UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14a-101)

 

Information Required In Proxy Statement

 

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

 

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.    )

 

 

Filed by the Registrantx   Filed by a Party other than the Registrant¨

 

Check the appropriate box:

 

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¨  Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

 

x  Definitive Proxy Statement

 

¨  Definitive Additional Materials

 

¨  Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

 

 

 

ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO.


(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 

 

 

  


(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

 

 

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LOGO

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
2017
Proxy Statement and
Annual Meeting of Stockholders


 

LOGO

March 24, 2017

Dear Fellow Stockholder,

Thank you for your continued interest in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. On behalf of our Board of Directors, I invite you to attend the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. If you are not able to attend in person, we hope that you will vote by proxy. These proxy materials contain detailed information about the matters on which we are asking you to vote. We hope you will read these materials and then vote in accordance with the Board’s recommendations. Your vote is very important to us.

At Gallagher, sound corporate governance is an integral part of the way we do business. This year’s proxy statement reflects our continued focus on strong performance, an engaged and effective Board, transparent corporate governance structures and regular communication with our stockholders.

2016 Performance. We delivered outstanding financial and operational results in 2016, with strong growth in revenue, expanded margins, improved service quality and disciplined execution of ourtuck-in M&A strategy. During 2016, our combined brokerage and risk management operations’ revenues grew 5% to $4.25 billion, EBITAC grew 17% to $923.0 million, and our adjusted EBITDAC margin expanded by 49 basis points to 25.3%. Our clean energy investments also performed very well in 2016, generating $114 million of netafter-tax earnings. We continued to position the company for growth by investing in people and expanding our product capabilities around the world. I am pleased with our team’s performance and I am excited about our future.

Board Contributions to our Success. Our Board of Directors is comprised of a group of committed and highly qualified individuals who care deeply about our company and bring a diversity of experiences and perspectives to our Board deliberations. In 2016 we continued our commitment to best practices in corporate governance by electing David Johnson as our Lead Director. We also added Ralph Nicoletti as a director and member of the Audit Committee, continuing our commitment to board refreshment. Our directors’ diverse skill sets and independent thought leadership have been invaluable to me and the management team in establishing our long-term business strategy and executing on that strategy. I am grateful to all of our directors for their dedicated service and I encourage you to support each director nominee on this year’s ballot.

Commitment to Stockholder Engagement. Our Board values the feedback and insights gained from our engagement with stockholders. In 2016, in addition to our regular discussions with stockholders regarding our financial results, we engaged with stockholders representing approximately 50% of shares outstanding on matters relating to corporate governance, executive compensation and our proposed long-term incentive plan. We are committed to including our stockholders’ perspectives in our deliberations and we believe that regular communication with our stockholders is necessary in order to ensure thoughtful and informed consideration of evolving corporate governance and executive compensation best practices.

Maintaining Our Culture.This year we will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Those of you who have followed our company for a number of years will have heard me discuss the competitive advantage of our culture. The values that were instilled in this company in 1927 by my grandfather and our founder, Arthur J. Gallagher, continue to drive our global team’s success today. These traits, articulated in “The Gallagher Way,” include a collaborative and professional sales culture, an unwavering focus on our clients, showing respect and empathy for one another, and a devotion to maintaining the highest standards of moral and ethical behavior. We believe that our culture is a true competitive advantage and a key differentiator when recruiting experienced talent, growing our own talent through our summer internship program, attracting new merger partners, retaining our valued clients and winning new business. As further testament to our unique culture, in 2017 we were pleased to be recognized by the Ethisphere Institute for the 6th consecutive year as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies.

On behalf of our Board of Directors, thank you for your continued support. We look forward to welcoming you at our 2017 Annual Meeting.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

PROXY

STATEMENT

Annual Meeting of Stockholders

 

June 1, 2015

3:00 PM BSTLOGO

 

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

Chairman of the Board,

President and Chief Executive Officer

  

 


Table of Contents

 

Page

Proxy Statement

1

Questions and Answers about the Proxy Materials and Annual Meeting

1

Compensation Committee Report

4

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

4

Executive Summary

4

Compensation Decision-Making Process

7

Comparative Market Assessment

8

2014 Decisions – By Compensation Element

9

Tax Considerations

15

Executive Compensation Tables

16

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

22

Board of Directors

25

Corporate Governance

27

Director Compensation

30

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

31

Security Ownership by Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

32

Equity Compensation Plan Information

33

Audit Committee Report

35

Proposals Requiring a Stockholder Vote

36

Item 1: Election of Directors

36

Item 2: Ratification of Appointment of Independent Auditor

36

Item 3: Approval of the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

37

Item 4: Approval of the Arthur J. Gallagher  & Co. Senior Management Incentive Plan Including Approval of the Material Terms of the Performance Measures

39

Item 5: Advisory Vote on the Compensation of our Named Executive Officers

41

EXHIBIT A: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

A-1

EXHIBIT B: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Senior Management Incentive Plan

B-1

EXHIBIT C: Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures

C-1


ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO.

The Gallagher Centre, Two Pierce Place, Itasca, Illinois 60143-3141

 

LOGO

April 16, 2015

Dear Stockholder:

Our Annual Meeting will be held on Monday, June 1, 2015, at 3:00 PM BST, at the London offices of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., The Walbrook Building, 25 Walbrook Place, London, EC4N 8AW, England.

The Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement accompanying this letter describe the business requiring stockholder action at the meeting. Following the meeting, I will present information on our business and our directors and officers will be available to answer your questions.

Whether or not you plan to attend, please vote your shares by completing a proxy card or by using the toll-free telephone number or Internet voting options described on the proxy card. I also encourage beneficial owners to follow the instructions provided by your broker regarding how to vote. Record holders, and beneficial owners holding a legal proxy from their broker, may revoke previously submitted proxies and vote in person at the meeting.

Cordially,

LOGO

J. PATRICK GALLAGHER, JR.

Chairman of the Board


Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Notice of2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

To the Stockholders of

ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO.:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. will be held on Monday, June 1, 2015, at 3:00 PM BST,Tuesday, May 16, 2017, at the London offices of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., The Walbrook Building, 25 Walbrook Place, London, EC4N 8AW, Englandtime and place, and for the purposes, outlinedset forth below:

 

Date:

June 1, 2015

Time:

Date:
3:00 PM BST

Place:

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

  The Walbrook BuildingMay 16, 2017

Time:  25 Walbrook Place9:00 AM CST

Place:  London, EC4N 8AW, England2850 Golf Road

Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-4002
Record date:

Stockholders of record at the close of business on April 8, 2015March 20, 2017 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Items of business:

  

To elect each of the nine10 nominees named in the accompanying Proxy Statement as directors to hold office until our 20162018 Annual Meeting.

   To approve the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan, including 16,000,000 shares authorized for issuance thereunder and material terms of the performance goals for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

   To ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017.

   To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers.

   To approve, on an advisory basis, the frequency of holding future advisory stockholder votes to approve the compensation of our named executive officers.

   To transact such other business that properly comes before the meeting.

Attending the
Annual Meeting:
Stockholders who wish to attend the Annual Meeting in person should bring a driver’s license, passport or other form of government-issued identification to verify their identities. In addition, if you hold your shares through a broker, you will need to bring either (1) a letter from your broker stating that you held Gallagher shares as of the record date, or (2) a copy of the notice of Annual Meeting document you received in the mail.

To ratifyImportant Notice Regarding the appointmentAvailability of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firmProxy Materials for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015.

To conduct a voteAnnual Meeting of Stockholders to approve the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
Be Held on May 16, 2017:

To conduct a vote to approve the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Senior Management Incentive Plan.

To conduct an advisory vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers.

To transact such other business that properly comes before the meeting.

We are making this noticeNotice of annual meetingAnnual Meeting, this Proxy Statement and proxy statementour 2016 Annual Report available on the Internet at www.materials.proxyvote.com/363576 and mailing copies of these materialsProxy Materials to certain stockholders on or about April 16, 2015.March 24, 2017. Stockholders of record at the close of business on April 8, 2015March 20, 2017 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.

By Order of the Board of Directors

 

LOGO

WALTER D. BAY

SECRETARY

DATED: April 16, 2015March 24, 2017


ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO.

The Gallagher Centre

Two Pierce Place

Itasca, Illinois 60143-3141

PROXY STATEMENTProxy Statement

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND ANNUAL MEETINGTable of Contents

Why are these proxy materials being provided to stockholders?

PROXY STATEMENT SUMMARY1
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Item 1 – Election of Directors

4

Corporate Governance Highlights

9

Stockholder Outreach

9

Board Committees

9

Board Leadership Structure

10

Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

11

Other Board Matters

11

Director Compensation

12

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

13

Security Ownership by Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

14

Item 2 – Approval of the Arthur J. Gallagher  & Co. 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan, Including Approval of 16,000,000 Shares Authorized for Issuance Thereunder and the Material Terms of the Performance Goals for Purposes of Section 162(m) Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as Amended

16

Equity Compensation Plan Information

22
AUDIT MATTERS

Item 3 – Ratification of Appointment of Independent Auditor

23

Audit Committee Report

24
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

25

2016 Financial Results

25

Our Compensation Program

26

2016 Compensation

28

Compensation Decision-Making Process

31

Comparative Market Assessment

32

Compensation Committee Report

33

Executive Compensation Tables

34

Item  4 – Advisory Vote to Approve the Compensation of Our Named Executive Officers

44

Item  5 – Advisory Vote on the Frequency of Future Stockholder Votes to Approve the Compensation of Our Named Executive Officers

44
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING45
EXHIBITS

Exhibit A: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan

A-1

Exhibit B: Information RegardingNon-GAAP Measures

B-1

Exhibit C: Resources

C-1

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

We are soliciting proxies to be voted at our 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and at any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting. In connection with this solicitation of proxies, we have made the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, Proxy Statement and Annual Report available to you on the Internet or, upon your request, delivered printed versions of these materials to you by mail. We refer to these materials collectively as our proxy materials. BasicFor additional information regarding thenon-GAAP financial measures referred to in this Proxy Statement (EBITAC, EBITDAC, adjusted EBITDAC margin and organic revenue growth), including reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, see Exhibit B.

LOGO

2017 PROXY STATEMENT

i


Proxy Statement Summary

This summary highlights certain information from our Proxy Statement for the 2017 Annual Meeting. You should read the entire Proxy Statement carefully before voting.

2017 Annual Meeting is set forth below:Information

 

Purpose:

Date:

Annual Meeting of StockholdersMay 16, 2017
Date and 

Time:

June 1, 2015, 3:9:00 PM BSTAM CST

Place:

The Walbrook Building, 25 Walbrook Place, London, EC4N 8AW, EnglandArthur J. Gallagher & Co. offices at 2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-4002

Record Date:

April 8, 2015
Mailing Date:The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (Internet Availability Notice) was first mailed to stockholders of record, and these proxy materials were first made available to stockholders on the Internet, on or about April 16, 2015.March 20, 2017

What is the purpose of theFor additional information about our Annual Meeting?Meeting, seeQuestions

At & Answers About the Annual Meeting stockholders will act upon on page 45.

Voting Recommendations of the proposals outlinedBoard

    

Item        

 Voting Item Recommendation Page
    

1

 Election of directors 

FOR each

nominee

 4
    

2

 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan, including approval of the share authorization and material terms of the performance goals under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code FOR 16
    

3

 Ratification of independent auditor for 2017 FOR 23
    

4

 Approval, on an advisory basis, of named executive officer compensation FOR 44
    

5

 Approval, on an advisory basis, of the frequency of holding future advisory stockholder votes to approve the compensation of our named executive officers 1 YEAR 44

2016 Performance

The company delivered strong results in this proxy statement, including2016. We remained focused on the election of directors, ratificationfour components of our independent registered public accounting firm, approval oflong-term strategy: (i) organic growth; (ii) mergers and acquisitions; (iii) quality and productivity; and (iv) maintaining our Employee Stock Purchase Plan and Senior Management Incentive Plan, and approval of the advisory “say-on-pay” resolution. In addition, there will be a presentation by our Chairman and CEO and an opportunity for you to ask questions of the Board of Directors and our senior management team.

What are the Board’s voting recommendations?

The Board recommends that you vote your shares:

FOR each of the director nominees named in this proxy statement (Item 1unique culture. Executing on the proxy card);

FOR ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent auditor for 2015 (Item 2 on the proxy card);

FOR approval of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Item 3 on the proxy card);

FOR approval of the Senior Management Incentive Plan (Item 4 on the proxy card); and

FOR the advisory “say-on-pay” resolution approving the compensation of our named executive officers (Item 5 on the proxy card).

How many votes are needed to approve the matters presented at the Annual Meeting?

Directors. To be elected, director nominees must receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting for the election of directors (meaning the number of shares voted “for” a director nominee must exceed the number of votes cast “against” that nominee). Broker non-votes and abstentions have no effect on the election of directors. Broker non-votes generally occur when shares held by a broker for a beneficial owner are not voted with respect to non-discretionary items because the broker has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner and lacks discretionary authority to vote the shares.

Ratification of Auditors. Ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm requires the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares of common stock having voting power represented in person or by proxy. Abstentions have the same effect as votes cast against the proposal. Brokers who do not receive voting instructions from beneficial owners may vote in favor of ratification of our auditors on a discretionary basis.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan and Senior Management Incentive Plan. Approval of these plans requires the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares of common stock having voting power represented in person or by proxy. Abstentions have the same effect as votes cast against the proposal. Broker non-votes have no effect.

1


Advisory Say-on-Pay Vote. Approval of the advisory say-on-pay resolution requires the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares of common stock having voting power represented in person or by proxy. Abstentions have the same effect as votes cast against the proposal. Broker non-votes have no effect.

Will any matters other than those identified in this proxy statement be decided at the Annual Meeting?

As of the date of this proxy statement,these strategies, we are not aware of any matters to be raised at the Annual Meeting other than those described in this proxy statement. If any other matters are properly presented at the Annual Meeting for consideration, the people named as proxy holders on the proxy card will vote your proxy on those matters in their discretion. If any of our nominees are not available as a candidate for director, the proxy holders will vote your proxy for any other candidate the Board may nominate.

Who can vote, and how do I vote?

Only holders of our common stock at the close of business on the record date of April 8, 2015 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. We have no other outstanding securities entitled to vote, and there are no cumulative voting rights for the election of directors. At the close of business on the record date, we had 166,749,556 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. Each holder of our common stock on that date will be entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting. “Record holders” may vote (1) by completing and returning a proxy card, (2) on the Internet, or (3) using a toll-free telephone number. Please see the proxy card for specific instructions on how to vote using one of these methods. The telephone and Internet voting facilities for record holders will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 31, 2015. “Beneficial owners” will receive instructions from their broker or other intermediary describing the procedures and options for voting. Please see the next question and its corresponding answer if you are unsure whether you are a record holder or beneficial owner. Both record holders and beneficial owners may attend the Annual Meeting to vote their shares, but beneficial owners must obtain a “legal proxy” from their brokers or other intermediaries in order to vote at the Annual Meeting.

What is the difference between a “record holder” and a “beneficial owner”?

If your shares are registered directly in your name, you are considered the “record holder” of those shares. If, on the other hand, your shares are held in a brokerage account or by a bank or other intermediary, you are considered the “beneficial owner” of shares held in street name, and an Internet Availability Notice was forwarded to you automatically from your broker or other intermediary. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to instruct your broker or other intermediary to vote your shares in accordance with your wishes. You are also invited to attend the Annual Meeting. Because a beneficial owner is not the record holder, you may not vote your shares in person at the meeting unless you obtain a “legal proxy” from your broker or other intermediary. Your broker or other intermediary has provided you with an explanation of how to instruct it regarding the voting of your shares. If you do not provide your broker or other intermediary with voting instructions, your broker or other intermediary will not be allowed to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting for any matter other than ratification of the appointment of our independent auditor.

What should I do if I receive more than one Internet Availability Notice or proxy card?

If you own some shares of common stock directly as a record holder and other shares indirectly as a beneficial owner, or if you own shares of common stock through more than one broker or other intermediary, you may receive multiple Internet Availability Notices or, if you request proxy materials to be delivered to you by mail, you may receive multiple proxy cards. It is necessary for you to vote, sign and return all of the proxy cards or follow the instructions for any alternative voting procedure on each of the Internet Availability Notices you receive in order to vote all of the shares you own. If you request proxy materials to be delivered to you by mail, each proxy card you receive will come with its own prepaid return envelope. If you vote by mail, please make sure you return each proxy card in the return envelope that accompanied the proxy card.

May I change my vote after I return my proxy?

Yes. Even after you have submitted your proxy, you may revoke or change your vote at any time before the proxy is exercised by delivering to our Secretary, at The Gallagher Centre, Two Pierce Place, Itasca, Illinois, 60143-3141, a written notice of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, by otherwise casting a later dated proxy via the Internet or telephone, or by voting in person at the Annual Meeting. Beneficial owners must have a “legal proxy” from their broker to vote in person at the Annual Meeting. Attendance at the Annual Meeting will not, by itself, revoke a proxy.

2


Who will pay the costs of soliciting these proxies?

We will pay the costs of soliciting proxies to be voted at the Annual Meeting. After the Internet Availability Notices are initially distributed, we and our agents may also solicit proxies by mail, electronic mail, telephone or in person. We will also reimburse brokers and other intermediaries for their expenses in sending Internet Availability Notices to beneficial owners.

What is “householding”?

We have adopted a procedure approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) called “householding.” Under this procedure, multiple stockholders who share the same last name and address will receive only one Internet Availability Notice, or one set of proxy materials if they elect to receive hard copies, unless contrary instructions are received from one or more of the stockholders. Each stockholder will continue to receive a separate proxy card. We have undertaken householding to reduce printing costs and postage fees. Householding does not in any way affect dividend check mailings. Record holders who wish to begin or discontinue householding may contact Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge) by calling 1-800-542-1061, or by writing to Broadridge, Householding Department, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. Broadridge will undertake the necessary steps to continue or discontinue householding upon such request of a record holder. Beneficial owners who wish to begin or discontinue householding should contact their broker or other intermediary.

