Document:

Exhibit
10.8

 

NONQUALIFIED
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

 

AVAILENT
FINANCIAL, INC.

2003 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1.                                       Grant
of Option.  Pursuant to the Availent
Financial, Inc. 2003  Equity
Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) for employees, consultants and outside directors of
Availent Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Company
grants to

 

MICHAEL L. BANES

(the
“Participant”),

 

an option to purchase shares of Common Stock (“Common Stock”) of the
Company as follows:

 

On the date hereof, the Company grants to the
Participant an option (the “Option” or “Stock Option”) to purchase (i) TWO
HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND (250,000) full shares of Common Stock, (ii) an
additional amount of Common Stock guaranteed, and (iii) any additional Common
Stock granted based on annual revenue targets and net income before taxes
targets, at an Option Price equal to $1.00 per share.  The Date of Grant of this Stock Option is April 14, 2003.

 

The “Option Period” shall commence on the Date of Grant and shall
expire on the date immediately preceding the tenth (10th)
anniversary of the Date of Grant.  The
Stock Option is a Nonqualified Stock Option.

 

2.                                       Subject
to Plan.  The Stock Option and its
exercise are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, and the terms of
the Plan shall control to the extent not otherwise inconsistent with the
provisions of this Agreement. The capitalized terms used herein that are
defined in the Plan shall have the same meanings assigned to them in the
Plan.  The Stock Option is subject to
any rules promulgated pursuant to the Plan by the Board or the Committee and
communicated to the Participant in writing. In addition, if the Plan previously has not been approved by the
Company’s stockholders, the Stock Option is granted subject to such stockholder
approval.

 

3.                                       Vesting; Time of Exercise.

 

a.                                       Except as specifically provided in this
Agreement and subject to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the
Plan, the Stock Option shall be fully exercisable on the Date of Grant.

 

b.                                      Except as specifically provided in this
Agreement and subject to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the
Plan, the Optioned Shares shall be fully vested as follows:

 

i.                                          TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND (250,000) of the
total Optioned Shares shall vest on the Date of Grant provided the Participant
is employed by (or, if the Participant is a consultant or an Outside Director,
is providing services to) the Company or a Subsidiary on that date.

 

ii.                                       A number of Optioned Shares equal to (1) ONE
PERCENT (1.0%) of the total Common Shares of the Company issued and outstanding
as of December 31, 2003, (2) ONE-HALF PERCENT (0.5%) of the total Common Shares
of the Company issued and

 

1

 

outstanding as of December 31, 2003 if the annual revenue targets are
obtained by the Company , and (3) ONE-HALF PERCENT (0.5%) of the total Common
Shares of the Company issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2003 if annual
net income before taxes targets are obtained by the Company shall vest on December
31, 2003, provided the Participant is employed by (or, if the Participant is a
consultant or an Outside Director, is providing services to) the Company or a
Subsidiary on that date.

 

iii.                                    A number of Optioned Shares equal to (1) ONE
PERCENT (1.0%) of the total Common Shares of the Company issued and outstanding
as of December 31, 2004, (2) ONE HALF PERCENT (0.5%) of the total Common Shares
of the Company issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2004 if the annual
revenue targets are obtained by the Company, and (3) ONE HALF PERCENT (0.5%) of
the total Common Shares of the Company issued and outstanding as of December
31, 2004 if the annual net income before taxes targets are obtained by the
Company shall vest on December 31, 2004, provided the Participant is employed
by (or, if the Participant is a consultant or an Outside Director, is providing
services to) the Company or a Subsidiary on that date.

 

iv.                                   A number of Optioned Shares equal to (1) ONE
PERCENT (1.0%) of the total Common Shares of the Company issued and outstanding
as of December 31, 2005, (2) ONE HALF PERCENT (0.5%) of the total Common Shares
of the Company issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2005 if the annual
revenue targets are obtained by the Company, and (3) ONE HALF PERCENT (0.5%) of
the total Common Shares of the Company issued and outstanding as of December
31, 2005 if the annual net income before taxes targets are obtained by the
Company shall vest on December 31, 2005, provided the Participant is employed
by (or, if the Participant is a consultant or an Outside Director, is providing
services to) the Company or a Subsidiary on that date.

 

c.                                       If the Optioned Shares received upon exercise
of this Stock Option are not fully vested as described in Section 3.b.
above at the time of exercise of the Stock Option, the unvested Optioned Shares
issued to the Participant shall be Restricted Stock, subject to the conditions
of Section 6.5 of the Plan.  The
Restriction Period for such Restricted Stock shall commence on the date of
exercise and shall expire on the date the Optioned Shares otherwise would vest
as described in Section 3.b. above. 
The Participant shall forfeit any Restricted Stock pursuant to the terms
of this Agreement.

 

Upon
the issuance to Participant of a certificate for Restricted Stock, Participant
shall endorse such certificate in blank or execute a stock power in form
satisfactory to the Company in blank and deliver such certificate and executed
stock power to the Company.  The provisions
of this paragraph shall be specifically performable by the Company in a court
of equity or law.

 

In
the event any shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited pursuant to a the terms
of this Agreement, the Company shall pay to the Participant, as soon as
practicable after the event causing forfeiture of such shares (but in any event
within five (5) business days after such event), in cash, an amount equal to
the lesser of the total consideration paid by the Participant for such
forfeited shares or the Fair Market Value of such forfeited shares as of the
date of such event.  Upon any
forfeiture, all rights of a Participant with respect to the forfeited shares of
the Restricted Stock shall cease and terminate, without any further obligation
on the part of the Company.

 

2

 

4.                                       Term;
Forfeiture.  Except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement, to the extent the unexercised portion of the Stock
Option relates to Optioned Shares which are not vested on the date of the
Participant’s Termination of Service, the Stock Option will be terminated on
that date, and to the extent the Participant has any Restricted Stock on the
date of the Participant’s Termination of Service, such Restricted Stock shall
be forfeited on that date.  The
unexercised portion of the Stock Option that relates to Optioned Shares which
are vested will terminate at the first of the following to occur:

 

i.                                          5
p.m. on the date the Option Period terminates;

 

ii.                                       5
p.m. on the date which is twelve (12) months following the date of the Participant’s
Termination of Service due to death or
Total and Permanent Disability;

 

iii.                                    5
p.m. on the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company for
cause (as defined herein);

 

iv.                                   5 p.m. on the date of the Participant’s
voluntary Termination of Service, without the consent of the Company;

 

v.                                      5
p.m. on the date the Company causes any portion of the Option to be forfeited
pursuant to Section 7 hereof.

