Document:

Guarantee Agreement

 Exhibit 10.8 
  

  
 GUARANTEE AGREEMENT 
  
 by and between

  
 NORTH STATE BANCORP 
  
 and 
  
 WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY 
  
 Dated as of December 15, 2005 
  

 GUARANTEE AGREEMENT 
  
 This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “Guarantee”), dated as of December 15, 2005, is executed and delivered by
North State Bancorp, a North Carolina corporation (the “Guarantor”), and Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation, as trustee (the “Guarantee Trustee”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time
to time of the Capital Securities (as defined herein) of North State Statutory Trust II, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Issuer”). 
  
 WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”), dated as of the date hereof among Wilmington Trust
Company, not in its individual capacity but solely as institutional trustee, the administrators of the Issuer named therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the holders from time to time of undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer,
the Issuer is issuing on the date hereof those undivided beneficial interests, having an aggregate liquidation amount of $5,000,000.00 (the “Capital Securities”); and 
  
 WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Capital Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and
unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth in this Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of Capital Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein; 

 
 NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of the
Capital Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders. 
  
 ARTICLE I 
  
 DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION 
  
 Section 1.1. Definitions and Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires: 
  
 (a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee but not defined in the preamble
above have the respective meanings assigned to them in this Section 1.1; 
  
 (b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee has the same meaning throughout; 
  
 (c) all references to “the Guarantee” or “this Guarantee” are to this Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to
time; 
  
 (d) all references in this Guarantee to
“Articles” or “Sections” are to Articles or Sections of this Guarantee, unless otherwise specified; 
  
 (e) terms defined in the Declaration as at the date of execution of this Guarantee have the same meanings when used in this Guarantee, unless otherwise
defined in this Guarantee or unless the context otherwise requires; and 
  
 (f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa. 
  
 “Affiliate” has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder. 
  
 “Beneficiaries” means any Person to whom the Issuer is or
hereafter becomes indebted or liable. 

 “Capital Securities” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Guarantee.

  
 “Common Securities” means the common
securities issued by the Issuer to the Guarantor pursuant to the Declaration. 
  
 “Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Guarantee Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Guarantee Trustee shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which
office at the date of execution of this Guarantee is located at Rodney Square North, 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890-1600, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration. 
  
 “Covered Person” means any Holder of Capital Securities. 
  
 “Debentures” means the debt securities of the Guarantor
designated the Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due 2035 held by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the Issuer. 
  
 “Declaration Event of Default” means an “Event of Default” as defined in the Declaration.

  
 “Event of Default” has the meaning set forth
in Section 2.4(a). 
  
 “Guarantee Payments”
means the following payments or distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Capital Securities, to the extent not paid or made by the Issuer: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined in the Declaration) which are
required to be paid on such Capital Securities to the extent the Issuer shall have funds available therefor, (ii) the Redemption Price to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, with respect to any Capital Securities called for
redemption by the Issuer, (iii) the Special Redemption Price to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, with respect to Capital Securities redeemed upon the occurrence of a Special Event, and (iv) upon a voluntary or
involuntary liquidation, dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer (other than in connection with the distribution of Debentures to the Holders of the Capital Securities in exchange therefor as provided in the Declaration), the lesser of
(a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Capital Securities to the date of payment, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds available therefor, and (b) the amount of assets of the Issuer
remaining available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer (in either case, the “Liquidation Distribution”). 
  
 “Guarantee Trustee” means Wilmington Trust Company, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such
appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 “Guarantor” means North State Bancorp and each of its successors and assigns. 
  
 “Holder” means any holder, as registered on the books and
records of the Issuer, of any Capital Securities; provided, however, that, in determining whether the Holders of the requisite percentage of Capital Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder,
“Holder” shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor. 
  
 “Indemnified Person” means the Guarantee Trustee, any Affiliate of the Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees, custodians
or agents of the Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 “Indenture” means the Indenture dated as of the date hereof between the Guarantor and Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee, and any indenture 

  

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supplemental thereto pursuant to which the Debentures are to be issued to the institutional trustee of the Issuer. 
  
 “Issuer” has the meaning set forth in the opening paragraph
to this Guarantee. 
  
 “Liquidation Distribution”
has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Guarantee Payments” herein. 
  
 “Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities” means Holder(s) of outstanding Capital Securities, voting together as a class, but separately from the holders of Common Securities, of more
than 50% of the aggregate liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of all Capital
Securities then outstanding. 
  