What is the deadline for submitting a proposal regarding a director nomination or other item of business to be included in the 2016 proxy statement?

The deadline for submitting a proposal to be included in our proxy statement and proxy card for the 2016 Annual Meeting is December 18, 2015. Such proposals must comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), regarding stockholder proposals to be included in company-sponsored proxy materials.

How do I submit a proposal regarding a director nomination or other item of business to be presented directly at the 2016 Annual Meeting?

Under our bylaws, notice of any matter that is not submitted to be included in our proxy statement and proxy card for the 2016 Annual Meeting, but that a stockholder instead wishes to present directly at the Annual Meeting, including director nominations and other items of business, must be delivered to our Secretary, at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., The Gallagher Centre, Two Pierce Place, Itasca, Illinois 60143-3141, not later than the close of business on March 3, 2016 and not earlier than the close of business on February 2, 2016. We will not entertain any nominations or other items of business at the Annual Meeting that do not meet the requirements in our bylaws. If we do not receive notice of a matter by March 3, 2016, SEC rules permit the people named as proxy holders on the proxy card to vote proxies in their discretion when and if the matter is raised at the Annual Meeting. Any stockholder proposal relating to a director nomination should set forth all information relating to such person required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for contested director elections under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, including, among other things, the particular experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of the nominee that, in light of our business and structure, led to the stockholder’s conclusion that the nominee should serve on the Board. The proposal should also include the director nominee’s written consent to be named in our proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected. Stockholders are also advised to review our bylaws, which contain additional requirements regarding the information to be included in the advance notices of stockholder proposals and director nominations.

How do I submit a proposed director nominee to the Board for consideration?

Any stockholder who wishes to propose director nominees for consideration by the Board’s Nominating/Governance Committee, but does not wish to present such proposal at an annual meeting, may do so at any time by directing a description of each nominee’s name and qualifications for Board membership to the Chair of the Nominating/Governance Committee, c/o our Secretary at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., The Gallagher Centre, Two Pierce Place, Itasca, Illinois 60143-3141. The recommendation should contain all of the information regarding the nominee described in the question and answer above and in our bylaws relating to director nominations brought before the Annual Meeting. The Nominating/Governance Committee evaluates nominee proposals submitted by stockholders in the same manner in which it evaluates other nominees.

Where can I find the voting results of the Annual Meeting?

An automated system administered by Broadridge will tabulate the votes. Voting results will be reported in a Current Report on Form 8-K that we will file with the SEC within four business days following the Annual Meeting.

3


COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The Compensation Committee oversees our compensation program for named executive officers on behalf of the Board. In fulfilling its oversight responsibilities, the Compensation Committee reviewed and discussed with management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis set forth below.

In reliance on the review and discussion referred to above, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and 2015 proxy statement, which we file with the SEC.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

Elbert O. Hand(Chair)

Sherry S. Barrat

David S. Johnson

Kay W. McCurdy

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis discusses compensation awarded to, earned by, or paid to the following named executive officers (whom we sometimes refer to as NEOs):

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr. – Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Douglas K. Howell – Chief Financial Officer

James S. Gault – President, Retail Property/Casualty Brokerage

James W. Durkin, Jr. – President, Employee Benefit Consulting and Brokerage

Thomas J. Gallagher – Chairman, International Brokerage

In this and other sections of the proxy statement, “Mr. Gallagher” will generally refer to our CEO. Where required for clarity, “Mr. Pat Gallagher” will refer to our CEO and “Mr. Tom Gallagher” will refer to Thomas J. Gallagher. This discussion and analysis contains statements regarding our performance measures, targets, goals and thresholds, which we disclose in the limited context of our named executive officer compensation program. These disclosures should not be interpreted as statements of management’s expectations, estimates of results or other guidance.

Executive Summary

We believe that our compensation program for named executive officers is balanced and reasonable and helps us retain and motivate highly talented business leaders through a range of economic cycles. We reward sustained performance by emphasizing a balance of short and long-term compensation vehicles. We provide more than two-thirds of the value of named executive officers’ total direct compensation opportunity through variable compensation. We tie annual cash incentives to company and/or business unit financial performance metrics, as well as achievement of individual performance goals. We align the financial interests of our named executive officers and our stockholders through: (i) performance share units, stock options, and, to a lesser extent, restricted stock units, with long vesting periods, (ii) significant stock ownership requirements, and (iii) our “Age 62 Plan,” which we believe encourages retention and alignment with stockholder interests by requiring our named executive officers to remain employed with us through at least age 62 in order to vest in their awards under the plan.

2014 Performance Review

We had strong financial performance in 2014, achieving year-over-yearachieved revenue1 growth of 29.9%5% (to $3.58$4.25 billion) and EBITAC2 growth of 30.4%,17% (to $688.3$923.0 million). Our acquisition program, a key aspect of our strategy, experienced excellent results. In 2014, we completed 60 acquisitions, including three of the largest in our history, with total annualized revenues of approximately $761 million. The largest of these was the Crombie/OAMPS acquisition, which significantly expanded our presence in Australia and New Zealand. Our existing operations also performed well. We achieved organic revenue growth2 of 5.5% in our combined brokerage and risk management segments and maintainedsegments.

Additional highlights of our focus on improving quality and efficiency.2016 performance include the following:

 

1 Revenue is GAAP

We achieved organic revenue growth of 3.1% for the combined brokerage and risk management segments.

We increased our adjusted EBITDAC margin for the combined brokerage and risk management segments (excludes revenue forfrom 24.8% to 25.3%.

We completed 37 acquisitions, representing $138 million in acquired annualized revenue.

We funded our corporate segment)acquisition program from free cash flow and debt, using zero shares (after share repurchases).

Our stock price increased from $40.94 to $51.96, resulting in total return to stockholders (including dividends) of 31.1%. The Compensation Committee uses this measure in the context of determining incentive compensation awards because it provides a meaningful representation of our core operating performance.

2 Reconciliations of non-GAAP measuresThis performance compares favorably to the most closely comparable GAAP measures are presented inExhibit C to this proxy statement.S&P 500 and S&P 500 Financials indices, which increased 12.0% and 22.6%, respectively.

LOGO

2017 PROXY STATEMENT

1


PROXY STATEMENT SUMMARY

 

4Our Board of Directors


The following table provides summary information about each director nominee and the committees on which they serve.

Our performance in 2014 carried forward

       

Name

 Director
Since
  Experience 

Other

Public

Company

Boards

  Audit  Compensation  Nominating /
Governance
 
       

Sherry S. Barrat*

  2013  Former Vice Chairman of Northern Trust Corporation  1      

 

 

 

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LOGO

 

 

       

William L. Bax*

  2006  Former Managing Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Chicago office  0  

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

        
       

D. John Coldman*

  2014  Former Chairman of The Benfield Group  0      

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

    
       

Frank E. English, Jr.*

  2009  Former Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Investment Banking, Morgan Stanley & Co.  2  

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

        
       

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

  1986  Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer  1             
       

Elbert O. Hand*

  2002  Former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Hartmarx Corporation  0      

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

       

David S. Johnson*

  2003  Lead Director, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co; President and Chief Executive Officer of the Americas, Barry Callebaut AG  0      

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

       

Kay W. McCurdy*

  2005  Of Counsel, Locke Lord LLP  0      

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

       

Ralph J. Nicoletti*

  2016  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Newell Brands, Inc.  0  

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

        
       

Norman L. Rosenthal*

  2008  President, Norman L. Rosenthal & Associates, Inc.  0  

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

        

*  Independent            LOGO   Chair            LOGO   Member

Governance and Executive Compensation Highlights

Independent Lead Director. In 2016, our strong results in prior years. Overindependent directors appointed an independent Lead Director, David Johnson, to serve for atwo-year term. The Board also enhanced the past three years, we increased revenue and EBITAC by compound annual growth ratesresponsibilities of 19.3% and 24.8%the independent Lead Director (see page 10).

Focus on Board Refreshment. In 2016, Ralph Nicoletti, Chief Financial Officer of Newell Brands, Inc., respectively. These results have been reflected injoined our total shareholder return (including dividends), which grew at an effective annualized rate of 15.9% over the same three-year period.Board.

2016 Compensation. See2016 Compensation Actions beginning on page 29 for details regarding our named executive officers’ compensation for 2016.

CEO2017 Compensation Changes

During the first quarter of 2014,. For 2017, the Compensation Committee increased Mr. Gallagher’s target annual cash incentive award opportunity from 135% to 150% of base salary. The Compensation Committee concluded this increase was appropriate based on our strong performance duringapproved the past three years, Mr. Gallagher’s achievement of individual performance goals during the same period, and the Committee’s determination that Mr. Gallagher’s total direct compensation opportunity was below that of similarly situated CEOs in our comparison groups (see Annual Cash Incentive Compensation on page 10 for a discussion regarding the Compensation Committee’s decision). The Compensation Committee favored increasing Mr. Gallagher’s performance-based compensation opportunity, rather than base salary, for further alignment with stockholder interests. Based on our financial performance summarized above and Mr. Gallagher’s achievement of individual goals, in the first quarter of 2015, the Compensation Committee awarded Mr. Gallagher an annual cash incentive payment of $2,250,000 (150% of his target award opportunity).

In 2014, the Compensation Committee also changed Mr. Gallagher’s mix of long-term incentive awards to further align his interests with those of stockholders. Instead of a combination of restricted stock units, stock options and awards under our performance unit program, which pay out in cash, the Compensation Committee granted Mr. Gallagher a long-term incentive award equally weighted between performance share units, which pay out in shares, and stock options. See page 14 for more information.

Mr. Gallagher’s total compensation of $5.6 million for 2014, as disclosed in the Summary Compensation Table, represents a year-over-year increase of 21.8%. Over the past three years, when our total shareholder return averaged 15.9% annually, Mr. Gallagher’s pay grew by a compound annual growth rate of 12.2%. We believe this represents strong pay-for-performance alignment.

2014 Say-on-Pay Vote

In 2014, our annual “say on pay” vote resulted in 97% approval of our compensation program for named executive officers. The Compensation Committee evaluated the results of this vote as part of its overall assessment of our compensation program for named executive officers, noting the strong support expressed by our stockholders.

As a result of its continual evaluation of executive compensation best practices, the Compensation Committee determined that further emphasizing performance-based equity and stock options over restricted stock units for named executive officers would better align their interests with our performance and the interests of our stockholders. See the description of Mr. Gallagher’s mix of long-term incentive award opportunities above, under “CEO Compensation.” The Compensation Committee did not make any other materialfollowing changes to our compensation program for named executive officers (to be reflected in 2014.next year’s Proxy Statement):

Performance share unit awards will be based on a new performance measure, growth in adjusted EBITDAC per share, and will be subject to a three-year, rather thanone-year, performance period. The Compensation Committee believes this new performance measure is responsive to stockholder preference for a longer performance period and additional accountability around the use of shares in acquisitions.

Our annual cash incentive awards for named executive officers will be based on a combination of adjusted revenue growth and adjusted EBITDAC growth. Maximum payouts will be calculated using a more formulaic approach than in prior years, using a two metric payout grid. Final awards will remain subject to downward adjustment in the Compensation Committee’s discretion.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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PROXY STATEMENT SUMMARY

2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan

Key features of the plan and share authorization request submitted for stockholder approval at this Annual Meeting include the following:

We are requesting approval for 16,000,000 shares. A maximum of 4,000,000 shares may be used for full-value awards such as restricted stock units or performance share awards. If the plan is approved, no additional awards will be made under prior plans.

If the plan is approved, our “overhang,” or voting power dilution, will be approximately 13.6% as of March 20, 2017. SeeKey Equity Metrics on page 16 for more information.

We expect this share request will be sufficient for four to five years of grants.

If this share request is approved, we expect to increase the number of employees participating in the plan.

The plan does not permit “liberal” share recycling.

The plan eliminates “single-trigger” accelerated payouts on a change in control (Board approval is required for accelerated payouts).

The plan requires three-year minimum vesting for all full-value equity awards granted to employees, andone-year minimum vesting for stock options.

Other Information

For additional information regarding the Annual Meeting and this Proxy Statement, please seeQuestions & Answers About the Annual Meeting on page 45. See also the links to other company filings and resources in Exhibit C.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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Corporate Governance

Item 1 – Election of Directors

Evaluation Process for Director Candidates

The Nominating/Governance Committee considers director candidates suggested by stockholders, management or other members of the Board and may hire consultants or search firms to help identify and evaluate potential director candidates. For more information regarding how stockholders can submit a director candidate for consideration by the Nominating/Governance Committee, see page 47.

The Nominating/Governance Committee evaluates director candidates by considering their judgment, skills, integrity, diversity, business or other experience, and other factors it deems appropriate. The committee looks for candidates who are leaders in the organizations with which they are affiliated and have experience in positions with a high degree of responsibility. The committee considers their potential contributions to the Board and to management, and looks for candidates free from relationships or conflicts of interest that could interfere with the director’s duties to us and our stockholders. The committee also evaluates candidates’ independence under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) listing standards.

Board Diversity

The Nominating/Governance Committee seeks Board members from diverse professional backgrounds who combine a broad spectrum of experience and expertise with a reputation for integrity. The committee implements this policy through discussions among its members and assesses its effectiveness annually as part of the committee’s and the Board’s self-evaluation process. The committee has also used a search firm on occasion to help it identify highly qualified and diverse candidates.

Board Nominees and Vote Required

Upon the recommendation of the Nominating/Governance Committee, the Board has nominated our Chairman and CEO and each of the nine individuals listed below to hold office until the next annual meeting and the election and qualification of their successors or, if earlier, until their resignation, death or removal. Each of the nominees currently serves on the Board and has consented to serve for a new term if elected. However, if any nominee should become unable or unwilling to serve, the Board may nominate another person to stand for election or reduce the number of directors.

Each director nominee who receives more “FOR” votes than “AGAINST” votes at the Annual Meeting will be elected. Any incumbent director nominees who receive a greater number of votes “AGAINST” election than votes “FOR” election are required to tender their offer of resignation for consideration by the Nominating/Governance Committee in accordance with our Governance Guidelines.

Independent Director Qualifications

The table below summarizes the key qualifications and areas of experience that led our Board to conclude that each independent director nominee is qualified to serve on our Board, but is not intended to be an exhaustive list of their qualifications or contributions to the Board.

Insurance /

Financial

Services

Industry

Risk

Management / 

Governance

Executive

Compensation

Cybersecurity

Sales and

Marketing

Finance /

Capital

Markets

International

Sherry S. Barrat

XXXX

William L. Bax

XX

D. John Coldman

XX

Frank E. English, Jr.

XXX

Elbert O. Hand

XXX

David S. Johnson

XXXX

Kay W. McCurdy

XXX

Ralph J. Nicoletti

XXXXXX

Norman L. Rosenthal

XXXX

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

LOGOTHE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTEFORTHE ELECTION OF EACH OF THE DIRECTOR NOMINEES LISTED BELOW

Sherry S. Barrat

Age: 67

Director Since: 2013

Independent

Committee Memberships:

Compensation

Nominating/Governance

Ms. Barrat retired in 2012 as Vice Chairman of Northern Trust Corporation, a global financial holding company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. She assumed the role of Vice Chairman in March 2011. From 2006 to 2011, Ms. Barrat served as Global President of Northern Trust’s personal financial services business, which provides asset management, fiduciary, estate and financial planning, and private banking services to individuals and families around the world. During her22-year career at Northern Trust, Ms. Barrat served in various other leadership roles and as a member of the Northern Trust Management Committee. Since 1998, Ms. Barrat has served as a director of NextEra Energy, Inc., one of the largest publicly traded electric power companies in the United States, where she is currently Lead Director, Chair of the Governance & Nominating Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. Since 2013, Ms. Barrat has also served as an independent trustee or director of certain Prudential Insurance mutual funds.

Skills and Qualifications

Ms. Barrat’s extensive management, operational and financial experience, in particular her deep understanding of the financial services industry and the privacy and cybersecurity issues facing that industry, greatly enhances the Board’s decision making.

William L. Bax

Age: 73

Director Since: 2006

Independent

Committee Memberships:

Audit (Chair)

Mr. Bax was Managing Partner of the Chicago office of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), an international accounting, auditing and consulting firm, from 1997 until his retirement in 2003, and was a partner in the firm for 26 years. He currently serves as a director and audit committee chair of several affiliated mutual fund companies (Northern Funds and Northern Institutional Funds since 2005, and Northern Multi-Manager Funds since 2006). Mr. Bax previously served as a director of Sears Roebuck & Co., a publicly traded retail company, from 2003 to 2005, and Andrew Corporation, a publicly traded communications products company, from 2006 to 2007.

Skills and Qualifications

During his 26 years as a partner and six years as head of PwC’s Chicago office, Mr. Bax gained extensive experience advising public companies regarding accounting and strategic issues. This experience, along with his tenure on the boards of public companies, such as Sears and Andrew, strengthen the Board’s decision making. Additionally, Mr. Bax’s experience advising public companies on accounting and disclosure issues enhances the Board’s ability to oversee our assessment and management of material risks.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

D. John Coldman

Age: 69

Director Since: 2014

Independent

Committee Memberships:

Compensation

Mr. Coldman began his career working for WT Greig, a reinsurance broker. In 1988, he became Managing Director and in 1996 was appointed Chairman of The Benfield Group, the world’s leading independent reinsurance and risk intermediary at the time, until its acquisition by Aon Corporation in 2008. From 2001 to 2006, Mr. Coldman served as Deputy Chairman and a Member of Council of Lloyd’s of London. He has also been a past Chairman of Brit PLC, a publicly traded global specialty insurer and reinsurer, from 1996 to 2000, and Omega Insurance Holdings Limited, a publicly traded insurance and reinsurance group, from 2010 to 2012. Mr. Coldman served as thenon-executive Chairman of Roodlane Medical Ltd., anon-publicly traded healthcare services provider, from 2007 to 2011.