 

vi.                                   For purposes hereof, “cause” shall mean that
the Participant shall have (i) engaged in activities in direct or
indirect competition with the Company, including but not limited to any
violation of the Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Agreement contained in
Participant’s Employment Agreement, if any, (ii) committed acts of gross negligence,
(iii) been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, (iv)
demonstrated any acts of dishonesty or theft on the part of Participant which,
in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Company, is detrimental to the
best interests of the Company, or (v) intentionally and materially violated any
written policy adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company which is not
corrected within ten (10) days after receipt by Participant of a detailed
written explanation from the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(b)                                 Acceleration
of Vesting.  In the event of a
Change of Control of the Company where a Participant is Involuntarily
Terminated (hereinafter defined) upon or within one year of the effective date
of such Change of Control, then notwithstanding the vesting provisions set
forth in Section 4(a) of
this Agreement, all unvested Optioned Shares shall automatically vest on an
accelerated basis as of the date immediately preceding any such Involuntary
Termination.  For purposes of this agreement
a “Involuntary
Termination” shall mean (i) a termination by the Company of the
Participant’s employment with the Company other than for cause (as defined in Section
4(a)(vi) above); (ii) without
the Participant’s consent, a material change in the nature or scope of the
Participant’s authority, powers, functions, duties or responsibilities relative
to the Participant’s authority, powers, functions, duties or responsibilities
as in effect immediately prior to such change; provided, however,
that any change in authority, powers, functions, duties or responsibilities
resulting solely from the Company being acquired by and made a part of a larger
entity (as, for example, when a chief financial officer becomes an employee of
the acquiring corporation following a Change of Control but is not the chief
financial officer of the acquiring corporation) shall not constitute an
Involuntary Termination; (iii) without the Participant’s consent, a material
reduction in the base salary of the Participant as in effect immediately prior
to such reduction; (iv) without the Participant’s consent, a material reduction
by the Company in the kind or level of employee benefits to which the
Participant was entitled immediately

 

3

 

prior to such
reduction, with the result that the Participant’s overall benefits package is
materially reduced; or (v) without the Participant’s consent, the relocation of
the Participant to a location more than fifty (50) miles from the Participant’s
then present location.

 

5.                                       Who
May Exercise.  Subject to the terms
and conditions set forth in Sections 3 and 4 above, during the lifetime
of the Participant, the Stock Option may be exercised only by the Participant,
or by the Participant’s guardian or personal or legal representative.  If the Participant’s Termination of Service
is due to his death prior to the date specified in Section 4.a.i.
hereof, or Participant dies prior to the termination dates specified in Sections
4.a.i., ii., iii., iv. or v. hereof, and the Participant has not exercised
the Stock Option as to the maximum number of vested Optioned Shares as set
forth in Section 3 hereof as of the date of death, the following persons
may exercise the exercisable portion of the Stock Option on behalf of the
Participant at any time prior to the earliest of the dates specified in Section
4 hereof:  the personal
representative of his estate, or the person who acquired the right to exercise
the Stock Option by bequest or inheritance or by reason of the death of the
Participant; provided that the Stock Option shall remain subject to the other
terms of this Agreement, the Plan, and applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

 

6.                                       No
Fractional Shares.  The Stock Option
may be exercised only with respect to full shares, and no fractional share of
stock shall be issued.

 

7.                                       Manner
of Exercise.  Subject to such
administrative regulations as the Committee may from time to time adopt, the
Stock Option may be exercised by the delivery of written notice to the
Committee setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to
which the Stock Option is to be exercised, the date of exercise thereof (the
“Exercise Date”) which shall be at least three (3) days after giving such
notice unless an earlier time shall have been mutually agreed upon.  On the Exercise Date, the Participant shall
deliver to the Company consideration with a value equal to the total Option
Price of the shares to be purchased, payable as follows:  (a) cash, check, bank draft, or money order
payable to the order of the Company, (b) Common Stock (including Restricted
Stock) owned by the Participant on the Exercise Date, valued at its Fair Market
Value on the Exercise Date, and which the Participant has not acquired from the
Company within six (6) months prior to the Exercise Date, (c) if the Optioned
Shares are no longer Nonpublicly Traded, by delivery (including by FAX) to the
Company or its designated agent of an executed irrevocable option exercise form
together with irrevocable instructions from the Participant to a broker or
dealer, reasonably acceptable to the Company, to sell certain of the shares of
Common Stock purchased upon exercise of the Stock Option or to pledge such
shares as collateral for a loan and promptly deliver to the Company the amount
of sale or loan proceeds necessary to pay such purchase price, and/or (d) in
any other form of valid consideration that is acceptable to the Committee in
its sole discretion.  In the event that shares of Restricted Stock
are tendered as consideration for the exercise of a Stock Option, a number of
shares of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of the Stock Option with an
Option Price equal to the value of Restricted Stock used as consideration
therefor shall be subject to the same restrictions and provisions as the
Restricted Stock so tendered.  For
example, if 250 shares of Restricted Stock valued at $2.00 per share are used
to purchase 500 Optioned Shares at an Option Price of $1.00 per share, all 500
Optioned Shares shall be Restricted Stock.

 

Subject to Section 3.c.
hereof, Upon payment of all amounts due from the Participant, the
Company shall cause certificates for the Optioned Shares then being purchased
to be delivered to the Participant (or the person exercising the Participant’s
Stock Option in the event of his death) at its principal business office within
ten (10) business days after the Exercise Date. The obligation of the Company
to deliver shares of Common Stock shall, however, be subject to the condition
that if at any time the Company shall determine in its discretion that the
listing, registration, or qualification of the Stock Option or the Optioned
Shares upon any securities exchange or under any state or federal law, or the
consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body, is necessary as a
condition of, or in connection with, the Stock Option or the issuance or

 

4

 

purchase of shares of
Common Stock thereunder, then the Stock Option may not be exercised in whole or
in part unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent, or approval
shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not reasonably
acceptable to the Committee.

 

If the Participant fails to pay for any of the
Optioned Shares specified in such notice or fails to accept delivery thereof,
then the Stock Option, and right to purchase such Optioned Shares may be
forfeited by the Company.

 

8.                                       Nonassignability.

 

a.                                       The
Stock Option is not assignable or transferable by the Participant except by
will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

b.                                      Except as provided for in Section 7
hereof, no Restricted Stock, or interests therein, may be sold, assigned,
transferred (whether or not for consideration), registered for transfer, given,
donated, subjected to an option to purchase, pledged, encumbered, hypothecated,
or in any manner disposed of, or subjected to an agreement to do any of the
foregoing, by the Participant except by will or by the laws of descent and
distribution.

 

9.                                       Rights
as Stockholder.  The Participant
will have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares covered by the
Stock Option until the issuance of a certificate or certificates to the
Participant for the Optioned Shares. 
The Optioned Shares shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement regarding such Shares.  Except
as otherwise provided in Section 10 hereof, no adjustment shall be made
for dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the
issuance of such certificate or certificates.

 

10.                                 Adjustment
of Number of Optioned Shares and Related Matters.  The number of shares of Common Stock covered by the Stock Option,
and the Option Prices thereof, shall be subject to adjustment in accordance
with Articles 11 - 13 of the Plan.

