Document:

Unassociated Document

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

by and between

 

FIRST COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC.

 

and

 

THE PURCHASER REFERRED TO HEREIN

 

Dated as of

 

May 20, 2011

  

  

  

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of May 20, 2011, by and among First Community Bancshares, Inc., a financial holding company and corporation organized in the State of Nevada (the “Company”), and each purchaser identified on the signature page hereto (each a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”).

 

This Agreement is made pursuant to the Stock Subscription Agreement, dated as of the date hereof between the Company and each Purchaser (the “Subscription Agreement”).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each of the Purchasers agree as follows:

 

1.           Definitions.  Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Subscription Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Subscription Agreement.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

“Advice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person.

 

“Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

 

“Business Day” means a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which banks in the Commonwealth of Virginia are open for the general transaction of business.

 

“Closing” has the meaning set forth in the Subscription Agreement.

 

“Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in the Subscription Agreement.

 

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Common Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon exercise of the Preferred Stock sold to Purchasers pursuant to the Subscription Agreement in a private placement conducted in accordance with Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506 of Regulation D thereunder.

 

“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, $1.00 par value per share, and any securities into which such shares of common stock may hereinafter be reclassified.

 

“Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

 

“Effective Date” means the date that the Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) is first declared effective by the Commission.

  

  

  

“Effectiveness Deadline” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or the New Registration Statement, the earlier of (i) the 90th calendar day following the filing of the Initial Registration Statement or New Registration Statement and (ii) the 5th Trading Day after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that such Registration Statement will not be “reviewed” or will not be subject to further review; provided, that if the Effectiveness Deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other day that the Commission is closed for business, the Effectiveness Deadline shall be extended to the next Business Day on which the Commission is open for business.

 

“Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Filing Deadline” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a), the 45th calendar day following the Closing Date, provided, that if the Filing Deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other day that the Commission is closed for business, the Filing Deadline shall be extended to the next Business Day on which the Commission is open for business.

 

“Holder” or “Holders” means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.

 

“Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).

 

“Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).

 

“Initial Registration Statement” means the initial Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) of this Agreement.

 

“Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).

 

“New Registration Statement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

“Preferred Stock” means the 6.00% Series A Noncumulative Convertible Preferred Stock of the Company.

 

“Principal Market” means the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is primarily listed on and quoted for trading, which, as of the Closing Date, shall be the NASDAQ Global Select Market.

 

“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

 

“Prospectus” means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.

  

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“Purchaser” or “Purchasers” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

 

“Registrable Securities” means all of the Common Shares and any securities issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the Common Shares, provided, that the Holder has completed and delivered to the Company a Selling Stockholder Questionnaire; and provided, further, that the Common Shares shall cease to be Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur of the following: (A) a sale pursuant to a Registration Statement or Rule 144 under the Securities Act (in which case, only such security sold shall cease to be a Registrable Security); (B) if such Common Shares become eligible for sale without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144(c)(1) (or Rule 144(i)(2), if applicable) and without volume or manner of sale restrictions by Holders who are not Affiliates of the Company; (C) if such Common Shares have ceased to be outstanding; or (D) if such Common Shares have been sold in a private transaction in which the Holder’s rights under this Agreement have not been assigned to the transferee.

 

“Registration Statements” means any one or more registration statements of the Company filed under the Securities Act that covers the resale of any of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation the Initial Registration Statement, the New Registration Statement and any Remainder Registration Statements), amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements, including post-effective amendments, all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Registration Statements.

 

“Remainder Registration Statement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

 

“Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

 

“Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

 

"SEC Guidance" means (i) any publicly-available written or oral guidance, comments, requirements or requests of the Commission staff and (ii) the Securities Act.

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Selling Stockholder Questionnaire” means a questionnaire in the form attached as Annex B hereto, or such other form of questionnaire as may reasonably be adopted by the Company from time to time.

 

“Subscription Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

  

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“Trading Day” means (i) a day on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and traded on its Principal Market (other than the OTC Bulletin Board), or (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed on a Trading Market (other than the OTC Bulletin Board), a day on which the Common Stock is traded in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the OTC Bulletin Board, or (iii) if the Common Stock is not quoted on any Trading Market, a day on which the Common Stock is quoted in the over-the-counter market as reported in the “pink sheets” by Pink Sheets LLC (or any similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices); provided, that in the event that the Common Stock is not listed or quoted as set forth in (i), (ii) and (iii) hereof, then Trading Day shall mean a Business Day.

 

“Trading Market” means whichever of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE Amex, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market, the NASDAQ Capital Market or OTC Bulletin Board on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question.

 

2.           Registration.

 

(a)           On or prior to the Filing Deadline, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities not already covered by an existing and effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 or, if Rule 415 is not available for offers and sales of the Registrable Securities, by such other means of distribution of Registrable Securities as the Company may reasonably determine (the “Initial Registration Statement”).  The Initial Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 (except if the Company is then ineligible to register for resale of the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on such other form available to the Company to register for resale of the Registrable Securities as a secondary offering) subject to the provisions of Section 2(e) and shall contain (except if otherwise required pursuant to written comments received from the Commission upon a review of such Registration Statement) the “Plan of Distribution” section substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex A.  Notwithstanding the registration obligations set forth in this Section 2, in the event the Commission informs the Company that all of the Registrable Securities cannot, as a result of the application of Rule 415, be registered for resale as a secondary offering on a single registration statement, the Company agrees to promptly (i) inform each of the Holders thereof and use its commercially reasonable efforts to file amendments to the Initial Registration Statement as required by the Commission and/or (ii) withdraw the Initial Registration Statement and file a new registration statement (a “New Registration Statement”), in either case covering the maximum number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered by the Commission, on Form S-3 or such other form available to the Company to register for resale the Registrable Securities as a secondary offering; provided, that prior to filing such amendment or New Registration Statement, the Company shall be obligated to use its commercially reasonable efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the SEC Guidance, including without limitation, Compliance and Disclosure Interpretation 612.09.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any SEC Guidance sets forth a limitation of the number of Registrable Securities or other shares of Common Stock permitted to be registered on a particular Registration Statement as a secondary offering (and notwithstanding that the Company used diligent efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all or a greater number of Registrable Securities), the number of Registrable Securities or other shares of Common Stock to be registered on such Registration Statement will be reduced on a pro rata basis.  In the event the Company amends the Initial Registration Statement or files a New Registration Statement, as the case may be, under clauses (i) or (ii) above, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the Commission, as promptly as allowed by Commission or SEC Guidance provided to the Company or to registrants of securities in general, one or more registration statements on Form S-3 or such other form available to the Company to register for resale those Registrable Securities that were not registered for resale on the Initial Registration Statement, as amended, or the New Registration Statement (the “Remainder Registration Statements”).  No Holder shall be named as an “underwriter” in any Registration Statement without such Holder’s prior written consent.