Skills and Qualifications

The Board greatly benefits from Mr. Coldman’s 45 years of insurance brokerage, management and financial services experience. In addition, Mr. Coldman’s international insurance industry knowledge, his experience within the Lloyd’s and London marketplaces, and his experience with public company matters and mergers and acquisitions all strengthen the Board’s decision making.

Frank E. English, Jr.

Age: 71

Director Since: 2009

Independent

Committee Memberships:

Audit

Mr. English serves on the board of directors and audit committee of Tower International, Inc., a publicly traded global automotive components manufacturer, where he has been a board member or board advisor since 2010. Since 2012, Mr. English has also served on the board of directors and the finance and strategy committee, and since 2013 on the compensation committee, of CBOE Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded holding company for various securities exchanges, including the largest U.S. options exchange. Since 2011, Mr. English has been a Senior Advisor to W.W. Grainger, a publicly traded broad-based distributor of industrial maintenance, repair and operations supplies. From 1976 to 2009, Mr. English served in various senior roles at Morgan Stanley, most recently as Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Investment Banking. Following his retirement in 2009, Mr. English served as a Senior Advisor at Morgan Stanley & Co. until 2011.

Skills and Qualifications

The Board greatly benefits from Mr. English’s extensive investment banking expertise, particularly in the areas of capital planning, strategy development, financing and liquidity management.

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

Age: 65

Director Since: 1986

Chairman of the Board
Since:
2006

Mr. Gallagher has spent his entire career with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in a variety of management positions, starting as a Production Account Executive in 1974, then serving as Vice President of Operations from 1985 to 1990, as President and Chief Operating Officer from 1990 to 1995, and as President and Chief Executive Officer since 1995. In 2011, Mr. Gallagher joined the board of directors of InnerWorkings, Inc., a publicly traded global provider of managed print, packaging and promotional solutions, and was appointed to its compensation and nominating/governance committees. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters and on the Board of Founding Directors of the International Insurance Foundation.

Skills and Qualifications

Mr. Gallagher’s 42 years of experience with our company and 30 years of service on the Board provide him with a deep knowledge of our company and the insurance and insurance brokerage industries, as well as a depth of leadership experience. This depth of knowledge and experience greatly enhances the Board’s decision making and enables Mr. Gallagher to serve as a highly effective Chairman of the Board.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Elbert O. Hand

Age: 77

Director Since: 2002

Independent

Committee Memberships:

Compensation (Chair)

Nominating/Governance

Mr. Hand is the managing member of Alister MacKenzie Apparel, LLC, a manufacturer and distributor of sports and dress apparel, which heco-founded in 2016. Prior to that, he was Chairman of the Board of Hartmarx Corporation, a publicly traded apparel marketing and manufacturing company, from 1992 to 2004, and served as a member of Hartmarx’s board from 1984 to 2010. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Hartmarx from 1992 to 2002 and as President and Chief Operating Officer from 1987 to 1992. From 1982 to 1989, Mr. Hand also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Hartmarx’s Men’s Apparel Group. Mr. Hand was a director of Austin Reed Group PLC, a U.K.-based apparel company, from 1995 to 2002, and served as an advisor to the board for a number of years after 2002. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Hand served as a member of the board andnon-executive Chairman of Environmental Solutions Worldwide, Inc., a publicly traded manufacturer and marketer of environmental control technologies.

Skills and Qualifications

The Board benefits from Mr. Hand’s business acumen gleaned from three decades of leadership roles in the apparel marketing and manufacturing industry, including significant experience in sales and marketing. Mr. Hand’s long association with U.K. apparel company Austin Reed is valuable to the Board in its oversight of our U.K. and other international operations.

David S. Johnson

Age: 60

Director Since: 2003

Independent Lead Director
Since:
2016

Committee Memberships:

Compensation

Nominating/Governance

Mr. Johnson has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Americas for Barry Callebaut AG, the world’s largest manufacturer of cocoa and chocolate products, since 2009. He is also a member of Barry Callebaut’s global executive committee. Mr. Johnson served as President and Chief Executive Officer, and as a member of the board, of Michael Foods, Inc., a food processor and distributor, from 2008 to 2009, and as Michael Foods’ President and Chief Operating Officer from 2007 to 2008. From 1986 to 2006, Mr. Johnson served in a variety of senior management roles at Kraft Foods Global, Inc., a global food and beverage company, most recently as President of Kraft Foods North America, and as a member of Kraft Foods’ Management Committee. Prior to that, he held senior positions in marketing, strategy, operations, procurement and general management at Kraft Foods.

Skills and Qualifications

The Board benefits from Mr. Johnson’s business acumen gleaned from over three decades of experience in the food and beverage industry, including significant experience in sales and marketing. His experience as a senior executive of multinational businesses, such as Barry Callebaut and Kraft, are valuable in the Board’s oversight of our international operations. In addition, his knowledge of corporate governance and executive compensation best practices as a member of Kraft’s Management Committee, as a board member of Michael Foods and as a member of Barry Callebaut’s global executive committee, strengthens the Board’s decision making.

Kay W. McCurdy

Age: 66

Director Since: 2005

Independent

Committee Memberships:

Compensation

Nominating/Governance (Chair)

Since 1975, Ms. McCurdy has practiced corporate and finance law at the law firm of Locke Lord LLP, where she has been Of Counsel since 2012 and was a partner from 1983 to 2012. She served on the firm’s Executive Committee from 2004 to 2006. During her career as a corporate and finance attorney, Ms. McCurdy represented numerous companies on a wide range of matters, including financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, executive compensation and corporate governance. Ms. McCurdy served as a director of Trek Bicycle Corporation, a leading bicycle manufacturer, from 1998 to 2007. In recognition of her ongoing commitment to director education and boardroom excellence, the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) has named Ms. McCurdy a NACD Governance Fellow every year since 2010. She is also a director of the Chicago chapter of NACD.

Skills and Qualifications

Ms. McCurdy’s experience advising companies regarding legal, public disclosure, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and executive compensation issues provide her with a depth and breadth of expertise that enhances our ability to navigate legal and strategic issues, and allows her to make valuable contributions to the Board.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Ralph J. Nicoletti

Age: 59

Director Since: 2016

Independent

Committee Memberships:

Audit

Mr. Nicoletti has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Newell Brands, Inc., a publicly traded consumer goods company, since June 2016. From April 2014 to May 2016, Mr. Nicoletti served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Tiffany & Co., the publicly traded jeweler. Prior to joining Tiffany, Mr. Nicoletti was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cigna Corporation, a publicly traded global health services and insurance company, from 2011 to 2013; and of Alberto Culver, Inc., a publicly traded manufacturer and distributor of beauty products, from 2007 to 2011. Prior to that, Mr. Nicoletti held a number of financial management positions at Kraft Foods, Inc., finishing his tenure there as Senior Vice President of Corporate Audit.

Skills and Qualifications

The Board benefits from Mr. Nicoletti’s financial expertise in various industries and his experience managing privacy and cybersecurity issues. Mr. Nicoletti’s experience as a senior executive of global, multi-national businesses, such as Kraft, Alberto Culver, Cigna, Tiffany and Newell Brands, are valuable to the Board as we continue to expand in the United States and abroad. In addition, his deep experience as a finance leader of publicly traded companies strengthens the Board’s ability to oversee accounting and disclosure issues, as well as the assessment and management of material risks.

Norman L. Rosenthal,
Ph.D.

Age: 65

Director Since: 2008

Independent

Committee Memberships:

Audit

Since 1996, Dr. Rosenthal has been President of Norman L. Rosenthal & Associates, Inc., a management consulting firm that specializes in the property and casualty insurance industry. He is also an affiliated partner of Lindsey Goldberg LLC, a private equity firm. Dr. Rosenthal served on the board and as a member of the compensation committee of National Interstate Corporation, a publicly traded insurance company specializing in commercial transportation exposures, from June 2015 until it was acquired by another insurance company in November 2016. He currently serves on the private company board of The Plymouth Rock Company, a group of auto and homeowners’ insurance companies, as well as that of its subsidiary, Plymouth Rock Management Company of New Jersey. Prior to 1996, Dr. Rosenthal spent 15 years practicing in the property and casualty insurance industry at Morgan Stanley & Co., finishing his tenure there as Managing Director. Dr. Rosenthal holds a Ph.D. in Business and Applied Economics, with an insurance focus, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, in 2016, the NACD named Dr. Rosenthal a Leadership Fellow.

Skills and Qualifications

Dr. Rosenthal’s extensive experience in the insurance and finance industries is a valuable resource to us and greatly enriches the Board’s decision making. In addition, Dr. Rosenthal’s academic expertise in applied economics, combined with his decades of experience as a management consultant and director in the insurance sector, greatly enhances the Board’s ability to oversee our assessment and management of cybersecurity issues and other material risks.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Corporate Governance Highlights

We are committed to sound and effective corporate governance. To that end, the Board has adopted Governance Guidelines that set forth principles to assist it in determining director independence and other important corporate governance matters. Over the past year, we have taken steps to strengthen our corporate governance in various areas, including the following:

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Our independent directors appointed David Johnson as independent Lead Director for atwo-year term

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The Board enhanced the independent Lead Director’s duties and responsibilities (see page 10)

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We added new talent to our Board

Stockholder Outreach

We believe that effective corporate governance should include regular, constructive conversations with our stockholders. In 2016, we continued to engage with our stockholders, seeking and encouraging feedback about our corporate governance and executive compensation practices from stockholders representing approximately 50% of our outstanding shares.

Board Committees

The Board currently has Audit, Compensation and Nominating/Governance Committees, all of the members of which are independent. The tables below set forth the primary responsibilities, members and the number of meetings held in 2016 for each committee.

Audit Committee

Met 6 times in 2016

Committee Members:

William L. Bax (Chair)

Frank E. English, Jr.

Ralph J. Nicoletti

Norman L. Rosenthal

The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include general oversight of the integrity of our financial statements; enterprise risk assessment and management; our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; our independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications and independence; and the performance of our internal audit function and independent registered public accounting firm.

The Audit Committee manages our relationship with our independent registered public accounting firm and is responsible for the appointment, retention, termination and compensation of the independent auditor.

Independence and Audit Committee Financial Experts

Each member of the Audit Committee meets the additional heightened independence and other requirements of the NYSE listing standards and SEC rules. In addition, the Board has determined that each of Mr. Bax and Mr. Nicoletti qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” under SEC rules.

Compensation

Committee

Met 4 times in 2016

Committee Members:

Sherry S. Barrat

D. John Coldman

Elbert O. Hand (Chair)

David S. Johnson

Kay W. McCurdy

The Compensation Committee’s responsibilities include reviewing and approving compensation arrangements for our executive officers, including our CEO; administering our equity compensation and other benefit plans and reviewing our overall compensation structure to avoid incentives that promote excessive risk-taking by executive officers and other employees.

The Compensation Committee may, and in 2016 did, engage a compensation consultant to assist it in carrying out its duties and responsibilities, and has the sole authority to retain and terminate any such compensation consultant, including sole authority to approve any such consultant’s fees and other retention terms. For more information regarding the role of the committee’s compensation consultant in setting compensation, see page 31.

Independence

Each member of the Compensation Committee meets the additional heightened independence and other requirements of the NYSE listing standards.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Nominating/

Governance Committee

Met 3 times in 2016

Committee Members:

Sherry S. Barrat

Elbert O. Hand

David S. Johnson

Kay W. McCurdy (Chair)

The Nominating/Governance Committee’s responsibilities include identifying qualified Board and Board committee candidates; recommending changes to the Board’s size and composition; determining outside director compensation; recommending director independence standards and governance guidelines; reviewing and approving related person transactions (as defined under SEC rules) and reviewing legal and regulatory compliance risks relating to corporate governance.

Board Leadership Structure

Pat Gallagher currently serves as Chairman of the Board and CEO. With the exception of the Chairman, all Board members are independent and actively oversee the activities of the Chairman and other members of the senior management team. We believe that our Board leadership structure allows us to take advantage of Pat Gallagher’s extensive experience and knowledge of our business, which enriches the Board’s decision making. Pat Gallagher’s role as Chairman and CEO also enhances communication and coordination between management and the Board on critical issues.

David Johnson was elected by the Board in 2016 to serve as our independent Lead Director for atwo-year term. Under our Governance Guidelines, the Lead Director may serve up to two consecutivetwo-year terms. The Board also expanded the duties and responsibilities of the independent Lead Director as set forth below.

Independent Lead Director Duties & Responsibilities

Act as a liaison between the Chairman and the independent directors

Be available for consultation and communication with stockholders as appropriate

Call and preside over executive sessions of the independent directors without the Chairman or other members of management present

Consult with the Chairman and approve Board meeting agendas and schedules

Consult with the Chairman and approve information provided to the Board

Consult with committee chairs with respect to agendas and information needs relating to committee meetings

Work closely with and act as an advisor to the Chairman; be available to discuss with other directors concerns about the company or the Board and relay those concerns, where appropriate, to the Chairman or other members of the Board; and be familiar with corporate governance best practices

Provide leadership to the Board if circumstances arise in which the role of the Chairman may be, or may be perceived to be, in conflict

Perform such other duties and responsibilities as the Board may determine

The independent directors meet regularly in executive sessions. Executive sessions are held at the beginning and at the end of each regularly scheduled Board meeting. Other executive sessions may be called by the Lead Director at his or her discretion or at the request of the Board. The committees of the Board also meet regularly in executive sessions.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

Overview.The Board is responsible for oversight and monitoring of our enterprise risk management program. In carrying out this responsibility, the Board has designated the Audit Committee with primary responsibility for overseeing enterprise risk management. The other committees of the Board also oversee the management of risks within their areas of responsibilities. The Nominating/Governance Committee reviews legal and regulatory compliance risks as they relate to corporate governance structure and processes and the Compensation Committee reviews risks related to compensation matters. The Board receives periodic reports from each committee and from management on our major risks and steps undertaken to monitor and mitigate such risks.

Audit Committee.The Audit Committee, at each of its regularly scheduled meetings, monitors management’s risk management function by discussing, among other things, guidelines and policies regarding risk assessment and risk management, our major financial risk exposures and steps taken by management to monitor and control such exposures. Our Global Chief Compliance Officer, who chairs an enterprise risk management committee including key members of management, attends each Audit Committee meeting and reports on significant risk and compliance issues. In addition, the Audit Committee oversees an internal audit department, the head of which reports directly to the Audit Committee (other than with respect to the department’sday-to-day operations). The internal audit department is independent from management and the Audit Committee defines its responsibilities. Among other things, the purpose of the department is to bring a systematic and disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of our risk management, control and governance processes. The internal audit department evaluates the effectiveness of our risk management processes, performs consulting and advisory services for us related to risk management, and reports significant risk exposures, including fraud risks, to the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee periodically reports to the full Board a summary of its activities and any key findings that arise from its risk oversight and monitoring functions.

Compensation Committee.The Compensation Committee reviews our overall compensation policies and practices to determine whether our program provides incentives for executive officers and other employees to take excessive risks. Based upon an analysis conducted by management and discussions between management and the Compensation Committee, the Compensation Committee has determined that our compensation policies and practices do not present risks that are likely to have a material adverse effect on us or our business. In reaching this determination, our Compensation Committee and management noted the following: (i) no single business unit bears a disproportionate share of our overall risk profile; (ii) no single business unit is significantly more profitable than the other business units; (iii) our compensation practices are substantially consistent across all business units both in the amount and types of compensation awarded; (iv) substantially all of our revenue-producing employees are sales professionals whose compensation is tied to the amount of revenue received by the company; and (v) our annual cash incentive program caps payouts at 150% of target (i.e., 225% of base salary for our CEO and 150% of base salary for the other executive officers). A significant portion of our senior executives’ compensation is deferred and invested in Gallagher stock through our DEPP and our senior executives own significant amounts of Gallagher stock. In addition, our equity plans

permit the use of a variety of equity compensation awards, including performance share units, stock options, and restricted stock units, with multi-year vesting and overlapping maturity. Based on the above, we believe that our compensation practices help ensure that no single year’s results and no single corporate action has a disproportionate effect on executive officers’ annual compensation, and encourage steady and consistent long-term performance by our executive officers.

Other Board Matters

Independence. The Board has conducted its annual review of the independence of each director nominee under NYSE standards and the independence standards set forth in Appendix A of our Governance Guidelines (available on our website located at www.ajg.com/ir, under the heading “Corporate Governance”). Based upon its review, the Board has concluded in its business judgment that, with the exception of J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., our Chairman and CEO, all of the director nominees are independent. Pat Gallagher is the brother of Tom Gallagher, one of our named executive officers.

Attendance. The Board expects each director to attend and participate in all Board and applicable committee meetings. Each director is expected to prepare for meetings in advance and to dedicate the time necessary to discharge properly his or her responsibilities at each meeting and to ensure other commitments do not materially interfere with his or her service on the Board. During 2016, the Board met six times. All of the nominees attended 75% or more of the aggregate meetings of the Board and the committees on which they served during 2016. All of our Board members attended our 2016 Annual Meeting, and we expect all Board members to attend our 2017 Annual Meeting.

Stockholder Communications with the Board. A stockholder or other party interested in communicating with the Board, any of its committees, the Chairman, the Lead Director, thenon-management directors as a group or any director individually may do so by writing to their attention at our principal executive offices, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., c/o Corporate Secretary, 2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-4002.

Global Standards of Business Conduct. The Board has also adopted Global Standards of Business Conduct (the Global Standards) that apply to all directors, executive officers and employees. The Global Standards, along with our Governance Guidelines and the charters of the Audit, Compensation and Nominating/Governance Committees, are available at www. ajg.com/ir, under the heading “Corporate Governance.” We will provide a copy of the Global Standards or Governance Guidelines without charge to any person who requests a copy by writing to our Corporate Secretary at 2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-4002. We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirements of Item 5.05 of Form8-K regarding any amendment to, or waiver from, the Global Standards by posting such information on our website.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

11


CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Director Compensation

The Board sets the amount and form of director compensation based upon recommendations made by the Nominating/Governance Committee. Pat Gallagher receives no additional compensation for his service as a director. A substantial portion of eachnon-employee director’s total annual compensation consists of equity grants, in the form of restricted stock units. Under our stock ownership guidelines, directors with at least five years of service are expected to own an amount of our common stock with a value equal to five times the cash portion of the annual director retainer. In 2016, the annual cash retainer was $90,000.