 “Obligations”
means any costs, expenses or liabilities (but not including liabilities related to taxes) of the Issuer other than obligations of the Issuer to pay to holders of any Trust Securities the amounts due such holders pursuant to the terms of the Trust
Securities. 
  
 “Officer’s Certificate”
means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by one Authorized Officer of such Person. Any Officer’s Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

  
 (a) a statement that the officer signing the Officer’s
Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto; 
  
 (b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by the officer in rendering the Officer’s Certificate; 
  
 (c) a statement that the officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary
to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and 
  
 (d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of the officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with. 
  
 “Person” means a legal person, including any individual,
corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

  
 “Redemption Price” has the meaning set forth
in the Indenture. 
  
 “Responsible Officer”
means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Guarantee Trustee including any Vice President, Assistant Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee
customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and also, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officer’s
knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject. 
  
 “Special Event” has the meaning set forth in the Indenture. 
  
 “Special Redemption Price” has the meaning set forth in the Indenture. 
  

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 “Successor Guarantee Trustee” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the
qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 3.1. 
  
 “Trust Securities” means the Common Securities and the Capital Securities. 
  
 ARTICLE II 
  
 POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF 
 GUARANTEE TRUSTEE 
  
 Section 2.1. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (a) This Guarantee shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of
the Holders of the Capital Securities, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of Capital Securities exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 4.4(b) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee
on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, and such vesting and
cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (b) If an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing,
the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities. 
  
 (c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and after curing all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to
perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been waived pursuant to
Section 2.4) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise
thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs. 
  
 (d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent
failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that: 
  
 (i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred: 
  
 (A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions
of this Guarantee, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Guarantee
against the Guarantee Trustee; and 
  
 (B) in the
absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the
Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee; but in the 

  

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case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee
Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee; 
  
 (ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee
Trustee, unless it shall be proved that such Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee or the Guarantee Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made; 
  
 (iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with respect
to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the written direction of the Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting
any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or relating to the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee; and 
  
 (iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or
otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds is not
reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee or security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. 
  
 Section 2.2. Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee. 

 
 (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.1: 
  
 (i) The Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, and shall
be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties. 
  
 (ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officer’s
Certificate. 
  
 (iii) Whenever, in the
administration of this Guarantee, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically
prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and conclusively rely upon an Officer’s Certificate of the Guarantor which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor. 
  
 (iv) The Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see to any
recording, filing or registration of any instrument (or any re-recording, refiling or re-registration thereof). 
  
 (v) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection, and the advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal
matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any

  

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of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the
administration of this Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction. 
  
 (vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the
Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including attorneys’ fees and expenses and the expenses of the Guarantee Trustee’s agents, nominees or
custodians) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided, however, that nothing contained in this
Section 2.2(a)(vi) shall relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee. 
  
 (vii) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but
the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit. 
  
 (viii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or
through agents, nominees, custodians or attorneys, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder. 
  
 (ix) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents
hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Capital Securities, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority
of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action. 
  
 (x) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee the
Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Capital Securities, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in conclusively relying on or acting in
accordance with such instructions. 
  
 (xi) The
Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in good faith, without negligence, and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by
this Guarantee. 
  
 (b) No provision of this Guarantee shall be
deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it, in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal or in which the Guarantee
Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be
construed to be a duty. 
  

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 Section 2.3. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee. The
recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the statements of the Guarantor, and the Guarantee Trustee does not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Guarantee Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or
sufficiency of this Guarantee. 
  
 Section 2.4. Events of
Default; Waiver. 
  
 (a) An Event of Default under this
Guarantee will occur upon the failure of the Guarantor to perform any of its payment or other obligations hereunder. 
  
 (b) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities may, voting or consenting as a class, on behalf of the Holders of all of the
Capital Securities, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee, but no such waiver shall extend
to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. 
  
 Section 2.5. Events of Default; Notice. 
  
 (a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders of the Capital Securities and the Guarantor, notices of all
Events of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured before the giving of such notice, provided, however, that the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding
such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Capital Securities. 
  
 (b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event
of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice from the Guarantor or a Holder of the Capital Securities (except in the case of a payment default), or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee charged with the
administration of this Guarantee shall have obtained actual knowledge thereof. 
  
 ARTICLE III 
  
 GUARANTEE
TRUSTEE 
  
 Section 3.1. Guarantee Trustee;
Eligibility. 
  