  

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(b)           The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause each Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as soon as practicable and, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or the New Registration Statement, as applicable, no later than the Effectiveness Deadline, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep each Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the earlier of (i) such time as all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been publicly sold by the Holders or (ii) the date that all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement may be sold by non-Affiliates without volume or manner of sale restrictions under Rule 144, without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirements under Rule 144(c)(1) (or Rule 144(i)(2), if applicable), as determined by counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and reasonably acceptable to the Company’s transfer agent and the affected Holders (the “Effectiveness Period”).  The Company shall request effectiveness of a Registration Statement as of 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Trading Day.  The Company shall promptly notify the Holders via facsimile or electronic mail of a “.pdf” format data file of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement within one (1) Business Day of the Effective Date. The Company shall, by 9:30 a.m., Eastern time, on the first Trading Day after the Effective Date, file a final Prospectus with the Commission, as required by Rule 424(b).

 

(c)           Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed Selling Stockholder Questionnaire not more than ten (10) Trading Days following the date of this Agreement. At least five (5) Trading Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of a Registration Statement for any registration under this Agreement, the Company will notify each Holder of the information the Company requires from that Holder other than the information contained in the Selling Stockholder Questionnaire, if any, which shall be completed and delivered to the Company promptly upon request and, in any event, within two (2) Trading Days prior to the applicable anticipated filing date.  Each Holder further agrees that it shall not be entitled to be named as a selling securityholder in the Registration Statement or use the Prospectus for offers and resales of Registrable Securities at any time, unless such Holder has returned to the Company a completed and signed Selling Stockholder Questionnaire and a response to any requests for further information as described in the previous sentence. If a Holder of Registrable Securities returns a Selling Stockholder Questionnaire or a request for further information, in either case, after its respective deadline, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts at the expense of the Holder who failed to return the Selling Stockholder Questionnaire or to respond for further information to take such actions as are required to name such Holder as a selling securityholder in the Registration Statement or any pre-effective or post-effective amendment thereto and to include (to the extent not theretofore included) in the Registration Statement the Registrable Securities identified in such late Selling Stockholder Questionnaire or request for further information. Each Holder acknowledges and agrees that the information in the Selling Stockholder Questionnaire or request for further information as described in this Section 2(c) will be used by the Company in the preparation of the Registration Statement and hereby consents to the inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement.

  

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(d)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, at any time after the Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission, the Company may delay the disclosure of material non-public information concerning the Company if the disclosure of such information at the time is not, in the good faith judgment of the Company, in the best interests of the Company (a “Grace Period”); provided, the Company shall promptly (i) notify the Holders in writing of the existence of material non-public information giving rise to a Grace Period (provided that the Company shall not disclose the content of such material non-public information to the Holders) or the need to file a post-effective amendment, as applicable, and the date on which such Grace Period will begin, (ii) use reasonable best efforts to terminate a Grace Period as promptly as practicable and (iii) notify the Holders in writing of the date on which the Grace Period ends; provided, further, that no single Grace Period shall exceed thirty (30) consecutive days, and during any three hundred sixty-five (365) day period, the aggregate of all Grace Periods shall not exceed an aggregate of sixty (60) days (each Grace Period complying with this provision being an “Allowable Grace Period”).   For purposes of determining the length of a Grace Period, the Grace Period shall be deemed to begin on and include the date the Holders receive the notice referred to in clause (i) above and shall end on and include the later of the date the Holders receive the notice referred to in clause (iii) above and the date referred to in such notice; provided, that no Grace Period shall be longer than an Allowable Grace Period.   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Company shall cause the Transfer Agent to deliver unlegended Common Stock to a transferee of a Holder in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which a Holder has entered into a contract for sale prior to the Holder’s receipt of the notice of a Grace Period and for which the Holder has not yet settled.

 

(e)           In the event that Form S-3 is not available for the registration of the resale of Registrable Securities hereunder, the Company shall (i) register the resale of the Registrable Securities on another appropriate form and (ii) undertake to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 promptly after such form is available, provided that the Company shall maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement then in effect until such time as a Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the Registrable Securities has been declared effective by the Commission.

 

3.           Registration Procedures

 

In connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder:

 

(a)           the Company shall not less than three (3) Trading Days prior to the filing of a Registration Statement and not less than one (1) Trading Day prior to the filing of any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K and any similar or successor reports), furnish to the Holder copies of such Registration Statement, Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, as proposed to be filed, which documents will be subject to the review of such Holder (it being acknowledged and agreed that if a Holder does not object to or comment on the aforementioned documents within such three (3) Trading Day or one (1) Trading Day period, as the case may be, then the Holder shall be deemed to have consented to and approved the use of such documents).  The Company shall not file any Registration Statement or amendment or supplement thereto in a form to which a Holder reasonably objects in good faith, provided that, the Company is notified of such objection in writing within the three (3) Trading Day or one (1) Trading Day period described above, as applicable.