 

11.                                 Nonqualified
Stock Option.  The Stock Option
shall not be treated as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

12.                                 Voting.  The Participant, as record
holder of some or all of the Optioned Shares following exercise of this Stock
Option, has the exclusive right to vote, or consent with respect to, such
Optioned Shares until such time as the Optioned Shares are transferred in
accordance with this Agreement or a proxy is granted pursuant to Section 13
below; provided, however, that this Section shall not create any
voting right where the holders of such Optioned Shares otherwise have no such
right.

 

13.                                 Proxies.  The Participant shall execute
an irrevocable proxy with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock authorizing
the Board to vote such shares on all issues until the earlier of (i) the
expiration of the Restriction Period, or (ii) the date the Restricted Stock is
no longer Nonpublicly Traded.  Subject
to the foregoing provisions of this Section, the Participant may not grant a
proxy to any person, other than a revocable proxy not to exceed 30 days in
duration granted to another stockholder for the sole purpose of voting for
directors of the Company.

 

14.                                 Community Property. 
Each spouse individually is bound by, and such spouse’s interest, if
any, in any Optioned Shares is subject to, the terms of this Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement shall create a
community property interest where none otherwise exists.

 

5

 

15.                                 Dispute Resolution.

 

a.                                       Arbitration.                                  All disputes and controversies of every kind
and nature between any parties hereto arising out of or in connection with this
Agreement or the transactions described herein as to the construction,
validity, interpretation or meaning, performance, non-performance, enforcement,
operation or breach, shall be submitted to arbitration pursuant to the
following procedures:

 

i.                                          After a dispute or controversy arises, any
party may, in a written notice delivered to the other parties to the dispute,
demand such arbitration.  Such notice
shall designate the name of the arbitrator (who shall be an impartial person)
appointed by such party demanding arbitration, together with a statement of the
matter in controversy.

 

ii.                                       Within 30 days after receipt of such demand,
the other parties shall, in a written notice delivered to the first party, name
such parties’ arbitrator (who shall be an impartial person).  If such parties fail to name an arbitrator,
then the second arbitrator shall be named by the American Arbitration
Association (the “AAA”).  The two
arbitrators so selected shall name a third arbitrator (who shall be an
impartial person) within 30 days, or in lieu of such agreement on a third
arbitrator by the two arbitrators so appointed, the third arbitrator shall be
appointed by the AAA.  If any arbitrator
appointed hereunder shall die, resign, refuse or become unable to act before an
arbitration decision is rendered, then the vacancy shall be filled by the
method set forth in this Section for the original appointment of such
arbitrator.

 

iii.                                    Each party shall bear its own arbitration
costs and expenses.  The arbitration
hearing shall be held in Dallas, Texas at a location designated by a majority
of the arbitrators.  The Commercial
Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association shall be incorporated
by reference at such hearing and the substantive laws of the State of Texas
(excluding conflict of laws provisions) shall apply.

 

iv.                                   The arbitration hearing shall be concluded
within ten (10) days unless otherwise ordered by the arbitrators and the
written award thereon shall be made within fifteen (15) days after the close of
submission of evidence.  An award
rendered by a majority of the arbitrators appointed pursuant to this Agreement
shall be final and binding on all parties to the proceeding, shall resolve the
question of costs of the arbitrators and all related matters, and judgment on
such award may be entered and enforced by either party in any court of
competent jurisdiction.

 

v.                                      Except as set forth in Section 15.b.,
the parties stipulate that the provisions of this Section shall be a complete
defense to any suit, action or proceeding instituted in any federal, state or
local court or before any administrative tribunal with respect to any
controversy or dispute arising out of this Agreement or the transactions
described herein.  The arbitration
provisions hereof shall, with respect to such controversy or dispute, survive
the termination or expiration of this Agreement.

 

No party to an arbitration
may disclose the existence or results of any arbitration hereunder without the
prior written consent of the other parties; nor will any party to an
arbitration disclose to any third party any confidential information disclosed
by any other party to an arbitration in the course of an arbitration hereunder
without the prior written consent of such other party.

 

6

 

b.                                      Emergency Relief. 
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 15 to the contrary, any
party may seek from a court any provisional remedy that may be necessary to
protect any rights or property of such party pending the establishment of the
arbitral tribunal or its determination of the merits of the controversy or to
enforce a party’s rights under Section 15.

 

16.                                 Participant’s
Representations.  Notwithstanding
any of the provisions hereof, the Participant hereby agrees that he will not
exercise the Stock Option granted hereby, and that the Company will not be
obligated to issue any shares to the Participant hereunder, if the exercise
thereof or the issuance of such shares shall constitute a violation by the
Participant or the Company of any provision of any law or regulation of any
governmental authority.  Any
determination in this connection by the Company shall be final, binding, and
conclusive.  The obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Participant are subject to all applicable laws,
rules, and regulations.

 

17.                                 Investment
Representation.  Unless the Common
Stock is issued to him in a transaction registered under applicable federal and
state securities laws, by his execution hereof, the Participant represents and
warrants to the Company that all Common Stock which may be purchased hereunder
will be acquired by the Participant for investment purposes for his own account
and not with any intent for resale or distribution in violation of federal or
state securities laws.  Unless the
Common Stock is issued to him in a transaction registered under the applicable
federal and state securities laws, all certificates issued with respect to the Common
Stock shall bear an appropriate restrictive investment legend and shall be held
indefinitely, unless they are subsequently registered under the applicable
federal and state securities laws or the Participant obtains an opinion of
counsel, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company and its counsel,
that such registration is not required.

 

18.                                 Legend.  The following legend shall be placed on all
certificates representing Optioned Shares:

 

“The shares evidenced by this certificate are subject
to a Stock Option Agreement containing certain rights and limitations on
transfer.  A copy of that agreement is
on file at the principal place of business or the registered office of the
Company, and a copy may be obtained without charge upon written request to the
Company at its principal place of business or its registered office.”

 

All Optioned Shares and shares into which Optioned
Shares may be converted owned by the Participant shall be subject to the terms
of this Agreement and shall be represented by a certificate or certificates
bearing the foregoing legend.

 

19.                                 Lock-up Agreement.  The
Participant agrees that in connection with any underwritten public offering of
Common Stock, the Optioned Shares may not be sold, offered for sale, pledged or
otherwise disposed of or transferred without the prior written consent of the
Company or the principal underwriter managing such public offering, as the case
may be, for at least sixty (60) days after the effectiveness of the
registration statement filed in connection with such offering, or such longer
period of time as the Board of Directors or the principal underwriter may
determine, if all of the Company’s directors and officers agree to be similarly
bound.  In the event of the declaration
of a stock dividend, a spin-off, a stock split, an adjustment in conversion
ratio, a recapitalization or a similar transaction affecting the Company’s
outstanding securities without receipt of consideration, any new, substituted
or additional securities which are by reason of such transaction distributed
with respect to any Optioned Shares subject to this Section 19 or into
which such Optioned Shares thereby become convertible shall immediately be
subject to this Section 19. 
Appropriate adjustments to reflect the distribution of such securities
or property shall be made to the number and/or class of

 

7

 

the
Optioned Shares subject to this Section 19.  The obligations under this Section 19 shall remain
effective for all underwritten public offerings with respect to which the
Company has filed a registration statement on or before the date five (5) years
after the closing of the Company’s initial public offering, provided, however,
that this Section 19 shall cease to apply to any Optioned Shares sold to
the public pursuant to an effective registration statement or an exemption from
the registration requirements of the Securities Act in a transaction that
complied with the terms of this Agreement.

