination of Employee’s employment.

15. Arbitration. Except as provided in this Section 15, any and all claims between Employee and the Company, any of its affiliates and/or any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents that arise out of Employee’s employment, including, without limitation, disputes involving the terms of this Agreement, Employee’s employment by the Company or the termination thereof, claims for breach of contract or breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and any claims of discrimination or other claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, or any other federal, state or local law or regulation now in existence or hereinafter enacted and as amended from time to time concerning in any way the subject of Employee’s employment with the Company or Employee’s termination, shall be resolved through final and binding arbitration. The only claims not covered by this Section 15 are claims for equitable relief for violation of any provision under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and/or 13 of this Agreement and claims for benefits under the workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance laws, which will be resolved pursuant to those laws. Notices of requests to arbitrate a covered claim must be made within the applicable statute of limitations. Binding arbitration will be conducted in Orange County, California in accordance with the rules and regulations of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”). Discovery may be carried out under the supervision of the arbitrator appointed pursuant to the rules of the AAA. Employee will be responsible for paying the same fee to initiate the arbitration that Employee would pay to file a civil lawsuit. The Company will pay any remaining cost of the arbitration filing and hearing fees, including the cost of the arbitrator; each side will bear its own attorneys’ fees, that is, the arbitrator will not have authority to award attorneys’ fees unless a statutory section at issue in the dispute authorizes the award of attorneys’ fees to the prevailing party, in which case the arbitrator has authority to make such award as permitted by the statute in question.

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16. Miscellaneous.

(a) Survival. Sections 1, 2 and 3 of this Agreement, inclusive, shall terminate upon termination of Employee’s employment with the Company, and all other provisions of this Agreement shall survive such termination and be enforceable in accordance with their terms.

(b) Attorneys’ Fees. In the event that an action or proceeding is brought to enforce any provision under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and/or 13 of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs from the non-prevailing party.

(c) Waiver of Breach. The waiver by the Company or Employee of any breach of any provision herein shall not be binding upon the Company or Employee unless in writing, and shall not constitute a continuing waiver or a waiver of any subsequent breach.

(d) Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any of the parties’ rights and obligations hereunder may be assigned by a party without the prior written consent of the other party hereto; provided, however, that the Company may assign any or all of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to (i) an affiliate of the Company, or (ii) a surviving entity in connection with a merger or consolidation involving the Company or a purchase or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, so long as such surviving entity assumes the Company’s obligations under this Agreement.

(e) Entire Agreement; Oral Statement Not Binding. This Agreement taken together with the offer letter dated as of the date hereof and the letter regarding relocation reimbursement contains the entire agreement of the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and may not be waived, changed, modified, extended or discharged orally, but only by agreement specifically referencing this Agreement that is signed by the party against whom enforcement of any such waiver, change, modification, extension or discharge is sought. Employee acknowledges that the Company is not bound by any oral or other unauthorized statements or promises regarding salary, benefits, length of employment or any other conditions of Employee’s employment. All previous agreements or arrangements between the Company and Employee are hereby terminated. Each party acknowledges and agrees that no representations, inducements, promises or agreements, orally or otherwise, have been made by either party, or anyone acting on behalf of either party, that are not expressly set forth in this Agreement, and that no other agreement, statement or promise shall be valid or binding unless modified or amended pursuant to this Section 16(e). This Agreement may not be modified or amended unless in writing and signed by both Employee and the Company, acting through its Chief Executive Officer or President.

(f) Severability. If any provision of this Agreement as applied to any party or to any circumstance should be adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator, as the case may be, to be void or unenforceable for any reason, the invalidity of that provision shall in no way affect (to the maximum extent permissible by law) the application of such provision under circumstances different from those adjudicated by the court or arbitrator, the application of any other provision of this Agreement, or the enforceability or invalidity of this Agreement as a whole. Should any provision of this Agreement become or be deemed invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction by reason of the scope, extent or duration of its coverage, then such provision shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law so as to be valid and enforceable or, if such provision cannot be so amended without materially altering the intention of the parties, then such provision will be stricken and the remainder of this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.

(g) Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the domestic laws of the State of California without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of California or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State 
of California.

(h) Notice. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given and delivered if delivered by messenger, or mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the parties at the addresses set forth below (or at such other addresses for a party as shall be specified by like notice) and shall be deemed given on the date on which so delivered by messenger or three (3) days following the date on which so mailed.

 

	
If to the Company: 
	
4695 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 1200

	
 
	
Newport Beach, California 92660

	
 
	
Attn:
	
Chief Executive Officer or President

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
With copy to:
	
Attn:
	
General Counsel

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
If to Employee:
	
[                    ]

	
 
	
[                     ], or

	
 
	
at such other last known address on record with the Company.

 

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(i) Enforceability. This Agreement inures to the benefit of the permitted successors and permitted assigns of the Company, and is binding upon Employee’s heirs and legal representatives. No course of conduct or failure or delay in enforcing any provision of this Agreement shall affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement.

(j) Headings. The headings of the sections or subsections in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction or limit the scope or intent of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

(k) Construction. The parties have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event any ambiguity or question of intent arises, this Agreement shall be construed as having been drafted jointly by the parties and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions hereof. Any act or series of act required to be performed by the Company under this Agreement shall be performed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, President, or other officer duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors.

(l) Facsimile Signatures. This Agreement may be executed by a party’s signature transmitted by facsimile or electronically (as a pdf), and copies of this Agreement executed and delivered by means of either facsimile or pdf signatures shall have the same force and effect as copies hereof executed and delivered with original signatures. The parties may rely upon facsimile or pdf signatures as if such signatures were originals. A party executing and delivering this Agreement by facsimile shall promptly thereafter deliver a counterpart signature page of this Agreement containing said party’s original signature.

(m) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the parties in one or more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be an original and all such counterparts shall constitute one and the same instrument. Confirmation of execution by electronic transmission of a facsimile signature page shall be binding upon any party so confirming.

* * * *

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signatures follow]

 

 

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Employment Agreement effective as of the date first 
written above.

 

	
“Company”

	
 

	
AMVAC Chemical Corporation, a California corporation

	
 
	
 

	
By:
	
 

	
Name:
	
 

	
Title:
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
“Employee”

	
 

	
Ulrich Trogele, as an Individual

 

 

 

S-1

 

SCHEDULE “A”

TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

SCHEDULE OF RESPONSIBILITIES

 

	
Title:
	
Chief Operating Officer of AMVAC Chemical Corporation

	
 
	
 

	
Location:
	
Employee shall perform the services and duties principally at the Company’s offices located at 4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 1200, Newport Beach, California 92660, or at such other location or locations as may be designated by the Company from time to time.

	
 
	
 

	
Start Date:
	
Employee shall commence his employment on January 5, 2015.

 

Essential duties and responsibilities—you will be responsible for leading the growth of the company’s global business through marketing, sales and business development, including without limitation:

	
•
	
Sales—managing the entire sales force, both domestic and international, with a focus on improving key customer relationships; establishing accountability of the sales force (both through periodic reports and the setting of performance objectives); motivating and incentivizing sales personnel; improving sales forecasting and budgeting; and increasing product sales.

	
•
	
Marketing—providing market analysis for all product lines; creating marketing plans for all regions; establishing a strategy for product distribution through the channels; designing and administering effective customer programs; developing novel product solutions (e.g., pre-mixes, tank mixes, formulations, delivery systems) for the purpose of increasing product sales; assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the company’s product portfolio and recommending additions or deletions to effect greater growth and profitability; and developing promotional materials for distribution at centers of influence.

	
•
	
Business Development—defining a direction and making a plan for expanding the company’s portfolio through a combination of (i) licensing or joint development of products from universities, research institutions and technology companies; (ii) acquisition of product lines from other agchem companies; and (iii) merger and/or acquisition with complementary companies. It is expected that you will use existing relationships and develop additional ones both here and abroad for these purposes.

	
•
	
Serving as a key member of the Executive Management team, participating in regular meetings of the team and in the development and review of the Company’s annual budget, product plans, sales plans, the organic growth matrix and the Company’s five year business plan.

 

	
Dated:
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
Company

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
Dated:
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
Employee

 

 

A-1

 

SCHEDULE “B”

TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

COMPENSATION SCHEDULE

Annual Base Salary: Pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company will pay to Employee an annual base salary of Three Hundred Sixty Thousand Dollars ($360,000), payable in accordance with the Company’s then-existing payroll schedule, policies and procedures. The Company, in its sole discretion, may otherwise from time to time increase Employee’s salary as it deems appropriate, but such increases shall have no effect on or alter the obligations of the Company or other rights of the Employee as provided under this Agreement.

Initial Bonus: In addition to the base salary and other forms of compensation set forth in this Schedule B, thirty (30) days after commencement of employment, Employee shall be entitled to receive a one-time bonus in the amount of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00) subject to the Company’s standard payroll deductions.