  

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(b)           (i)  the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements, to each Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for its Effectiveness Period (except during an Allowable Grace Period); (ii) the Company shall cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement (subject to the terms of this Agreement), and, as so supplemented or amended, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (except during an Allowable Grace Period); (iii) the Company shall respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to any comments received from the Commission with respect to each Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and, as promptly as reasonably possible, provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to such Registration Statement that pertains to the Holders as “Selling Stockholders” but not any comments that would result in the disclosure to the Holders of material and non-public information concerning the Company; and (iv) the Company shall comply with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable Securities shall have been disposed of (subject to the terms of this Agreement) in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof as set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented; provided, that each Purchaser shall be responsible for the delivery of the Prospectus to the Persons to whom such Purchaser sells any of the Registrable Securities (including in accordance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act), and each Purchaser agrees to dispose of Registrable Securities in compliance with the plan of distribution described in the Registration Statement and otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws. In the case of amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement which are required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement (including pursuant to this Section 3(b)) by reason of the Company filing a report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K or any analogous report under the Exchange Act, the Company shall have incorporated such report by reference into such Registration Statement, if applicable, or shall file such amendments or supplements with the Commission on the same day on which the Exchange Act report which created the requirement for the Company to amend or supplement such Registration Statement was filed.

 

(c)           the Company shall notify the Holders (which notice shall, pursuant to clauses (iii) through (v) hereof, be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably practicable (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than two Trading Days prior to such filing, in the case of (iii) and (iv) below, not more than one Trading Day after such issuance or receipt, and in the case of (v) below, not more than one Trading Day after the occurrence or existence of such development) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one Trading Day following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed to be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on any Registration Statement (in which case the Company shall provide to each of the Holders true and complete copies of all comments that pertain to the Holders as a “Selling Stockholder” or to the “Plan of Distribution” and all written responses thereto, but not information that the Company believes would constitute material and non-public information); and (C) with respect to each Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information that pertains to the Holders as “Selling Stockholders” or the “Plan of Distribution;” (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose; and (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in a Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to such Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of such Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading.

  

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(d)           the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, as soon as practicable.

 

(e)           the Company shall, if requested by a Holder, furnish to such Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and each amendment thereto and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission; provided, that the Company shall have no obligation to provide any document pursuant to this clause that is available on the Commission’s EDGAR system.

 

(f)           the Company shall, prior to any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for the resale by the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.

 

(g)           the Company shall, cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement and under law, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holders may reasonably request.  Certificates for Registrable Securities free from all restrictive legends may be transmitted by the transfer agent to a Holder by crediting the account of such Holder’s prime broker with DTC as directed by such Holder.

 

(h)           the Company shall following the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(c)(iii)-(v), as promptly as reasonably practicable (taking into account the Company’s good faith assessment of any adverse consequences to the Company and its stockholders of the premature disclosure of such event), prepare and file a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to the affected Registration Statements or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, no Registration Statement nor any Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading.

 

(i)            the Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a certified statement as to (i) the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder and any Affiliate thereof, (ii) any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) affiliations, (iii) any natural persons who have the power to vote or dispose of the Common Stock and (iv) any other information as may be requested by the Commission, FINRA or any state securities commission.

  

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(j)           the Company shall cooperate with any registered broker through which a Holder proposes to resell its Registrable Securities in effecting a filing with FINRA pursuant to NASD Rule 2710 as requested by any such Holder and the Company shall pay the filing fee required for the first such filing within two (2) Business Days of the request therefor.

 

(k)          the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain eligibility for use of Form S-3 (or any successor form thereto) for the registration of the resale of Registrable Securities.

 

(l)           if requested by a Holder, the Company shall (i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement such information as the Company reasonably agrees should be included therein and (ii) make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment.

 

(m)         the Company shall otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including Rule 172, notify the Holders promptly if the Company no longer satisfies the conditions of Rule 172 and take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate the registration of the Registrable Securities hereunder; and make available to its securityholders, as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than the Availability Date (as defined below), an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve (12) months, beginning after the effective date of each Registration Statement, which earning statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act, including Rule 158 promulgated thereunder (for the purpose of this Section 3, “Availability Date” means the 45th day following the end of the fourth fiscal quarter that includes the effective date of such Registration Statement, except that, if such fourth fiscal quarter is the last quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, “Availability Date” means the 90th day after the end of such fourth fiscal quarter), in each case subject to extensions permissible under applicable law.

 

4.           Registration Expenses.  All fees and expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with its obligations under this Agreement (excluding any underwriting discounts and selling commissions and all legal fees and expenses of legal counsel for any Holder) shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement.  The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, (B) with respect to compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities and determination of the eligibility of the Registrable Securities for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as requested by the Holders) and (C) if not previously paid by the Company in connection with an Issuer Filing, with respect to any filing that may be required to be made by any broker through which a Holder intends to make sales of Registrable Securities with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110, so long as the broker is receiving no more than a customary brokerage commission in connection with such sale, (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the printing of prospectuses is reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses of the Company, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder.  In no event shall the Company be responsible for any underwriting, broker or similar fees or commissions of any Holder or any legal fees or other costs of the Holders.

  

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5.           Indemnification.

 

(a)           Indemnification by the Company.  The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, agents, general partners, managing members, managers, Affiliates and employees of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, general partners, managing members, managers,  agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable costs of preparation and investigation and reasonable attorneys' fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, that arise out of or are based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (A) such untrue statements, alleged untrue statements, omissions or alleged omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and approved by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that each Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), or (B) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(iii)-(v), related to the use by a Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated and defined in Section 6(d) below, but only if and to the extent that following the receipt of the Advice the misstatement or omission giving rise to such Loss would have been corrected.  The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement of which the Company is aware.  Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of an Indemnified Party (as defined in Section 5(c)) and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Holders.

  

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(b)           Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, arising out of or based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, or any form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading (i) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein or (ii) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and approved by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (iii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(iii)-(v), to the extent, but only to the extent, related to the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d), but only if and to the extent that following the receipt of the Advice the misstatement or omission giving rise to such Loss would have been corrected.  In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.

 

(c)           Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have materially and adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.

 

An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless:  (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest exists if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party; provided, that the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all Indemnified Parties.  The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned.  No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.