 

20.                                 Participant’s
Acknowledgments.  The Participant
acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan, which is annexed hereto, and
represents that he or she is familiar with the terms and provisions thereof,
and hereby accepts this Option subject to all the terms and provisions thereof.
The Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all
decisions or interpretations of the Committee or the Board, as appropriate,
upon any questions arising under the Plan or this Agreement.

 

21.                                 Law
Governing.  This Agreement shall be
governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State
of Delaware (excluding any conflict of laws rule or principle of Delaware law
that might refer the governance, construction, or interpretation of this
agreement to the laws of another state).

 

22.                                 No
Right to Continue Service or Employment. 
Nothing herein shall be construed to confer upon the Participant the
right to continue in the employ or to provide services to the Company or any
Subsidiary, whether as an employee or as a consultant or as an Outside
Director, or interfere with or restrict in any way the right of the Company or
any Subsidiary to discharge the Participant as an employee, consultant or
Outside Director at any time.

 

23.                                 Legal
Construction.  In the event that any
one or more of the terms, provisions, or agreements that are contained in this
Agreement shall be held by a Court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
illegal, or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the invalid, illegal,
or unenforceable term, provision, or agreement shall not affect any other term,
provision, or agreement that is contained in this Agreement and this Agreement
shall be construed in all respects as if the invalid, illegal, or unenforceable
term, provision, or agreement had never been contained herein.

 

24.                                 Covenants
and Agreements as Independent Agreements. Each of the covenants and
agreements that is set forth in this Agreement shall be construed as a covenant
and agreement independent of any other provision of this Agreement.  The existence of any claim or cause of
action of the Participant against the Company, whether predicated on this
Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by
the Company of the covenants and agreements that are set forth in this Agreement.

 

25.                                 Entire
Agreement.  This Agreement together
with the Plan supersede any and all other prior understandings and agreements,
either oral or in writing, between the parties with respect to the subject
matter hereof and constitute the sole and only agreements between the parties
with respect to the said subject matter. 
All prior negotiations and agreements between the parties with respect
to the subject matter hereof are merged into this Agreement.  Each party to this Agreement acknowledges
that no representations, inducements, promises, or agreements, orally or
otherwise, have been made by any party or by anyone acting on behalf of any
party, which are not embodied in this Agreement or the Plan and that any
agreement, statement or promise that is not contained in this Agreement or the
Plan shall not be valid or binding or of any force or effect.

 

26.                                 Parties
Bound.  The terms, provisions, and
agreements that are contained in this Agreement shall apply to, be binding
upon, and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective heirs,
executors, administrators, legal representatives, and permitted successors and
assigns, subject to the limitation on assignment expressly set forth herein. No person or entity shall be permitted to
acquire any Optioned Shares

 

8

 

without
first executing and delivering an agreement in the form satisfactory to the
Company making such person or entity subject to the restrictions on transfer
contained herein.

 

27.                                 Modification.  No change or modification of this Agreement
shall be valid or binding upon the parties unless the change or modification is
in writing and signed by the parties. 
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Company may amend the Plan
or revoke this Stock Option to the extent permitted by the Plan.

 

28.                                 Headings.  The headings that are used in this Agreement
are used for reference and convenience purposes only and do not constitute
substantive matters to be considered in construing the terms and provisions of
this Agreement.

 

29.                                 Gender
and Number.  Words of any gender
used in this Agreement shall be held and construed to include any other gender,
and words in the singular number shall be held to include the plural, and vice
versa, unless the context requires otherwise.

 

30.                                 Notice.  Any notice required or permitted to be
delivered hereunder shall be deemed to be delivered only when actually received
by the Company or by the Participant, as the case may be, at the addresses set
forth below, or at such other addresses as they have theretofore specified by
written notice delivered in accordance herewith:

 

a.                                       Notice
to the Company shall be addressed and delivered as follows:

 

	
   

  
	
   

  
	
   

  
	
  Attn:

  	
   

  
	
  Facsimile:

  	
   

  
			

 

b.                                      Notice
to the Participant shall be addressed and delivered as set forth on the
signature page.

 

31.                                 Tax
Requirements.  The Participant is
hereby advised to consult immediately with his or her own tax advisor regarding
the tax consequences of this Agreement, the availability, method, and timing
for filing an election to include income arising from this Agreement into the
Participant’s gross income under Section 83(b) of the Code, and the tax
consequences of such election.  By
execution of this Agreement, the Participant agrees that if the Participant
makes such an election, the Participant shall provide the Company with written
notice of such election in accordance with the regulations promulgated under
Code Section 83(b).  The Company or, if
applicable, any Subsidiary (for purposes of this Section 31, the term “Company” shall be
deemed to include any applicable Subsidiary), shall have the right to deduct
from all amounts hereunder paid in cash or other form, any Federal, state,
local, or other taxes required by law to be withheld in connection with this
Award.  The Company may, in its sole
discretion, also require the Participant receiving shares of Common Stock
issued under the Plan to pay the Company the amount of any taxes that the
Company is required to withhold in connection with the Participant’s income arising
with respect to this Award.  Such
payments shall be required to be made when requested by the Company and may be
required to be made prior to the delivery of any certificate representing
shares of Common Stock.  Such payment
may be made (i) by the delivery of cash to the Company in an amount that equals
or exceeds (to avoid the issuance of fractional shares under (iii) below) the
required tax withholding obligations of the Company; (ii) if the Company, in
its sole discretion, so consents in writing, the actual delivery by the
exercising Participant to the Company of shares of Common 

 

9

 

Stock other than (A)
Restricted Stock or (B) Common Stock
that the Participant has not acquired from the Company within six (6) months
prior to the date of exercise, which shares so delivered have an aggregate Fair
Market Value that equals or exceeds (to avoid the issuance of fractional shares
under (iii) below) the required tax withholding payment; (iii) if the Company,
in its sole discretion, so consents in writing, the Company’s withholding of a
number of shares to be delivered upon the exercise of the Stock Option other
than shares that will constitute Restricted Stock, which shares so withheld
have an aggregate fair market value that equals (but does not exceed) the
required tax withholding payment; or (iv) any combination of (i), (ii), or
(iii).  The Company may, in its sole
discretion, withhold any such taxes from any other cash remuneration otherwise
paid by the Company to the Participant.

 

* * * * * * * *

 

10

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this
Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officer, and the Participant,
to evidence his consent and approval of all the terms hereof, has duly executed
this Agreement, as of the date specified in Section 1 hereof.