 (a) There shall at all times be a
Guarantee Trustee which shall: 
  
 (i) not be an
Affiliate of the Guarantor, and 
  
 (ii) be a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, or Person authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined
capital and surplus of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or examination by Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least
annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority referred to above, then, for the purposes of this Section 3.1(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its
combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. 
  

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 (b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 3.1(a),
the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 3.2(c). 
  
 (c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act, the Guarantee Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to this Guarantee. 
  
 Section 3.2. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (a) Subject to Section 3.2(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the
Guarantor except during an Event of Default. 
  
 (b) The Guarantee
Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 3.2(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the
Guarantor. 
  
 (c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall
hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the
Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by an instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee
Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 3.2 within 60 days after delivery of an instrument of removal or resignation, the
Guarantee Trustee resigning or being removed may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a
Successor Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (e) No Guarantee Trustee shall be
liable for the acts or omissions to act of any Successor Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (f) Upon termination of this Guarantee or removal or resignation of the Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Section 3.2, the Guarantor shall pay to the Guarantee Trustee all amounts owing to the Guarantee Trustee
under Sections 7.2 and 7.3 accrued to the date of such termination, removal or resignation. 
  

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 ARTICLE IV 
  

GUARANTEE 
  
 Section 4.1. Guarantee. 
  
 (a) The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore
paid by the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense (except the defense of payment by the Issuer), right of set-off or counterclaim that the Issuer may have or assert. The Guarantor’s obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be
satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay such amounts to the Holders. 
  
 (b) The Guarantor hereby also agrees to assume any and all Obligations of the Issuer and in the event any such Obligation is not so assumed, subject to
the terms and conditions hereof, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Beneficiary the full payment, when and as due, of any and all Obligations to such Beneficiaries. This Guarantee is intended to be for the
benefit of, and to be enforceable by, all such Beneficiaries, whether or not such Beneficiaries have received notice hereof. 
  
 Section 4.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee and of any liability to
which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of
redemption and all other notices and demands. 
  
 Section 4.3.
Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

  
 (a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise,
of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Capital Securities to be performed or observed by the Issuer; 
  
 (b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any portion
of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Special Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any other sums payable under the terms of the Capital Securities or the extension of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of
or in connection with, the Capital Securities (other than an extension of time for payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Special Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other sum payable that results from the extension of any interest
payment period on the Debentures or any extension of the maturity date of the Debentures permitted by the Indenture); 
  
 (c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy
conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Capital Securities, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind; 
  

(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of
creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer; 
  

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 (e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Capital Securities; 
  
 (f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby or
hereby incurred; or 
  
 (g) any other circumstance whatsoever that
might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 4.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

  
 There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to,
or obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing. 
  
 Section 4.4. Rights of Holders. 
  
 (a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in
respect of this Guarantee or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee; provided, however, that (subject to Section 2.1) the Guarantee Trustee shall have the right to
decline to follow any such direction if the Guarantee Trustee being advised by counsel determines that the action or proceeding so directed may not lawfully be taken or if the Guarantee Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or trustees,
executive committees or a trust committee of directors or trustees and/or Responsible Officers shall determine that the action or proceedings so directed would involve the Guarantee Trustee in personal liability. 
  
 (b) Any Holder of Capital Securities may institute a legal proceeding
directly against the Guarantor to enforce the Guarantee Trustee’s rights under this Guarantee, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Issuer, the Guarantee Trustee or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy
to require that any such action be brought first against the Issuer, the Guarantee Trustee or any other Person before so proceeding directly against the Guarantor. 
  
 Section 4.5. Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of
collection. 
  
 Section 4.6.
Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of the Holders of Capital Securities against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee; provided,
however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in
all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee, if, after giving effect to any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the
Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders. 
  
 Section 4.7. Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of
the Issuer with respect to the Capital Securities and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to
in subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 4.3 hereof. 
  
 Section 4.8. Enforcement by a Beneficiary. A Beneficiary may enforce the obligations of the Guarantor contained in Section 4.1(b) directly against the Guarantor and the Guarantor waives any
right or remedy to require that any action be brought against the Issuer or any other person or entity 

  

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before proceeding against the Guarantor. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights (if any) of any Beneficiary against the Issuer in respect of any
amounts paid to the Beneficiaries by the Guarantor under this Guarantee; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights that
it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee, if at the time of any such payment, and after giving effect to such payment, any amounts are due and
unpaid under this Guarantee. 
  