On June 1, 2016, eachnon-employee director was granted 2,950 restricted stock units, which vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant (or immediately upon a director’s departure from the Board). Mr. Nicoletti, who joined our Board in January 2016, was also granted 867 restricted stock units on March 1, 2016 (representing a prorated stock award for the 2015/2016 service period), subject to the same vesting conditions. Committee Chairs receive additional annual fees as follows: $25,000 for the Audit Committee, $20,000 for the Compensation Committee and $15,000 for the Nominating/Governance Committee. The Lead Director receives an additional annual fee of $30,000. Directors are reimbursed for travel and accommodation expenses incurred in connection with attending Board and committee meetings.

Directors may elect to defer all or a portion of their annual cash retainer or restricted stock units under our Deferral Plan for Nonemployee Directors. Deferred cash retainers and restricted stock units are converted to notional stock units, which are credited with dividend equivalents when dividends are paid on our common stock. Deferred restricted stock units are distributed in the form of common stock, and deferred cash retainers and accrued dividend equivalents are distributed in cash, at a date specified by each director or upon such director’s departure from the Board.

      

 

Name

 Fees Earned
or Paid in Cash
($)
  Stock Awards
($)
 (1)
  Option Awards
($)
 (2)
  All Other
Compensation
($)
   Total
($)
 

Sherry S. Barrat

  90,000   139,211          229,211 

William L. Bax

  113,750   139,211          252,961 

D. John Coldman

  90,000   139,211          229,211 

Frank E. English, Jr.

  90,000   139,211          229,211 

Elbert O. Hand

  108,750   139,211          247,961 

David S. Johnson

  115,000   139,211          254,211 

Kay W. McCurdy

  101,250   139,211          240,461 

Ralph J. Nicoletti

  90,000   174,419          264,419 

Norman L. Rosenthal

  90,000   139,211          229,211 

(1)This column represents the full grant date fair value of restricted stock units granted in 2016 in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718,Compensation – Stock Compensation, except that in accordance with SEC rules, any estimate for forfeitures is excluded from, and does not reduce, such amounts. For additional information on the valuation assumptions with respect to awards of restricted stock units, refer to Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. Each director had 2,950 unvested restricted stock units outstanding as of December 31, 2016 (except for Mr. Nicoletti, who had 3,817 unvested restricted stock units due to the timing of his joining the Board).

(2)The directors did not receive stock option awards in 2016. The number of unexercised option awards (vested or unvested) outstanding as of December 31, 2016, for each director listed above was as follows: Ms. Barrat – 0; Mr. Bax – 0; Mr. Coldman – 0; Mr. English – 0; Mr. Hand – 0; Mr. Johnson – 3,125; Ms. McCurdy – 2,330; and Dr. Rosenthal – 0. Some of these options were previously issued under our 1989Non-Employee Directors’ Stock Option Plan.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

How We Review and Approve Related Party Transactions

We review all relationships and transactions in which the company and our directors and executive officers or their immediate family members participate if the amount involved exceeds $120,000. The purpose of this review is to determine whether such related parties have a material interest in the transaction, including a material indirect interest. The company’s legal staff is primarily responsible for making these determinations based on the facts and circumstances, and for developing and implementing processes and controls for obtaining and evaluating information about related party transactions. As required by SEC rules, we disclose in this Proxy Statement all such transactions that are determined to be directly or indirectly material to a related party. In addition, the Nominating/Governance Committee reviews and approves, ratifies or disapproves any such related party transaction. In the course of reviewing and determining whether or not to approve or ratify a disclosable related party transaction, the committee considers the following factors:

Nature of the related party’s interest in the transaction

Material transaction terms, including the amount involved

Whether the transaction is on terms no less favorable than could have been reached with an unrelated third party

For employment arrangements, whether compensation is commensurate with that of other employees with equivalent qualifications and responsibilities and holding similar positions

Importance and potential benefits of the transaction to the related party and to the company

Whether the transaction would impair a director or executive officer’s judgment to act in the company’s best interest

Whether the transaction was undertaken in the ordinary course of business

Any other matters the committee deems appropriate, including the conflicts of interest and corporate opportunity provisions of our Global Standards of Business Conduct.

Related Party Transactions for 2016

In 2016, the following relatives of Pat Gallagher were employed with us: (i) his sister is the head of a specialty sales unit within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $736,297; (ii) hisbrother-in-law is a vice president of niche strategy within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $687,539; (iii) one of his sons is a regional leader within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $745,487; (iv) another son is a branch manager within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $525,396; and (v) a third son is a producer within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $409,732. Additionally, a brother of Jim Durkin is a divisional leader within our UK brokerage operation. He received salary, benefits and performance-based compensation of $825,641 (in addition tocost-of-living adjustments, taxgross-ups and other expenses related to working overseas totaling $544,211) in 2016. The compensation of each related party described above was commensurate with that of other employees with equivalent qualifications and responsibilities and holding similar positions.

Tom Gallagher, one of our named executive officers, is a brother of our CEO. Because of their status as our named executive officers, their compensation arrangements with us are disclosed in the “2016 Summary Compensation Table” below.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

13


CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Security Ownership by Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

The table below presents information concerning beneficial ownership of our common stock by: (i) each person we know to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding shares of common stock (as of December 31, 2016); (ii) each of our named executive officers, directors and director nominees (as of March 20, 2017); and (iii) all of our executive officers and directors as a group (as of March 20, 2017). The percentage calculations in this table are based on a total of 179,475,539 shares of our common stock outstanding as of the close of business on March 20, 2017. Unless otherwise indicated below, to our knowledge, the individuals and entities named in the table have sole voting and sole investment power with respect to all shares beneficially owned by them, subject to community property laws where applicable. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, the address for all persons named below is c/o Arthur J Gallagher & Co., 2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-4002.

    
      Common Stock Issuable Within 60
Days of March 20, 2017
    
      

Name

 

Shares of

Common

Stock (1)

  Stock Options  

Restricted Stock

Units (2)

  

Total Beneficial

Ownership

  

Percent of

Common Stock

Outstanding

 
      

5% Stockholders

                    
      

The Vanguard Group (3)

100 Vanguard Blvd.

Malvern, PA 19355

  17,002,774   N/A   N/A   17,002,774   9.5
      

BlackRock, Inc. (4)

55 East 52nd Street

New York, NY 10022

  14,488,986   N/A   N/A   14,488,986   8.1
      

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (5)

270 Park Ave.

New York, NY 10017

  13,609,878   N/A   N/A   13,609,878   7.6
      

NEOs, directors and nominees  

                    
      

Pat Gallagher

  829,502(6)   125,330      954,832   * 
      

Doug Howell

  168,764(7)   93,563      262,327   * 
      

Jim Gault

  178,345(8)   37,134      215,479   * 
      

Jim Durkin

  311,751(9)   45,205      356,956   * 
      

Tom Gallagher

  408,919(10)   50,135      459,054   * 
      

Sherry S. Barrat

  9,096      2,950   12,046   * 
      

William L. Bax

  34,320      2,950   37,270   * 
      

D. John Coldman

  2,782      2,950   5,732   * 
      

Frank E. English, Jr.

  10,150      2,950   13,100   * 
      

Elbert O. Hand

  29,316      2,950   32,266   * 
      

David S. Johnson

  45,878      2,950   48,828   * 
      

Kay W. McCurdy

  31,095      2,950   34,045   * 
      

Ralph J. Nicoletti

  867      2,950   3,817   * 
      

Norman L. Rosenthal

  24,675(11)      2,950   27,625   * 
      

All directors and executive officers as a group (20 people)

  2,282,849   502,910   26,550   2,812,309   1.6

*Less than 1%

(1)Includes “notional stock units” held under our Supplemental Plan (see page 35) for executive officers. Under this plan, some of our executive officers have deferred restricted stock units upon vesting or elected to invest other deferred amounts into a Gallagher common stock fund. These deferred notional stock units are included because the plan permits participants to elect to move in and out of the Gallagher common stock fund and, as a result, participants have investment power with respect to the underlying shares.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

(2)Allnon-employee director unvested restricted stock units vest immediately upon a director’s departure from the Board, and are included because a director could depart the Board at his or her discretion and acquire rights to the underlying stock within 60 days.

(3)Share total obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed on February 9, 2017 by The Vanguard Group. Vanguard disclosed that it had sole voting power with respect to 279,097 of these shares, shared voting power with respect to 27,591 shares, sole investment power with respect to 16,693,251 shares, and shared investment power with respect to 309,523 shares.

(4)Share total obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed on January 19, 2017 by BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock disclosed that it had sole voting power with respect to 13,000,451 of these shares and sole investment power with respect to the full number of shares disclosed.

(5)Share total obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed on January 18, 2017 by JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPMorgan disclosed that it had sole voting power with respect to 11,779,304 of these shares, shared voting power with respect to 105,105 shares, sole investment power with respect to 13,443,825 shares, and shared investment power with respect to 165,483 shares.

(6)Includes 56,242 notional stock units (see footnote (1) above); 216,012 shares held in trust for the benefit of his children by his wife, Anne M. Gallagher, and another, as trustees, and over which he has shared voting and shared investment power; 271,052 shares held in a revocable trust of which his wife is the sole trustee and over which he has no voting or investment power; 150,000 shares held by Elm Court LLC, a limited liability company of which the voting LLC membership interests are owned by Pat Gallagher and thenon-voting LLC membership interests are owned by a grantor retained annuity trust of which Pat Gallagher is the trustee; and 66,703 shares held in an irrevocable trust of which he is the sole trustee.

(7)Includes 129,143 notional stock units (see footnote (1) above). Also includes 2,300 shares held by his wife, over which he has no voting or investment power and therefore disclaims beneficial ownership.

(8)Includes 48,708 shares held by his wife, over which he has shared voting power.

(9)Includes 8,889 notional stock units (see footnote (1) above).

(10)Includes 3,694 notional stock units (see footnote (1) above); 86,760 shares held in a grantor retained annuity trust of which he is the sole beneficiary; 55,280 shares held in trusts for the benefit of his children, of which his wife is the sole trustee, and over which he has no voting or investment power and disclaims beneficial ownership; 31,671 shares held by his wife, over which he has no voting or investment power; and 66,709 shares held in an irrevocable trust of which he is the sole trustee.

(11)Includes 2,500 shares held in a joint brokerage account with Caryl G. Rosenthal and 2,000 shares held in a joint brokerage account with Marisa F. Rosenthal. Dr. Rosenthal has shared voting and investment power with respect to these shares.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Our executive officers, directors and 10% stockholders are required under the Exchange Act to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC and the NYSE. Copies of these reports must also be furnished to us. Based on a review of copies of Forms 3, 4 and 5 furnished to us or filed with the SEC, or written representations that no additional reports were required, we believe that, during the last fiscal year, our executive officers, directors and 10% stockholders timely filed all reports required by Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

15


Item 2 – Approval of the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan, Including Approval of 16,000,000 Shares Authorized for Issuance Thereunder and the Material Terms of the Performance Goals for Purposes of Section 162(m) Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as Amended

The Board has approved, and is asking our stockholders to approve, the 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan (2017 LTIP). The 2017 LTIP provides for the grant of incentive awards tonon-employee directors, officers and other employees of the company. If approved, the 2017 LTIP will replace the 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan (2014 LTIP) and no new awards will be made under the 2014 LTIP. The maximum number of shares that may be awarded under the 2017 LTIP is 16,000,000 shares, plus any shares subject to outstanding awards under the 2014 LTIP, 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan (2011 LTIP) or the 2009 Long-Term Incentive Plan (2009 LTIP, and together with the 2011 LTIP and 2014 LTIP, the Prior LTIPs) that are outstanding as of the effective date of the 2017 LTIP and are subsequently settled for cash, forfeited, expired, or for any reason are cancelled or terminated, without resulting in the issuance of shares. A maximum of 4,000,000 shares may be issued under the 2017 LTIP for full value awards (i.e., awards other than stock options or stock appreciation rights (SARs)).

Broad-Based Employee Participation

The Board believes that long-term equity compensation is an extremely important way to attract, retain and motivate a talented executive team. The Board also firmly believes that broad-based equity participation is a necessary and powerful employee incentive and retention tool that benefits all of our stockholders. From 2011 to 2017, employee participation in our equity compensation plan grew from 2.4% to 3.4% even as our employee population more than doubled. If the 2017 LTIP is approved, our intention is to continue to increase the number of equity plan participants over time consistent with the growth of our business. We believe it is important to continue to align the interests of both our executive team and our key employees with those of our stockholders. Our Board believes that approval of the 2017 LTIP is important to our long-term growth and is in the best interest of our stockholders.

Key Equity Metrics

Approval of the 2017 LTIP will enable us to compete effectively for executive and key employee talent in the coming years, while maintaining reasonable burn rates and overhang. The following table shows key equity metrics over the prior three years:

        

Fiscal Year

 Stock
Options
Granted
  RSUs
Granted
  PSUs
Granted
  Actual PSUs
Earned
  Total
Granted
 (1)
  Weighted
Average
Number of
Shares
  Unadjusted
Burn
Rate
 (2)
 
        

2016

  2,583,200   496,567   72,900   51,551   3,131,318   177,559,560   1.8
        

2015

  1,964,000   394,975   53,900   48,850   2,407,825   172,238,538   1.4
        

2014

  1,933,200   376,541   48,850      2,309,741   152,854,379   1.5

(1)Total number of shares granted in a particular fiscal year includes all stock options, RSUs and PSUs for which the performance criteria was approved as attained and earned during such fiscal year.

(2)PSUs granted in the applicable fiscal year and not yet earned are excluded from the calculation of burn rate.

As of March 20, 2017, the record date of the Annual Meeting, our projected “overhang,” or voting power dilution, will be approximately 13.6% if the 2017 LTIP is approved. This calculation does not include the 2,143,274 shares remaining under the 2014 LTIP as of March 20, 2017, as they will be canceled upon approval of the 2017 LTIP. The calculation reflects the following updated share information:

12,198,530 shares that may be issued under equity compensation plans approved by stockholders (10,441,976 shares in connection with outstanding stock options with a weighted-average exercise price of $44.59 and a weighted-average remaining term of 4.64 years; 120,336 shares in connection with earned PSUs; and 1,636,218 shares in connection with unvested RSUs); and

16,897 shares that may be issued under equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders (8,000 shares in connection with unvested RSUs under the Restricted Stock Plan; and 8,897 shares in connection with unvested RSUs under the Wesfarmers Inducement Award Plan). See “Equity Compensation Plan Information” for more information regarding these two plans.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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ITEM 2 – APPROVAL OF THE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

Selected Features of the 2017 LTIP

The structure of the 2017 LTIP is based on the 2014 LTIP, but also includes the following material differences:

Minimum Vesting: the 2017 LTIP includes minimum vesting periods for awards (one year for options, one year for SARs, one year for full value awards tonon-employee directors and three years for full value awards to other participants), subject to certain exceptions discussed in further detail below.

Annual Limit on Director Compensation: the 2017 LTIP imposes a $500,000 annual limit on equity awards and cash compensation under the 2017 LTIP and otherwise to eachnon-employee director; provided, however, that in the calendar year in which anon-employee director first joins the Board or is first designated as Chairman of the Board or Lead Director, the maximum aggregate dollar value of equity-based and cash compensation granted to the participant may be up to 200% of the foregoing limit.

No Liberal Share Recycling: the 2017 LTIP does not permit liberal share recycling, including with respect to shares withheld by the company to pay withholding taxes related to awards.

Elimination of Single-Trigger Change in Control Vesting: the 2017 LTIP does not provide for automatic single-trigger change in control award vesting and provides instead for Committee discretion to determine award treatment in connection with a change in control.

Prohibits Dividends or Dividend Equivalents on Unvested Awards:the 2017 LTIP includes an express prohibition on the payment of dividends or dividend equivalents on unvested awards.

These changes continue our approach of aligning our equity compensation program with the interests of our stockholders and with evolving best practices in equity and incentive compensation. These new features are in addition to the following “best-practice” features included in the 2014 LTIP and continued in the 2017 LTIP:

No Increase in Shares Without Stockholder Approval: the 2017 LTIP prohibits any amendment that would increase the number of shares available under the plan without stockholder approval.

No “Liberal” Change in Control: the definition of change in control included in the 2017 LTIP requires an actual change in control to occur and is not triggered by commencement of a tender offer, stockholder approval of an acquisition transaction or similar events.

No Repricings: the 2017 LTIP prohibits “repricing” stock options and SARs and cashing out underwater stock options or SARs without stockholder approval.

Clawback: all awards granted under the 2017 LTIP are subject to recoupment or “clawback,” to the extent required by law, regulation or any company policy (including our existing compensation recovery policy).

The Share Reserve under the 2017 LTIP

As part of the Compensation Committee’s recommendation to the Board to approve the 2017 LTIP, including the total number of shares available for issuance under the 2017 LTIP, the Committee solicited advice from Sibson, its independent compensation consultant, and other internal and external experts to analyze historical share usage (generally referred to as “burn rate”), expected future needs for equity awards within the organization, as well as the dilutive impact of various increases in the total shares available under the plan and the estimated duration of the 2017 LTIP under various scenarios. The Committee also took into account the views of several of our largest stockholders with respect to such issues, which management solicited during an outreach conducted in 2016. Specifically, the Compensation Committee considered:

Shares Available under the 2014 LTIP: If our stockholders do not approve the 2017 LTIP, then we will not have sufficient shares available for grants in 2018. This would result in the loss of an important tool to attract, motivate and retain the most highly qualified and experienced employees andnon-employee directors. In addition, we would be unable to implement management’s plan to continue expansion, in 2018, of the group of employees to whom we grant equity compensation.