 

	
   

  	
  COMPANY:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  AVAILENT
  FINANCIAL, INC.,

  a Delaware corporation

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  By:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Name:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Title:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  PARTICIPANT:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Signature

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Name:   MICHAEL L. BANES

  
	
   

  	
  Address:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
  Witness:

  	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
											

 

11Exhibit
10.10

 

NONQUALIFIED
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

 

AVAILENT FINANCIAL, INC.

2003 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1.                                       Grant
of Option.  Pursuant to the Availent
Financial, Inc. 2003  Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) for
employees, consultants and outside directors of Availent Financial, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Company grants to

 

JASON NICHOLS

(the
“Participant”),

 

an option to purchase shares of Common Stock (“Common Stock”) of the
Company as follows:

 

On the date hereof, the Company grants to the
Participant an option (the “Option” or “Stock Option”) to purchase (i) ONE
HUNDRED SEVENTY THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED (170,800) full shares (the “Optioned
Shares”) of Common Stock and (ii) an additional amount of Common Stock based
upon the Participant obtaining the sales performance targets at an Option Price
equal to $1.00 per share.  The Date of
Grant of this Stock Option is March 14, 2003.

 

The “Option Period” shall commence on the Date of Grant and shall
expire on the date immediately preceding the tenth (10th)
anniversary of the Date of Grant.  The
Stock Option is a Nonqualified Stock Option.

 

2.                                       Subject
to Plan.  The Stock Option and its
exercise are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, and the terms of
the Plan shall control to the extent not otherwise inconsistent with the
provisions of this Agreement. The capitalized terms used herein that are
defined in the Plan shall have the same meanings assigned to them in the
Plan.  The Stock Option is subject to
any rules promulgated pursuant to the Plan by the Board or the Committee and
communicated to the Participant in writing. In addition, if the Plan previously
has not been approved by the Company’s stockholders, the Stock Option is
granted subject to such stockholder approval.

 

3.                                       Vesting;
Time of Exercise.

 

a.                                       Except
as specifically provided in this Agreement and subject to certain restrictions
and conditions set forth in the Plan, the Stock Option shall be fully
exercisable on the Date of Grant.

 

b.                                      Except
as specifically provided in this Agreement and subject to certain restrictions
and conditions set forth in the Plan, the Optioned Shares shall be fully vested
as follows:

 

i.                                          TWENTY
THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED  (20,800) of the
total Optioned Shares shall vest on the Date of Grant provided the Participant
is employed by (or, if the Participant is a consultant or an Outside Director,
is providing services to) the Company or a Subsidiary on that date.

 

ii.                                       (1)
FIFTY THOUSAND (50,000) of the total Optioned Shares and (2) 50,000 additional
Common Shares of the Company upon the Participant obtaining the sales
performance targets shall vest on December 31, 2003, provided the Participant
is employed by

 

1

 

(or, if the
Participant is a consultant or an Outside Director, is providing services to)
the Company or a Subsidiary on that date.

 

iii.                                    FIFTY
THOUSAND (50,000) of the total Optioned Shares and (2) 50,000 additional Common
Shares of the Company upon the Participant obtaining the sales performance targets
shall vest on December 31, 2004, provided the Participant is employed by (or,
if the Participant is a consultant or an Outside Director, is providing
services to) the Company or a Subsidiary on that date.

 

iv.                                   FIFTY
THOUSAND (50,000) of the total Optioned Shares and (2) 50,000 additional Common
Shares of the Company upon the Participant obtaining the sales performance
targets shall vest on December 31, 2005, provided the Participant is employed
by (or, if the Participant is a consultant or an Outside Director, is providing
services to) the Company or a Subsidiary on that date.

 

c.                                       If
the Optioned Shares received upon exercise of this Stock Option are not fully
vested as described in Section 3.b. above at the time of exercise of the
Stock Option, the unvested Optioned Shares issued to the Participant shall be
Restricted Stock, subject to the conditions of Section 6.5 of the
Plan.  The Restriction Period for such
Restricted Stock shall commence on the date of exercise and shall expire on the
date the Optioned Shares otherwise would vest as described in Section 3.b.
above.  The Participant shall forfeit
any Restricted Stock pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

Upon the issuance to
Participant of a certificate for Restricted Stock, Participant shall endorse
such certificate in blank or execute a stock power in form satisfactory to the
Company in blank and deliver such certificate and executed stock power to the
Company.  The provisions of this
paragraph shall be specifically performable by the Company in a court of equity
or law.

 

In the event any shares
of Restricted Stock are forfeited pursuant to a the terms of this Agreement,
the Company shall pay to the Participant, as soon as practicable after the
event causing forfeiture of such shares (but in any event within five (5)
business days after such event), in cash, an amount equal to the lesser of the
total consideration paid by the Participant for such forfeited shares or the
Fair Market Value of such forfeited shares as of the date of such event.  Upon any forfeiture, all rights of a
Participant with respect to the forfeited shares of the Restricted Stock shall
cease and terminate, without any further obligation on the part of the Company.

 

4.                                       Term;
Forfeiture.  Except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement, to the extent the unexercised portion of the Stock
Option relates to Optioned Shares which are not vested on the date of the
Participant’s Termination of Service, the Stock Option will be terminated on
that date, and to the extent the Participant has any Restricted Stock on the
date of the Participant’s Termination of Service, such Restricted Stock shall
be forfeited on that date.  The
unexercised portion of the Stock Option that relates to Optioned Shares which
are vested will terminate at the first of the following to occur:

 

i.              5 p.m. on the date
the Option Period terminates;

 

ii.             5 p.m. on the date
which is twelve (12) months following the date of the Participant’s Termination
of Service due to death or Total and Permanent Disability;

 

2

 

iii.                                    5
p.m. on the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company for
cause (as defined herein);

 

iv.                                   5
p.m. on the date of the Participant’s voluntary Termination of Service, without
the consent of the Company;

 

v.                                      5
p.m. on the date the Company causes any portion of the Option to be forfeited
pursuant to Section 7 hereof.

 

vi.                                   For
purposes hereof, “cause” shall mean that the Participant shall have (i) engaged
in activities in direct or indirect competition with the Company, including but
not limited to any violation of the Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation
Agreement contained in Participant’s Employment Agreement, if any, (ii)
committed acts of gross negligence, (iii) been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor
involving moral turpitude, (iv) demonstrated any acts of dishonesty or theft on
the part of Participant which, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the
Company, is detrimental to the best interests of the Company, or (v)
intentionally and materially violated any written policy adopted by the Board
of Directors of the Company which is not corrected within ten (10) days after
receipt by Participant of a detailed written explanation from the Board of
Directors of the Company.

