Document:

Exhibit 10.1

 

CHARLES & COLVARD, LTD.

FISCAL 2019 Q1-Q2 SENIOR MANAGEMENT EQUITY
INCENTIVE PROGRAM

 

Adopted May 24, 2018

 

The Charles & Colvard Fiscal 2019 Q1-Q2 Senior Management
Equity Incentive Program (the “Program”) is a compensatory program established pursuant to the Charles & Colvard,
Ltd. 2008 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2008 Plan”) for the first six months of the 2019 fiscal year (i.e., July 1, 2018
through December 31, 2018). The Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors of Charles & Colvard Ltd. (the “Company”) is charged with administering the Program. The Program covers performance-based restricted
stock awards and cash bonus awards for Company personnel at the level of Vice-President and above, other than the Senior Vice President
of Sales and Vice Presidents of Sales (the “Eligible Employees”).

 

The Program supersedes and replaces all prior management incentive
plans or programs for all periods commencing on or after July 1, 2018.

 

Purpose and Objective

 

The Program is intended to further strengthen the Company’s
pay for performance philosophy and more closely align the Eligible Employees’ interests with those of the Company and its
shareholders by granting Eligible Employees significant equity and cash compensation awards that are tied to Company performance.
The Program provides for a mixture of both performance-based and time-based vesting of equity compensation awards to permit the
Committee to tie vesting to the attainment of specific performance measures under the 2008 Plan while also encouraging the longer-term
retention of Eligible Employees.

 

Description of Awards

 

Each award (an “Award”) granted under this Program
shall consist of (1) a restricted stock award representing 70% of the Award’s value (the “Restricted Stock Component”),
to be granted to Eligible Employees upon approval of this Program, and (2) a cash bonus award representing 30% of the Award’s
value (the “Cash Component”), to be paid to Eligible Employees on the payroll date following the Vesting Date (as defined
below).

 

The value of Awards shall be expressed in “Share Equivalents,”
which is the number of shares of the Company’s restricted stock that would be granted pursuant to each Award if the Restricted
Stock Component equaled 100% of the Award. For example, if an Award is expressed as 100 Share Equivalents and all performance goals
are achieved at the 100% level (as more fully described below), the Restricted Stock Component would equal 70 Share Equivalents
and the Cash Component would equal 30 Share Equivalents. The value of the Share Equivalents shall be set on the grant date of the
Restricted Stock Component of the Awards.

 

     

     

    

 

Achievement of Awards

 

Awards granted under this Program have both performance and
service measures. Achievement of an Eligible Employee’s performance measures shall be measured by the Committee as follows:
(1) 60% of each Award shall be based on the achievement of a shared Company goal regarding revenue growth (the “Revenue Measure”),
(2) 15% of each Award shall be based on the achievement of a shared Company goal regarding margin (the “Margin Measure”),
(3) 15% of each Award shall be based on the achievement of a shared Company goal regarding EBITDA (the “EBITDA Measure”),
and (4) 10% of each Award shall be based on the achievement of a shared Company goal regarding cash and cash equivalents on the
Company’s balance sheet (the “Cash Measure,” and together with the Revenue Measure, the Margin Measure, and the
EBITDA Measure, the “Company Measures”), all for the period from July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 (the “Performance
Measurement Period”). If the Company does not achieve 80% of the Revenue Measure, the Restricted Stock Component of each
Award shall be forfeited and the Cash Component of each Award shall not be paid. The Company must achieve at least 80% of the Revenue
Measure in order for the portion of the Award attributed to the Margin Measure, the EBITDA Measure, and the Cash Measure to be
vested/paid, as applicable. The Company must achieve at least 90% of the Revenue Measure in order for the portion of the Award
attributed to the Revenue Measure to be vested/paid, as applicable. Achievement on a sliding scale from 90% to 120% of the Revenue
Measure shall result in payment ranging from 75% to 140% of the portion of the Award attributed to the Revenue Measure. The Restricted
Stock Component and Cash Component of each Award shall be reduced proportionately by any performance that is measured below 100%.
The Company Measures are determined by the Committee and may be modified by the Committee during, and after the end of, the Performance
Measurement Period to reflect extraordinary, unusual, or nonrecurring events that occur during the restriction period as permitted
by the 2008 Plan. In addition, an Eligible Employee must remain in continuous service until December 31, 2018 (the “Vesting
Date”) for restrictions to fully lapse on the Restricted Stock Component and for the Cash Component to be paid.

 

Under this Program, the Committee has granted the following
Awards:

 

	Position	Maximum Share Equivalents
	Chief Executive Officer	75,000
	Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer	37,500
	Eligible Vice President(s)	17,500

 

The Program provides the Committee discretion to make additional
Awards above the targeted award level in recognition of extraordinary performance.