 ARTICLE V 
  
 LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION 
  
 Section 5.1. Limitation of Transactions. So long as any
Capital Securities remain outstanding, if (a) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default or a Declaration Event of Default or (b) the Guarantor shall have selected an Extension Period as provided in the Declaration and
such period, or any extension thereof, shall have commenced and be continuing, then the Guarantor shall not and shall not permit any Affiliate to (x) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire, or make a
liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Guarantor’s or such Affiliate’s capital stock (other than payments of dividends or distributions to the Guarantor) or make any guarantee payments with respect to the foregoing or
(y) make any payment of principal of or interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities of the Guarantor or any Affiliate that rank pari passu in all respects with or junior in interest to the
Debentures (other than, with respect to clauses (x) and (y) above, (i) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other
similar arrangement with or for the benefit of one or more employees, officers, directors or consultants, in connection with a dividend reinvestment or stockholder stock purchase plan or in connection with the issuance of capital stock of the
Guarantor (or securities convertible into or exercisable for such capital stock) as consideration in an acquisition transaction entered into prior to the occurrence of the Event of Default, Declaration Event of Default or Extension Period, as
applicable, (ii) as a result of any exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s capital stock (or any capital stock of a subsidiary of the Guarantor) for any class or series of the Guarantor’s capital stock or of
any class or series of the Guarantor’s indebtedness for any class or series of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iii) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or
exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged, (iv) any declaration of a dividend in connection with any stockholders’ rights plan, or the issuance of rights, stock or other property under any
stockholders’ rights plan, or the redemption or repurchase of rights pursuant thereto, (v) any dividend in the form of stock, warrants, options or other rights where the dividend stock or the stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants,
options or other rights is the same stock as that on which the dividend is being paid or ranks pari passu with or junior to such stock and any cash payments in lieu of fractional shares issued in connection therewith, or (vi) payments
under this Guarantee). 
  
 Section 5.2.
Ranking. This Guarantee will constitute an unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to all present and future Senior Indebtedness (as defined in the Indenture) of the Guarantor.
By their acceptance thereof, each Holder of Capital Securities agrees to the foregoing provisions of this Guarantee and the other terms set forth herein. 
  

The right of the Guarantor to participate in any distribution of assets of any of its subsidiaries upon any such subsidiary’s liquidation or
reorganization or otherwise is subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary, except to the extent the Guarantor may itself be recognized as a creditor of that subsidiary. Accordingly, the Guarantor’s obligations under this
Guarantee will be effectively 

  

 11 

 
subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of the Guarantor’s subsidiaries, and claimants should look only to the assets of the Guarantor for
payments hereunder. This Guarantee does not limit the incurrence or issuance of other secured or unsecured debt of the Guarantor, including Senior Indebtedness of the Guarantor, under any indenture that the Guarantor may enter into in the future or
otherwise. 
  
 ARTICLE VI 
  
 TERMINATION 
  
 Section 6.1. Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate
as to the Capital Securities (i) upon full payment of the Redemption Price or Special Redemption Price of all Capital Securities then outstanding, (ii) upon the distribution of all of the Debentures to the Holders of all of the Capital
Securities or (iii) upon full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Declaration upon dissolution of the Issuer. This Guarantee will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder of
Capital Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the Capital Securities or under this Guarantee. 
  
 ARTICLE VII 
  
 INDEMNIFICATION 
  
 Section 7.1. Exculpation. 
  
 (a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any Covered Person for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such
Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Guarantee or by law, except that
an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person’s negligence or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions. 
  
 (b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good faith
upon the records of the Issuer or the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Issuer or the Guarantor by any Person as to matters the Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other
Person’s professional or expert competence and who, if selected by such Indemnified Person, has been selected with reasonable care by such Indemnified Person, including information, opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of
the assets, liabilities, profits, losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from which Distributions to Holders of Capital Securities might properly be paid. 
  
 Section 7.2. Indemnification. 
  
 (a) The Guarantor agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person for, and to
hold each Indemnified Person harmless against, any and all loss, liability, damage, claim or expense incurred without negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Indemnified Person, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or
administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including, but not limited to, the costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) of the Indemnified Person defending itself against, or investigating, any claim or liability in
connection with the exercise or performance of any of the Indemnified Person’s powers or duties hereunder. The obligation to indemnify as set forth in this Section 7.2 shall survive the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee and
the termination of this Guarantee. 
  