Restricted Stock Awards: Subject to terms and conditions of the 1994 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, of American Vanguard Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“American Vanguard”), and the execution of a Restricted Stock Agreement containing terms and conditions by and between Employee and American Vanguard, on each of the effective date hereof, Employee shall receive (a) seven thousand five hundred (7,500) shares of American Vanguard Common Stock that vest ninety (90) days after the date of commencement of employment (the “Commencement Date”), (b) seven thousand five hundred (7,500) restricted shares of American Vanguard Common Stock that vest on the one year anniversary of the Commencement Date, (c) seven thousand five hundred (7,500) restricted shares of American Vanguard common stock that vest on the second anniversary of the Commencement Date, (d) seven thousand five hundred restricted shares of American Vanguard common stock that vest on the third anniversary of the Commencement Date, and (e) seven thousand five hundred (7,500) performance shares that vest upon both the passage of three years of continuous service (measured from the Commencement Date) and the achievement of certain financial targets measured over the course of fiscal years 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Future Equity Awards: Employee shall be eligible to receive future awards of equity (whether restricted stock, options, performance shares and/or other forms of securities) as part of periodic awards made by the Board of Directors to select employees. The form, amount and terms of these awards are to be determined by the Board in their discretion.

Car Allowance: Employee shall be provided a car allowance of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1500) per month which amount will be paid to Employee monthly in full.

Vacation: During the term of the Employment Period, Employee shall be entitled to a maximum of four (4) weeks of vacation time each calendar year (or a prorated portion thereof). In the event that Employee is unable or fails to take the total amount of vacation time authorized herein during any calendar year, such unused vacation shall not roll over or be credited to the subsequent year(s), but will be paid out in cash, and the balance of accrued vacation reduced to zero at the end of such calendar year.

General Benefits: Pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Employee may participate in benefit plans (subject to the provisions of such plans) and other perquisites which are made generally available to the Company’s other employees and for which Employee qualifies, including, without limitation: group health, dental, life, accident and disability insurance; the Company’s 401k plan; flexible spending accounts; and the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Bonus. Employee shall be entitled to receive an annual bonus the amount, payment terms and other conditions of such bonus shall be subject to determination by the Company’s Board of Directors, based upon both individual and company-wide performance taking into consideration the bonus parameters for the position.

Change-in-Control Severance. In lieu of the severance provisions set forth in paragraph 6(c) hereof, Employee shall be entitled to participate in the severance arrangement for Company executives in the event of a change-in-control, the terms of which are set forth in Schedule E hereto.

 

	
Dated:
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
Company

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
Dated:
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
Employee

 

 

 

B-1

 

SCHEDULE “C”

TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTIONS

Except as set forth below, there are no Inventions that I wish to exclude from the operation of Section 7(a) or 7(b) of 
this Agreement:

 

	
Dated:
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
Employee

 

 

C-1

 

SCHEDULE “D”

TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

CALIFORNIA LABOR CODE SECTION 2780

California Labor Code Section 2870 substantially provides:

(a) Any provision in an employment agreement which provides that an employee shall assign, or offer to assign, any of his rights in an invention to his employer shall not apply to an invention that the employee developed entirely on his or her own time without using the employer’s equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information except for those inventions that either:

	
 
	
(1)
	
Relate at the time of conception or reduction to practice of the invention to the employer’s business, or actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development of the employer; or

	
 
	
(2)
	
Result from any work performed by the employee for the employer.

(b) To the extent that a provision in an employment agreement purports to require an employee to assign an invention otherwise excluded from being required to be assigned under subdivision (a), the provision is against the public policy of this state and is unenforceable.

 

 

 

D-1

 

SCHEDULE “E”

TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

FORM OF CHANGE-IN- CONTROL SEVERANCE AGREEMENTExhibit 10.18

 

FORM OF PROPETRO HOLDING CORP.
 2017 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

 

ARTICLE 1.

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the ProPetro Holding Corp. 2017 Incentive Award Plan (as it may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Plan”) is to promote the success and enhance the value of ProPetro Holding Corp. (the “Company”) by linking the individual interests of the members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants to those of Company stockholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to Company stockholders. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent.

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION

 

Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.

 

2.1          “Administrator” shall mean the entity that conducts the general administration of the Plan as provided in Article 12. With reference to the duties of the Committee under the Plan which have been delegated to one or more Persons pursuant to Section 12.6, or as to which the Board has assumed, the term “Administrator” shall refer to such Person(s) unless the Committee or the Board has revoked such delegation or the Board has terminated the assumption of such duties.

 

2.2          “Applicable Accounting Standards” shall mean Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States, International Financial Reporting Standards or such other accounting principles or standards as may apply to the Company’s financial statements under United States federal securities laws from time to time.

 

2.3          “Applicable Law” shall mean any applicable law, including without limitation: (a) provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any rules or regulations thereunder; (b) corporate, securities, tax or other laws, statutes, rules, requirements or regulations, whether federal, state, local or foreign; and (c) rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded.

 

2.4          “Automatic Exercise Date” shall mean, with respect to an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right, the last business day of the applicable Option Term or Stock Appreciation Right Term that was initially established by the Administrator for such Option or Stock Appreciation Right (e.g., the last business day prior to the tenth anniversary of the date of grant

 

 

of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right if the Option or Stock Appreciation Right initially had a ten-year Option Term or Stock Appreciation Right Term, as applicable).

 

2.5          “Award” shall mean an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Restricted Stock award, a Restricted Stock Unit award, an Other Stock or Cash Based Award or a Dividend Equivalent award, which may be awarded or granted under the Plan.

 

2.6          “Award Agreement” shall mean any written notice, agreement, terms and conditions, contract or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium, which shall contain such terms and conditions with respect to an Award as the Administrator shall determine consistent with the Plan.

 

2.7          “Award Limit” shall mean with respect to Awards that shall be payable in Shares or in cash, as the case may be, the respective limit set forth in Section 3.2.

 

2.8          “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

2.9          “Change in Control” shall mean and includes each of the following:

 

(a)        A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Common Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any Person directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 30% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; provided, however, that the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (i) any acquisition by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) any acquisition by an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) any acquisition which complies with Sections 2.9(c)(i), 2.9(c)(ii) and 2.9(c)(iii); or (iv) in respect of an Award held by a particular Holder, any acquisition by the Holder or any group of Persons including the Holder (or any entity controlled by the Holder or any group of Persons including the Holder); or

 

(b)        The Incumbent Directors cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board;

 

(c)        The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination, (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:

 

(i)         which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the Person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such Person, the “Successor Entity”)), or ECP or any of its affiliates

 

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beneficially owning, directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and

 

(ii)        after which no Person beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no Person shall be treated for purposes of this Section 2.9(c)(ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; and

 

(iii)       after which at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Successor Entity were Board members at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such transaction; or

 

(d)       The date which is 10 business days prior to the completion of a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or any portion of an Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).

 

The Board shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its sole discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.

 

2.10        “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, together with the regulations and official guidance promulgated thereunder, whether issued prior or subsequent to the grant of any Award.

 

2.11        “Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board, or another committee or subcommittee of the Board or the Compensation Committee of the Board described in Article 12 hereof.

 

2.12        “Common Stock” shall mean the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share.

 

2.13        “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in Article 1.

 

2.14        “Consultant” shall mean any consultant or adviser engaged to provide services to the Company or any Subsidiary who qualifies as a consultant or advisor under the applicable

 

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rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission for registration of shares on a Form S-8 Registration Statement.

 

2.15        “Covered Employee” shall mean any Employee who is, or could become, a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

2.16        “Director” shall mean a member of the Board, as constituted from time to time.

 

2.17        “Director Limit” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.6.

 

2.18        “Dividend Equivalent” shall mean a right to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares, awarded under Section 10.2.

 

2.19        “DRO” shall mean a “domestic relations order” as defined by the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, or the rules thereunder.

 

2.20        “ECP” shall mean Energy Capital Partners, a private equity firm, or any funds managed by Energy Capital Partners.

 

2.21        “Effective Date” shall mean the day prior to the Public Trading Date.

 

2.22        “Eligible Individual” shall mean any Person who is an Employee, a Consultant or a Non-Employee Director, as determined by the Administrator.

 

2.23        “Employee” shall mean any officer or other employee (as determined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder) of the Company or of any Subsidiary.

 

2.24        “Equity Restructuring” shall mean a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, rights offering or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the number or kind of Shares (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Stock (or other securities) and causes a change in the per-share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Awards.

 

2.25        “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

2.26        “Expiration Date” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 13.1(c).