 

Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section 5(c)) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within twenty Trading Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees and expenses applicable to such actions for which such Indemnified Party is finally judicially determined to not be entitled to indemnification hereunder). The failure to deliver written notice to the Indemnifying Party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such Indemnifying Party of any liability to the Indemnified Party under this Section 5, except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is materially and adversely prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.

  

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(d)           Contribution.  If a claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission.  The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys' or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section 5(d) was available to such party in accordance with its terms.

 

The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 5 are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties and are not in diminution or limitation of the indemnification provisions under the Subscription Agreement.

 

6.           Miscellaneous.

 

(a)           Remedies.  In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder of any of their obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement.  The Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

(b)           No Piggyback on Registrations.  Neither the Company nor any of its securityholders may include securities of the Company in a Registration Statement hereunder and the Company shall not prior to the Effective Date enter into any agreement providing any such right to any of its securityholders.

  

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(c)           Compliance.  Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it (unless an exemption therefrom is available) in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement and shall sell the Registrable Securities only in accordance with a method of distribution described in the Registration Statement

 

(d)           Discontinued Disposition.  By its acquisition of Registrable Securities, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(c)(iii)-(v), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under a Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed.    The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to enforce the provisions of this paragraph.

 

(e)           No Inconsistent Agreements.  Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of its Affiliates, on or after the date hereof, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

 

(f)           Amendments and Waivers.  The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, or waived unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and Holders holding at least a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities, provided that any party may give a waiver as to itself.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given by Holders of all of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any such amendment, modification or waiver would adversely affect in any material respect any Holder or group of Holders who have comparable rights under this Agreement disproportionately to the other Holders having such comparable rights, such amendment, modification, or waiver shall also require the written consent of the Holder(s) so adversely affected.

 

(g)           Notices.  Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Subscription Agreement; provided that the Company may deliver to each Holder the documents required to be delivered to such Holder under Section 3(a) of this Agreement by e-mail to the e-mail addresses provided by such Holder to the Company solely for such specific purpose.

 

(h)           Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder.  Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and assigns any rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.  The Company may not assign its rights (except by merger or in connection with another entity acquiring all or substantially all of the Company’s assets) or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all the Holders of the then outstanding Registrable Securities.  Each Holder may assign its respective rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under the Subscription Agreement.

  

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(i)           Execution and Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart.  In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature were the original thereof.

 

(j)           Governing Law.  All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Subscription Agreement.

 

(k)           Cumulative Remedies.  The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any other remedies provided by law.

 

(l)           Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their good faith reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction.  It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

(m)          Headings.  The headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not limit or otherwise affect  the meaning hereof.

 

(n)           Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights.  The obligations of each Purchaser under this Agreement are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder.  The decision of each Purchaser to purchase the Common Shares pursuant to the Subscription Agreement has been made independently of any other Purchaser. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  Each Purchaser acknowledges that no other Purchaser has acted as agent for such Purchaser in connection with making its investment under the Subscription Agreement and that no Purchaser will be acting as agent of such Purchaser in connection with monitoring its investment in the Common Shares or enforcing its rights under the Subscription Agreement.  Each Purchaser shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose.  The Company acknowledges that each of the Purchasers has been provided with the same Registration Rights Agreement for the purpose of closing a transaction with multiple Purchasers and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Purchaser.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

	
FIRST COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC.

	  
	
By: 

	
  

	  	
Name:

	  	
Title:

  

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

	
NAME OF INVESTING ENTITY

	  
	
  

	  
	
AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY

	  
	
By: 

	
  

	  	
Name:

	  	
Title:

 

	
ADDRESS FOR NOTICE

	  	  
	
c/o:

	
  

	  	  
	
Street:

	
  

	  	  
	
City/State/Zip: 

	
  

	  	  
	
Attention:

	
  

	  	  
	
Tel:

	
  

	  	  
	
Fax:

	
  

	  	  
	
Email:

	
  

 

  

16Unassociated Document

Exhibit 10.1

Novelos Therapeutics, Inc.

AMENDED AND RESTATED

2006 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

SECTION 1. General Purpose of the Plan; Definitions

 

The purpose of this Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to encourage and enable officers and employees of, and other persons providing services to, Novelos Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) and its Affiliates to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company. It is anticipated that providing such persons with a direct stake in the Company’s welfare will assure a closer identification of their interests with those of the Company and its shareholders, thereby stimulating their efforts on the Company’s behalf and strengthening their desire to remain with the Company.

 

The following terms shall be defined as set forth below:

 

“Affiliate” means a parent corporation, if any, and each subsidiary corporation of the Company, as those terms are defined in Section 424 of the Code.

 

“Award” or “Awards”, except where referring to a particular category of grant under the Plan, shall include Incentive Stock Options, Non-Statutory Stock Options, Restricted Stock Awards, Unrestricted Stock Awards, Performance Share Awards and Stock Appreciation Rights. Awards shall be evidenced by a written agreement (which may be in electronic form and may be electronically acknowledged and accepted by the recipient) containing such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan as the Committee shall determine.

 

“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

“Cause” shall mean, with respect to any Award holder, a determination by the Company (including the Board) or any Affiliate that the Holder’s employment or other relationship with the Company or any such Affiliate should be terminated as a result of (i) a material breach by the Award holder of any agreement to which the Award holder and the Company (or any such Affiliate) are parties, (ii) any act (other than retirement) or omission to act by the Award holder that may have a material and adverse effect on the business of the Company, such Affiliate or any other Affiliate or on the Award holder’s ability to perform services for the Company or any such Affiliate, including, without limitation, the proven or admitted commission of any crime (other than an ordinary traffic violation), or (iii) any material misconduct or material neglect of duties by the Award holder in connection with the business or affairs of the Company or any such Affiliate.

 

“Change of Control” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15.

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor Code, and related rules, regulations and interpretations.

 

“Committee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.

 

“Disability” means disability as set forth in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.

 

“Effective Date” means the date on which the Plan is approved by the Board of Directors as set forth in Section 17.

 

“Eligible Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.