 

Source of Equity Compensation Awards; Coordination with 2008
Plan

 

The Restricted Stock Component of all Awards granted pursuant
to the Program shall be issued under and pursuant to the 2008 Plan. All terms, conditions, and requirements of the 2008 Plan are
expressly incorporated into the Program by reference. The Restricted Stock Component of all Awards granted pursuant to the Program
shall be evidenced by an appropriate Award Agreement in the form approved by the Committee for use under the 2008 Plan, and the
Restricted Stock Component of each Award hereunder shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the applicable Award
Agreement and the 2008 Plan. To the extent there is any conflict or ambiguity between the terms of this Program and the 2008 Plan
or between this Program and any applicable Award Agreement, the terms of the 2008 Plan or the applicable Award Agreement shall
control.

 

    2

     

    

 

Amendment and Termination of the Program 

 

The Program may be amended or terminated at any time by the
Committee or the Company’s Board of Directors. The Committee shall have unilateral authority to amend the Program and any
Award granted pursuant to the Program (without the recipient’s consent) to the extent necessary to comply with applicable
laws, rules, or regulations or changes to applicable laws, rules, or regulations (including but not limited to Section 409A of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, federal securities laws, or related regulations or other guidance).

 

Withholding; Tax Matters 

 

In accordance with the terms of the 2008 Plan and applicable
Award Agreements thereunder, the Company shall withhold, or shall require the recipient to pay the Company in cash, the amount
of any local, state, federal, foreign, or other tax or other amount required by any governmental authority to be withheld and paid
over by the Company to such authority for the account of the recipient. The Company makes no warranties or representations with
respect to the tax consequences (including but not limited to income tax consequences) related to the transactions contemplated
by this Program and the 2008 Plan. A recipient should consult with his/her own attorney, accountant, and/or tax advisor regarding
the decision to accept equity compensation awards under the Program and the consequences thereof. The Company has no responsibility
to take or refrain from taking any actions in order to achieve a certain tax result for any recipient.

 

    3EX-10.29

 Exhibit 10.29 

MIDDLEFIELD BANC CORP. 

2017 OMNIBUS EQUITY PLAN 

STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT 

1.    Number of Shares Awarded. Middlefield Banc Corp. (“Middlefield”), an Ohio
corporation, hereby awards to                      (the “Participant”) the right to become the owner of
             shares of Middlefield common stock if the terms and conditions of this Stock Award Agreement are satisfied, subject to a potential increase to as many as
             shares (125% maximum) based on satisfaction of the performance conditions of section 3(b). The number of shares awarded will be adjusted by the Plan Committee to account
for stock dividends, stock splits, or other changes in capital structure. The Participant is not and will not be the owner of the shares and the shares are not and will not be outstanding until the date when the conditions to the Participant’s
entitlement to the shares are satisfied, as provided in section 3. This award is subject to the terms and conditions of the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan and this Stock Award Agreement. Terms that are defined in the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan are used in
this Stock Award Agreement as they are defined in the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan. By entering into this Stock Award Agreement the Participant agrees to the post-employment restrictions of section 14. 

2.    Date of the Award. The date of this Stock Award Agreement is
            , 2018. 
 3.    The Award is
Conditional and is Subject to Forfeiture. The award and the Participant’s right to become the owner of the shares are subject to two conditions, are subject to forfeiture if the conditions are not satisfied, and will not be considered
vested until the conditions are satisfied or waived. The two conditions consist of a service condition and a performance condition. 

(a)    Service condition. To become owner of the shares awarded by section 1 the Participant must
maintain continuous employment with Middlefield or a Related Entity for three years after the date of this Stock Award Agreement, except in the case of termination within three years occurring because of death or disability and except for a Change
in Control occurring within three years after the date of this Stock Award Agreement. 

(1)    Continuous employment for three years. If the Participant maintains continuous employment
with Middlefield or a Related Entity until the third anniversary of the date of this Stock Award Agreement, the portion of the shares awarded by section 1 for which the performance conditions of section 3(b) are satisfied will be vested and non-forfeitable, the Participant will be the owner of the vested shares, and the Participant will then possess all right, title, and interest in the shares. 