Historical Burn Rate: Our equity plan share usage during 2014, 2015 and 2016 represents an average three-year burn rate, factored for a full-value share premium, of 2.2%. This burn rate is below the Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. established burn rate benchmark for our industry and index of 3.4%.

Dilution: Also referred to as “voting power dilution,” dilution is commonly measured by “overhang,” which generally refers to the amount of potential dilution to current stockholders that could result from the future issuance of the shares reserved for issuance under an equity compensation plan. Overhang is typically expressed as a percentage (equal to a fraction where the numerator is the sum of the number of shares reserved but not issued under equity compensation plans plus the number of shares subject to outstanding awards and the denominator is the sum of the numerator plus the total number of shares outstanding). If the 2017 LTIP is approved, our voting power dilution will be approximately 13.6% as of March 20, 2017.

Stockholder Outreach

In 2014, we reached out to: During 2016, management conducted an outreach initiative with our largest stockholders, to provide an update regarding corporate governance andsoliciting their views on various executive compensation matters and governance issues, including their views on acceptable levels of dilution, shareholder value transfer, burn rate and other issues relevant to make ourselves available to discuss any issuesthe share authorization request under our 2017 LTIP. The Committee received reports from management on the results of concern to our stockholders. Our Board of Directors valuesthis outreach, and took the views of our largest stockholders and takes them into account when making determinations regarding corporate governancedetermining features of our plan and executive compensation matters.the level of our share authorization request.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan and Senior Management Incentive PlanEstimated Duration of the 2017 LTIP:

We are submitting an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) and a Senior Management Incentive Plan (SMIP) toIf the 2017 LTIP is approved by our stockholders, based on historical and expected future usage, we estimate that the shares we are requesting under the 2017 LTIP would be sufficient for approvalapproximately four to five years of grants, understanding that the share reserve could last for a longer or shorter period of time, depending on the growth of our employee population, our future grant practices, or our stock price and prevailing market conditions, which cannot be predicted at this year’s Annual Meeting. time.

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ITEM 2 – APPROVAL OF THE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

The Full Value Award Limit Under the 2017 LTIP

The 2017 LTIP also imposes a 4,000,000 share limit on the maximum number of shares that may be awarded in the form of full value awards. We are requesting that stockholders approve this number of full value shares because we would like to continue to provide full value share awards to key employees to encourage ongoing retention and to focus their efforts on long-term stockholder value creation.

The Material Terms of the Performance Goals Under the 2017 LTIP

In addition, we are asking our stockholders to approve the 2017 LTIP so that grants of performance-based compensation under the 2017 LTIP may be structured in a manner that is intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), thereby preserving the company’s tax deduction for such compensation. As part of approving the 2017 LTIP, we are asking our stockholders to approve the material terms of the performance goals that may be used for purposes of granting awards that are intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

For purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code, the material terms of the performance goals include: (1) the individuals eligible to receive compensation under the 2017 LTIP; (2) a description of the business criteria on which the performance goals are based; and (3) the maximum amount of compensation that can be paid to certain employees under the performance goal. We discuss each of these aspects of the 2017 LTIP below under the headings “Plan Term and Eligibility,” “Covered Employee Limits” or “Performance Goals” and stockholder approval of the 2017 LTIP will be deemed to constitute approval of each of these aspects of the 2017 LTIP for purposes of the approval requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code.

Generally, Section 162(m) of the Code limits the deduction a public company can claim for compensation in excess of $1 million paid in a given year to its chief executive officer and its three other most highly-compensated executive officers (other than its chief financial officer). “Performance-based” compensation that meets certain requirements does not count against the $1 million deductibility limitation. Because of their nature as appreciation-only awards, stock options and SARs awarded under the 2017 LTIP, if approved by stockholders, will generally qualify as performance-based compensation. Other awards that we may grant under the 2017 LTIP may be structured in a manner intended to qualify as performance-based compensation if the payment, retention or vesting of the award is subject to the achievement during a performance period of performance goals selected by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee retains the discretion to set the level of performance for a given performance measure and the performance period under a performance-based award. As such, for such awards to qualify as performance-based compensation, our stockholders must approve the material terms of the performance goals at least every five years. Such approval does not guarantee that incentive compensation that we pay to our employees will qualify as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code, but will permit the Compensation Committee to structure incentive compensation in a manner intended to qualify as performance-based compensation if it chooses to do so.

Summary of the Material Terms of the 2017 LTIP

The following is a brief summary of the 2017 LTIP. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the plan document, a copy of which is attached to this Proxy Statement as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference.

Plan Term and Eligibility. The 2017 LTIP term begins upon the date of stockholder approval and terminates on the date of the annual meeting of stockholders that occurs during the year of the tenth anniversary of its effective date, unless terminated earlier by the Board. All of the officers, employees andnon-employee directors of the company and its subsidiaries are eligible to be selected to receive awards under the 2017 LTIP. As of December 31, 2016, approximately 40 officers, 24,800 employees and ninenon-employee directors were eligible for consideration to participate in the 2017 LTIP.

Shares Authorized. 16,000,000 shares of our common stock are available under the 2017 LTIP, plus any shares subject to outstanding awards under the Prior LTIPs as of the date of the Annual Meeting that after such date are settled for cash, forfeited, expired, or for any reason are cancelled or terminated, without resulting in the issuance of shares. A maximum of 4,000,000 shares may be used for full value awards.

Share Counting. If an outstanding award granted under the 2017 LTIP is cancelled or forfeited, expires, terminates or is settled in cash, the shares underlying such award will again be available under the 2017 LTIP (and will not count against the limit on full value awards). Shares that are not issued upon the net settlement of a stock-settled SAR under the 2017 LTIP or Prior LTIPs, shares that are delivered to or withheld by the company to pay the exercise price of a stock option under the 2017 LTIP or Prior LTIPs, shares delivered to or withheld by the company to pay withholding taxes related to awards under the 2017 LTIP or Prior LTIPs and shares that are purchased on the open market with the proceeds of a stock option exercise under the 2017 LTIP or Prior LTIPs will not again be available under the 2017 LTIP.

Administration. The Compensation Committee, which is made up entirely of independent directors, will administer the 2017 LTIP, and may delegate some or all of its authority to our President and CEO or another executive officer as it deems appropriate, except to the extent such delegation is prohibited by applicable law.

Award Types. The 2017 LTIP provides for: (1) nonqualified and incentive stock options (NQSOs and ISOs, respectively); (2) SARs; (3) restricted stock awards (RSAs); and (4) restricted stock units (RSUs).

Covered Employee Limits. Subject to adjustment for any changes in capitalization, only to the extent that such adjustment will not affect the status of any award intended to qualify as “performance-based” compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code: (i) the maximum number of shares of common stock with respect to which options or SARs or a combination thereof that may be granted during any calendar year to any person under the 2017 LTIP will be 200,000; (ii) the maximum number of shares of common stock with respect to which awards other than options or SARs that are intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code and are denominated in shares of common stock that may be earned pursuant to such awards granted during any calendar year to any

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ITEM 2 – APPROVAL OF THE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

person under the 2017 LTIP will be 200,000; and (iii) the maximum amount that may be payable with respect to all awards that are intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code and are denominated in cash granted during any calendar year to any person under the 2017 LTIP will be $5,000,000. For clarity, the Performance Unit Program (PUP) awards discussed in a footnote to the 2016 Option Exercises and Stock Vested table below are cash-settled awards which are presently granted under the SMIP. However, both cash-settled performance restricted stock units and stock-settled performance restricted stock units may be granted under the 2017 LTIP.

Non-Employee Director Limit. The aggregate dollar value of all equity awards (determined based upon the grant date fair value of such awards) and cash compensation granted under the 2017 LTIP or otherwise during any calendar year to a singlenon-employee director may not exceed $500,000; provided, however, that in the calendar year in which anon-employee director first joins the Board or is first designated as Chairman of the Board or Lead Director, the maximum aggregate dollar value of equity-based and cash compensation granted to the participant may be up to two hundred percent (200%) of the foregoing limit and the foregoing limit will not count any tandem SARs.

Stock Options and SARs.Except for substitute awards, the exercise price of a stock option and the base price of a SAR may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. A SAR typically will provide for payment of an amount (in cash or shares of common stock) based upon the increase in the price of our common stock over the base price per share. The exercise price and the required withholding taxes of a stock option may be paid in cash, in shares of our common stock, through anet-exercise or a broker-assisted cashless exercise. Stock options and SARs must expire no later than seven years from the date of grant. The Compensation Committee may provide that an option or SAR with an exercise or base price, as applicable, less than the fair market value per share of common stock shall automatically be exercised immediately prior to expiration. Options and SARs granted under the 2017 LTIP may not become exercisable, vest or be settled, in whole or in part, prior to theone-year anniversary of the date of grant, except that the Compensation Committee may provide that options or SARs become exercisable, vest or settle prior to such date in the event of the participant’s death or disability or in the event of a change in control. Further, up to 5% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the 2017 LTIP may be issued pursuant to awards subject to any, or no, vesting conditions, as the Compensation Committee determines appropriate. Subject to adjustment for changes in capitalization, without the prior approval of the stockholders of the company, the Compensation Committee will not amend or replace any previously granted option or SAR in a transaction that constitutes a “repricing,” including, but not limited to: (i) the reduction, directly or indirectly, in theper-share price of an outstanding option or SAR by amendment, cancellation or substitution; (ii) any action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting practices; (iii) at any time when the per-share price of an outstanding option or SAR is above the fair market value of a share of common stock, canceling (or accepting the surrender of) an option or SAR in exchange for another option, SAR or other equity security or cash (unless the cancellation and exchange occurs in connection with a merger, acquisition, or similar transaction); and (iv) any other action that is treated as a repricing by the rules or regulations of the New York Stock Exchange.

Stock Awards. The 2017 LTIP provides for the grant of stock awards, consisting of RSAs and RSUs, which will be subject to the restrictions, if any, that the Compensation Committee deems appropriate, including a continued employment or service requirement. The Compensation Committee may determine that any stock award will be subject to the attainment of performance measures (which may include the Qualifying Performance Measures described below) over an established performance period. Generally, the holder of an RSA will have the rights of a stockholder, including the right to vote and receive dividends. The holder of an RSU will have no rights as a stockholder of the company but may be entitled to receive dividend equivalents. Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends or dividend equivalents credited/payable in connection with RSAs or RSUs that are not yet vested will be subject to the same restrictions and risk of forfeiture as the underlying RSAs or RSUs and will not be paid until the underlying RSAs or RSUs vest.

RSAs and RSUs granted under the 2017 LTIP may not become exercisable, vest or be settled, in whole or in part, for non-employee directors, prior to theone-year anniversary, and for all other participants, prior to the three-year anniversary, of the date of grant, except that the Compensation Committee may provide that RSAs or RSUs become exercisable, vest or settle prior to such date in the event of the participant’s death or disability or in the event of a change in control. Further, up to 5% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the 2017 LTIP may be issued pursuant to awards subject to any, or no, vesting conditions, as the Compensation Committee determines appropriate.

Qualifying Performance Measures.The Compensation Committee may specify that an award or a portion of an award is intended to satisfy the requirements for “performance-based” compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, provided that the performance criteria for such award or portion of an award that is intended to satisfy the requirements for “performance-based” compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code will be a measure based on one or more Qualifying Performance Measures (defined below) selected by the Compensation Committee and specified at the time the award is granted. “Qualifying Performance Measures” means one or more of the following (or a derivation of the following) objective corporate-wide or subsidiary, division, operating unit or individual measures, stated in either absolute terms,per-share or relative terms, such as rates of growth or improvement, compared to a previous year’s results or to a designated comparison group, either based upon United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) ornon-GAAP financial results, individually or in combination, measured annually or cumulatively over a period of years: (1) the attainment by a share of common stock of a specified fair market value for a specified period of time, (2) earnings per share, (3) return to stockholders, (4) return on assets, (5) return on equity, (6) revenue (organic or otherwise), (7) cash flow, (8) operating expense reduction, (9) return on investment, (10) return on capital, (11) operating margin, (12) net income, (13) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or change in estimated earnout payables or net earnings (either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or change in estimated earnout payables), (14) operating earnings, (15) net cash provided by operations, or (16) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives such as geographic business expansion goals, cost targets, customer satisfaction ratings, reductions in errors and omissions, reductions in lost business, management of employment practices and employee benefits, supervision of litigation, risk management, audit scores, productivity,

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ITEM 2 – APPROVAL OF THE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

efficiency, and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures, or any combination of the foregoing.

In the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee, but subject to Section 162(m) of the Code, the Compensation Committee may provide that one or more objectively determinable adjustments shall be made to one or more of the Qualifying Performance Measures. Such adjustments may include one or more of the following: (i) items related to a change in accounting principles or applicable law; (ii) items relating to financing activities; (iii) expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives; (iv) othernon-operating items; (v) items related to acquisitions; (vi) items attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by the company during the performance period; (vii) items related to the disposal of a business or segment of a business; (viii) items related to discontinued operations that do not qualify as a segment of a business under GAAP; (ix) items attributable to any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares occurring during the performance period; (x) any other items of significant income or expense which are determined to be appropriate adjustments if such adjustment is timely approved in connection with the establishment of such Qualifying Performance Measures; (xi) items relating to infrequently occurring corporate transactions, events or developments; (xii) items related to amortization of acquired intangible assets; (xiii) items that are outside the scope of the company’s core,on-going business activities; (xiv) items relating to any other infrequently occurring events or changes in applicable laws, accounting principles or business conditions; (xv) items relating to foreign currency impacts; or (xvi) items relating to such other events as the Compensation Committee deems appropriate, if such adjustment is timely approved in connection with the establishment of such Qualifying Performance Measures. For all awards intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, such determinations will be made within the time prescribed by, and otherwise in compliance with, Section 162(m) of the Code.

Amendment or Termination of the 2017 LTIP. The Board may amend or terminate the 2017 LTIP, subject to any requirement of stockholder approval required by law or the rules of the New York Stock Exchange; provided, however, that no amendment may impair in any material way an award holder’s rights without his or her consent; provided that no such consent will be required if the Compensation Committee determines in its sole discretion and prior to the date of any change in control that such amendment either is required or advisable in order for the company, the 2017 LTIP or the award to satisfy any law or regulation or to meet the requirements of or avoid adverse financial accounting consequences under any accounting standard, or is not reasonably likely to significantly diminish the benefits provided under such award, or that any such diminishment has been adequately compensated.

Adjustment. In the event of any change in capitalization or any distribution to holders of our common stock other than a regular cash dividend, the Compensation Committee will equitably adjust the number of shares available under the plan, the share limitations described above and the terms of outstanding awards.

Change in Control. In the event of the consummation of any acquisition by any person or group of 50% or more of the combined voting power of our outstanding securities then entitled to vote for the election of directors or in the event of any change during anytwo-year period in the majority of the members of the Board whose election is not approved by at leasttwo-thirds of the members of the Board who either were directors at the beginning

of such period or whose election was previously so approved, then the Compensation Committee may through the terms of an award or otherwise provide that any or all of the following will occur, either immediately upon the change in control, or upon termination of a participant’s employment or service within six months prior to or twenty-four months following the change in control: (i) all outstanding options and SARs will immediately become vested and exercisable in full; (ii) the restriction period applicable to any outstanding RSA or RSU will lapse; (iii) the performance period applicable to any outstanding award will lapse; and/or (iv) the performance measures applicable to any outstanding award will be deemed to be satisfied at their target levels or, if greater, on a pro rata basis based on actual achievement as of the date of the change in control. The Board may require that the acquiring company substitute or cash out outstanding awards. Certain additional requirements apply to awards that are subject to Section 409A of the Code.

Substitute Awards. The Committee may grant awards in substitution for any award previously granted by a company or other entity in connection with a corporate transaction, such as a merger or consolidation with another entity or acquisition of property or stock of another entity. Substitute awards will not count against the 2017 LTIP overall share limit or any sublimit in the 2017 LTIP (nor will shares of common stock subject to substitute awards be added to the shares available for awards under the 2017 LTIP), except as may be required by the Code. As permitted by applicable stock exchange rules, the Committee may grant awards pursuant to apre-existing plan of a company acquired by or combined with the company and such awards will not reduce the shares available under the 2017 LTIP (nor will shares of common stock subject to such awards be added to the shares available for awards under the 2017 LTIP), provided that such awards are made only to those who were not employed by or providing services to the company immediately prior to the acquisition.

United States Federal Income Tax Consequences.The following discussion is intended to be a summary only of the federal income tax aspects of awards granted under the 2017 LTIP and not of state, local or foreign taxes that may apply. Individual tax consequences may vary.

Section 162(m). Under Section 162(m) of the Code, compensation attributable to stock options and SARs will qualify as performance-based compensation, provided that: (1) the 2017 LTIP contains aper-person limitation on the number of shares for which options or SARs may be granted during a specified period; (2) theper-person limitation is approved by our stockholders; (3) the award is granted by a compensation committee comprised solely of outside directors (as defined in Section 162(m) of the Code); and (4) the exercise price of the option or SAR is not less than the fair market value of the stock on the date of grant. For the above reasons, our 2017 LTIP provides for an annualper-person limitation and our Compensation Committee is comprised solely of outside directors. Accordingly, stock options or SARs granted by the Compensation Committee may qualify as performance-based compensation, and the other awards subject to Qualifying Performance Measures also may be structured in a manner intended to qualify.

ISOs. A participant who is granted an ISO does not realize any taxable income upon the date of grant or the date of exercise (except possibly for alternative minimum tax). Similarly, we are not entitled to any deduction at the time of grant or at the time of exercise. If the participant makes no disposition of the shares

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ITEM 2 – APPROVAL OF THE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

acquired pursuant to an ISO before the later of two years from the date of grant or one year from the date of the exercise of such shares by the participant, any gain or loss realized on a subsequent disposition of the shares will be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss. Under such circumstances, we will not be entitled to any deduction for federal income tax purposes.

NQSOs and SARs. A participant who is granted a NQSO or a SAR does not have taxable income at the date of grant. Taxable, ordinary income occurs on the date of exercise in an amount equal to the difference between the exercise or base price of the shares and the market value of the shares on the date of exercise. We are entitled to a corresponding deduction for the same amount.