 

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“Fair Market Value” on any given date means the closing price per share of the Stock on such date as reported by such registered national securities exchange on which the Stock is listed, or, if the Stock is not listed on such an exchange, as quoted on NASDAQ; provided, that, if there is no trading on such date, Fair Market Value shall be deemed to be the closing price per share on the last preceding date on which the Stock was traded. If the Stock is not listed on any registered national securities exchange or quoted on NASDAQ, the Fair Market Value of the Stock shall be determined in good faith by the Committee.

 

  

  

  

“Incentive Stock Option” means any Stock Option designated and qualified as an “incentive stock option” as defined in Section 422 of the Code.

 

“Non-Employee Director” means any director who: (i) is not currently an officer of the Company or an Affiliate, or otherwise currently employed by the Company or an Affiliate, (ii) does not receive compensation, either directly or indirectly, from the Company or an Affiliate, for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity other than as a director, except for an amount that does not exceed the dollar amount for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Rule 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC, (iii) does not possess an interest in any other transaction for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Rule 404(a) of Regulation S-K, and (iv) is not engaged in a business relationship for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Rule 404(b) of Regulation S-K.

 

“Non-Statutory Stock Option” means any Stock Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

 

“Normal Retirement” means retirement in good standing from active employment with the Company and its Affiliates in accordance with the retirement policies of the Company and its Affiliates then in effect.

 

“Option” or “Stock Option” means any option to purchase shares of Stock granted pursuant to Section 5.

 

“Outside Director” means any director who (i) is not an employee of the Company or of any “affiliated group,” as such term is defined in Section 1504(a) of the Code, which includes the Company (an “Affiliated Group Member”), (ii) is not a former employee of the Company or any Affiliated Group Member who is receiving compensation for prior services (other than benefits under a tax-qualified retirement plan) during the Company’s or any Affiliated Group Member’s taxable year, (iii) has not been an officer of the Company or any Affiliated Group Member and (iv) does not receive remuneration from the Company or any Affiliated Group Member, either directly or indirectly, in any capacity other than as a director. “Outside Director” shall be determined in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code and the Treasury regulations issued thereunder.

 

“Performance Share Award” means an Award pursuant to Section 8.

 

“Restricted Stock Award” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 6.

 

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor authority.

 

“Stock” means the common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of the Company, subject to adjustments pursuant to Section 3.

 

“Stock Appreciation Right” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 9.

 

“Unrestricted Stock Award” means Awards granted pursuant to Section 7.

 

SECTION 2.  Administration of Plan; Committee Authority to Select Participants and Determine Awards.

 

(a)    Committee. It is intended that the Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Committee”), consisting of not less than two (2) persons each of whom qualifies as an Outside Director and a Non-Employee Director, but the authority and validity of any act taken or not taken by the Committee shall not be affected if any person administering the Plan is not an Outside Director or a Non-Employee Director. Except as specifically reserved to the Board under the terms of the Plan, and subject to any limitations set forth in the charter of the Committee, the Committee shall have full and final authority to operate, manage and administer the Plan on behalf of the Company.

 

  

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(b)    Powers of Committee. The Committee shall have the power and authority to grant and modify Awards consistent with the terms of the Plan, including the power and authority:

 

(i)    to select the persons to whom Awards may from time to time be granted;

 

(ii)    to determine the time or times of grant, and the extent, if any, of Incentive Stock Options, Non-Statutory Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Unrestricted Stock, Performance Shares and Stock Appreciation Rights, or any combination of the foregoing, granted to any one or more participants;

 

(iii)    to determine the number of shares to be covered by any Award;

 

(iv)    to determine and modify the terms and conditions, including restrictions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of any Award, which terms and conditions may differ among individual Awards and participants, and to approve the form of written instruments evidencing the Awards; provided, however, that no such action shall adversely affect rights under any outstanding Award without the participant’s consent;

 

(v)    to accelerate the exercisability or vesting of all or any portion of any Award;

 

(vi)    to extend the period in which any outstanding Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised; and

 

(vii)    to adopt, alter and repeal such rules, guidelines and practices for administration of the Plan and for its own acts and proceedings as it shall deem advisable; to interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan and any Award (including related written instruments); to make all determinations it deems advisable for the administration of the Plan; to decide all disputes arising in connection with the Plan; and to otherwise supervise the administration of the Plan.

 

All decisions and interpretations of the Committee shall be binding on all persons, including the Company and Plan participants. No member or former member of the Committee or the Board shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to this Plan.

 

SECTION 3.  Shares Issuable under the Plan; Mergers; Substitution.

(a)    Shares Issuable. The maximum number of shares of Stock which may be issued in respect of Awards (including Stock Appreciation Rights) granted under the Plan, subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in this Section 3, shall be 7,000,000 shares, subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in this Section 3. For purposes of this limitation, the shares of Stock underlying any Awards which are forfeited, cancelled, reacquired by the Company or otherwise terminated (other than by exercise) shall be added back to the shares of Stock with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan. Shares issued under the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares or shares reacquired by the Company.

 

(b)    Stock Dividends, Mergers, etc. In the event that after approval of the Plan by the stockholders of the Company in accordance with Section 17, the Company effects a stock dividend, stock split or similar change in capitalization affecting the Stock, the Committee shall make appropriate adjustments in (i) the number and kind of shares of stock or securities with respect to which Awards may thereafter be granted (including without limitation the limitations set forth in Sections 3(a) and (b) above), (ii) the number and kind of shares remaining subject to outstanding Awards, and (iii) the option or purchase price in respect of such shares. In the event of any merger, consolidation, dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Committee in its sole discretion may, as to any outstanding Awards, make such substitution or adjustment in the aggregate number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan and in the number and purchase price (if any) of shares subject to such Awards as it may determine and as may be permitted by the terms of such transaction, or accelerate, amend or terminate such Awards upon such terms and conditions as it shall provide (which, in the case of the termination of the vested portion of any Award, shall require payment or other consideration which the Committee deems equitable in the circumstances), subject, however, to the provisions of Section 15.