(2)    Exception for death or disability. If the Participant’s employment ends before the third
anniversary because of death or disability, the service condition will be waived and the Participant or the Participant’s estate or designated beneficiary will be entitled to and vested in a portion of the shares awarded under section 1 based
on the degree to which the performance conditions stated in section 3(b) are satisfied on the date of the Participant’s death or the date on which the Participant’s employment terminated because of disability. For purposes of this Stock
Award Agreement the term “disability” means, because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or that can be expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months,
(x) the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity, or (y) the Participant is receiving income replacement benefits for a period of at least three months under an accident and health plan of the
employer. Medical determination of disability may be made either by the Social Security Administration or by the provider of an accident or health plan covering employees of Middlefield or Related Entity. Upon request of the Plan Committee, the
Participant must submit proof to the Plan Committee of the Social Security Administration’s or provider’s determination. 

(3)    Exception for a Change in Control. If a Change in Control occurs before the third
anniversary, the service condition will be waived, the performance condition of section 3(b) will be waived, and when the Change in Control occurs the Participant will be entitled to and vested in the shares awarded under section 1
(i.e., the number of shares first stated in section 1, not the 125% to which the award may be increased), provided the Participant remains employed by Middlefield or Related Entity on that date. 

  
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 (4)    Effect of failure to satisfy the service condition;
Plan Committee’s right to waive conditions to vesting. If the Participant does not maintain continuous employment with Middlefield or a Related Entity until the third anniversary of the date of this Stock Award Agreement the section 1 award
shall be forfeited in its entirety as of the date the Participant’s employment terminates, except as provided in section 3(a)(2) for termination because of death or disability and except as provided in section 3(a)(3) for a Change in Control.
In its sole discretion, however, the Plan Committee may elect to accelerate the Participant’s vesting in and right to all or a portion of the award when the Participant’s employment terminates, waiving in whole or in part the service
condition of section 3(a), the performance condition of section 3(b), or both. 
 (b)    Performance
condition. In addition to the service condition of section 3(a), to become owner of and vested in the shares awarded by section 1 the performance conditions of this section 3(b) must be satisfied, except as provided in section 3(a)(3) in the
case of a Change in Control. The performance condition that must be satisfied to become the owner of and vested in 100% of the shares awarded by section 1 is achievement of an annual average total shareholder return of 8.00% or more in the
three-year performance period beginning on January 1, 2018 and ending on December 31, 2020 (or on the date of employment termination if employment terminates because of death or disability), which is referred to hereinafter as the
“performance period.” Total shareholder return means the change in the closing price of Middlefield common stock on the final trading day of the year over the closing price on the final trading day of the preceding year, divided by
the closing price on the final trading day of the preceding year, and taking into account cash dividends during the period. If the annual average total shareholder return for the performance period is positive but less than the goal of 8.00%, the
Participant will become owner of and vested in a percentage of the shares awarded by section 1 equal to the percentage achievement of the 8.00% goal. Shares will be rounded to the nearest whole number. No fractional shares will be issued. If the
annual average total shareholder return for the performance period is negative, the Participant will forfeit all shares awarded. If the annual average total shareholder return for the performance period exceeds 8.00%, the number of shares awarded
will increase based on the percentage excess of average annual total shareholder return over the 8.00% goal, up to a maximum of 125%. Exhibit A contains an illustration of the calculation of average total shareholder return. 

(c)    Plan Committee determinations. The Plan Committee has exclusive authority to perform all
calculations that are necessary and exclusive authority to make all determinations that are necessary under this Stock Award Agreement, including but not limited to calculating closing prices, annual return, and average annual total shareholder
return. The Plan Committee may delegate its authority. Actions of the Plan Committee are final and binding. To prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefit intended to be granted to the Participant by this Stock Award Agreement, the Plan Committee
will modify the award of shares under section 1 and total shareholder return calculations under section 3(b) to account for stock dividends, stock splits, and other changes in capitalization occurring during the performance period. 

4.    The Shares Are Not Transferable While Subject to Forfeiture. Until the shares awarded by section 1
become vested and non-forfeitable under section 3, the Participant is not the owner of and is not permitted to sell, transfer, pledge, assign, or otherwise alienate or hypothecate any of the shares or any
interest in the shares. Until that time, Middlefield is entitled to disregard any attempt by the Participant to sell, transfer, pledge, assign, or otherwise alienate or hypothecate any of the shares or any interest in the shares, and any such sale,
transfer, pledge, assignment, or other alienation or hypothecation is void and of no force or effect. 