 

2.27        “Fair Market Value” shall mean, as of any given date, the value of a Share determined as follows:

 

(a)        If the Common Stock is (i) listed on any established securities exchange (such as the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Capital Market, the NASDAQ Global Market and the NASDAQ Global Select Market), (ii) listed on any national market system or (iii) quoted or traded on any automated quotation system, its Fair Market Value shall be the

 

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closing sales price for a Share as quoted on such exchange or system for such date or, if there is no closing sales price for a Share on the date in question, the closing sales price for a Share on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

 

(b)        If the Common Stock is not listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system, but the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the mean of the high bid and low asked prices for such date or, if there are no high bid and low asked prices for a Share on such date, the high bid and low asked prices for a Share on the last preceding date for which such information exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

 

(c)        If the Common Stock is neither listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system nor regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be established by the Administrator in good faith.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Award granted after the effectiveness of the Company’s registration statement relating to its initial public offering and prior to the Public Trading Date, the Fair Market Value shall mean the initial public offering price of a Share as set forth in the Company’s final prospectus relating to its initial public offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

2.28        “Greater Than 10% Stockholder” shall mean an individual then owning (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any subsidiary corporation (as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code) or parent corporation thereof (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code).

 

2.29        “Holder” shall mean a Person who has been granted an Award.

 

2.30        “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option and conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

 

2.31        “Incumbent Directors’ shall mean for any period of 12 consecutive months, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a Person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Section 2.9(a) or 2.9(c)) whose election or nomination for election to the Board was approved by a vote of at least a majority (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such Person is named as a nominee for Director without objection to such nomination) of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the 12-month period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved.  No individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to Directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any Person other than the Board shall be an Incumbent Director.

 

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2.32        “Non-Employee Director” shall mean a Director of the Company who is not an Employee.

 

2.33        “Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.6.

 

2.34        “Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option or which is designated as an Incentive Stock Option but does not meet the applicable requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

 

2.35        “Option” shall mean a right to purchase Shares at a specified exercise price, granted under Article 6. An Option shall be either a Non-Qualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option; provided, however, that Options granted to Non-Employee Directors and Consultants shall only be Non-Qualified Stock Options.

 

2.36        “Option Term” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.

 

2.37        “Organizational Documents” shall mean, collectively, (a) the Company’s articles of incorporation, certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other similar organizational documents relating to the creation and governance of the Company, and (b) the Committee’s charter or other similar organizational documentation relating to the creation and governance of the Committee.

 

2.38        “Other Stock or Cash Based Award” shall mean a cash payment, cash bonus award, stock payment, stock bonus award, performance award or incentive award that is paid in cash, Shares or a combination of both, awarded under Section 10.1, which may include, without limitation, deferred stock, deferred stock units, retainers, committee fees, and meeting-based fees.

 

2.39        “Performance-Based Compensation” shall mean any compensation that is intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code.

 

2.40        “Performance Criteria” shall mean the criteria (and adjustments) that the Administrator selects for an Award for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Performance Period, determined as follows:

 

(a)        The Performance Criteria that shall be used to establish Performance Goals are limited to the following: (i) adjusted net earnings or losses (either before or after one or more of the following: (A) interest, (B) taxes, (C) depreciation, (D) amortization and (E) non-cash equity-based compensation expense); (ii) gross or net sales or revenue or sales or revenue growth; (iii) net income (either before or after taxes); (iv) adjusted net income; (v) operating earnings or profit (either before or after taxes); (vi) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow); (vii) return on assets; (viii) return on capital (or invested capital) and cost of capital; (ix) return on stockholders’ equity; (x) total stockholder return; (xi) return on sales; (xii) gross or net profit or operating margin; (xiii) costs, reductions in costs and cost control measures; (xiv) expenses; (xv) working capital; (xvi) earnings or loss per share; (xvii) adjusted earnings or loss per share; (xviii) price per share or dividends per share (or

 

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appreciation in and/or maintenance of such price or dividends); (xix) regulatory achievements or compliance (including, without limitation, regulatory body approval for commercialization of a product); (xx) implementation or completion of critical projects; (xxi) market share; (xxii) economic value; (xxiii) productivity; (xxiv) operating efficiency; (xxv) economic value-added; (xxvi) cash flow return on capital; (xxvii) return on net assets; (xxviii) funds from operations; (xxix) funds available for distributions; (xxx) market penetration and geographic business expansion; (xxxi) customer satisfaction/growth; (xxxii) recruitment and retention of personnel; (xxxiii) human resources management; (xxxiv) supervision of litigation and other legal matters; (xxxv) strategic partnerships and transactions; (xxxvi) financial ratios (including those measuring liquidity, activity, profitability or leverage); (xxxvii) financing and other capital raising transactions; (xxxviii) year-end cash; (xxxix) acquisition activity and marketing initiatives; and (xl) safety metrics, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease or as compared to results of a peer group or to market performance indicators or indices.

 

(b)        The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide that one or more objectively determinable adjustments shall be made to one or more of the Performance Goals. Such adjustments may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: (i) items related to a change in Applicable Accounting Standards; (ii) items relating to financing activities; (iii) expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives; (iv) other non-operating items; (v) items related to acquisitions; (vi) items attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by the Company during the Performance Period; (vii) items related to the sale or disposition of a business or segment of a business; (viii) items related to discontinued operations that do not qualify as a segment of a business under Applicable Accounting Standards; (ix) items attributable to any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of stock occurring during the Performance Period; (x) any other items of significant income or expense which are determined to be appropriate adjustments; (xi) items relating to unusual or infrequent corporate transactions, events or developments, (xii) items related to amortization of acquired intangible assets; (xiii) items that are outside the scope of the Company’s core, on-going business activities; (xiv) items related to acquired in-process research and development; (xv) items relating to changes in tax laws; (xvi) items relating to major licensing or partnership arrangements; (xvii) items relating to asset impairment charges; (xviii) items relating to gains or losses for litigation, arbitration and contractual settlements; (xix) items attributable to expenses incurred in connection with a reduction in force or early retirement initiative; (xx) items relating to foreign exchange or currency transactions and/or fluctuations; or (xxi) items relating to any other unusual or nonrecurring events or changes in Applicable Law, Applicable Accounting Standards or business conditions. For all Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, such determinations shall be made within the time prescribed by, and otherwise in compliance with, Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

2.41        “Performance Goals” shall mean, for a Performance Period, one or more goals established in writing by the Administrator for the Performance Period based upon one or more Performance Criteria. Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall Company performance or the performance of a Subsidiary, division, business unit, or an individual. The achievement of each Performance Goal shall be determined, to the extent applicable, with reference to Applicable Accounting Standards.

 

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2.42        “Performance Period” shall mean one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping durations, as the Administrator may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Holder’s right to, vesting of, and/or the payment in respect of, an Award.

 

2.43        “Permitted Transferee” shall mean, with respect to a Holder, any “family member” of the Holder, as defined in the General Instructions to Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act (or any successor form thereto), or any other transferee specifically approved by the Administrator after taking into account Applicable Law.

 

2.44        “Person” shall mean any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act).

 

2.45        “Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in Article 1.

 

2.46        “Program” shall mean any program adopted by the Administrator pursuant to the Plan containing the terms and conditions intended to govern a specified type of Award granted under the Plan and pursuant to which such type of Award may be granted under the Plan.

 

2.47        “Public Trading Date” shall mean the first date upon which Common Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system.

 

2.48        “Restricted Stock” shall mean Common Stock awarded under Article 8 that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture or repurchase.

 

2.49        “Restricted Stock Units” shall mean the right to receive Shares awarded under Article 9.

 

2.50        “Section 409A” shall mean Section 409A of the Code and the Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including, without limitation, any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date.

 

2.51        “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

2.52        “Shares” shall mean shares of Common Stock.

 

2.53        “Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean an Award entitling the Holder (or other Person entitled to exercise pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion thereof (to the extent then exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to receive from the Company an amount determined by multiplying the difference obtained by subtracting the exercise price per share of such Award from the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of such Award by the number of Shares with respect to which such Award shall have been exercised, subject to any limitations the Administrator may impose.

 

2.54        “SAR Term” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.

 

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2.55        “Subsidiary” shall mean any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.

 

2.56        “Substitute Award” shall mean an Award granted under the Plan in connection with a corporate transaction, such as a merger, combination, consolidation or acquisition of property or stock, in any case, upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding equity awards previously granted by a company or other entity; provided, however, that in no event shall the term “Substitute Award” be construed to refer to an award made in connection with the cancellation and repricing of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right.