 12 

 (b) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person under this Section 7.2 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such Indemnified Person will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Guarantor under this Section 7.2, notify the Guarantor in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the
Guarantor (i) will not relieve the Guarantor from liability under paragraph (a) above unless and to the extent that the Guarantor did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the Guarantor of
substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the Guarantor from any obligations to any Indemnified Person other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) above. The Guarantor shall be
entitled to appoint counsel of the Guarantor’s choice at the Guarantor’s expense to represent the Indemnified Person in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the Guarantor shall not thereafter be responsible for the
fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the Indemnified Person or Persons except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person. Notwithstanding the
Guarantor’s election to appoint counsel to represent the Guarantor in an action, the Indemnified Person shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the Guarantor shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and
expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the Guarantor to represent the Indemnified Person would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any
such action include both the Indemnified Person and the Guarantor and the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other Indemnified Person(s) which are different from or additional
to those available to the Guarantor, (iii) the Guarantor shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or
(iv) the Guarantor shall authorize the Indemnified Person to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Guarantor. The Guarantor will not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Persons, settle or compromise or consent to the
entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the Indemnified Persons are actual or potential parties to
such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Person from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding. 
  
 Section 7.3. Compensation; Reimbursement of Expenses. The
Guarantor agrees: 
  
 (a) to pay to the Guarantee Trustee
from time to time such compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder as the parties shall agree to from time to time (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express
trust); and 
  
 (b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein,
to reimburse the Guarantee Trustee upon request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by it in accordance with any provision of this Guarantee (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and
disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or willful misconduct. 
  
 For purposes of clarification, this Section 7.3 does not contemplate the payment by the Guarantor of acceptance or annual administration fees owing
to the Guarantee Trustee for services to be provided by the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee or the fees and expenses of the Guarantee Trustee’s counsel in connection with the closing of the transactions contemplated by this Guarantee.
The provisions of this Section 7.3 shall survive the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee and the termination of this Guarantee. 
  

 13 

 ARTICLE VIII 
  
 MISCELLANEOUS 
  
 Section 8.1. Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee shall bind the successors, assigns,
receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities then outstanding. Except in connection with any merger or consolidation of the Guarantor with or into another entity or
any sale, transfer or lease of the Guarantor’s assets to another entity, in each case, to the extent permitted under the Indenture, the Guarantor may not assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Guarantee without the prior
approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities. 
  
 Section 8.2. Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders of the Capital
Securities in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required), this Guarantee may be amended only with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities. The
provisions of the Declaration with respect to amendments thereof apply to the giving of such approval. 
  
 Section 8.3. Notices. All notices provided for in this Guarantee shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall
be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows: 
  
 (a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of the Capital Securities and the Guarantor):

  
 Wilmington Trust Company 
 Rodney Square North 
 1100 North Market Street

 Wilmington, Delaware 19890-1600 
 Attention: Corporate Trust Administration 
 Telecopy: 302-636-4140 
  
 (b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the
Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders of the Capital Securities and to the Guarantee Trustee): 
  
 North State Bancorp 
 4270 The Circle at North
Hills 
 Raleigh, North Carolina 27614 
 Attention: Kirk A. Whorf 
 Telecopy: 866-828-0331 
  
 (c) If given to any Holder of the Capital Securities, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

  
 All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when
received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given,
such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver. 
  

 14 

 Section 8.4. Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Beneficiaries and,
subject to Section 2.1(a), is not separately transferable from the Capital Securities. 
  
 Section 8.5. Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF
(OTHER THAN SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW). 
  
 Section 8.6. Counterparts. This Guarantee may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. 
  
 Section 8.7. Separability. In case one or more of the
provisions contained in this Guarantee shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this Guarantee, but this Guarantee
shall be construed as if such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein. 
  
 Signatures appear on the following page 
  

 15 

 THIS GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year first above written. 
  