5.    Rights as a Stockholder. Until the conditions of section 3 are satisfied the Participant will have
none of the associated rights of a stockholder under Ohio law and Middlefield’s Articles of Incorporation and Code of Regulations. Until the conditions of section 3 are satisfied the Participant will not be entitled to exercise voting power and
will not be entitled to cash dividends declared by Middlefield’s board of directors. 
 6.    The 2017
Omnibus Equity Plan Governs. The award of shares and this Stock Award Agreement are subject to the terms and conditions of the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan, as well as any rules of the Plan Committee under the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan. The
Participant acknowledges having received a copy of the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan. The Participant is familiar with the terms and provisions of the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan and accepts this award subject to all the terms and provisions of the 2017
Omnibus Equity Plan. The Participant agrees to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of Middlefield’s board of directors or Plan Committee having to do with the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan or this Stock Award
Agreement. 

  
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 7.    Certificates. Provided book entry registration is allowed
by Middlefield’s Articles of Incorporation and Code of Regulations, Middlefield may record the Participant’s ownership of the shares using a book entry system rather than issuing certificates. If certificates are issued, they will bear any
restrictive legends that Middlefield considers necessary or desirable. 
 8.    Entire Agreement. This
Stock Award Agreement and the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan supersede any and all other prior understandings and agreements, either oral or in writing, between the parties concerning the subject matter and constitute the sole agreement between the
parties relating to the subject matter. All prior negotiations and agreements between the parties concerning the subject matter of this Stock Award Agreement are merged in this Stock Award Agreement. Each party to this Stock Award Agreement
acknowledges that no representations, inducements, promises, or agreements concerning the shares have been made by any party or by anyone acting on behalf of any party that are not contained in this Stock Award Agreement or in the 2017 Omnibus
Equity Plan. Each party acknowledges that any agreement, statement, or promise concerning the shares that is not contained in this Stock Award Agreement or the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan is not valid, is not binding, and is of no force or effect. 

9.    Modification. Middlefield may change or modify this Stock Award Agreement without the
Participant’s consent or signature if in its sole discretion Middlefield determines that the change or modification is necessary to comply with or to be exempt from the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, including but not
limited to section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any regulations or other Department of Treasury guidance of general application issued under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Middlefield may amend the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan to the
extent permitted by the 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan. The Plan Committee also may modify the award as provided in section 3. 

10.    Headings. The headings in this Stock Award Agreement are solely for convenience of reference and do
not affect the interpretation of this Stock Award Agreement. 
 11.    Notice. All written notices,
requests, and other communications hereunder will be duly given if delivered by hand or mailed, certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, with postage prepaid, to the following addresses or to such other address as either party may
designate by like notice. If to Middlefield, notice must be given to Middlefield Banc Corp., 15985 East High Street, P.O. Box 35, Middlefield, Ohio 44062, Attention: Chief Financial Officer, or to such other address as Middlefield designates to the
Participant in writing. If to the Participant, notice must be given to the Participant at the Participant’s address appearing on the signature page of this Stock Award Agreement, or to such other address as the Participant designates to
Middlefield. 
 12.    Taxes. The Participant is hereby advised to consult immediately with his or her own
tax advisor about the tax consequences of this Stock Award Agreement, the method and timing for filing an election to include this award in income under section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the tax consequences of that election.
By executing this Stock Award Agreement, the Participant agrees that if the Participant makes an election to include the award in income under section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Participant will provide Middlefield with written
notice of the election in accordance with the regulations under section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 

13.    No Registration Rights. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that Middlefield and its Related
Entities have no obligation to register the Participant’s offer and sale of the shares awarded under this Stock Award Agreement under the Securities Act of 1933 or the securities laws of any state. 

14.    Post-employment restrictions. The restrictions in this section 14 have been negotiated, presented to,
and accepted by the Participant contemporaneous with the offer and acceptance by the Participant of this Stock Award Agreement. 

  
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 (a)    Promise of no solicitation. The Participant
promises and agrees that during the Restricted Period (as defined below) and in the Restricted Territory (as defined below) the Participant will1: 

(1)    not directly or indirectly solicit or attempt to solicit any Customer (as defined below) to
accept or purchase Financial Products or Services (as defined below) of the same nature, kind, or variety as provided to the Customer by Middlefield or a Related Entity during the two years immediately before the Participant’s employment
termination with Middlefield or a Related Entity, 
 (2)    not directly or indirectly influence
or attempt to influence any Customer, joint venturer, or other business partner of Middlefield or a Related Entity to alter that person or entity’s business relationship with Middlefield or the Related Entity in any respect, and 

(3)    not accept the Financial Products or Services business of any Customer or provide Financial
Products or Services to any Customer on behalf of anyone other than Middlefield or a Related Entity. 

(b)    Promise of no raiding/hiring. The Participant promises and agrees that during the Restricted
Period the Participant will not solicit or attempt to solicit and will not encourage or induce in any way any Participant, joint venturer, or business partner of Middlefield or a Related Entity to terminate an employment or contractual
relationship with Middlefield or the Related Entity. The Participant agrees that the Participant will not hire any person employed by Middlefield or a Related Entity during the two-year period before
the Participant’s employment termination with Middlefield or a Related Entity or any person employed by Middlefield or a Related Entity during the Restricted Period. 