 

2.57        “Termination of Service” shall mean:

 

(a)        As to a Consultant, the time when the engagement of a Holder as a Consultant to the Company or a Subsidiary is terminated for any reason, with or without cause, including, without limitation, by resignation, discharge, death or retirement, but excluding terminations where the Consultant simultaneously commences or remains in employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

(b)        As to a Non-Employee Director, the time when a Holder who is a Non-Employee Director ceases to be a Director for any reason, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, failure to be elected, death or retirement, but excluding terminations where the Holder simultaneously commences or remains in employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

(c)        As to an Employee, the time when the employee-employer relationship between a Holder and the Company or any Subsidiary is terminated for any reason, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, discharge, death, disability or retirement; but excluding terminations where the Holder simultaneously commences or remains in employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

The Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to any Termination of Service, including, without limitation, whether a Termination of Service has occurred, whether a Termination of Service resulted from a discharge for cause and all questions of whether particular leaves of absence constitute a Termination of Service; provided, however, that, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, unless the Administrator otherwise provides in the terms of any Program, Award Agreement or otherwise, or as otherwise required by Applicable Law, a leave of absence, change in status from an employee to an independent contractor or other change in the employee-employer relationship shall constitute a Termination of Service only if, and to the extent that, such leave of absence, change in status or other change interrupts employment for the purposes of Section 422(a)(2) of the Code and the then-applicable regulations and revenue rulings under said Section. For purposes of the Plan, a Holder’s employee-employer relationship or consultancy relations shall be deemed to be terminated in the event that the Subsidiary employing or contracting with such

 

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Holder ceases to remain a Subsidiary following any merger, sale of stock or other corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a spin-off).

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

 

3.1       Number of Shares.

 

(a)        Subject to Sections 3.1(b) and 13.2, the aggregate number of Shares which may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards (including, without limitation, Incentive Stock Options) under the Plan is 5,800,000. Any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Common Stock, treasury Common Stock or Common Stock purchased on the open market.

 

(b)        If any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited or expire, are converted to shares of another Person in connection with a spin-off or other similar event, or such Award is settled for cash (in whole or in part) (including Shares repurchased by the Company under Section 8.4 at the same price paid by the Holder), the Shares subject to such Award shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration, conversion or cash settlement, again be available for future grants of Awards under the Plan.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following Shares shall not be added to the Shares authorized for grant under Section 3.1(a) and shall not be available for future grants of Awards: (i) Shares tendered by a Holder or withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price of an Option; (ii) Shares tendered by the Holder or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award; (iii) Shares subject to a Stock Appreciation Right that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the Stock Appreciation Right on exercise thereof; and (iv) Shares purchased on the open market by the Company with the cash proceeds received from the exercise of Options. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.1(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Stock Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.

 

(c)        Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan, except as may be required by reason of Section 422 of the Code. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by its stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan; provided that Awards using such available Shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and

 

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shall only be made to individuals who were not employed by or providing services to the Company or its Subsidiaries immediately prior to such acquisition or combination.

 

3.2          Limitation on Number of Shares Subject to Awards. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject to Section 13.2, the maximum aggregate number of Shares with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to any one Person during any calendar year shall be 725,000 and the maximum aggregate amount of cash that may be paid in cash to any one Person during any calendar year with respect to one or more Awards payable in cash shall be $5,000,000; provided, however, that the foregoing limitations shall not apply prior to the Public Trading Date and, following the Public Trading Date, the foregoing limitations shall not apply until the earliest of: (a) the first material modification of the Plan (including any increase in the number of Shares reserved for issuance under the Plan in accordance with Section 3.1); (b) the issuance of all of the Shares reserved for issuance under the Plan; (c) the expiration of the Plan; (d) the first meeting of stockholders at which members of the Board are to be elected that occurs after the close of the third calendar year following the calendar year in which occurred the first registration of an equity security of the Company under Section 12 of the Exchange Act; or (e) such other date, if any, on which the “reliance period” described under U.S. Treasury Regulation 1.162-27(f)(2) expires pursuant to Section 162(m) of the Code and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. To the extent required by Section 162(m) of the Code, Shares subject to Awards which are canceled shall continue to be counted against the Award Limit.

 

3.3          Award Vesting Limitations.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, but subject to Section 13.2 of the Plan, Awards granted under the Plan shall vest no earlier than the first anniversary of the date the Award is granted; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, Awards that result in the issuance of an aggregate of up to 5% of the shares of Common Stock available pursuant to Section 3.1(a) may be granted to any one or more Eligible Individuals without respect to and/or administered without regard for this minimum vesting provision. No Award Agreement shall be permitted to reduce or eliminate the requirements of this Section 3.3. Nothing in this Section 3.3 shall preclude the Administrator from taking action, in its sole discretion, to accelerate the vesting of any Award in connection with or following a Holder’s death, disability, Termination of Service or the consummation of a Change in Control.

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

GRANTING OF AWARDS

 

4.1          Participation. The Administrator may, from time to time, select from among all Eligible Individuals, those to whom an Award shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award, which shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of the Plan. Except for any Non-Employee Director’s right to Awards that may be required pursuant to the Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy as described in Section 4.6, no Eligible Individual or other Person shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to the Plan and neither the Company nor the Administrator is obligated to treat Eligible Individuals, Holders or any other Persons uniformly. Participation by each Holder in the Plan shall be voluntary and

 

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nothing in the Plan or any Program shall be construed as mandating that any Eligible Individual or other Person shall participate in the Plan.

 

4.2          Award Agreement. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that sets forth the terms, conditions and limitations for such Award as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion (consistent with the requirements of the Plan and any applicable Program). Award Agreements evidencing Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall contain such terms and conditions as may be necessary to meet the applicable provisions of Section 162(m) of the Code. Award Agreements evidencing Incentive Stock Options shall contain such terms and conditions as may be necessary to meet the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

 

4.3          Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Plan, and any Award granted or awarded to any individual who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and any amendments thereto) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

 

4.4          At-Will Service. Nothing in the Plan or in any Program or Award Agreement hereunder shall confer upon any Holder any right to continue in the employ of, or as a Director or Consultant for, the Company or any Subsidiary, or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and any Subsidiary, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge any Holder at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, and with or without notice, or to terminate or change all other terms and conditions of employment or engagement, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Holder and the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

4.5          Foreign Holders. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or applicable Program to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in countries other than the United States in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate or have Employees, Non-Employee Directors or Consultants, or in order to comply with the requirements of any foreign securities exchange or other Applicable Law, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (a) determine which Subsidiaries shall be covered by the Plan; (b) determine which Eligible Individuals outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (c) modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Eligible Individuals outside the United States to comply with Applicable Law (including, without limitation, applicable foreign laws or listing requirements of any foreign securities exchange); (d) establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable; provided, however, that no such subplans and/or modifications shall increase the share limitation contained in Section 3.1, the Award Limit or the Director Limit; and (e) take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local governmental regulatory exemptions or approvals or listing requirements of any foreign securities exchange.

 

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4.6          Non-Employee Director Awards.

 

(a)        Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy.  The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide that Awards granted to Non-Employee Directors shall be granted pursuant to a written nondiscretionary formula established by the Administrator (the “Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy”), subject to the limitations of the Plan. The Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy shall set forth the type of Award(s) to be granted to Non-Employee Directors, the number of Shares to be subject to Non-Employee Director Awards, the conditions on which such Awards shall be granted, become exercisable and/or payable and expire, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine in its sole discretion. The Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy may be modified by the Administrator from time to time in its sole discretion.

 

(b)        Director Limit.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan or in the Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Policy, the sum of the grant date fair value of equity-based Awards (other than any equity-based Awards granted in connection with the Company’s initial public offering), and the amount of any cash-based Awards granted to a Non-Employee Director during any calendar year shall not exceed $400,000 (the “Director Limit”).

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS INTENDED TO QUALIFY AS PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION

 

5.1          Purpose. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, (a) determine whether an Award is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation and (b) at any time after any such determination, alter such intent for any or no reason. If the Administrator, in its sole discretion, decides to grant an Award that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation (other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right), then the provisions of this Article 5 shall control over any contrary provision contained in the Plan or any applicable Program; provided that, if after such decision the Administrator alters such intention for any reason, the provisions of this Article 5 shall no longer control over any other provision contained in the Plan or any applicable Program. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may (i) grant Awards to Eligible Individuals that are based on Performance Criteria or Performance Goals or any such other criteria and goals as the Administrator shall establish, but that do not satisfy the requirements of this Article 5 and that are not intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation and (ii) subject any Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation to additional conditions and restrictions unrelated to any Performance Criteria or Performance Goals (including, without limitation, continued employment or service requirements) to the extent such Awards otherwise satisfy the requirements of this Article 5 with respect to the Performance Criteria and Performance Goals applicable thereto.  Unless otherwise specified by the Administrator at the time of grant, the Performance Criteria with respect to an Award intended to be Performance-Based Compensation payable to a Covered Employee shall be determined on the basis of Applicable Accounting Standards.

 

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5.2          Procedures with Respect to Performance-Based Awards. To the extent necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, with respect to any Award which is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, no later than 90 days following the commencement of any Performance Period or any designated fiscal period or period of service (or such earlier time as may be required under Section 162(m) of the Code), the Administrator shall, in writing, (a) designate one or more Eligible Individuals, (b) select the Performance Criteria applicable to the Performance Period, (c) establish the Performance Goals, and amounts of such Awards, as applicable, which may be earned for such Performance Period based on the Performance Criteria, and (d) specify the relationship between Performance Criteria and the Performance Goals and the amounts of such Awards, as applicable, to be earned by each Covered Employee for such Performance Period. Following the completion of each Performance Period, the Administrator shall certify in writing whether and the extent to which the applicable Performance Goals have been achieved for such Performance Period. In determining the amount earned under such Awards, the Administrator (i) shall, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, have the right to reduce or eliminate the amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the Administrator may deem relevant, including the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the Performance Period, but (ii) shall in no event have the right to increase the amount payable for any reason.