 

  

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(c)    Substitute Awards. The Committee may grant Awards under the Plan in substitution for stock and stock based awards held by employees of another corporation who concurrently become employees of the Company or an Affiliate as the result of a merger or consolidation of the employing corporation with the Company or an Affiliate or the acquisition by the Company or an Affiliate of property or stock of the employing corporation. The Committee may direct that the substitute awards be granted on such terms and conditions as the Committee considers appropriate in the circumstances.

 

SECTION 4.  Eligibility.

Awards may be granted to officers, directors and employees of, and consultants and advisers to, the Company or its Affiliates (“Eligible Persons”).

 

SECTION 5.  Stock Options.

The Committee may grant to Eligible Persons options to purchase stock.

 

Any Stock Option granted under the Plan shall be in such form as the Committee may from time to time approve.

 

Stock Options granted under the Plan may be either Incentive Stock Options (subject to compliance with applicable law) or Non-Statutory Stock Options. Unless otherwise so designated, an Option shall be a Non-Statutory Stock Option. To the extent that any option does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, it shall constitute a Non-Statutory Stock Option.

 

No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted under the Plan after the tenth anniversary of the date of adoption of the Plan by the Board.

 

The Committee in its discretion may determine the effective date of Stock Options, provided, however, that grants of Incentive Stock Options shall be made only to persons who are, on the effective date of the grant, employees of the Company or an Affiliate. Stock Options granted pursuant to this Section 5 shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Committee shall deem desirable.

 

(a)    Exercise Price. The exercise price per share for the Stock covered by a Stock Option granted pursuant to this Section 5 shall be determined by the Committee at the time of grant but shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of Fair Market Value on the date of grant. If an employee owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules applicable under Section 424(d) of the Code) more than ten percent (10%) of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any subsidiary or parent corporation and an Incentive Stock Option is granted to such employee, the option price shall be not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of Fair Market Value on the day immediately preceding the date of grant.

 

(b)    Option Term. The term of each Stock Option shall be fixed by the Committee, but no Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date the option is granted. If an employee owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than ten percent (10%) of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any subsidiary or parent corporation and an Incentive Stock Option is granted to such employee, the term of such option shall be no more than five (5) years from the date of grant.

 

(c)    Exercisability; Rights of a Shareholder. Stock Options shall become vested and exercisable at such time or times, whether or not in installments, as shall be determined by the Committee. The Committee may at any time accelerate the exercisability of all or any portion of any Stock Option. An optionee shall have the rights of a shareholder only as to shares acquired upon the exercise of a Stock Option and not as to unexercised Stock Options.

 

(d)    Method of Exercise. Stock Options may be exercised in whole or in part, by delivering written notice of exercise to the Company, specifying the number of shares to be purchased. Payment of the purchase price may be made by delivery of cash or bank check or other instrument acceptable to the Committee in an amount equal to the exercise price of such Options, or, to the extent provided in the applicable Option Agreement, by one or more of the following methods:

 

  

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(i)    by delivery to the Company of shares of Stock of the Company having a Fair Market Value equal in amount to the aggregate exercise price of the Options being exercised; or

 

(ii)    if the class of Stock is registered under the Exchange Act at such time, by delivery to the Company of a properly executed exercise notice along with irrevocable instructions to a broker to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check payable and acceptable to the Company for the purchase price; provided that in the event that the optionee chooses to pay the purchase price as so provided, the optionee and the broker shall comply with such procedures and enter into such agreements of indemnity and other agreements as the Committee shall prescribe as a condition of such payment procedure (including, in the case of an optionee who is an executive officer of the Company, such procedures and agreements as the Committee deems appropriate in order to avoid any extension of credit in the form of a personal loan to such officer). The Company need not act upon such exercise notice until the Company receives full payment of the exercise price; or

 

(iii)    by reducing the number of Option shares otherwise issuable to the optionee upon exercise of the Option by a number of shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to such aggregate exercise price of the Options being exercised; or

(iv)    by any combination of such methods of payment.

 

The delivery of certificates representing shares of Stock to be purchased pursuant to the exercise of a Stock Option will be contingent upon receipt from the Optionee (or a purchaser acting in his stead in accordance with the provisions of the Stock Option) by the Company of the full purchase price for such shares and the fulfillment of any other requirements contained in the Stock Option or imposed by applicable law.

 

(e)    Non-transferability of Options. Except as the Committee may provide with respect to a Non-Statutory Stock Option, no Stock Option shall be transferable other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and all Stock Options shall be exercisable, during the optionee’s lifetime, only by the optionee.

 

(f)    Annual Limit on Incentive Stock Options. To the extent required for “incentive stock option” treatment under Section 422 of the Code, the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time of grant) of the Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options granted under this Plan and any other plan of the Company or its Affiliates become exercisable for the first time by an optionee during any calendar year shall not exceed $100,000.

 

SECTION 6.  Restricted Stock Awards.

(a)    Nature of Restricted Stock Award. The Committee in its discretion may grant Restricted Stock Awards to any Eligible Person, entitling the recipient to acquire, for such purchase price, if any, as may be determined by the Committee, shares of Stock subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee may determine at the time of grant (“Restricted Stock”), including continued employment and/or achievement of pre-established performance goals and objectives.

 

(b)    Acceptance of Award. A participant who is granted a Restricted Stock Award shall have no rights with respect to such Award unless the participant shall have accepted the Award within sixty (60) days (or such shorter date as the Committee may specify) following the award date by making payment to the Company of the specified purchase price, if any, of the shares covered by the Award and by executing and delivering to the Company a written instrument that sets forth the terms and conditions applicable to the Restricted Stock in such form as the Committee shall determine.

 

(c)    Rights as a Shareholder. Upon complying with Section 6(b) above, a participant shall have all the rights of a shareholder with respect to the Restricted Stock, including voting and dividend rights, subject to non-transferability restrictions and Company repurchase or forfeiture rights described in this Section 6 and subject to such other conditions contained in the written instrument evidencing the Restricted Award. Unless the Committee shall otherwise determine, certificates evidencing shares of Restricted Stock Award shall remain in the possession of the Company until such shares are vested as provided in Section 6(e) below.