 

(b)                                 Acceleration
of Vesting.  In the event of a
Change of Control of the Company where a Participant is Involuntarily
Terminated (hereinafter defined) upon or within one year of the effective date
of such Change of Control, then notwithstanding the vesting provisions set
forth in Section 4(a) of this Agreement, all unvested Optioned
Shares shall automatically vest on an accelerated basis as of the date
immediately preceding any such Involuntary Termination.  For purposes of this agreement a “Involuntary Termination”
shall mean (i) a termination by the Company of the Participant’s employment
with the Company other than for cause (as defined in Section 4(a)(vi)
above); (ii) without the Participant’s consent, a material change in the nature
or scope of the Participant’s authority, powers, functions, duties or
responsibilities relative to the Participant’s authority, powers, functions,
duties or responsibilities as in effect immediately prior to such change; provided,
however, that any change in authority, powers, functions, duties or
responsibilities resulting solely from the Company being acquired by and made a
part of a larger entity (as, for example, when a chief financial officer
becomes an employee of the acquiring corporation following a Change of Control
but is not the chief financial officer of the acquiring corporation) shall not
constitute an Involuntary Termination; (iii) without the Participant’s consent,
a material reduction in the base salary of the Participant as in effect
immediately prior to such reduction; (iv) without the Participant’s consent, a
material reduction by the Company in the kind or level of employee benefits to
which the Participant was entitled immediately prior to such reduction, with
the result that the Participant’s overall benefits package is materially
reduced; or (v) without the Participant’s consent, the relocation of the
Participant to a location more than fifty (50) miles from the Participant’s
then present location.

 

5.                                       Who
May Exercise.  Subject to the terms
and conditions set forth in Sections 3 and 4 above, during the lifetime
of the Participant, the Stock Option may be exercised only by the Participant,
or by the Participant’s guardian or personal or legal representative.  If the Participant’s Termination of Service
is due to his death prior to the date specified in Section 4.a.i.
hereof, or Participant dies prior to the termination dates specified in Sections
4.a.i., ii., iii., iv. or v. hereof, and the Participant has not exercised
the Stock Option as to the maximum number of vested Optioned Shares as set
forth in Section 3 hereof as of the date of death, the following persons
may exercise the exercisable portion of the Stock Option on behalf of the
Participant at any time prior to the earliest of the dates specified in Section
4 hereof:  the personal
representative of his estate, or

 

3

 

the person who acquired
the right to exercise the Stock Option by bequest or inheritance or by reason
of the death of the Participant; provided that the Stock Option shall remain
subject to the other terms of this Agreement, the Plan, and applicable laws,
rules, and regulations.

 

6.                                       No
Fractional Shares.  The Stock Option
may be exercised only with respect to full shares, and no fractional share of
stock shall be issued.

 

7.                                       Manner
of Exercise.  Subject to such
administrative regulations as the Committee may from time to time adopt, the
Stock Option may be exercised by the delivery of written notice to the
Committee setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to
which the Stock Option is to be exercised, the date of exercise thereof (the
“Exercise Date”) which shall be at least three (3) days after giving such
notice unless an earlier time shall have been mutually agreed upon.  On the Exercise Date, the Participant shall
deliver to the Company consideration with a value equal to the total Option
Price of the shares to be purchased, payable as follows:  (a) cash, check, bank draft, or money order
payable to the order of the Company, (b) Common Stock (including Restricted
Stock) owned by the Participant on the Exercise Date, valued at its Fair Market
Value on the Exercise Date, and which the Participant has not acquired from the
Company within six (6) months prior to the Exercise Date, (c) if the Optioned
Shares are no longer Nonpublicly Traded, by delivery (including by FAX) to the
Company or its designated agent of an executed irrevocable option exercise form
together with irrevocable instructions from the Participant to a broker or
dealer, reasonably acceptable to the Company, to sell certain of the shares of
Common Stock purchased upon exercise of the Stock Option or to pledge such
shares as collateral for a loan and promptly deliver to the Company the amount
of sale or loan proceeds necessary to pay such purchase price, and/or (d) in
any other form of valid consideration that is acceptable to the Committee in
its sole discretion.  In the event that
shares of Restricted Stock are tendered as consideration for the exercise of a
Stock Option, a number of shares of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of
the Stock Option with an Option Price equal to the value of Restricted Stock
used as consideration therefor shall be subject to the same restrictions and
provisions as the Restricted Stock so tendered.  For example, if 250 shares of Restricted Stock valued at $2.00
per share are used to purchase 500 Optioned Shares at an Option Price of $1.00
per share, all 500 Optioned Shares shall be Restricted Stock.

 

Subject to Section 3.c. hereof,
Upon payment of all amounts due from the Participant, the Company shall cause
certificates for the Optioned Shares then being purchased to be delivered to
the Participant (or the person exercising the Participant’s Stock Option in the
event of his death) at its principal business office within ten (10) business
days after the Exercise Date. The obligation of the Company to deliver shares
of Common Stock shall, however, be subject to the condition that if at any time
the Company shall determine in its discretion that the listing, registration,
or qualification of the Stock Option or the Optioned Shares upon any securities
exchange or under any state or federal law, or the consent or approval of any
governmental regulatory body, is necessary as a condition of, or in connection
with, the Stock Option or the issuance or purchase of shares of Common Stock
thereunder, then the Stock Option may not be exercised in whole or in part
unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent, or approval shall
have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not reasonably acceptable
to the Committee.

 

If the Participant fails to pay for any of the
Optioned Shares specified in such notice or fails to accept delivery thereof,
then the Stock Option, and right to purchase such Optioned Shares may be
forfeited by the Company.

 

8.                                       Nonassignability.

 

a.                                       The
Stock Option is not assignable or transferable by the Participant except by
will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

4

 

b.                                      Except
as provided for in Section 7 hereof, no Restricted Stock, or interests
therein, may be sold, assigned, transferred (whether or not for consideration),
registered for transfer, given, donated, subjected to an option to purchase,
pledged, encumbered, hypothecated, or in any manner disposed of, or subjected
to an agreement to do any of the foregoing, by the Participant except by will
or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

9.                                       Rights
as Stockholder.  The Participant
will have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares covered by the
Stock Option until the issuance of a certificate or certificates to the
Participant for the Optioned Shares. 
The Optioned Shares shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement regarding such Shares.  Except
as otherwise provided in Section 10 hereof, no adjustment shall be made
for dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the
issuance of such certificate or certificates.

 

10.                                 Adjustment
of Number of Optioned Shares and Related Matters.  The number of shares of Common Stock covered by the Stock Option,
and the Option Prices thereof, shall be subject to adjustment in accordance
with Articles 11 - 13 of the Plan.

 

11.                                 Nonqualified
Stock Option.  The Stock Option
shall not be treated as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

12.                                 Voting.  The Participant, as record holder of some or
all of the Optioned Shares following exercise of this Stock Option, has the
exclusive right to vote, or consent with respect to, such Optioned Shares until
such time as the Optioned Shares are transferred in accordance with this
Agreement or a proxy is granted pursuant to Section 13 below; provided,
however, that this Section shall not create any voting right where the
holders of such Optioned Shares otherwise have no such right.