 

5.3          Payment of Performance-Based Awards. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Program or Award Agreement and only to the extent otherwise permitted by Section 162(m) of the Code, as to an Award that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Holder must be employed by the Company or a Subsidiary throughout the Performance Period. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Program or Award Agreement, a Holder shall be eligible to receive payment pursuant to such Awards for a Performance Period only if and to the extent the Performance Goals for such Performance Period are achieved.

 

5.4          Additional Limitations. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan and except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, any Award which is granted to an Eligible Individual and is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in Section 162(m) of the Code or any regulations or rulings issued thereunder that are requirements for qualification as Performance-Based Compensation, and the Plan and the applicable Program and Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.

 

ARTICLE 6.

 

GRANTING OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

6.1          Granting of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals. The Administrator is authorized to grant Options and Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals from time to time, in its sole discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may determine, which shall not be inconsistent with the Plan.

 

6.2          Qualification of Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator may grant Options intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options only to employees of the Company, any of the Company’s present or future “parent corporations” or “subsidiary corporations” as defined in

 

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Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, respectively, and any other entities the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code. No Person who qualifies as a Greater Than 10% Stockholder may be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless such Incentive Stock Option conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value of stock with respect to which “incentive stock options” (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, but without regard to Section 422(d) of the Code) are exercisable for the first time by a Holder during any calendar year under the Plan, and all other plans of the Company and any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation thereof (as defined in Section 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively), exceeds $100,000, the Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options to the extent required by Section 422 of the Code. The rule set forth in the immediately preceding sentence shall be applied by taking Options and other “incentive stock options” into account in the order in which they were granted and the fair market value of stock shall be determined as of the time the respective options were granted. Any interpretations and rules under the Plan with respect to Incentive Stock Options shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code.  Neither the Company nor the Administrator shall have any liability to a Holder, or any other Person, (a) if an Option (or any part thereof) which is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option fails to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option or (b) for any action or omission by the Company or the Administrator that causes an Option not to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, including without limitation, the conversion of an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option or the grant of an Option intended as an Incentive Stock Option that fails to satisfy the requirements under the Code applicable to an Incentive Stock Option.

 

6.3          Option and Stock Appreciation Right Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share subject to each Option and Stock Appreciation Right shall be set by the Administrator, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, is granted (or, as to Incentive Stock Options, on the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code). In addition, in the case of Incentive Stock Options granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, such price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (or the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is a Substitute Award, the exercise price per share of the Shares subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, may be less than the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant; provided that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 424 and 409A of the Code.

 

6.4          Option and SAR Term. The term of each Option (the “Option Term”) and the term of each Stock Appreciation Right (the “SAR Term”) shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided, however, that the Option Term or SAR Term, as applicable, shall not be more than (a) ten (10) years from the date the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, is granted to an Eligible Individual (other than, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, a Greater Than 10% Stockholder), or (b) five (5) years from the date an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder. Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A or Section 422 of the Code and regulations and rulings thereunder or the first sentence of this Section 6.4 and without limiting the Company’s rights under Section 11.7, the

 

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Administrator may extend the Option Term of any outstanding Option or the SAR Term of any outstanding Stock Appreciation Right, and may extend the time period during which vested Options or Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised, in connection with any Termination of Service of the Holder or otherwise, and may amend, subject to Section 11.7 and 13.1, any other term or condition of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right relating to such Termination of Service of the Holder or otherwise.

 

6.5          Option and SAR Vesting.  The period during which the right to exercise, in whole or in part, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right vests in the Holder shall be set by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, subject to Section 3.3. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in the Award Agreement, the applicable Program or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, (a) no portion of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right which is unexercisable at a Holder’s Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable and (b) the portion of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is unexercisable at a Holder’s Termination of Service shall automatically expire thirty (30) days following such Termination of Service.

 

6.6          Substitution of Stock Appreciation Rights.  The Administrator may provide in the applicable Program or Award Agreement evidencing the grant of an Option that the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to substitute a Stock Appreciation Right for such Option at any time prior to or upon exercise of such Option; provided that such Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable with respect to the same number of Shares for which such substituted Option would have been exercisable, and shall also have the same exercise price, vesting schedule and remaining term as the substituted Option.

 

ARTICLE 7.

 

EXERCISE OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

7.1          Exercise and Payment. An exercisable Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised in whole or in part. However, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall not be exercisable with respect to fractional Shares and the Administrator may require that, by the terms of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, a partial exercise must be with respect to a minimum number of Shares. Payment of the amounts payable with respect to Stock Appreciation Rights pursuant to this Article 7 shall be in cash, Shares (based on its Fair Market Value as of the date the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised), or a combination of both, as determined by the Administrator.

 

7.2          Manner of Exercise. Except as set forth in Section 7.3, all or a portion of an exercisable Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the Secretary of the Company, the stock plan administrator of the Company or such other Person designated by the Administrator, or his, her or its office, as applicable:

 

(a)        A written or electronic notice complying with the applicable rules established by the Administrator stating that the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or a portion thereof, is exercised. The notice shall be signed or otherwise acknowledged electronically by the

 

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Holder or other Person then entitled to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right or such portion thereof;

 

(b)        Such representations and documents as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with Applicable Law;

 

(c)        In the event that the Option shall be exercised pursuant to Section 11.3 by any Person or Persons other than the Holder, appropriate proof of the right of such Person or Persons to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator; and

 

(d)       Full payment of the exercise price and applicable withholding taxes for the Shares with respect to which the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or portion thereof, is exercised, in a manner permitted by the Administrator in accordance with Sections 11.1 and 11.2.

 

7.3          Expiration of Option Term or SAR Term: Automatic Exercise of In-The-Money Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator in an Award Agreement or otherwise or as otherwise directed by an Option or Stock Appreciation Rights Holder in writing to the Company, each vested and exercisable Option and Stock Appreciation Right outstanding on the Automatic Exercise Date with an exercise price per Share that is less than the Fair Market Value per Share as of such date shall automatically and without further action by the Option or Stock Appreciation Rights Holder or the Company be exercised on the Automatic Exercise Date. In the sole discretion of the Administrator, payment of the exercise price of any such Option shall be made pursuant to Section 11.1(b) or 11.1(c) and the Company or any Subsidiary shall be entitled to deduct or withhold an amount sufficient to satisfy all taxes associated with such exercise in accordance with Section 11.2. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, this Section 7.3 shall not apply to an Option or Stock Appreciation Right if the Holder of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right incurs a Termination of Service on or before the Automatic Exercise Date. For the avoidance of doubt, no Option or Stock Appreciation Right with an exercise price per Share that is equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value per Share on the Automatic Exercise Date shall be exercised pursuant to this Section 7.3.

 

7.4          Notification Regarding Disposition. The Holder shall give the Company prompt written or electronic notice of any disposition of Shares acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option which occurs within (a) two years from the date of granting (including the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code) such Option to such Holder, or (b) one year after the date of transfer of such Shares to such Holder. Such notice shall specify the date of such disposition or other transfer and the amount realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, by the Holder in such disposition or other transfer.

 

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ARTICLE 8.

 

AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK

 

8.1       Award of Restricted Stock. The Administrator is authorized to grant Restricted Stock to Eligible Individuals, and shall determine the terms and conditions, including the restrictions applicable to each award of Restricted Stock, which terms and conditions shall not be inconsistent with the Plan or any applicable Program, and may impose such conditions on the issuance of such Restricted Stock as it deems appropriate. The Administrator shall establish the purchase price, if any, and form of payment for Restricted Stock; provided, however, that if a purchase price is charged, such purchase price shall be no less than the par value, if any, of the Shares to be purchased, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law. In all cases, legal consideration shall be required for each issuance of Restricted Stock to the extent required by Applicable Law.

 

8.2          Rights as Stockholders. Subject to Section 8.4, upon issuance of Restricted Stock, the Holder shall have, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, all the rights of a stockholder with respect to said Shares, subject to the restrictions in the Plan, any applicable Program and/or the applicable Award Agreement, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions paid or made with respect to the Shares to the extent such dividends and other distributions have a record date that is on or after the date on which the Holder to whom such Shares are granted becomes the record holder of such Restricted Stock; provided, however, that, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, any extraordinary distributions with respect to the Shares may be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 8.3.