 

  

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(d)    Restrictions. Shares of Restricted Stock may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of except as specifically provided herein. In the event of termination of employment by the Company and its Affiliates for any reason (including death, Disability, Normal Retirement and for Cause), any shares of Restricted Stock which have not then vested shall automatically be forfeited to the Company.

 

(e)    Vesting of Restricted Stock. The Committee at the time of grant shall specify the date or dates and/or the attainment of pre-established performance goals, objectives and other conditions on which the non-transferability of the Restricted Stock and the Company’s right of forfeiture shall lapse. Subsequent to such date or dates and/or the attainment of such pre-established performance goals, objectives and other conditions, the shares on which all restrictions have lapsed shall no longer be Restricted Stock and shall be deemed “vested.” The Committee at any time may accelerate such date or dates and otherwise waive or, subject to Section 13, amend any conditions of the Award.

 

(f)    Waiver, Deferral and Reinvestment of Dividends. The written instrument evidencing the Restricted Stock Award may require or permit the immediate payment, waiver, deferral or investment of dividends paid on the Restricted Stock.

 

SECTION 7.  Unrestricted Stock Awards.

(a)    Grant or Sale of Unrestricted Stock. The Committee in its discretion may grant or sell to any Eligible Person shares of Stock free of any restrictions under the Plan (“Unrestricted Stock”) at a purchase price determined by the Committee. Shares of Unrestricted Stock may be granted or sold as described in the preceding sentence in respect of past services or other valid consideration.

 

(b)    Restrictions on Transfers. The right to receive unrestricted Stock may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

SECTION 8.  Performance Share Awards.

A Performance Share Award is an award entitling the recipient to acquire shares of Stock upon the attainment of specified performance goals. The Committee may make Performance Share Awards independent of or in connection with the granting of any other Award under the Plan. Performance Share Awards may be granted under the Plan to any Eligible Person. The Committee in its discretion shall determine whether and to whom Performance Share Awards shall be made, the performance goals applicable under each such Award (which may include, without limitation, continued employment by the recipient or a specified achievement by the recipient, the Company or any business unit of the Company), the periods during which performance is to be measured, and all other limitations and conditions applicable to the Award or the Stock issuable thereunder. Upon the attainment of the specified performance goal shares of Stock shall be issued pursuant to the Performance Share Award as soon as practicable thereafter, but in no event later than two and one-half months after the calendar year in which such performance goal is attained.

 

SECTION 9.  Stock Appreciation Rights.

The Committee in its discretion may grant Stock Appreciation Rights to any Eligible Person. A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the participant upon exercise thereof to receive from the Company, upon written request to the Company at its principal offices (the “Request”), a number of shares of Stock, a cash payment, or a combination of shares and cash (as provided in the Stock Appreciation Right) having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the product of (a) the excess of Fair Market Value, on the date of such Request, over the exercise price per share of Stock specified in such Stock Appreciation Right (which exercise price shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of Fair Market Value on the date of grant), multiplied by (b) the number of shares of Stock for which such Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercised.

 

  

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SECTION 10.  Termination of Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights.

(a)    Incentive Stock Options:

 

(i)    Termination by Death. If any participant’s employment by the Company and its Affiliates terminates by reason of death, any Incentive Stock Option owned by such participant may thereafter be exercised to the extent exercisable at the date of death, by the legal representative or legatee of the participant, for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of death, or until the expiration of the stated term of the Incentive Stock Option, if earlier.

 

(ii)    Termination by Reason of Disability or Normal Retirement.

 

(A)    Any Incentive Stock Option held by a participant whose employment by the Company and its Affiliates has terminated by reason of Disability may thereafter be exercised, to the extent it was exercisable at the time of such termination, for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of such termination of employment, or until the expiration of the stated term of the Option, if earlier.

 

(B)    Any Incentive Stock Option held by a participant whose employment by the Company and its Affiliates has terminated by reason of Normal Retirement may thereafter be exercised, to the extent it was exercisable at the time of such termination, for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of such termination of employment, or until the expiration of the stated term of the Option, if earlier.

 

(C)    The Committee shall have sole authority and discretion to determine whether a participant’s employment has been terminated by reason of Disability or Normal Retirement.

 

(iii)    Involuntary Termination without Cause. If any participant’s employment by the Company and its Affiliates has been terminated by the Company without Cause, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, any Incentive Stock Option held by such participant may thereafter be exercised, to the extent it was exercisable on the date of termination of employment, for ninety (90) days from the date of termination of employment or until the expiration of the stated term of the Option, if earlier.

 

(iv)    Termination for Cause. If any participant’s employment by the Company and its Affiliates has been terminated for Cause, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, any Incentive Stock Option held by such participant shall immediately terminate and be of no further force and effect.

 

(v)    Other Termination. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, if a participant’s employment by the Company and its Affiliates terminates for any reason other than death, Disability, or Normal Retirement, involuntary termination without Cause, or termination for Cause, any Incentive Stock Option held by such participant may thereafter be exercised, to the extent it was exercisable on the date of termination of employment, for thirty (30) days from the date of termination of employment or until the expiration of the stated term of the Option, if earlier.

 

(b)    Non-Statutory Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. Any Non-Statutory Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan shall contain such terms and conditions with respect to its termination as the Committee, in its discretion, may from time to time determine.

 

SECTION 11.  Tax Withholding and Notice.

(a)    Payment by Participant. Each participant shall, no later than the date as of which the value of an Award or of any Stock or other amounts received thereunder first becomes includable in the gross income of the participant for Federal income tax purposes, pay to the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Committee regarding payment of any Federal, state, local and/or payroll taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to such income. The Company and its Affiliates shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the participant.

 

  

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(b)    Payment in Shares. A Participant may elect, with the consent of the Committee, to have such tax withholding obligation satisfied, in whole or in part, by (i) authorizing the Company to withhold from shares of Stock to be issued pursuant to an Award a number of shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value (as of the date the withholding is effected) that would satisfy the withholding amount due with respect to such Award, or (ii) delivering to the Company a number of shares of Stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value (as of the date the withholding is effected) that would satisfy the withholding amount due.