			
	 NORTH STATE BANCORP, as Guarantor

		
	By:	 	 
	 Name:
	 	 
	 Title:
	 	 
	
	WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, as Guarantee Trustee
		
	By:	 	 
	 Name:
	 	 
	 Title:
	 	 

  

 16Deferred Compensation Plan

 Exhibit 10.1 
  
 CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY 
  
 DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

  

	1.	Purpose 

  
 The purpose of the Central Garden & Pet Company Deferred Compensation Plan is to allow Eligible Employees of Central Garden & Pet
Company and its affiliates that adopt this Plan to defer the receipt of Compensation, to which such Eligible Employees would otherwise be entitled. The Plan is an unfunded nonqualified deferred compensation plan that is intended to qualify for the
“top-hat” exemptions provided in, and shall be implemented and administered in a manner consistent with, Sections 201, 301 and 401 of ERISA. Moreover, the Plan is intended to qualify with, and shall be implemented and administered in a
manner consistent with, Section 409A of the Code and any valid regulation promulgated thereunder and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing, or superseding such section or regulation.

  

	2.	Definitions 

  
 Whenever referred to in this Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below, except where the context indicates otherwise: 

 
 2.1 “Beneficiary” means the individual(s) or entity designated
by a Participant to receive any benefit payable upon the death of a Participant. 
  
 2.2 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. 
  
 2.3 “Company” means Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation. 
  
 2.4 “Compensation” means an Eligible Employee’s base salary and incentive bonuses. Compensation shall be
determined before taking into account any reduction in taxable income by salary deferral contribution under Code Section 125, 401(k) or under this Plan. 
  
 2.5 “Deferral” means the amounts credited to a Participant’s Savings Account under the Plan pursuant to their Deferral election made
pursuant to Section 3 of the Plan. 
  
 2.6
“Disability” or “Disabled” means either that the Participant (i) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result
in death or can be expected to lost for a continuous period of not less than 12 months or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment, which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a
continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Participant’s Employer. 
  
 2.7 “Distribution Event” means any one of the following:
(i) the Participant’s death, (ii) the Participant becoming Disabled, (iii) a Separation from Service, or (iv) the date specified by the Participant. 

 2.8 “Effective Date” means January 1, 2005 except as otherwise indicated herein. Any
amendments shall be effective immediately unless otherwise indicated. 
  
 2.9 “Eligible Employee” means a regular employee of an Employer who is selected for participation in the Plan by the Company in its sole discretion. The group of Eligible Employees for any Plan Year will be limited to, and may be
more restrictive than, the group of employees who are members of a select group of management or highly compensated employees (within the meaning of Sections 201(2), 301(a)(3) and 401(a)(1) of ERISA). An individual’s eligibility to participate
in the Plan for a Plan Year does not guarantee continued eligibility to participate in any future Plan Year. 
  
 2.10 “Employer” means the Company and any entity affiliated with the Company that, with the consent of the Company, adopts this Plan. A list of
participating Employers is attached as Exhibit A. 
  
 2.11
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. Reference to a specific section of ERISA shall include such section, any valid regulation promulgated thereunder and any comparable provision of any future
legislation or regulation amending, supplementing, or superseding such section or regulation. 
  
 2.12 “Key Employee” means an Eligible Employee who meets the criteria in Section 416(i) of the Code (without regard to paragraph 5). “Participant” means a current or former Eligible Employee
who has a Savings Account balance. 
  
 2.13
“Participant” means a current or former Eligible Employee who has a Savings Account balance. 
  
 2.14 “Payment Date” means the earliest of (i) the Participant’s death; (ii) the Participant’s Separation from Service,
provided, however, that if the Participant is a “Key Employee,” the Payment Date following a Separation from Service will be six months after the last day of such Participant’s employment with his or her Employer;
(iii) the Participant’s Disability; or (iv) upon the occurrence of a “change in event” as defined in Section 409A of the Code and guidance issued thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Participant’s also shall
be allowed to select a date certain as the “Payment Date” in accordance with rules established by the Committee. 
  
 2.15 “Plan” means this Deferred Compensation Plan. This Plan is an amendment and restatement of the Company’s Nonqualified Deferred
Compensation Agreement (the “Agreement”) and amounts deferred under that Agreement shall be adjusted in accordance with the terms of that Agreement as in effect on December 31, 2004. This amended and restated Plan is effective
January 1, 2005. 
  
 2.16 “Plan Year” means the
calendar year. 
  
 2.17 “Savings Account” means an
Employee’s bookkeeping account on the Employer’s books to which the Participant’s elective deferrals, and any earnings thereon, are credited. 
  
 2.18 “Separation from Service” means the Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company and all of its affiliated
entities. 
  

 2 

 2.19 “Unforeseeable Emergency” means the occurrence of any one or more of the following:
(i) a severe financial hardship to the Participant resulting from an illness or accident of the Participant, the Participant’s spouse or a dependent (as defined in Section 152(a) of the Code) of the Participant, (ii) the loss of
the Participant’s property due to casualty, or (iii) other similar extraordinary unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the Participant. 
  