(c)    Promise of no disparagement. The Participant promises and agrees that during the Restricted
Period the Participant will not cause statements to be made (whether written or oral) that reflect negatively on the business reputation of Middlefield or a Related Entity. 

(d)    Acknowledgment and remedies. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the provisions of
this section 14 have been negotiated and carefully determined to be reasonable and necessary for the protection of Middlefield’s legitimate business interests. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that a violation of section 14 is likely to
cause immediate and irreparable harm to Middlefield, requiring injunctive relief. If a breach or threatened breach by the Participant of any provision of this Stock Award Agreement occurs, Middlefield and its successors and assigns may without bond
obtain an injunction restraining the Participant from violating the terms of this Stock Award Agreement, and also may institute an action against the Participant to recover damages from the Participant for the breach. These remedies for default or
breach are in addition to any other remedy or form of redress provided under Ohio law. The parties acknowledge that the provisions of this section 14 survive termination of the employment relationship and are enforceable by Middlefield and its
successors and assigns. The parties agree that if any of the provisions of this section 14 are deemed unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the unenforceable provisions may be stricken as independent clauses by the court in order to
enforce the remaining territory restrictions and that the intent of the parties is to afford the broadest restriction on post-employment activities as set forth in this Stock Award Agreement. If Middlefield initiates legal action to enforce the
provisions of this section 14 or to recover damages for the Participant’s violation of section 14 and if as a result of that legal action the Participant is held to have violated this section 14, the Participant must reimburse Middlefield for
reasonable costs for enforcement of this section 14, including but not limited to attorneys’ fees. 

(e)    Definitions: 

(1)    “Restricted Period,” as used herein, means the
12-month period immediately after the Participant’s termination and/or separation of employment with Middlefield or a Related Entity, regardless of the reason for termination and/or separation. The
Restricted Period shall be extended in an amount equal to any time period during which a violation of section 14 of this Stock Award Agreement is proven. 

 

	1 	For example, the promise of no solicitation applies if the Participant is conducting prohibited business in the Restricted Territory or if the entity with, for, or to whom the Participant is conducting prohibited
business is located within the Restricted Territory. 

  
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 (2)    “Restricted Territory,” as used herein,
means all of Geauga, Trumbull, Portage, Ashtabula, and Franklin Counties in Ohio and the area within a 25-mile radius of any banking office of Middlefield or a Related Entity, if the banking office exists on
the date of the Participant’s employment termination. 
 (3)    “Customer,” as used
herein, means any individual, joint venturer, entity of any sort, or other business partner of Middlefield or a Related Entity with, for, or to whom Middlefield or the Related Entity has provided Financial Products or Services during the last two
years of the Participant’s employment with Middlefield or Related Entity, or any individual, joint venturer, entity of any sort, or business partner whom Middlefield or a Related Entity has identified as a prospective customer of Financial
Products or Services within the last two years of the Participant’s employment with Middlefield or Related Entity. 

(4)    “Financial Products or Services,” as used herein, means any product or service that a
financial institution or a financial holding company could offer by engaging in any activity that is financial in nature or incidental to such a financial activity under section 4(k) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 and that is offered by
Middlefield or a Related Entity on the date of the Participant’s employment termination, including but not limited to banking activities and activities that are closely related and a proper incident to banking, or other products or services of
the type the Participant was involved in during the Participant’s employment with Middlefield or a Related Entity. 

(f)    Enforcement by successors. The provisions of this section are binding upon and enforceable by
Middlefield and any successor to Middlefield, including any person acquiring directly or indirectly all or substantially all of the business, assets, or stock of Middlefield. The Participant’s consent is not necessary for any assignment or
transfer of the rights and obligations of this section that occurs or is deemed to occur as the result of any person acquiring directly or indirectly all or substantially all of the business, assets, or stock of Middlefield. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Middlefield has caused this Stock Award Agreement to be
executed by its duly authorized officer as of the date specified in section 2, and the Participant has duly executed this Stock Award Agreement as of the date specified in section 2 and consents to and approves all of its terms. 

 

									
	PARTICIPANT	 		 	MIDDLEFIELD BANC CORP.	 	
		 		 	an Ohio corporation	 	
					
	  
	 		 	By:	 	  
	 	  

	Print Name:	 		 	Print Name:	 	
		 		 	Its:	 	
	Residence Address:	 		 	

  
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