 

(c)    Notice of Disqualifying Disposition. Each holder of an Incentive Option shall agree to notify the Company in writing immediately after making a disqualifying disposition (as defined in Section 421(b) of the Code) of any Stock purchased upon exercise of an Incentive Stock Option.

 

SECTION 12.  Transfer and Leave of Absence.

For purposes of the Plan, the following events shall not be deemed a termination of employment:

 

(a)    a transfer to the employment of the Company from an Affiliate or from the Company to an Affiliate, or from one Affiliate to another;

 

(b)    an approved leave of absence for military service or sickness, or for any other purpose approved by the Company, if the employee’s right to re-employment is guaranteed either by a statute or by contract or under the policy pursuant to which the leave of absence was granted or if the Committee otherwise so provides in writing; provided, that the vesting date or dates of any unvested Award held by such employee shall automatically be extended by a period of time equal to the period of such approved leave of absence.

 

SECTION 13.  Amendments and Termination.

 

The Board may at any time amend or discontinue the Plan and the Committee may at any time amend or cancel any outstanding Award for the purpose of satisfying changes in law or for any other lawful purpose, but no such action shall adversely affect rights under any outstanding Award without the holder’s consent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Board nor the Committee shall have the power or authority to decrease the exercise price of any outstanding Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right, whether through amendment, cancellation and regrant, exchange or any other means, except for changes made pursuant to Section 3(c).

 

This Plan shall terminate as of the tenth anniversary of its effective date. The Board may terminate this Plan at any earlier time for any reason. No Award may be granted after the Plan has been terminated. No Award granted while this Plan is in effect shall be adversely altered or impaired by termination of this Plan, except upon the consent of the holder of such Award. The power of the Committee to construe and interpret this Plan and the Awards granted prior to the termination of this Plan shall continue after such termination.

 

SECTION 14.  Status of Plan.

 

With respect to the portion of any Award which has not been exercised and any payments in cash, Stock or other consideration not received by a participant, a participant shall have no rights greater than those of a general creditor of the Company unless the Committee shall otherwise expressly determine in connection with any Award or Awards.

 

SECTION 15.  Change of Control Provisions.

 

(a)    Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control as defined in this Section 15:

 

(i)    subject to the provisions of clause (iii) below, after the effective date of such Change of Control, each holder of an outstanding Stock Option, Restricted Stock Award, Performance Share Award or Stock Appreciation Right shall be entitled, upon exercise of such Award, to receive, in lieu of shares of Stock (or consideration based upon the Fair Market Value of Stock), shares of such stock or other securities, cash or property (or consideration based upon shares of such stock or other securities, cash or property) as the holders of shares of Stock received in connection with the Change of Control;

 

  

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(ii)    the Committee may accelerate, fully or in part, the time for exercise of, and waive any or all conditions and restrictions on, each unexercised and unexpired Stock Option, Restricted Stock Award, Performance Share Award and Stock Appreciation Right, effective upon a date prior or subsequent to the effective date of such Change of Control, as specified by the Committee; or

 

(iii)    each outstanding Stock Option, Restricted Stock Award, Performance Share Award and Stock Appreciation Right may be cancelled by the Committee as of the effective date of any such Change of Control provided that (x) prior written notice of such cancellation shall be given to each holder of such an Award and (y) each holder of such an Award shall have the right to exercise such Award to the extent that the same is then exercisable or, in full, if the Committee shall have accelerated the time for exercise of all such unexercised and unexpired Awards, during the thirty (30) day period preceding the effective date of such Change of Control.

(b)    “Change of Control” shall mean the occurrence of any one of the following events:

 

(i)    any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) becomes, after the Effective Date of this Plan, a “beneficial owner” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, or any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; or

 

(ii)    the stockholders of the Company approve a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation or other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; or

 

(iii)    the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets.

 

SECTION 16.  General Provisions.

 

(a)    No Distribution; Compliance with Legal Requirements. The Committee may require each person acquiring shares pursuant to an Award to represent to and agree with the Company in writing that such person is acquiring the shares without a view to distribution thereof.

 

No shares of Stock shall be issued pursuant to an Award until all applicable securities laws and other legal and stock exchange requirements have been satisfied. The Committee may require the placing of such stop orders and restrictive legends on certificates for Stock and Awards as it deems appropriate.

 

(b)    Delivery of Stock Certificates. Delivery of stock certificates to participants under this Plan shall be deemed effected for all purposes when the Company or a stock transfer agent of the Company shall have delivered such certificates in the United States mail, addressed to the participant, at the participant’s last known address on file with the Company.

 

(c)    Other Compensation Arrangements; No Employment Rights. Nothing contained in this Plan shall prevent the Board from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, including trusts, subject to stockholder approval if such approval is required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases. The adoption of the Plan or any Award under the Plan does not confer upon any employee any right to continued employment with the Company or any Affiliate.

 

(d)    Lock-Up Agreement. By accepting any Award, the recipient shall be deemed to have agreed that, if so requested by the Company or by the underwriters managing any underwritten offering of the Company’s securities, the recipient will not, without the prior written consent of the Company or such underwriters, as the case may be, sell, make any short sale of, loan, grant any option for the purchase of, or otherwise dispose of any shares subject to any such Award during the Lock-up Period, as defined below. The “Lock-Up Period” shall mean a period of time not exceeding 180 days or, if greater, such number of days as shall have been agreed to by each director and executive officer of the Company in connection with such offering in a substantially similar lock-up agreement by which each such director and executive officer is bound. If requested by the Company or such underwriters, the recipient shall enter into an agreement with such underwriters consistent with the foregoing.

  

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SECTION 17.  Effective Date of Plan.

 

This Plan shall become effective upon its adoption by the Company’s Board of Directors. If the Plan shall not be approved by the shareholders of the Company within twelve months following its adoption, this Plan shall terminate and be of no further force or effect.

 

SECTION 18.  Governing Law.

 

This Plan shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the substantive laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws.

 

 

  

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