 2.20 “Valuation Date” means each business day that the NASDAQ is open for business. 
  

	3.	Election to Defer 

  
 3.1 An Eligible Employee may elect to defer the receipt of Compensation in accordance with such limits as may be established by the Company . The decision
of each Eligible Employee to become a Participant shall be entirely voluntary. 
  
 3.2 An Eligible Employee may first elect to become a Participant with respect to base salary deferrals by making an irrevocable election to make such deferrals under this Section 3.2 on a such date as may
established by the Company which shall be no later than December 31, 2005. An Eligible Employee may elect to defer a bonus by making an irrevocable election before the beginning of the relevant fiscal year. If a bonus qualifies as a
“performance-based bonus” under Section 409A of the Code, an election to defer the bonus may be made until 90 days after the beginning of the relevant fiscal year. 
  
 3.3 When a person first becomes an Eligible Employee, he or she may elect to become a Participant for the Plan Year in which
he or she first became an Eligible Employee, by electing, within thirty (30) calendar days of the date first becoming an Eligible Employee, to make Deferrals under this Section 3.3 of the Plan. An election under this Section 3.3 to
make Deferrals shall be effective only for the remainder of the Plan Year (and the Company’s fiscal year in the case of the deferral of a bonus) with respect to which the election is made. 
  
 3.4 An Eligible Employee may elect to become a Participant (or to continue or
reinstate his or her active participation) in the Plan for any subsequent Plan Year by electing, no later than December 15th (or the next following business day) of the immediately preceding Plan Year, to make Deferrals under the Plan with
respect to his or her Compensation. An election under this Section 3.4 to make Deferrals shall be effective only for the Plan Year with respect to which the election is made. Bonus deferral elections must be made before the beginning of the
Company’s fiscal year unless the bonus qualifies as a performance-based bonus under Section 409A of the Code or the individual first becomes an eligible Employee. 
  
 3.5 An Eligible Employee who has become a Participant shall remain a Participant until his or her entire Savings Account
balance is distributed. 
  
 3.6 The Deferral election form shall
specify a whole percentage of Compensation to be deferred. The Eligible Employee must specify the Payment Date and the form of payment when completing the initial Deferral election form. If the Participant fails to specify a form of payment, then
his entire account balance shall be paid in a single lump sum. 
  
 3.7 The Deferral election form shall also specify the percentages of such Deferrals that are to receive investment performance attributable to each investment fund. A Participant may 

  

 3 

 
change his or her investment fund allocation percentages, both for current allocations and future allocations, by notifying the Company in accordance with
such procedures as may be established by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may establish a default initial measuring investment rate of return. 
  
 3.8 Deferrals shall be subject to such tax withholding as is required by applicable law. 
  

	4.	Change to Deferral Election 

  
 After the beginning of a Plan Year, a Participant shall not be permitted to change or revoke his or her Deferral election for such Plan Year, except to
the limited extent provided in Section 409A of the Code and guidance issued thereunder. 
  

	5.	Savings Account 

  
 5.1 Compensation deferred pursuant to Section 3 shall be credited to the Savings Account within 15 days of the date it otherwise would have been
paid. 
  
 5.2 The balance credited to each Savings Account shall
be credited on each Valuation Date with a return on investment (or charged with an investment loss). The measure of the investment return shall be equal to the proportionate pre-tax gain or loss the Participant’s directed investment would have
incurred if it had been invested in one or more of the investment fund(s) identified by the Company. In crediting gains or losses to each Savings Account, the Company may employ such accounting methods as the Company deems appropriate in order to
fairly reflect the fair market values of each investment fund. The Company may, but is not required to, actually invest the Participant’s Savings Account pursuant to his or her investment directions. Such directions shall be made in the manner
prescribed by the Company on or prior to the dates permitted by the Company. 
  

	6.	Payment of Savings Account 

  
 6.1 To receive distribution of a portion or all of a Savings Account, a Participant must comply with the rules prescribed by the Company and the terms of
this Plan. 
  