 

8.3          Restrictions. All shares of Restricted Stock (including any shares received by Holders thereof with respect to shares of Restricted Stock as a result of stock dividends, stock splits or any other form of recapitalization) shall be subject to such restrictions and vesting requirements as the Administrator shall provide in the applicable Program or Award Agreement, subject to Section 3.3. By action taken after the Restricted Stock is issued, the Administrator may, on such terms and conditions as it may determine to be appropriate, accelerate the vesting of such Restricted Stock by removing any or all of the restrictions imposed by the terms of the applicable Program or Award Agreement.

 

8.4          Repurchase or Forfeiture of Restricted Stock. Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, if no price was paid by the Holder for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, the Holder’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall lapse, and such Restricted Stock shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled without consideration on the date of such Termination of Service. If a price was paid by the Holder for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, the Company shall have the right to repurchase from the Holder the unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions at a cash price per share equal to the price paid by the Holder for such Restricted Stock or such other amount as may be specified in the applicable Program or Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided by Section 3.3, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide that upon certain events, including, without limitation, a Change in Control, the Holder’s death, retirement or disability or any other specified Termination of

 

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Service or any other event, the Holder’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall not lapse, such Restricted Stock shall vest and cease to be forfeitable and, if applicable, the Company shall cease to have a right of repurchase.

 

8.5          Section 83(b) Election. If a Holder makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed with respect to the Restricted Stock as of the date of transfer of the Restricted Stock rather than as of the date or dates upon which the Holder would otherwise be taxable under Section 83(a) of the Code, the Holder shall be required to deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service along with proof of the timely filing thereof with the Internal Revenue Service.

 

ARTICLE 9.

 

AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

 

9.1          Grant of Restricted Stock Units. The Administrator is authorized to grant Awards of Restricted Stock Units to any Eligible Individual selected by the Administrator in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator.

 

9.2          Term. Except as otherwise provided herein, the term of a Restricted Stock Unit award shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion.

 

9.3          Purchase Price. The Administrator shall specify the purchase price, if any, to be paid by the Holder to the Company with respect to any Restricted Stock Unit award; provided, however, that the value of the consideration shall not be less than the par value of a Share, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law.

 

9.4          Vesting of Restricted Stock Units. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Stock Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate, including, without limitation, vesting based upon the Holder’s duration of service to the Company or any Subsidiary, one or more Performance Criteria, Company performance, individual performance or other specific criteria, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods, as determined by the Administrator, subject to Section 3.3.

 

9.5          Maturity and Payment. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the maturity date applicable to each grant of Restricted Stock Units, which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the Holder (if permitted by the applicable Award Agreement); provided that, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, and subject to compliance with Section 409A, in no event shall the maturity date relating to each Restricted Stock Unit occur following the later of (a) the 15th day of the third month following the end of the calendar year in which the applicable portion of the Restricted Stock Unit vests; and (b) the 15th day of the third month following the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which the applicable portion of the Restricted Stock Unit vests. On the maturity date, the Company shall, in accordance with the applicable Award Agreement and subject to Section 11.4(f), transfer to the Holder one unrestricted, fully transferable Share for each Restricted Stock Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited, or in the sole discretion of the Administrator, an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of

 

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such Shares on the maturity date or a combination of cash and Common Stock as determined by the Administrator.

 

9.6          Payment upon Termination of Service. An Award of Restricted Stock Units shall be payable only while the Holder is an Employee, a Consultant or a member of the Board, as applicable; provided, however, that the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide (in an Award Agreement or otherwise) that a Restricted Stock Unit award may be paid subsequent to a Termination of Service in certain events, including a Change in Control, the Holder’s death, retirement or disability or any other specified Termination of Service.

 

ARTICLE 10.

 

AWARD OF OTHER STOCK OR CASH BASED AWARDS AND DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

 

10.1        Other Stock or Cash Based Awards.  The Administrator is authorized to (a) grant Other Stock or Cash Based Awards, including awards entitling a Holder to receive Shares or cash to be delivered immediately or in the future, to any Eligible Individual and (b) determine whether such Other Stock or Cash Based Awards shall be Performance-Based Compensation. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and any applicable Program, the Administrator shall determine the terms and conditions of each Other Stock or Cash Based Award, including the term of the Award, any exercise or purchase price, performance goals, including the Performance Criteria, transfer restrictions, vesting conditions and other terms and conditions applicable thereto, which shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, subject to Section 3.3. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, or a combination of cash and Shares, as determined by the Administrator, and may be available as a form of payment in the settlement of other Awards granted under the Plan, as stand-alone payments, as a part of a bonus, deferred bonus, deferred compensation or other arrangement, and/or as payment in lieu of compensation to which an Eligible Individual is otherwise entitled.

 

10.2        Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents may be granted by the Administrator, either alone or in tandem with another Award, based on dividends declared on the Common Stock, to be credited as of dividend payment dates during the period between the date the Dividend Equivalents are granted to a Holder and the date such Dividend Equivalents terminate or expire, as determined by the Administrator. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional Shares by such formula and at such time and subject to such restrictions and limitations as may be determined by the Administrator. In addition, Dividend Equivalents with respect to an Award with performance-based vesting that are based on dividends paid prior to the vesting of such Award shall be paid out to the Holder only to the extent that the performance-based vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied and the Award vests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Dividend Equivalents shall be payable with respect to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

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ARTICLE 11.

 

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF AWARDS

 

11.1        Payment. The Administrator shall determine the method or methods by which payments by any Holder with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan shall be made, including, without limitation: (a) cash or check, (b) Shares (including, in the case of payment of the exercise price of an Award, Shares issuable pursuant to the exercise of the Award) held for any minimum period of time as may be established by the Administrator having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate payments required, (c) delivery of a written or electronic notice that the Holder has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to Shares then issuable upon exercise or vesting of an Award, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the aggregate payments required; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale, (d) other form of legal consideration acceptable to the Administrator in its sole discretion, or (e) any combination of the above permitted forms of payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Holder who is a Director or an “executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to make payment with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan, or continue any extension of credit with respect to such payment, with a loan from the Company or a loan arranged by the Company in violation of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

 

11.2        Tax Withholding. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Holder to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Holder’s FICA, employment tax or other social security contribution obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Holder arising as a result of the Plan or any Award. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement, or in satisfaction of such additional withholding obligations as a Holder may have elected, allow a Holder to satisfy such obligations by any payment means described in Section 11.1 hereof, including without limitation, by allowing such Holder to elect to have the Company or any Subsidiary withhold Shares otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the surrender of Shares). The number of Shares that may be so withheld or surrendered shall be no greater than the number of Shares that have a fair market value on the date of withholding or repurchase equal to the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum statutory withholding rates in such Holder’s applicable jurisdiction for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such taxable income. The Administrator shall determine the fair market value of the Shares, consistent with applicable provisions of the Code, for tax withholding obligations due in connection with a broker-assisted cashless Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise involving the sale of Shares to pay the Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise price or any tax withholding obligation.

 

11.3        Transferability of Awards.

 

(a)        Except as otherwise provided in Sections 11.3(b) and 11.3(c):

 

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(i)         No Award under the Plan may be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than (A) by will or the laws of descent and distribution or (B) subject to the consent of the Administrator, pursuant to a DRO, unless and until such Award has been exercised or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed;

 

(ii)        No Award or interest or right therein shall be liable for or otherwise subject to the debts, contracts or engagements of the Holder or the Holder’s successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy) unless and until such Award has been exercised, or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed, and any attempted disposition of an Award prior to satisfaction of these conditions shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by Section 11.3(a)(i); and

 

(iii)       During the lifetime of the Holder, only the Holder may exercise any exercisable portion of an Award granted to such Holder under the Plan, unless it has been disposed of pursuant to a DRO.  After the death of the Holder, any exercisable portion of an Award may, prior to the time when such portion becomes unexercisable under the Plan or the applicable Program or Award Agreement, be exercised by the Holder’s personal representative or by any Person empowered to do so under the deceased Holder’s will or under the then-applicable laws of descent and distribution.

 

(b)        Notwithstanding Section 11.3(a), the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Holder or a Permitted Transferee of such Holder to transfer an Award other than an Incentive Stock Option (unless such Incentive Stock Option is intended to become a Nonqualified Stock Option) to any one or more Permitted Transferees of such Holder, subject to the following terms and conditions: (i) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall not be assignable or transferable by the Permitted Transferee other than (A) to another Permitted Transferee of the applicable Holder or (B) by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, subject to the consent of the Administrator, pursuant to a DRO; (ii) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall continue to be subject to all the terms and conditions of the Award as applicable to the original Holder (other than the ability to further transfer the Award to any Person other than another Permitted Transferee of the applicable Holder); and (iii) the Holder (or transferring Permitted Transferee) and the receiving Permitted Transferee shall execute any and all documents requested by the Administrator, including, without limitation documents to (A) confirm the status of the transferee as a Permitted Transferee, (B) satisfy any requirements for an exemption for the transfer under Applicable Law and (C) evidence the transfer.  In addition, and further notwithstanding Section 11.3(a), hereof, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Holder to transfer Incentive Stock Options to a trust that constitutes a Permitted Transferee if, under Section 671 of the Code and other Applicable Law, the Holder is considered the sole beneficial owner of the Incentive Stock Option while it is held in the trust.