 

13.                                 Proxies.  The Participant shall execute an irrevocable
proxy with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock authorizing the Board to
vote such shares on all issues until the earlier of (i) the expiration of the
Restriction Period, or (ii) the date the Restricted Stock is no longer
Nonpublicly Traded.  Subject to the
foregoing provisions of this Section, the Participant may not grant a proxy to
any person, other than a revocable proxy not to exceed 30 days in duration
granted to another stockholder for the sole purpose of voting for directors of
the Company.

 

14.                                 Community
Property.  Each spouse individually
is bound by, and such spouse’s interest, if any, in any Optioned Shares is
subject to, the terms of this Agreement. 
Nothing in this Agreement shall create a community property interest
where none otherwise exists.

 

15.                                 Dispute
Resolution.

 

a.                                       Arbitration.                                  All
disputes and controversies of every kind and nature between any parties hereto
arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the transactions
described herein as to the construction, validity, interpretation or meaning,
performance, non-performance, enforcement, operation or breach, shall be
submitted to arbitration pursuant to the following procedures:

 

i.                                          After
a dispute or controversy arises, any party may, in a written notice delivered
to the other parties to the dispute, demand such arbitration.  Such notice shall designate the name of the
arbitrator (who shall be an impartial person) appointed by such party demanding
arbitration, together with a statement of the matter in controversy.

 

5

 

ii.                                       Within
30 days after receipt of such demand, the other parties shall, in a written
notice delivered to the first party, name such parties’ arbitrator (who shall
be an impartial person).  If such
parties fail to name an arbitrator, then the second arbitrator shall be named
by the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”).  The two arbitrators so selected shall name a
third arbitrator (who shall be an impartial person) within 30 days, or in lieu
of such agreement on a third arbitrator by the two arbitrators so appointed,
the third arbitrator shall be appointed by the AAA.  If any arbitrator appointed hereunder shall die, resign, refuse
or become unable to act before an arbitration decision is rendered, then the
vacancy shall be filled by the method set forth in this Section for the
original appointment of such arbitrator.

 

iii.                                    Each
party shall bear its own arbitration costs and expenses.  The arbitration hearing shall be held in
Dallas, Texas at a location designated by a majority of the arbitrators.  The Commercial Arbitration Rules of the
American Arbitration Association shall be incorporated by reference at such
hearing and the substantive laws of the State of Texas (excluding conflict of
laws provisions) shall apply.

 

iv.                                   The
arbitration hearing shall be concluded within ten (10) days unless otherwise
ordered by the arbitrators and the written award thereon shall be made within
fifteen (15) days after the close of submission of evidence.  An award rendered by a majority of the
arbitrators appointed pursuant to this Agreement shall be final and binding on
all parties to the proceeding, shall resolve the question of costs of the
arbitrators and all related matters, and judgment on such award may be entered
and enforced by either party in any court of competent jurisdiction.

 

v.                                      Except
as set forth in Section 15.b., the parties stipulate that the provisions
of this Section shall be a complete defense to any suit, action or proceeding
instituted in any federal, state or local court or before any administrative
tribunal with respect to any controversy or dispute arising out of this
Agreement or the transactions described herein.  The arbitration provisions hereof shall, with respect to such
controversy or dispute, survive the termination or expiration of this
Agreement.

 

No party to an arbitration may disclose the existence
or results of any arbitration hereunder without the prior written consent of
the other parties; nor will any party to an arbitration disclose to any third
party any confidential information disclosed by any other party to an
arbitration in the course of an arbitration hereunder without the prior written
consent of such other party.

 

b.                                      Emergency
Relief.  Notwithstanding anything in
this Section 15 to the contrary, any party may seek from a court any
provisional remedy that may be necessary to protect any rights or property of
such party pending the establishment of the arbitral tribunal or its
determination of the merits of the controversy or to enforce a party’s rights
under Section 15.

 

16.                                 Participant’s
Representations.  Notwithstanding
any of the provisions hereof, the Participant hereby agrees that he will not exercise
the Stock Option granted hereby, and that the Company will not be obligated to
issue any shares to the Participant hereunder, if the exercise thereof or the
issuance of such shares shall constitute a violation by the Participant or the
Company of any provision of any law or regulation of any governmental
authority.  Any determination in this
connection by the Company shall be final, binding, and conclusive.  The obligations of the Company and the
rights of the Participant are subject to all applicable laws, rules, and
regulations.

 

6

 

17.                                 Investment
Representation.  Unless the Common
Stock is issued to him in a transaction registered under applicable federal and
state securities laws, by his execution hereof, the Participant represents and
warrants to the Company that all Common Stock which may be purchased hereunder
will be acquired by the Participant for investment purposes for his own account
and not with any intent for resale or distribution in violation of federal or
state securities laws.  Unless the
Common Stock is issued to him in a transaction registered under the applicable
federal and state securities laws, all certificates issued with respect to the
Common Stock shall bear an appropriate restrictive investment legend and shall
be held indefinitely, unless they are subsequently registered under the
applicable federal and state securities laws or the Participant obtains an
opinion of counsel, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company and its
counsel, that such registration is not required.

 

18.                                 Legend.  The following legend shall be placed on all
certificates representing Optioned Shares:

 

“The shares evidenced by this certificate are subject
to a Stock Option Agreement containing certain rights and limitations on
transfer.  A copy of that agreement is
on file at the principal place of business or the registered office of the
Company, and a copy may be obtained without charge upon written request to the
Company at its principal place of business or its registered office.”

 

All Optioned Shares and shares into which Optioned
Shares may be converted owned by the Participant shall be subject to the terms
of this Agreement and shall be represented by a certificate or certificates
bearing the foregoing legend.

 

19.                                 Lock-up
Agreement.  The Participant agrees
that in connection with any underwritten public offering of Common Stock, the
Optioned Shares may not be sold, offered for sale, pledged or otherwise
disposed of or transferred without the prior written consent of the Company or
the principal underwriter managing such public offering, as the case may be,
for at least sixty (60) days after the effectiveness of the registration
statement filed in connection with such offering, or such longer period of time
as the Board of Directors or the principal underwriter may determine, if all of
the Company’s directors and officers agree to be similarly bound.  In the event of the declaration of a stock
dividend, a spin-off, a stock split, an adjustment in conversion ratio, a
recapitalization or a similar transaction affecting the Company’s outstanding
securities without receipt of consideration, any new, substituted or additional
securities which are by reason of such transaction distributed with respect to any
Optioned Shares subject to this Section 19 or into which such Optioned
Shares thereby become convertible shall immediately be subject to this Section
19.  Appropriate adjustments to
reflect the distribution of such securities or property shall be made to the
number and/or class of the Optioned Shares subject to this Section 19.  The obligations under this Section 19
shall remain effective for all underwritten public offerings with respect to
which the Company has filed a registration statement on or before the date five
(5) years after the closing of the Company’s initial public offering, provided,
however, that this Section 19 shall cease to apply to any Optioned
Shares sold to the public pursuant to an effective registration statement or an
exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in a
transaction that complied with the terms of this Agreement.