 6.2 A Participant’s Savings Account shall be
valued as of the applicable Payment Date, as defined in Section 2.14. A single lump-sum cash payment shall be made as soon as practicable, but not later than 60 business days after the Payment Date, unless the Participant elects to receive 5
years of substantially equal annual installments. The Participant may elect different forms of payment for a distribution on a specified date certain and for distributions on the occurrence of any other Distribution Event. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 6.2, distributions on account of a Participant’s death shall not be made prior to the date the Company, in its sole discretion, receives proper notice of the Participant’s death. All payments shall be
subject to reduction to reflect any withholding tax obligations imposed by law. 
  
 6.3 If an Employee dies before his or her Savings Account has been distributed, the unpaid balance shall be paid to the Beneficiary designated by the Participant. If no such Beneficiary has been designated, such
unpaid balance shall be paid to the Participant’s spouse living at the time of his or her death and if there is no surviving spouse, to the Participant’s estate. 
  

 4 

 6.4 Prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Event, distribution of the amounts credited to the
Participant’s Savings Account may be permitted only in the event of an Unforeseeable Emergency. The amount of any Unforeseeable Emergency distribution shall not exceed the amount necessary to satisfy such Unforeseeable Emergency (plus an amount
necessary to pay taxes reasonably anticipated as a result of the distribution) after taking into account the extent to which such Unforeseeable Emergency is or may be relieved through reimbursement or compensation by insurance (or otherwise) or by
liquidation of the Participant’s assets (to the extent such liquidation of assets would not itself cause a severe financial hardship). The Employee shall submit a written request to the Company which shall have sole discretion to determine
whether to make an Unforeseeable Emergency distribution from the Participant’s Savings Account, and to determine the amount of such distribution, if any. The Company’s decision on all withdrawals shall be final and binding on all
interested parties. 
  
 6.5 If the Participant has specified a
date certain as the Payment Date, the Participant may postpone such Payment Date, provided (i) that the new date certain the Participant specified is at least 5 years later than the prior specified date and (ii) that the change in
the specified date is made at least 12 months before the prior specified date. A change the date certain specified as the Payment Date under this Section 6.5 will be effective 12 months after it is made. A change in the form of payment (from
lump sum to installments or vice versa) must be made at least 12 months before payments are scheduled to begin and the payments in the new elected form may not begin for at least 5 years. 
  

	7.	Plan Administration 

  
 7.1 This Plan shall be adopted by each Employer and shall be administered by the Company. 
  
 7.2 This Plan may be amended in any way or may be terminated, in whole or in part, at any time, in the discretion of the
Company. No amendment or termination of the Plan shall adversely affect the amount in any Savings Account prior to or as of the effective date of such amendment or termination. 
  
 7.3 The Company shall have the sole authority, in its discretion, to adopt, amend and rescind such rules and regulations as
it deems advisable in the administration of the Plan, to construe and interpret the Plan, the rules and regulations, and deferral elections forms, and to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.
All decisions, determinations, and interpretations of the Company shall be binding on all persons. The Company has delegated its responsibilities with respect to the administration of the Plan to a committee which shall act on the Company’s
behalf. 
  

	8.	Funding Obligation 

  
 The Plan is unfunded, for tax purposes and for purposes of ERISA. However, the Employer may transfer all amounts credited to each Participant’s
Savings Account to an irrevocable grantor Trust to be held, administered and disposed of by the Trustees in accordance with the terms of this Plan. The principal of the trust, and any earnings thereon shall be held separate and apart from other
funds of the Employer and shall be used exclusively for the uses and purposes of Participants, and general creditors in the event of insolvency of the Company. Participants will have 

  

 5 

 
no preferred claim or beneficial interest in the assets of the trust and are general unsecured creditors of the Company with respect to deferrals hereunder.

  

	9.	Nonalienation of Benefits 

  
 No benefit under this Plan may be sold, assigned, transferred, conveyed, hypothecated, encumbered, anticipated, or otherwise disposed of, and any attempt
to do so shall be void. No such benefit shall, prior to receipt thereof by the Participant, be in any manner subject to the debts, contracts, liabilities, engagements, or torts of such Participant. 
  

	10.	Limitation of Rights 

  
 Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to limit in any way the right of any Employer to terminate a Participant’s employment at any time for any
reason; nor shall it be evidence of any agreement or understanding, express or implied, that any Employer (i) will employ a Participant in any particular position, (ii) will ensure participation in any incentive programs, or
(iii) will grant any awards under such programs. 
  

	11.	Applicable Law 

  
 This Plan shall be construed and its provisions enforced and administered in accordance with the requirements of ERISA. 

	

  
  

 6 

 EXHIBIT A 
  
 PARTICIPATING EMPLOYERS 
  

 7

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