RSAs. A participant who has been granted an RSA will not realize taxable income at the time of the grant, and we will not be entitled to a deduction at the time of the grant, assuming that the restrictions constitute a substantial risk of forfeiture for U.S. income tax purposes. When such restrictions lapse, the participant will receive ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares at such time over the amount, if any, paid for such shares. We will be entitled to a corresponding deduction. The participant may elect to include the value the RSA as income at the time it is granted under Section 83(b) of the Code, and we will take a corresponding income tax deduction.

RSUs. Recipients of RSUs generally should not recognize income until such units are converted into cash or shares of our common stock. Upon conversion, the recipient will normally recognize ordinary income equal to the amount of cash and fair market value of the shares, if any, received upon such conversion. If the recipient is an employee, such ordinary income generally is subject to withholding of income and employment taxes. We generally will be allowed a deduction for federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the ordinary income recognized by the employee.

New Plan Benefits. Because benefits under the 2017 LTIP will depend on the Compensation Committee’s actions and the fair market value of our common stock at various future dates, it is not possible to determine at this time the benefits that might be received by officers, employees andnon-employee directors if the 2017 LTIP is approved by stockholders. As of December 30, 2016, the closing price of our common stock was $51.96 per share.

Vote Required. The approval of the 2017 LTIP requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock having voting power, present in person, deemed to be present or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting.

LOGOTHE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTEFOR THE APPROVAL OF THE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN, INCLUDING 16,000,000 SHARES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE THEREUNDER AND THE MATERIAL TERMS OF THE PERFORMANCE GOALS

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Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table provides information as of December 31, 2016, regarding the number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under our equity compensation plans. See page 16 for certain updated information as of March 20, 2017.

    
   (a)  (b)  (c) 
    

Plan Category

 

Number of securities

to be issued

upon exercise of
outstanding options,

warrants and rights

  

Weighted-average

exercise price of
outstanding options,

warrants and rights

  

Number of securities remaining

available for future issuance
under equity compensation
plans (excluding securities
reflected in column (a))

 
    

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

  11,142,800(1)  $41.45(2)   11,925,178(3) 
    

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders(4)

  16,897(5)       
    

Total

  11,159,697   41.45(2)   11,925,178 

(1)This amount includes the following:

9,504,846 shares that may be issued in connection with outstanding stock options;

169,186 shares that may be issued in connection with earned performance share units; and

1,468,768 unvested restricted stock units.

(2)Indicates the weighted average exercise price of the outstanding stock options included in column (a).

(3)This amount includes the following:

4,377,712 shares available under the 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan; and

7,547,466 shares available under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

(4)Set forth below are equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders, under which we have outstanding awards:

The share authorization requestRestricted Stock Plan. All of our directors, officers and employees were eligible to receive awards under the plan, which provided for the ESPP is 8,000,000grant of contingent rights to receive shares of our common stock. Awards under the plan were granted at the discretion of the Compensation Committee. Each award granted under the plan represents the right of the holder of the award to receive shares of our common stock, representing fewer than 5%cash or a combination of shares and cash, subject to the holder’s continued employment with us for a period of time after the grant date of the award. The Compensation Committee determined each recipient of an award under the plan, the number of shares of common stock subject to such an award and the period of continued employment required for the vesting of such award. The last year we made awards under this plan was 2009.

The Wesfarmers Inducement Award Plan. In connection with the closing of our total outstanding shares. The termsacquisition of Crombie/OAMPS in 2014, the Compensation Committee approved this plan so that we could grantone-time employment inducement awards of restricted stock units to three employees of the ESPPacquired businesses under NYSE Rule 303A.08. The Compensation Committee determined the amount of each award, along with vesting and SMIP are substantially similarother terms.

(5)This amount includes the following:

8,000 unvested restricted stock units under the Restricted Stock Plan; and

8,897 unvested restricted stock units under the Wesfarmers Inducement Award Plan.

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Audit Matters

Item 3—Ratification of Appointment of Independent Auditor

The Audit Committee has considered the qualifications of Ernst & Young LLP and has appointed Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017. As a matter of good governance, the Board wishes to obtain stockholders’ ratification of the Audit Committee’s action in such appointment. A resolution ratifying the appointment will be offered at the Annual Meeting. If the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP is not ratified, the Audit Committee will consider the outcome of this vote in its future deliberations regarding the selection of our independent registered public accounting firm.

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

The following is a summary of Ernst & Young LLP’s fees for professional services rendered to us for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015:

   
   2016  2015 
   

Audit Fees

  $ 4,729,000  $4,904,000 
   

Audit-Related Fees

  814,000   1,056,000 
   

Tax Compliance Fees

  1,271,000   1,117,000 
   

Tax Advisory Fees

  3,955,000   3,500,000 
   

All Other Fees

  9,000   17,000 
   

Totals

  $10,778,000  $10,594,000 

Fees for audit services include fees associated with the annual audit of our company and our subsidiaries and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, the review of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K, and statutory audits required internationally. These fees were lower in 2016 due in part to a reduction in statutory audits required internationally from the elimination of some legal entities. Audit-related fees principally include due diligence in connection with acquisitions, issuance of service auditor reports (SOC 1 and SOC 2) related to operations at one of our subsidiaries and advisory work related to our compliance with foreign statutory requirements. Audit-related fees were lower in 2016 due in part to the lesser amount of due diligence performed in 2016 in connection with our international acquisitions and a reduction in fees for our SOC 2 related work. Tax compliance fees include fees associated with the preparation of our annual Federal and state tax returns. Tax advisory fees include tax advice and tax planning related to Federal, state and international tax matters, and were higher in 2016 due in part to the greater amount of international tax planning work required in 2016 because of our international operations. All other fees principally include fees for access to an online accounting and tax information database.

Audit CommitteePre-Approval Policies and Procedures

All audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services for fiscal years 2016 and 2015 werepre-approved by the Audit Committee. It is the policy of the Audit Committee topre-approve the engagement of Ernst & Young LLP before we engage such firm to render audit or other permittednon-audit services. The Audit Committee has adopted procedures forpre-approving all audit and permittednon-audit services provided by Ernst & Young LLP. The Audit Committee annuallypre-approves a list of specific services and categories of services, subject to a specified cost level. Part of this approval process includes making a determination as to whether permittednon-audit services are consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence. The Audit Committee has delegatedpre-approval authority to the Chairman of the Audit Committee for the types of services that Ernst & Young LLP has historically been retained to perform related to integrated audit and other recurring services, subject to reporting any such approvals at the next Audit Committee meeting.

A representative of Ernst & Young LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting to respond to appropriate questions and to make a statement if the representative so desires.

LOGOTHE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTEFORRATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2017

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Audit Committee Report

The Audit Committee represents and assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities for general oversight of the integrity of the company’s financial statements, risk assessment and risk management, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The Audit Committee manages the company’s relationship with and is responsible for the appointment, retention, termination and compensation of Ernst & Young LLP. Ernst & Young LLP was the company’s independent registered public accounting firm at the time of its initial public offering in 1984 and has continued in that role since. The Audit Committee reviews Ernst & Young LLP’s independence, capabilities, expertise, performance and fees in deciding whether to retain its services.

The company’s management is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of its consolidated financial statements, accounting and financial reporting principles, and internal controls designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. Ernst & Young LLP is responsible for auditing the company’s consolidated financial statements and expressing an opinion as to their conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and for auditing the effectiveness of the company’s internal controls over financial reporting. The Audit Committee monitors the financial reporting process and reports its findings to the Board.

The Audit Committee carried out its duties and responsibilities, including the following specific actions:

Reviewed and discussed with management and Ernst & Young LLP the company’s audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 and its internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016;

Reviewed and discussed with Ernst & Young LLP all matters required to thosebe discussed by the standards of the prior versionsPublic Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB); and

Obtained the written disclosures and letter from Ernst & Young LLP regarding its communications with the Audit Committee concerning Ernst & Young LLP’s independence as required by the PCAOB, including the requirements under PCAOB Rule 3526, and has discussed with Ernst & Young LLP its independence.

Based on these reviews and discussions with management and Ernst & Young LLP, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the company’s audited consolidated financial statements be included in its Annual Report on Form10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, for filing with the SEC. The Audit Committee believes that the retention of Ernst & Young LLP to serve as the company’s independent registered public accounting firm is in the best interests of the company.

AUDIT COMMITTEE

William L. Bax (Chair)

Frank E. English, Jr.

Ralph J. Nicoletti

Norman L. Rosenthal

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Compensation Discussion and Analysis

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis discusses the compensation of the plans. following named executive officers (NEOs):

Pat Gallagher

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Doug Howell

Chief Financial Officer

Jim Gault

Corporate VP and Chairman - Global P/C Brokerage

Jim Durkin

Corporate VP and Chairman - Employee Benefit Consulting and Brokerage

Tom Gallagher

Corporate VP and CEO - Global P/C Brokerage

Recent leadership changes. In November 2016, Jim Gault was promoted to the role of Chairman - Global P/C Brokerage, and Tom Gallagher, who was Chairman - International Brokerage, assumed the role of CEO - Global P/C Brokerage. In January 2017, Jim Durkin was promoted to the role of Chairman - Employee Benefit Consulting and Brokerage.

Non-GAAP financial measures.For details, pleaseadditional information regarding thenon-GAAP financial measures referred to in this Proxy Statement (EBITAC, EBITDAC, adjusted EBITDAC margin, and organic revenue growth), including reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, see “Item 3: ApprovalExhibit B.

2016 Financial Results

The company delivered strong results in 2016. We remained focused on the four components of our long-term strategy: (i) organic growth; (ii) mergers and acquisitions; (iii) quality and productivity; and (iv) maintaining our unique culture. Executing on these strategies, we achieved revenue growth of 5% (to $4.25 billion) and EBITAC growth of 17% (to $923.0 million) in our combined brokerage and risk management segments.

Additional highlights of our 2016 performance include the following:

We achieved organic revenue growth of 3.1% for the combined brokerage and risk management segments.

We increased our adjusted EBITDAC margin for the combined brokerage and risk management segments from 24.8% to 25.3%.

We completed 37 acquisitions, representing $138 million in acquired annualized revenue.

We funded our acquisition program from free cash flow and debt, using zero shares (after share repurchases).

Our stock price increased from $40.94 to $51.96, resulting in total return to stockholders (including dividends) of 31.1%. This performance compares favorably to the S&P 500 and S&P 500 Financials indices, which increased 12.0% and 22.6%, respectively. The Compensation Committee views these as excellent results.

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Our Compensation Program

The Compensation Committee believes that our compensation program for named executive officers is balanced and reasonable and helps us retain and motivate highly talented business leaders through a range of economic cycles. We reward performance by emphasizing a balance of short- and long-term compensation vehicles. Annual cash incentives are awarded based on achievement of financial performance metrics and the Committee’s assessment of individual performance. Further details on the principles and objectives of our compensation program are set forth below.

Principle

Features of the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employee Stock Purchase Plan” beginning on page 37, and “Item 4: Approval of the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Senior Management Incentive Plan” beginning on page 39.Compensation Program Aligned to Principle

Pay-for-Performance

   Our program emphasizesat-risk incentive award opportunities, which are tied to specified financial objectives.

 

5   Our annual incentive program is based primarily on the achievement of key company performance objectives set by the Compensation Committee.


Key Pay   Our long-term incentive program awards are tied to a combination of stock price performance and Governance Practicesachievement of performance objectives established by the Compensation Committee.

Attract and Retain
World-Class Talent

   Compensation elements and award opportunities are designed to position us to compete effectively for insurance, business, financial or other executive talent.

The Compensation Committee continually evaluates best practices in executiveengages a compensation and governance and considers modificationsconsultant to conduct a market assessment to ensure that our executive compensation program that support our business strategies, provide an appropriate balanceis highly competitive.

   High performers are awarded with above-target pay when company performance goals are exceeded.

Stockholder Alignment

   We align the long-term financial interests of risk and reward for our named executive officers and align their compensation with long-term stockholder interests. Key pay and governance practices include the following:

Annual cash incentives

Target. Our annual cash incentive program targets awards at 150% of base salary for our CEO and 100% of base salary for our other named executive officers. See pages 10-13 for a discussion of performance measures and hurdle rates.

Cap. Even for extraordinary performance, we cap the annual cash incentive opportunity at 150% of target awards.

No payout without minimum level of performance. Our annual cash incentive plan does not provide guaranteed bonuses and pays out only if we meet minimum performance thresholds.

Restricted Stock Units and Stock Options

Minimum vesting periods. Our equity plans mandate (subject to certain very limited exceptions) a minimum vesting period of three years for all awards.

No liberal share recycling. Our equity plans prohibit liberal share recycling.

Re-pricing and cash buyouts prohibited. Our equity plans prohibit re-pricing and cash buyouts of stock options and SARs.

Performance Share Units (PSUs) and Performance Unit Program (PUP)

PSUs and PUP awards aligned with stockholder interests. Performance Share Units (PSUs) and Performance Unit Program (PUP) awards are earned based on our financial performance during the year of grant. PSUs are paid out in stock, and cash payouts for PUP awards are based on our stock price, after the third year.

No payout without minimum level of performance. No portion of a PSU or PUP award is earned if the company fails to meet a minimum performance threshold. See page 14.

Cap. Final cash payouts for PUP awards are capped at 150% of target awards (see page 14 for a description of the 50%-150% collar).

Executive pay and governance best practices

Prohibition on hedging. Executive officers and directors are prohibited from engaging in any hedging transaction involving our common stock.

Restrictions on pledging. Executive officers and directors are required to obtain approval prior to pledging our common stock. In addition, our common stock pledged as collateral for a loan will not be considered in determining whether executive officers and directors have met their stock ownership guidelines.

Clawback policy. We have an incentive compensation recovery policy under which our named executive officers can be required to pay back incentive awards erroneously awarded on the basis of restated financial statements, if they participated in fraud or misconduct leading to the restatement. See our Governance Guidelines, found atwww.ajg.com/ir, under the heading “Corporate Governance.”4

Stock ownership guidelines. We expect our named executive officers who have served in their roles for at least five years to own an amount of our common stock with a value equal to a multiple of base salary (six times for our CEO, four times for our CFO and three times for the other named executive officers). Directors with at least five years of service are expected to own stock with a value equal to five times the cash portion of their annual retainer. All directors with at least one year of service currently own shares of our common stock, and all of our named executive officers and directors with at least five years of service are in compliance with their stock ownership guidelines. For both executive officers and directors, pledged shares are not considered when determining compliance with the guidelines.

Change-in-control agreements. Our change-in-control agreements contain a “double trigger.” See page 22. In addition, we have a policy that we will not enter into new change-in-control agreements containing excise tax gross-ups, or amend existing change-in-control agreements without removing such provisions.

Minimal perquisites. Our named executive officers receive only minimal perquisites and do not receive any related tax gross-ups. See page 15.

4 Information on our website is not part of this proxy statement.

6


No employment agreements with NEOs.We do not have an employment agreement with Mr. Gallagher or any of our other named executive officers.

Compensation Philosophy

The following provides an overview of our compensation philosophy and program for named executive officers:

We believe in pay-for-performance. Our program emphasizes at-risk incentive award opportunities, which are payable only if specified financial, operational and individual goals are achieved.

Our program is designed to attract, motivate, reward and retain the most talented individuals who can drive business performance.

We emphasize share ownership. We deliverstockholders through (i) performance share units, stock options and restricted stock units with long-term (three to five-year)long vesting periods toand (ii) our Deferred Equity Participation Plan, which encourages retention and alignment with long-term stockholder interests by requiring our named executive officers whoto remain employed with us through at least age 62 in order to vest in their awards.

   Pursuant to stock ownership guidelines, senior executives own significant amounts of Gallagher stock throughout the term of their employment (6 times salary for CEO, 4 times for CFO and 3 times for other NEOs).

Committee Discretion

   While annual incentive awards are expected to maintain minimum equity ownership levels ranging from three times to six times their annual base salary.

When settingdetermined primarily based on achievement of company performance objectives, the elements of our compensation program, we consider the total direct compensation of similarly situated executives from various market reference sources. See pages 8-9.

The Compensation Committee exercises negative discretion in determining compensation actions when necessary due to extraordinaryadjust awards based on factors such as individual or business unit performance, changes in the economy, unusual eventseconomic or overall company performance.
business conditions or similar unanticipated occurrences.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Key Pay and Governance Practices

The Compensation Committee continually evaluates developing practices in executive compensation and governance and considers modifications to our executive compensation program that support our business strategies, provide an appropriate balance of risk and reward for our named executive officers, and align their compensation with long-term stockholder interests. The following charts summarize certain of our key pay and governance practices.

 

The total direct compensation awarded
What We Do:

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Double-triggerchange-in-control agreements

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Our 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan requires the Board to our namedapprove any accelerated payouts on a change in control (i.e., no longer single-trigger)

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PSUs with three-year performance period beginning in 2017

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Minimum vesting requirements for equity awards (equity plans specify minimum of three years for full value awards granted to employees and one year for stock options; in practice, PSUs cliff vest in three years, stock options vest ratably over years three through five, and RSUs cliff vest in five years)

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Robust stock ownership guidelines for executive officers includes base salary, performance-based annualand directors

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Clawback policy in our Governance Guidelines affecting equity and cash incentive awards long-term

What We Don’t Do:

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No single-triggerchange-in-control payments in either the 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan or our change in control agreements

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No guaranteed incentive awards (consistingfor senior executives

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No employment agreement with any of performance share units,our NEOs

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No pledging of common stock options and restricted stock units), and Age 62 Plan awards.