 

20.                                 Participant’s
Acknowledgments.  The Participant
acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan, which is annexed hereto, and
represents that he or she is familiar with the terms and provisions thereof,
and hereby accepts this Option subject to all the terms and provisions thereof.
The Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all
decisions or interpretations of the Committee or the Board, as appropriate,
upon any questions arising under the Plan or this Agreement.

 

7

 

21.                                 Law
Governing.  This Agreement shall be
governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State
of Delaware (excluding any conflict of laws rule or principle of Delaware law
that might refer the governance, construction, or interpretation of this
agreement to the laws of another state).

 

22.                                 No
Right to Continue Service or Employment. 
Nothing herein shall be construed to confer upon the Participant the
right to continue in the employ or to provide services to the Company or any
Subsidiary, whether as an employee or as a consultant or as an Outside
Director, or interfere with or restrict in any way the right of the Company or
any Subsidiary to discharge the Participant as an employee, consultant or
Outside Director at any time.

 

23.                                 Legal
Construction.  In the event that any
one or more of the terms, provisions, or agreements that are contained in this
Agreement shall be held by a Court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
illegal, or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the invalid, illegal,
or unenforceable term, provision, or agreement shall not affect any other term,
provision, or agreement that is contained in this Agreement and this Agreement
shall be construed in all respects as if the invalid, illegal, or unenforceable
term, provision, or agreement had never been contained herein.

 

24.                                 Covenants
and Agreements as Independent Agreements. Each of the covenants and
agreements that is set forth in this Agreement shall be construed as a covenant
and agreement independent of any other provision of this Agreement.  The existence of any claim or cause of
action of the Participant against the Company, whether predicated on this
Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by
the Company of the covenants and agreements that are set forth in this
Agreement.

 

25.                                 Entire
Agreement.  This Agreement together
with the Plan supersede any and all other prior understandings and agreements,
either oral or in writing, between the parties with respect to the subject
matter hereof and constitute the sole and only agreements between the parties
with respect to the said subject matter. 
All prior negotiations and agreements between the parties with respect
to the subject matter hereof are merged into this Agreement.  Each party to this Agreement acknowledges
that no representations, inducements, promises, or agreements, orally or
otherwise, have been made by any party or by anyone acting on behalf of any
party, which are not embodied in this Agreement or the Plan and that any
agreement, statement or promise that is not contained in this Agreement or the
Plan shall not be valid or binding or of any force or effect.

 

26.                                 Parties
Bound.  The terms, provisions, and
agreements that are contained in this Agreement shall apply to, be binding
upon, and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective heirs, executors,
administrators, legal representatives, and permitted successors and assigns,
subject to the limitation on assignment expressly set forth herein. No person
or entity shall be permitted to acquire any Optioned Shares without first
executing and delivering an agreement in the form satisfactory to the Company
making such person or entity subject to the restrictions on transfer contained
herein.

 

27.                                 Modification.  No change or modification of this Agreement
shall be valid or binding upon the parties unless the change or modification is
in writing and signed by the parties. 
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Company may amend the Plan
or revoke this Stock Option to the extent permitted by the Plan.

 

28.                                 Headings.  The headings that are used in this Agreement
are used for reference and convenience purposes only and do not constitute
substantive matters to be considered in construing the terms and provisions of
this Agreement.

 

8

 

29.                                 Gender
and Number.  Words of any gender
used in this Agreement shall be held and construed to include any other gender,
and words in the singular number shall be held to include the plural, and vice
versa, unless the context requires otherwise.

 

30.                                 Notice.  Any notice required or permitted to be
delivered hereunder shall be deemed to be delivered only when actually received
by the Company or by the Participant, as the case may be, at the addresses set
forth below, or at such other addresses as they have theretofore specified by
written notice delivered in accordance herewith:

 

a.                                       Notice
to the Company shall be addressed and delivered as follows:

 

	
   

  
	
   

  
	
   

  
	
  Attn:

  	
   

  
	
  Facsimile:

  	
   

  
			

 

b.                                      Notice
to the Participant shall be addressed and delivered as set forth on the
signature page.

 

31.                                 Tax
Requirements.  The Participant is
hereby advised to consult immediately with his or her own tax advisor regarding
the tax consequences of this Agreement, the availability, method, and timing
for filing an election to include income arising from this Agreement into the
Participant’s gross income under Section 83(b) of the Code, and the tax
consequences of such election.  By
execution of this Agreement, the Participant agrees that if the Participant
makes such an election, the Participant shall provide the Company with written
notice of such election in accordance with the regulations promulgated under
Code Section 83(b).  The Company or, if
applicable, any Subsidiary (for purposes of this Section 31, the term “Company” shall be
deemed to include any applicable Subsidiary), shall have the right to deduct
from all amounts hereunder paid in cash or other form, any Federal, state,
local, or other taxes required by law to be withheld in connection with this
Award.  The Company may, in its sole
discretion, also require the Participant receiving shares of Common Stock
issued under the Plan to pay the Company the amount of any taxes that the
Company is required to withhold in connection with the Participant’s income
arising with respect to this Award. 
Such payments shall be required to be made when requested by the Company
and may be required to be made prior to the delivery of any certificate
representing shares of Common Stock. 
Such payment may be made (i) by the delivery of cash to the Company in
an amount that equals or exceeds (to avoid the issuance of fractional shares
under (iii) below) the required tax withholding obligations of the Company;
(ii) if the Company, in its sole discretion, so consents in writing, the actual
delivery by the exercising Participant to the Company of shares of Common Stock
other than (A) Restricted Stock or (B) Common Stock that the Participant has
not acquired from the Company within six (6) months prior to the date of
exercise, which shares so delivered have an aggregate Fair Market Value that
equals or exceeds (to avoid the issuance of fractional shares under (iii)
below) the required tax withholding payment; (iii) if the Company, in its sole
discretion, so consents in writing, the Company’s withholding of a number of
shares to be delivered upon the exercise of the Stock Option other than shares
that will constitute Restricted Stock, which shares so withheld have an
aggregate fair market value that equals (but does not exceed) the required tax
withholding payment; or (iv) any combination of (i), (ii), or (iii).  The Company may, in its sole discretion,
withhold any such taxes from any other cash remuneration otherwise paid by the
Company to the Participant.

 

* * * * * * * *

 

9

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this
Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officer, and the Participant,
to evidence his consent and approval of all the terms hereof, has duly executed
this Agreement, as of the date specified in Section 1 hereof.

 

	
   

  	
  COMPANY:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  AVAILENT
  FINANCIAL, INC.,

  a Delaware corporation

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  By:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Name:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Title:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  PARTICIPANT:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  /s/

  
	
   

  	
  Signature

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Name:  JASON
  NICHOLS

  
	
   

  	
  Address:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Witness:

  	
   

  
									

 

10

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00052-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00052-of-00352.parquet"}]]