 

(c)        Notwithstanding Section 11.3(a), a Holder may, in the manner determined by the Administrator, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Holder and to receive

 

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any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Holder’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other Person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Program or Award Agreement applicable to the Holder and any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Administrator. If the Holder is married or a domestic partner in a domestic partnership qualified under Applicable Law and resides in a community property state, a designation of a Person other than the Holder’s spouse or domestic partner, as applicable, as the Holder’s beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Holder’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written or electronic consent of the Holder’s spouse or domestic partner. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Holder, payment shall be made to the Person entitled thereto pursuant to the Holder’s will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Holder at any time; provided that the change or revocation is delivered in writing to the Administrator prior to the Holder’s death.

 

11.4        Conditions to Issuance of Shares.

 

(a)        The Administrator shall determine the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Holders. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates or make any book entries evidencing Shares pursuant to the exercise of any Award, unless and until the Administrator has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance of such Shares is in compliance with Applicable Law and the Shares are covered by an effective registration statement or applicable exemption from registration. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Administrator may require that a Holder make such reasonable covenants, agreements and representations as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with Applicable Law.

 

(b)        All share certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan and all Shares issued pursuant to book entry procedures are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to comply with Applicable Law. The Administrator may place legends on any share certificate or book entry to reference restrictions applicable to the Shares (including, without limitation, restrictions applicable to Restricted Stock).

 

(c)        The Administrator shall have the right to require any Holder to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement, distribution or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the sole discretion of the Administrator.

 

(d)       No fractional Shares shall be issued and the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares shall be eliminated by rounding down.

 

(e)        The Company, in its sole discretion, may (i) retain physical possession of any stock certificate evidencing Shares until any restrictions thereon shall have lapsed and/or (ii) require that the stock certificates evidencing such Shares be held in custody by a designated

 

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escrow agent (which may but need not be the Company) until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed, and that the Holder deliver a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to such Shares.

 

(f)        Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator or required by Applicable Law, the Company shall not deliver to any Holder certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Award and instead such Shares shall be recorded in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator).

 

11.5        Forfeiture and Claw-Back Provisions. All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by a Holder upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award and any payments of a portion of an incentive-based bonus pool allocated to a Holder) shall be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, including, without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with the requirements of Applicable Law, including, without limitation, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, whether or not such claw-back policy was in place at the time of grant of an Award, to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

11.6        Prohibition on Repricing. Subject to Section 13.2, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, (a) authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right to reduce its price per Share, or (b) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option or Stock Appreciation Right price per Share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares. Furthermore, for purposes of this Section 11.6, except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares), the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to reduce the exercise price per Share of outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or cancel outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with an exercise price per Share that is less than the exercise price per Share of the original Options or Stock Appreciation Rights without the approval of the stockholders of the Company.

 

11.7        Amendment of Awards.  Subject to Applicable Law, the Administrator may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award, including but not limited to, substituting therefor another Award of the same or a different type, changing the date of exercise or settlement, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option.  The Holder’s consent to such action shall be required unless (a) the Administrator determines that the action, taking into account any related action, would not materially and adversely affect the Holder, or (b) the change is otherwise permitted under the Plan (including, without limitation, under Section 13.2 or 13.10).

 

11.8        Data Privacy.  As a condition of receipt of any Award, each Holder explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this Section 11.8 by and among, as applicable, the Company and its

 

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Subsidiaries for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Holder’s participation in the Plan.  The Company and its Subsidiaries may hold certain personal information about a Holder, including but not limited to, the Holder’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social security or insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title(s), any shares of stock held in the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and details of all Awards, in each case, for the purpose of implementing, managing and administering the Plan and Awards (the “Data”).  The Company and its Subsidiaries may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary for the purpose of implementation, administration and management of a Holder’s participation in the Plan, and the Company and its Subsidiaries may each further transfer the Data to any third parties assisting the Company and its Subsidiaries in the implementation, administration and management of the Plan.  These recipients may be located in the Holder’s country, or elsewhere, and the Holder’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the recipients’ country.  Through acceptance of an Award, each Holder authorizes such recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing the Holder’s participation in the Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the Holder may elect to deposit any Shares.  The Data related to a Holder will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Holder’s participation in the Plan.  A Holder may, at any time, view the Data held by the Company with respect to such Holder, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data with respect to such Holder, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data with respect to the Holder or refuse or withdraw the consents herein in writing, in any case without cost, by contacting his or her local human resources representative.  The Company may cancel the Holder’s ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Administrator’s discretion, the Holder may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Holder refuses or withdraws his or her consents as described herein.  For more information on the consequences of refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Holders may contact their local human resources representative.

 

ARTICLE 12.

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

12.1        Administrator. The Committee shall administer the Plan (except as otherwise permitted herein). To the extent necessary to comply with Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, and with respect to Awards that are intended to be Performance-Based Compensation, including Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, then the Committee shall take all action with respect to such Awards, and the individuals taking such action shall consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors, each of whom is intended to qualify as both a “non-employee director” as defined by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor rule and an “outside director” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code. Additionally, to the extent required by Applicable Law, each of the individuals constituting the Committee shall be an “independent director” under the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in this Section 12.1 or the Organizational Documents.  Except as may otherwise be provided in the Organizational

 

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Documents or as otherwise required by Applicable Law, (a) appointment of Committee members shall be effective upon acceptance of appointment, (b) Committee members may resign at any time by delivering written or electronic notice to the Board and (c) vacancies in the Committee may only be filled by the Board.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the full Board, acting by a majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to Awards granted to Non-Employee Directors and, with respect to such Awards, the term “Administrator” as used in the Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board and (ii) the Board or Committee may delegate its authority hereunder to the extent permitted by Section 12.6.

 

12.2        Duties and Powers of Administrator. It shall be the duty of the Administrator to conduct the general administration of the Plan in accordance with its provisions. The Administrator shall have the power to interpret the Plan, all Programs and Award Agreements, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan and any Program as are not inconsistent with the Plan, to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules and to amend the Plan or any Program or Award Agreement; provided that the rights or obligations of the Holder of the Award that is the subject of any such Program or Award Agreement are not materially and adversely affected by such amendment, unless the consent of the Holder is obtained or such amendment is otherwise permitted under Section 11.5 or Section 13.10. In its sole discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee in its capacity as the Administrator under the Plan except with respect to matters which under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or any successor rule, or Section 162(m) of the Code, or any regulations or rules issued thereunder, or the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded are required to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

 

12.3        Action by the Administrator. Unless otherwise established by the Board, set forth in any Organizational Documents or as required by Applicable Law, a majority of the Administrator shall constitute a quorum and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by all members of the Administrator in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Administrator. Each member of the Administrator is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.

 

12.4        Authority of Administrator. Subject to the Organizational Documents, any specific designation in the Plan and Applicable Law, the Administrator has the exclusive power, authority and sole discretion to:

 

(a)        Designate Eligible Individuals to receive Awards;

 

(b)        Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Eligible Individual (including, without limitation, any Awards granted in tandem with another Award granted pursuant to the Plan);

 

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(c)        Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of Shares to which an Award will relate;

 

(d)       Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, purchase price, any Performance Criteria or performance criteria, any reload provision, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for vesting, lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, and any provisions related to non-competition and claw-back and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Administrator in its sole discretion determines;

 

(e)        Determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;

 

(f)        Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Holder;

 

(g)        Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;

 

(h)        Establish, adopt, or revise any Programs, rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

 

(i)         Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan, any Program or any Award Agreement;

 

(j)         Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan; and

 

(k)        Accelerate wholly or partially the vesting or lapse of restrictions of any Award or portion thereof at any time after the grant of an Award, subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects and Section 3.3 and Section 13.2.

 

12.5        Decisions Binding. The Administrator’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, any Program or any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Administrator with respect to the Plan are final, binding and conclusive on all Persons.

 

12.6        Delegation of Authority. The Board or Committee may from time to time delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board or one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant or amend Awards or to take other administrative actions pursuant to this Article 12; provided, however, that in no event shall an officer of the Company be delegated the authority to grant Awards to, or amend Awards held by, the following individuals: (a) individuals who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, (b) Covered Employees with respect to Awards intended to constitute Performance Based Compensation, or (c) officers of the Company (or Directors) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder; provided, further, that any delegation of administrative authority shall only be

 

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permitted to the extent it is permissible under any Organizational Documents and Applicable Law (including, without limitation, Section 162(m) of the Code). Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Board or Committee specifies at the time of such delegation or that are otherwise included in the applicable Organizational Documents, and the Board or Committee, as applicable, may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint a new delegatee. At all times, the delegatee appointed under this Section 12.6 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Board or the Committee, as applicable, and the Board or the Committee may abolish any committee at any time and re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority.