We structure our compensation program for namedby executive officers to ensure that a significant portionand directors without prior approval

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No hedging of the compensation paid is linked to the performance of our business. We provide the variable elements of our program (annual cash incentive compensationcommon stock by executive officers and long-term incentive compensation) primarily to encourage and reward performance that leads to strong financial results and creation of long-term stockholder value. In addition, we structure our program to ensure that it is not overly weighted toward annual cash incentive compensation and does not otherwise have the potential to threaten long-term stockholder value by promoting unnecessarydirectors

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No excessive perquisites or excessive risk-taking by our named executive officers.

related taxCompensation Elementsgross-ups

 

Compensation ElementObjectiveKey Features

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No new excise taxgross-ups upon change in control

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No stock option repricing, stock option cash buyouts, or liberal share recycling in equity plans

2016Say-on-Pay Advisory Vote and Stockholder Outreach

Our Board of Directors pays close attention to the views of our stockholders, including the 89% “say on pay” approval rate our compensation program received in 2016, when making determinations regarding corporate governance and executive compensation.

In addition, members of our management team engaged with stockholders representing approximately 50% of our outstanding shares to discuss corporate governance and executive compensation matters. Based in part on feedback we received from our stockholders, the Compensation Committee made certain changes to our compensation program for 2017. These changes, which will be reflected in next year’s Proxy Statement, include the following:

Performance share unit awards will be based on a new performance measure, growth in adjusted EBITDAC per share, and will be subject to a three-year, rather thanone-year, performance period. The Compensation Committee believes this new performance measure is responsive to stockholder preference for a longer performance period and additional accountability around the use of shares in acquisitions.

Our annual cash incentive awards for named executive officers will be based on a combination of adjusted revenue growth and adjusted EBITDAC growth. Maximum payouts will be calculated using a more formulaic approach than in prior years, using a two metric payout grid. Final awards will remain subject to downward adjustment in the Compensation Committee’s discretion.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

2016 Compensation

Components of Compensation for Named Executive Officers

Compensation Element

ObjectiveKey Features

Base Salary

 Compensate named executive officers for fulfilling the regular duties and responsibilities of their positions Base salary may be increased from time to time based on job performance, promotion into a new role, expansion of duties, or market conditions

Annual Cash Incentives

Align the financial interests of named executive officers with those of stockholdersAnnual cash incentives are considered at-risk. Award amounts (including target and maximum payouts) are determined based on the achievement of revenue and EBITAC growth, as well as other key annual financial and operational goals that drive stockholder value creation

Long-Term Incentives

Performance share units (PSUs), stock options and restricted stock units

Promote retention of named executive officers and align the financial interests of named executive officers with those of stockholders

Long-term incentive opportunities are considered at-risk. They are greater for named executive officers with a greater direct impact on long-term company performance

PSUs, stock options and restricted stock units each tie named executive officers’ long-term wealth creation to the performance of our stock and provide multi-year vesting and overlapping maturity

Deferred Equity Participation Plan (Age 62 Plan)Promote retention of named executive officers and align their financial interests with those of stockholders

Vesting of awards is delayed until named executive officers reach age 62, and for one-year increments after such age

Each NEO has elected to invest cash awards in a fund representing our common stock

Compensation Decision-Making Process

The Compensation Committee is responsible for determining compensation opportunities for our named executive officers, establishing the annual total value to be transferred through our long-term incentive plans, and setting thresholds, targets and maximum awards for incentive compensation. To determine compensation opportunities for our named executive officers, the Compensation Committee takes into account the compensation objectives noted above, individual and company performance,

7


compensation data for our comparison groups, trends in the financial service and insurance brokerage sectors, and best practices, as well as internal factors such as the strategic value of a given role, impact on our financial results, tax deductibility and accounting considerations.

Tally Sheets

The Compensation Committee also carefully considers the data compiled in a tally sheet prepared by management for each named executive officer. Tally sheets provide a comprehensive view of our compensation payout exposure under various termination scenarios (for example, voluntary or involuntary termination, retirement, and change in control). The tally sheets also provide details regarding all compensation, benefits and perquisites delivered to our named executive officers during the most recent three-year period and a projection for the coming year.

The tally sheets include a three-year analysis of equity and deferred compensation, and provide insight into total wealth accumulation for each officer, as well as the sensitivity of these figures to changes in our stock price. This information provides a comprehensive context in which the Compensation Committee can determine the appropriate type and amount of compensation for each named executive officer.

Role of the CEO

At the beginning of each year, Mr. Gallagher proposes performance objectives for the company and for himself. The Compensation Committee and the Board review these objectives with Mr. Gallagher and make modifications as necessary. Following this review and discussion, the Compensation Committee and the Board finalize and approve the objectives for Mr. Gallagher and the company. The objectives include both quantitative financial measurements and qualitative strategic and operational considerations that focus on factors Mr. Gallagher and the Board believe create long-term stockholder value. Mr. Gallagher reviews and discusses preliminary considerations regarding his own compensation with the Compensation Committee but does not participate in the Compensation Committee’s final determination of his compensation. Mr. Gallagher also reviews the performance of each other named executive officer and presents a summary of these performance reviews to the Compensation Committee, along with preliminary recommendations regarding salary adjustments, if any, and annual award amounts.

Role of the Compensation Consultant

The Compensation Committee has retained Sibson Consulting (Sibson) as its independent executive compensation consultant. Sibson provides expertise on various matters coming before the Compensation Committee. Sibson works with our management team at the direction of the Compensation Committee and only on matters for which the Compensation Committee is responsible, and does not receive compensation from us for any other matters. In connection with its 2014 engagement, Sibson reviewed 2014 proxy season results and implications for our pay practices; assisted in the review and confirmation of our peer group for executive compensation and company performance review purposes; provided updates on emerging executive compensation trends, including proxy advisory firm and regulatory developments; and reviewed and assessed all elements of our pay programs for executive officers.

The Compensation Committee has assessed Sibson’s independence pursuant to SEC and NYSE rules and concluded that no conflict of interest exists that would prevent Sibson from serving as an independent consultant to the Compensation Committee.

Comparative Market Assessment

The Compensation Committee does not target its compensation decisions to any specific percentiles or other absolute measures relating to comparison group data. The Compensation Committee reviews compensation data from two different comparison groups, as a market reference for its named executive officer compensation decisions, as described below.

Survey Comparison Group

This group consists of insurance and general industry companies similar to our company in terms of total assets, revenues or number of employees, which the Compensation Committee uses as a reference point for individual pay levels. In 2014, the Compensation Committee reviewed pay data from two published surveys: (i) theExecutive Compensation Survey conducted by Mercer, and (ii) theTop Management Industry Compensation Survey conducted by Towers Watson. Sibson updated this data based on findings from its own annual private study. When available, information for individual positions was drawn from the “Insurance – Non Healthcare” category; otherwise, general industry data was used. The Compensation Committee also reviewed general industry long-term incentive target award data from both surveys.

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Proxy Comparison Group

This group is focused on our direct competitors for executive talent rather than companies of comparable size. The members of this group are selected from the insurance industry (brokers and carriers), and from professional and financial services companies that may compete with us for executive talent or in specific lines of business.

The only other insurance brokers for which compensation data is publicly available, Aon plc, Brown & Brown, Inc., Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. and Willis Group Holdings Ltd., compete with us the most directly and are the most relevant members of this comparison group. However, Aon plc and Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. are significantly larger than we are in revenue, number of employees, insurance premiums written, value of claims paid, assets and market capitalization. Compared to the insurance carriers in the group, we are above the median in terms of number of employees, insurance premiums written and value of claims paid – metrics the Compensation Committee believes are relevant to evaluating the complexity of our business. However, our revenue, assets and market capitalization are below the median of such companies. Taking these differences in size into account, the Compensation Committee uses this proxy comparison group primarily as a reference point for our compensation plan structure, pay mix, and general equity granting practices. The Compensation Committee uses it to a lesser extent as a reference point for individual pay levels.

The same group of companies was used for both the 2014 and 2013 studies, with the exception of National Financial Partners Corp, which was acquired by a private company and, as such, no longer provides compensation data in proxy filings:

American Financial Group Inc.

Carrier

Aon plc

Broker

Arch Capital Group Ltd

Carrier

Axis Capital Holdings Ltd

Carrier

Berkley (W R) Corp

Carrier

Brown & Brown, Inc.

Broker

CNA Financial Corp

Carrier

Fidelity National Financial, Inc.

Professional / Financial Services

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

Broker

Old Republic International Corp

Carrier

Raymond James Financial, Inc.

Professional / Financial Services

Towers Watson & Co.

Professional / Financial Services

Unum Group

Carrier

Willis Group Holdings Ltd

Broker

XL Capital Plc

Carrier

Results of the Comparative Market Assessment

In 2014, the Compensation Committee examined the total direct compensation opportunity for each named executive officer as a whole (base salary, annual cash incentives and long-term incentives) as well as each of its components. External compensation data for our survey and proxy comparison groups was used only as a market reference for compensation decisions and the Compensation Committee did not target total compensation to a specific percentile of the data for these groups. The review of survey and proxy comparison group data showed that aggregate base salaries and annual cash incentive opportunities for our named executive officer group approximate the median for similarly situated named executive officer groups. However, our named executive officer group’s aggregate long-term incentive compensation opportunity, and therefore total direct compensation, was below the comparison peers’ median. Based on this market check, the Compensation Committee concluded that, other than with respect to Mr. Gallagher, whose total direct compensation was significantly below the median for similarly situated CEOs in both comparison groups, our named executive officers’ overall compensation opportunity was appropriate. The Compensation Committee took our relative size into account in making this determination, noting that long-term incentive opportunities for our named executive officer group lagged the median of our comparison groups.

2014 Decisions – By Compensation Element

Base Salary

We provide named executive officers with base salary to compensate them for fulfilling their regular duties and responsibilities. Base salary may be increased from time to time based on job performance, promotion tointo a new role, significant expansion of duties, or market conditions. Inconditions

Annual Cash Incentives

Reward strong operational and financial performance that further short-term strategic objectives

Annual cash incentives are determined based on the first quartercompany’s achievement of 2014,performance measures tied to revenue and EBITAC growth and the Compensation Committee increased Mr. Howell’s base salary from $700,000 to $750,000. The Compensation Committee approved this increase becauseCommittee’s assessment of Mr. Howell’s role in our continuing strong financialindividual performance his role in the successful execution and financing of our acquisition program (including the acquisition of Giles Insurance Broking Group in November 2013) and his successful oversight of the development of our tax-advantaged investments.

 

9See below for more information

Long-Term Incentives


The Compensation Committee did not adjust the base salaryPerformance share units (PSUs), stock options and
restricted stock units

Tie a significant portion of anycompensation to our long- term performance, promote retention of the other named executive officers. Base salaries for our named executive officers can be found inand align the Summary Compensation Table.

Annual Cash Incentive Compensation

Our annual cash incentive plan is administered under our stockholder-approved Senior Management Incentive Plan (SMIP), which is being submitted for renewal at this year’s annual meeting. See pages 39-40 for a summaryfinancial interests of the terms of this plan. This plan rewards our named executive officers for achieving key annual financial, operational, risk management and strategic goals that drive stockholder value. During the first quarterwith those of each year, the Compensation Committee establishes a minimum level of company financial performance required to fund the planstockholders

Long-term incentive opportunities are consideredat-risk. They are greater for that year. If we attain this minimum company financial performance, the Compensation Committee awards cash incentive compensation to our named executive officers based uponwith a combination ofgreater direct impact on long-term company and/or business unit financial performance goals

PSUs, stock options and individualrestricted stock units each tie named executive officers’ long-term wealth creation to the performance goals.

Target awards. In 2014, the Compensation Committee increased Mr. Gallagher’s target award opportunity under our annual cash incentive plan from 135% of base salary to 150% of base salary. The Compensation Committee approved this increase because of our strong financial performance during the prior three years, as well as Mr. Gallagher’s consistent achievementstock and provide multi-year vesting and overlapping maturity

See pages 29-30 for more information

Deferred Equity Participation Plan (DEPP)

Promote retention of individual performance goals during the same period. In approving this increase, the Compensation Committee noted that Mr. Gallagher’s total direct compensation (consisting of base salary, annual cash incentive compensation and long-term incentive compensation) was below that of similarly situated CEOs in our comparison groups. The Compensation Committee favored increasing his performance-based compensation opportunity, rather than base salary, for better alignment with stockholder interests. Target award opportunities for our other named executive officers are 100%and align their financial interests with those of base salary.

stockholders

Final award determinations. The maximum amount that can be awarded under the planVesting of awards is 150% of the target award (i.e., 225% of base salary for Mr. Gallagher and 150% of base salary for our other named executive officers). During the first quarter of each year, the Compensation Committee establishes company financial performance goals required for maximum awards. Fordelayed until named executive officers reach age 62, and forone-year increments after such age

Each NEO has made an irrevocable election to qualify for the maximum award, these goals must be reached and the named executive officers who lead business units must achieve performance budgets forinvest their business units. Historically, the Compensation Committee has established business unit performance budgets and approved individual performance goals that are aggressive and ensure that maximum awards are difficult to achieve. Final award determinations are made in light of each named executive officer’s target award opportunity, the maximum award for which he qualifies given company and business unit performance, and the level of achievement of individual performance goals. Named executive officers’ achievement of individual performance goals cannot increase the target or maximum award opportunities for which they qualify based on company and/or business unit performance.a fund representing our common stock

Company Performance Measures and Results

The Compensation Committee uses EBITAC in the context of determining incentive compensation awards. The Committee believes this measure of earnings provides a meaningful representation of our operating performance and improves the comparability of our results between periods. SeeExhibit C page 35 for more information regarding EBITAC.

In the first quarter of 2014, the Compensation Committee established minimum company revenue and EBITAC thresholds for funding the plan and for maximum awards under the plan. The thresholds for maximum awards required at least 5% growth in revenue and 10% growth in EBITAC over 2013 levels. These thresholds, and actual company

2016 Performance Measures for Annual Cash Incentives

The Compensation Committee administers our annual cash incentive plan using performance measures approved by stockholders under our Senior Management Incentive Plan (SMIP), which was last approved in 2015. The performance objectives selected by the Compensation Committee for 2016 were revenue and EBITAC growth. The committee believes that these objectives measure performance against key components of our long-term strategy: organic revenue growth, mergers and acquisitions, and productivity and quality. The committee also believes that revenue and EBITAC growth are key drivers of our stock price.

For 2016 SMIP awards, the Compensation Committee established performance thresholds for funding and for maximum awards. To determine final award amounts, the committee assessed each NEO’s individual performance, placing strong emphasis on the NEO’s contributions to the company’s overall performance. Target award opportunities are 150% of base salary for our CEO and 100% of base salary for our other NEOs. Maximum awards under the plan are 150% of these target award opportunities (i.e., 225% of base salary for our CEO and 150% of base salary for our other NEOs). The company-wide performance measures and thresholds approved by the committee for 2016, and our actual achievement against these measures, are set forth below.

Measure

Minimum Financial

Performance for Funding

Performance Required

for Maximum Awards

Actual 2014 Performance

Revenue

$2.00 billion$2.90 billion$3.58 billion

EBITAC

$140.0 million$580.8 million$688.3 million

Based solely on company performance, the maximum available award for each named executive officer was 150% of his target award opportunity (i.e., 225% of base salary for Mr. Gallagher and 150% of base salary for the other named executive officers). However, the Compensation Committee determined final award amounts using its discretion, based on these results, achievement of overall financial goals (for Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Howell), achievement of the business unit performance measures described below (for Mr. Gault, Mr. Durkin and Mr. Tom Gallagher), and achievement of individual performance goals.

Business Unit Performance Measures and Results

In the first quarter of 2014, the Compensation Committee established revenue and EBITAC budgets for the business units led by Mr. Gault, Mr. Durkin and Mr. Tom Gallagher. Performance in relation to these budgets determined a possible range of awards.

100% – 150% of Target Award Opportunity – for an award above 100% of the target award opportunity, (i) the company performance goals (described above) must be met, and (ii) business unit performance must exceed 100% of budgeted revenueand budgeted EBITAC.

 

10Measure

Minimum
Performance
Performance Required
for Maximum Awards

Actual 2016


50%Performance

Revenue 100% of Target Award Opportunity – an award can be no greater than 100% of the target award opportunity if business unit performance does not reach 100% of budgeted revenueor budgeted EBITAC.

0% – 50% of Target Award Opportunity – an award can be no greater than 50% of the target award opportunity if business unit performance does not reach 75% of budgeted revenueor budgeted EBITAC.

Business unit budgets for 2014, and actual performance toward those budgets, are set forth below.

Retail Property/Casualty and International Brokerage (James S. Gault)
BudgetActualPercent Achieved

Revenue

$1,679.7 million$2,014.9 million120.0%

EBITAC

$345.6 million$391.9 million113.4%

Employee Benefit Consulting and Brokerage (James W. Durkin, Jr.)
BudgetActualPercent Achieved

Revenue

$634.6 million$672.8 million106.0%

EBITAC

$161.8 million$176.0 million108.8%

International Brokerage (Thomas J. Gallagher)
BudgetActualPercent Achieved

Revenue

$671.4 million$963.0 million143.4%

EBITAC

$113.5 million$135.2 million119.1%

Based on 2014 company and business unit performance, the maximum award for which each of Mr. Gault, Mr. Durkin and Mr. Tom Gallagher qualified was 150% of his target award opportunity. The Compensation Committee determined actual awards, using its discretion, after consideration of each named executive officer’s achievement of individual performance goals (as described in detail below).

Our CEO’s Annual Cash Incentive Compensation

The Compensation Committee reviewed Mr. Gallagher’s performance in light of our overall financial performance. Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Howell both had the goal of growing revenue and EBITAC by 10% for the combined brokerage and risk management segments. These goals, and actual company performance, are set forth below.

 

$3.00 billion

$4.25 billion

(5% above 2015)

$4.25 billion

(5% above 2015)

EBITAC – for the combined brokerage and risk management segments.

$250.0 million

$865.3 million

(10% above 2015)

$923.0 million

(17% above 2015)

Based on our 2016 performance, each NEO qualified for a maximum award of 150% of target.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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Combined Brokerage and Risk Management Segment Results (J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr. and Douglas K. Howell)


COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

2016 Performance Measure for Performance Share Units (PSUs)

To encourage a focus on increasing our core earnings, the number of PSUs granted in 2016 that were actually earned following the completion of the 2016 performance year was based on EBITAC growth thresholds set by the Compensation Committee (see the table below). PSUs earned in 2016 will cliff vest on the third anniversary of the date of grant and settle in shares.