 

ARTICLE 13.

 

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

13.1        Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan.

 

(a)        Except as otherwise provided in Section 13.1(b), the Plan may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Board; provided that, except as provided in Section 11.5 and Section 13.10, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the Holder, materially and adversely affect any rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted or awarded, unless the Award itself otherwise expressly so provides.

 

(b)        Notwithstanding Section 13.1(a), the Board may not, except as provided in Section 13.2, take any of the following actions without approval of the Company’s stockholders given within twelve (12) months before or after such action: (i) increase the limit imposed in Section 3.1 on the maximum number of Shares which may be issued under the Plan or the Award Limit, (ii) reduce the price per share of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan or take any action prohibited under Section 11.6, or (iii) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award in violation of Section 11.6.

 

(c)        No Awards may be granted or awarded during any period of suspension or after termination of the Plan, and notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event may any Award be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the earlier of (i) the date on which the Plan was adopted by the Board or (ii) the date the Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders (such anniversary, the “Expiration Date”). Any Awards that are outstanding on the Expiration Date shall remain in force according to the terms of the Plan, the applicable Program and the applicable Award Agreement.

 

13.2        Changes in Common Stock or Assets of the Company, Acquisition or Liquidation of the Company and Other Corporate Events.

 

(a)        In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the shares of the Company’s stock or the share price of the Company’s stock other than an Equity Restructuring, the

 

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Administrator may make equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to: (i) the aggregate number and kind of Shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 3.1 on the maximum number and kind of Shares which may be issued under the Plan, and adjustments of the Award Limit); (ii) the number and kind of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards; (iii) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); (iv) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan; and (v) the number and kind of Shares (or other securities or property) for which automatic grants are subsequently to be made to new and continuing Non-Employee Directors pursuant to Section 4.6. Any adjustment affecting an Award intended as Performance-Based Compensation shall be made consistent with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code unless otherwise determined by the Administrator.

 

(b)        In the event of any transaction or event described in Section 13.2(a) or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary, or of changes in Applicable Law or Applicable Accounting Standards, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in Applicable Law or Applicable Accounting Standards:

 

(i)         To provide for the termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash and/or other property with a value equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Holder’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in this Section 13.2 the Administrator determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Holder’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment);

 

(ii)        To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Administrator;

 

(iii)       To make adjustments in the number and type of Shares of the Company’s stock (or other securities or property) subject to such Award, and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding Awards and Awards which may be granted in the future;

 

(iv)       To provide that such Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect to all Shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the applicable Program or Award Agreement;

 

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(v)        To replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator; and/or

 

(vi)       To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event.

 

(c)        In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Sections 13.2(a) and 13.2(b):

 

(i)         The number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, shall be equitably adjusted (and the adjustments provided under this Section 13.2(c)(i) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Holder and the Company); and/or

 

(ii)        The Administrator shall make such equitable adjustments, if any, as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may deem appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring with respect to the aggregate number and kind of Shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitation in Section 3.1 on the maximum number and kind of Shares which may be issued under the Plan, and adjustments of the Award Limit).

 

(d)       In the event an Award continues in effect or is assumed or an equivalent Award substituted, and a Holder incurs a Termination of Service without “cause” (as such term is defined in the sole discretion of the Administrator, or as set forth in the Award Agreement relating to such Award) upon or within twelve (12) months immediately following a Change in Control, then such Holder shall be fully vested in such continued, assumed or substituted Award.

 

(e)        In the event that the successor corporation in a Change in Control refuses to assume or substitute for an Award (or any portion thereof), the Administrator may cause (i) any or all of such Award (or portion thereof) to terminate in exchange for cash, rights or other property pursuant to Section 13.2(b)(i) or (ii) any or all of such Award (or portion thereof) to become fully exercisable immediately prior to the consummation of such transaction and all forfeiture restrictions on any or all of such Award to lapse. If any such Award is exercisable in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a Change in Control, the Administrator shall notify the Holder that such Award shall be fully exercisable for a period of fifteen (15) days from the date of such notice, contingent upon the occurrence of the Change in Control, and such Award shall terminate upon the expiration of such period.

 

(f)        For the purposes of this Section 13.2, an Award shall be considered assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) received in the Change in Control by holders of Common Stock for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the Change in Control was not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the

 

30

 

consideration to be received upon the exercise of the Award, for each Share subject to an Award, to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its parent equal in fair market value to the per-share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the Change in Control.

 

(g)        The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may include such further provisions and limitations in any Award, agreement or certificate, as it may deem equitable and in the best interests of the Company that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

 

(h)        Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, no adjustment or action described in this Section 13.2 or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized to the extent it would (i) with respect to Awards which are granted to Covered Employees and are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, cause such Awards to fail to so qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, (ii) cause the Plan to violate Section 422(b)(1) of the Code, (iii) result in short-swing profits liability under Section 16 of the Exchange Act or violate the exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, or (iv) cause an Award to fail to be exempt from or comply with Section 409A.

 

(i)         The existence of the Plan, any Program, any Award Agreement and/or the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of stock or of options, warrants or rights to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks the rights of which are superior to or affect the Common Stock or the rights thereof or that are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

 

(j)         In the event of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the Shares or the share price of the Common Stock including any Equity Restructuring, for reasons of administrative convenience, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award during a period of up to thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of any such transaction.

 

13.3        Approval of Plan by Stockholders. The Plan shall be submitted for the approval of the Company’s stockholders within twelve (12) months after the date of the Board’s initial adoption of the Plan.

 

13.4        No Stockholders Rights. Except as otherwise provided herein or in an applicable Program or Award Agreement, a Holder shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Holder becomes the record owner of such Shares.

 

13.5        Paperless Administration. In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the documentation, granting or

 

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exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless documentation, granting or exercise of Awards by a Holder may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.

 

13.6        Effect of Plan upon Other Compensation Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company or any Subsidiary. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company or any Subsidiary: (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for Employees, Directors or Consultants of the Company or any Subsidiary, or (b) to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.

 

13.7        Compliance with Laws. The Plan, the granting and vesting of Awards under the Plan and the issuance and delivery of Shares and the payment of money under the Plan or under Awards granted or awarded hereunder are subject to compliance with all Applicable Law (including but not limited to state, federal and foreign securities law and margin requirements), and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. Any securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such restrictions, and the Person acquiring such securities shall, if requested by the Company, provide such assurances and representations to the Company as the Company may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all Applicable Law. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may take whatever actions it deems necessary or appropriate to effect compliance with Applicable Law, including, without limitation, placing legends on share certificates and issuing stop-transfer notices to agents and registrars.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Administrator may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate Applicable Law. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to Applicable Law.

 

13.8        Titles and Headings, References to Sections of the Code or Exchange Act. The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control. References to sections of the Code or the Exchange Act shall include any amendment or successor thereto.

 

13.9        Governing Law. The Plan and any Programs and Award Agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflicts of laws thereof or of any other jurisdiction.

 

13.10      Section 409A. To the extent that the Administrator determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A, the Plan, the Program pursuant to which such Award is granted and the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A. In that regard, to the extent any Award under the Plan or any other compensatory plan or arrangement of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to Section 409A, and such Award or other amount is payable on account of a

 

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Participant’s Termination of Service (or any similarly defined term), then (a) such Award or amount shall only be paid to the extent such Termination of Service qualifies as a “separation from service” as defined in Section 409A, and (b) if such Award or amount is payable to a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A then to the extent required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A, such Award or other compensatory payment shall not be payable prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six-month period measured from the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service, or (ii) the date of the Participant’s death.   To the extent applicable, the Plan, the Program and any Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Administrator determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A, the Administrator may (but is not obligated to), without a Holder’s consent, adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Program and Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate to (A) exempt the Award from Section 409A and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (B) comply with the requirements of Section 409A and thereby avoid the application of any penalty taxes under Section 409A. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to the tax treatment of any Award under Section 409A or otherwise.  The Company shall have no obligation under this Section 13.10 or otherwise to take any action (whether or not described herein) to avoid the imposition of taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A with respect to any Award and shall have no liability to any Holder or any other Person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute non-compliant, “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to the imposition of taxes, penalties and/or interest under Section 409A.

 

13.11      Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Holder pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Program or Award Agreement shall give the Holder any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

13.12      Indemnification. To the extent permitted under Applicable Law and the Organizational Documents, each member of the Administrator shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such Persons may be entitled pursuant to the Organizational Documents, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

 

13.13      Relationship to other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing,

 

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group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

 

13.14      Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

* * * * *

 

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I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of ProPetro Holding Corp. on                                  , 2017.

 

* * * * *

 

I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was approved by the stockholders of ProPetro Holding Corp. on                                   , 2017.

 

Executed on this              day of                         , 2017.

 

	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Corporate   Secretary

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