EBITAC Growth

Percentage of Target Award Earned

15% or greater

100% of target award

5% to 15%

Amount interpolated between 50% and 100% of target award on a straight-line basis

5.0%

50% of target award

Less than 5.0%

0%

Based on our 2016 EBITAC growth of 17%, each NEO earned 100% of his provisionally granted PSUs.

2016 Compensation Actions

GoalActualPercent Achieved

Revenue

$3.04 billion$3.58 billion118%

EBITAC

$580.8 million$688.3 million119%

In 2014, Mr. Pat Gallagher

Compensation

Chairman and CEO

Age: 65

Gallagher achieved 118%tenure:43 years

Based on Pat Gallagher’s and 119%the company’s performance, the Compensation Committee made the following compensation decisions for 2016:

Base salary – remained the same, at $1,000,000.

Annual cash incentive – $2,250,000, the maximum award.

Equity award – target value of $1,250,000, 60% in PSUs and 40% in stock options. Based on our 2016 performance (EBITAC growth of 17% against a 15% goal), respectively,100% of his revenue and EBITAC goals. In addition, overgranted PSUs were earned.

DEPP award – $900,000.

Over the past three years, weour total return to stockholders (including dividends) was 21.9%, while Pat Gallagher’s compensation increased revenue and EBITAC by compound annual growth rates of 19.3% and 24.8%, respectively.24.3%. The Compensation Committee also took into considerationbelieves Mr. Gallagher’s compensation is appropriately aligned with our long-term total return to stockholders.

Performance

The Compensation Committee believes that Pat Gallagher performed extremely well in 2016, leading the company to 5% revenue growth and 17% EBITAC growth in our combined brokerage and risk management segments. Gallagher’s total return to stockholders in 2016 was 31.1%. In addition to these outstanding results, the committee specifically recognized the following operating and financial achievements in 2014:aspects of Mr. Gallagher’s performance:

 

Organic growth. The company achieved 3.1% of organic revenue growth during the year, 3.6% in the brokerage segment and 1.3% in the risk management segment.

Mergers and acquisitions.The company completed 37 acquisitions representing $138 million in acquired annualized revenue.

Quality and productivity. The company increased its adjusted EBITDAC margin from 24.8% to 25.3%.

Capital management. Clean energy investments contributed $114 million to net earnings; the company returned $272 million to stockholders as dividends; no shares were issued for acquisitions (after stock repurchases); the company maintained significant liquidity; and the company remained well within its debt covenants.

 Organic growth. We achieved organic revenue growth5 of 5.5% in our combined brokerage and risk management segments.

Acquisition program. We had a record acquisition year, completing 60 acquisitions for a total of approximately $761 million in annualized revenues.

Global expansion. We continued our global expansion, acquiring Crombie/OAMPS, our largest acquisition to date, with operations in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom; Noraxis Capital Corporation, with operations across Canada; and the Oval Group of Companies, with operations across the United Kingdom.

Margins. We expanded our adjusted EBITDAC margin5 year over year, from 22.0% to 23.6%.

Workforce and expense discipline. Our adjusted compensation ratio5 improved from 59.7% to 57.6%, and our adjusted operating expense ratio5 increased from 18.3% to 18.8%.

Clean energy investments. During 2014, adjusted net earnings5 from our clean energy investments contributed $104.6 million to net earnings, 56% more than during 2013.

 

5 Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most closely comparable GAAP measures are presented inExhibit C to this proxy statement.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

11Doug Howell

Compensation


Chief Financial Officer

Age: 55

Gallagher tenure:14 years

 Continued financial stability. We continued to maintain significant liquidity and remained well within our debt covenants.

In addition to the above achievements, the Compensation Committee noted that Mr. Gallagher achieved substantially all of his individual performance goals, as follows:

Refine strategy and capital plan for the company as necessary

Maintain sales culture; encourage cross-selling initiatives; drive more sales thorough implementation of sales management tools

Continue to aggressively target expense control and maintain margins

Continue to build organizational talent

Maintain our unique Gallagher culture

Continue our successful M&A strategy

Promote the company to stakeholders

Advance the company’s clean-energy strategy.

Based on Doug Howell’s and the company’s operating and financial results and Mr. Gallagher’s individual performance, the Compensation Committee awarded Mr. Gallagher an annualmade the following compensation decisions for 2016:

Base salary – increased from $750,000 to $850,000.

Annual cash incentive payment – $1,275,000, the maximum award.

Equity award – target value of $2,250,000 (150%$850,000, 50% PSUs, 25% stock options, and 25% restricted stock units. Based on our 2016 performance (EBITAC growth of 17% against a 15% goal), 100% of his targetgranted PSUs were earned.

DEPP award opportunity). – $450,000.

Annual Cash Incentive

Performance

The Compensation of our Other Named Executive Officers

Mr. GallagherCommittee assessed and documented theDoug Howell’s performance of our other named executive officers and recommended award amounts in light of the maximum award for which each named executive officer was eligible, the level of achievement of applicable financialcompany’s overall performance objectives and each officer’s individual performance goals. The Compensation Committee then reviewed and discussed the performance of each named executive officer and approved awards as described in more detail below.above for Pat Gallagher.

Douglas K. Howell. Mr. Howell has been our chief financial officer since 2003. As

In addition, the leader of our finance organization,committee recognized Mr. Howell’s financial objectives focused on our overall performance and were the same as Mr. Gallagher’s (see page 11). Mr. Howell continued to implement and maintainleadership of expense savingssaving initiatives critical to expandingincreasing our adjusted EBITDAC margin, played an important role insuccessful debt placements including favorable debt-covenant modifications, the successful execution and financing of ourbolt-on acquisition program (includingusing only cash and debt, and significant growth in ourtax-advantaged clean energy investments earnings.

Jim Gault

Compensation

Chairman – Global P/C Brokerage

Age:65

Gallagher tenure:43 years

Based on Jim Gault’s and the company’s performance, the Compensation Committee made the following compensation decisions for 2016:

Base salary – remained the same, at $800,000.

Annual cash incentive – $1,200,000, the maximum award.

Equity award – target value of $600,000, 50% PSUs and 50% stock options. Based on our 2016 performance (EBITAC growth of 17% against a 15% goal), 100% of his granted PSUs were earned.

DEPP award – $400,000.

Performance

The Compensation Committee considered that Jim Gault’s division achieved 4.4% revenue growth, to $2.36 billion, and 27.1% EBITAC growth, to $523.3 million. In addition, the committee recognized him for achieving substantial new business sales (an internal measure of new business production) and for his leadership of the division’s strong acquisition program.

Jim Durkin

Compensation

Chairman – Employee Benefit Consulting and Brokerage

Age: 67

Gallagher tenure:41 years

Based on Jim Durkin’s and the company’s performance, the Compensation Committee made the following compensation decisions for 2016:

Base salary – remained the same, at $725,000.

Annual cash incentive – $1,087,500, the maximum award.

Equity award – target value of Giles Insurance Broking Group$543,750, 50% PSUs and 50% stock options. Based on our 2016 performance (EBITAC growth of 17% against a 15% goal), 100% of his granted PSUs were earned.

DEPP award – $400,000.

Performance

The Compensation Committee considered that Jim Durkin’s division achieved 10.6% revenue growth, to $889.2 million, and 8.4% EBITAC growth, to $233.7 million. In addition, the committee recognized him for his leadership in deploying a sales development program and his division’s strong acquisition program.

Tom Gallagher

Compensation

CEO – Global P/C Brokerage

Age: 58

Gallagher tenure:37 years

Based on Tom Gallagher’s and the company’s performance, the Compensation Committee made the following compensation decisions for 2016:

Base salary – increased from $700,000 to $750,000, his first increase since 2011.

Annual cash incentive – $1,125,000, the maximum award.

Equity award – target value of $562,500, 50% PSUs and 50% stock options. Based on our 2016 performance (EBITAC growth of 17% against a 15% goal), 100% of his granted PSUs were earned.

DEPP award – $400,000.

Performance

Tom Gallagher was promoted to his current role in November 2013)2016. The committee assessed his performance based on his prior role as leader of the international brokerage division. In a difficult pricing environment, and successfully managed our tax-advantaged (clean energy) investments.with an adverse foreign exchange impact, that division declined 0.4% in revenue, to $1.19 billion, but through expense management and productivity initiatives, achieved 72.5% EBITAC growth, to $210.1 million. In addition, Mr. Howell achieved substantially all ofthe committee recognized him for his individual performance goals, as follows:leadership in overseeing improvements to our governance and risk management processes in our UK business and instilling the Gallagher culture in our international operations.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

 

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Compensation Decision-Making Process

The Compensation Committee is responsible for determining compensation opportunities for our named executive officers, establishing the annual total value to be transferred through our long-term incentive plans, setting thresholds, targets and maximum awards for incentive compensation, and approving final award amounts. To determine compensation opportunities for our named executive officers, the Compensation Committee takes into account the compensation objectives noted earlier under Compensation Elements, compensation data for our comparison groups, trends in the financial service and insurance brokerage sectors, and developing practices, as well as internal factors such as the strategic value of a given role, impact on our financial results, internal pay equity and accounting considerations.

Tally Sheets

The Compensation Committee also carefully considers the data compiled in a tally sheet prepared by management for each named executive officer. Tally sheets provide:

a comprehensive view of our compensation payout exposure under various termination scenarios (for example, voluntary or involuntary termination, retirement, and change in control);

details regarding all compensation, benefits and perquisites delivered to our named executive officers during the most recent three-year period and a projection for the coming year; and

a three-year analysis of equity and deferred compensation, which provides insight into total wealth accumulation for each officer, as well as the sensitivity of these figures to changes in our stock price.

This information provides a comprehensive context in which the Compensation Committee can determine the appropriate type and amount of compensation for each named executive officer.

Role of the CEO

At the beginning of each year, Pat Gallagher proposes performance objectives for the company and himself. The Compensation Committee and the Board review these objectives with Mr. Gallagher and make modifications as necessary. Following this review and discussion, the Compensation Committee and the Board finalize and approve the objectives for Mr. Gallagher and the company. The objectives include both quantitative financial measurements and qualitative strategic and operational considerations that focus on factors Mr. Gallagher and the Board believe create long-term stockholder value. Mr. Gallagher reviews and discusses preliminary considerations regarding his own compensation with the Compensation Committee but does not participate in the Compensation Committee’s final determination of his compensation. Mr. Gallagher also reviews the performance of each other named executive officer and presents a summary of these performance reviews to the Compensation Committee, along with preliminary recommendations regarding salary adjustments, if any, and annual award amounts.

Role of the Compensation Consultant

The Compensation Committee retained Sibson Consulting (Sibson) as its independent executive compensation consultant. In connection with its engagement, Sibson reviewed 2016 proxy season results and implications for our pay practices; assisted in the review and confirmation of our peer group for executive compensation and performance review purposes; advised the Compensation Committee in connection with the new equity plan described in this Proxy Statement; provided updates on emerging executive compensation trends, including proxy advisory firm and regulatory developments; and reviewed and assessed all elements of our pay programs for executive officers, including the competitiveness of pay levels and incentive program design. The Compensation Committee assessed Sibson’s independence pursuant to SEC and NYSE rules and concluded that no conflict of interest exists that would prevent Sibson from serving as an independent consultant to the Compensation Committee.

Tax Considerations

Section 162(m) of the Code limits the deductibility for Federal income tax purposes of certain compensation payable in a taxable year to certain of our named executive officers to the extent that such compensation exceeds $1 million. However, certain types of compensation are not subject to that limitation, including compensation that meets the requirements under Section 162(m) for “qualified performance-based compensation.” Our 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan, and the 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan described in this Proxy Statement, are structured to permit, but not require, the Compensation Committee to award compensation that meets the requirements for “qualified performance-based compensation.” However, the Compensation Committee has on rare occasions authorized the payment of nondeductible compensation and expressly reserves the right to do so in the future when appropriate. We make no representation that the compensation of our named executive officers will be fully deductible for Federal income tax purposes.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

31


COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Comparative Market Assessment

The Compensation Committee reviews compensation data from two different comparison groups as a market reference for its named executive officer compensation decisions.

Survey Comparison Group

The Compensation Committee uses the Survey Comparison Group as a reference point for individual pay levels.

This group consists of insurance and general industry companies similar to us in terms of total assets, revenue or number of employees. In 2016, the Compensation Committee reviewed pay data from two published surveys,Executive Compensation Survey conducted by Mercer andTop Management Industry Compensation Survey conducted by Willis Towers Watson.

When available, information for individual positions was drawn from the “Insurance – Non Healthcare” category; otherwise, general industry data was used. The Compensation Committee also reviewed general industry long-term incentive target award data from both surveys.

Proxy Comparison Group

The Compensation Committee uses the Proxy Comparison Group primarily as a reference point for our compensation plan structure, pay mix, and general equity granting practices, and to a lesser extent as a reference point for individual pay levels.

This group is focused on our direct competitors for executive talent rather than companies of comparable size. The members of this group are selected from the insurance industry (brokers and carriers), and from professional and financial services companies that may compete with us for executive talent or in specific lines of business.

The companies listed below under “Insurance Brokers” compete with us the most directly and are the most relevant members of this comparison group. However, Aon, Marsh & McLennan, and Willis Towers Watson are significantly larger than we are in revenue, number of employees, insurance premiums written, value of claims paid, assets and/or market capitalization. This is why the Compensation Committee does not primarily rely on this group as a reference point for individual pay levels.

The companies set forth below were used for the 2016 analysis. The only changes compared to 2015 were: (i) the merger of Willis Group Holdings Ltd. and Towers Watson & Co., both of which were in our 2015 peer group, to form Willis Towers Watson plc; and (ii) the addition of Markel Corp. to maintain the size of the comparison group.

Pursue

Insurance Brokers

Aon plc

Brown & Brown, Inc.

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

Willis Towers Watson plc

Insurance Carriers

American Financial Group Inc.

Arch Capital Group Ltd.

Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.

W.R. Berkley Corp.

CNA Financial Corp.

Markel Corp.

Old Republic International Corp.

Unum Group

XL Capital Plc

Professional / Financial Services Firms

Fidelity National Financial, Inc.

Raymond James Financial, Inc.

Results of the Comparative Market Assessment

In 2016, the Compensation Committee examined the total direct compensation opportunity (base salary, annual cash incentives and long-term incentives) for each named executive officer, as well as each individual element of compensation. Data from the Survey Comparison Group and Proxy Comparison Group were used as a market reference for compensation decisions. The Compensation Committee does not target total compensation to a specific percentile of comparison group compensation. The review of comparison group data showed that aggregate base salaries and annual cash incentive opportunities for our named executive officer group approximate the median for similarly situated named executive officer groups. The data also showed that our named executive officer group’s aggregate long-term incentive compensation opportunity, and total direct compensation, are below our comparison peers’ median. Pat Gallagher’s total direct compensation is significantly below the median for similarly situated CEOs in the Proxy Comparison Group.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Compensation Committee Report

The Compensation Committee oversees the company’s compensation program for named executive officers on behalf of the Board. In fulfilling its oversight responsibilities, the Compensation Committee reviewed and discussed with management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis set forth above.

Based on the review and discussion referred to above, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the company’s 2017 Proxy Statement and incorporated by reference in its 2016 Annual Report on Form10-K, which it files with the SEC.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

Elbert O. Hand(Chair)

Sherry S. Barrat

D. John Coldman

David S. Johnson

Kay W. McCurdy

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

33


Executive Compensation Tables

2016 Summary Compensation Table

          

Name and

Principal Position (1)

 Year  

Salary

($)

  

Bonus

($) (2)

  

Stock

Awards

($) (3)

  

Option

Awards

($) (4)

  

Non-Equity

Incentive Plan

Compensation

($) (5)

  

Change in

Pension

Value and

Nonqualified

Deferred

Compensation

Earnings

($) (6)

  

All Other

Compensation

($) (7)(8)

  

Total

($)

 
          

Pat Gallagher

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

  2016   1,000,000      823,934   531,505   2,250,000   37,215   1,096,513   5,739,167 
  2015   1,000,000      727,178   471,750   2,250,000   0   1,018,383   5,467,311 
  2014   1,000,000      628,058   683,033   2,250,000   95,802   969,885   5,626,778 
          

Doug Howell

Chief Financial Officer

  2016   850,000      701,546   225,615   1,275,000   1,638   572,447   3,626,246 
  2015   750,000      547,115   176,675   1,125,000   0   610,700   3,209,490 
  2014   750,000      567,128   591,253   1,125,000   4,657   588,938   3,626,976 
          

Jim Gault

Corporate VP, Chairman – Global P/C Brokerage

  2016   800,000      330,011   318,565   1,200,000   35,073   521,918   3,205,567 
  2015   800,000   200,000   290,871   283,050   800,000   0   551,649   2,925,570 
  2014   800,000      281,220   306,254   1,200,000   90,289   533,117   3,210,880 
          

Jim Durkin

Corporate VP, Chairman – Employee Benefit Consulting and Brokerage

  2016   725,000      299,414   288,990   1,087,500   41,420   532,067   2,974,391 
  2015   725,000      263,169   256,225   1,087,500   5,256   506,046   2,843,196 
  2014   725,000      257,785   278,237   1,087,500   86,888   487,396   2,922,806 
          

Tom Gallagher

Corporate VP, CEO –
Global P/C Brokerage

  2016   750,000      310,341   299,130   1,125,000   28,886   2,115,624   4,628,981 
  2015   700,000   525,000   253,935   247,900   350,000   0   1,175,265   3,252,100 
  2014   700,000      246,068   267,610   1,050,000   81,200   645,854   2,990,732 

(1)Principal positions are as of the date of the filing of this Proxy Statement.

(2)Amounts in this column are reported for the year in which they are earned, regardless of the year in which they are paid.

(3)This column includes the full grant date fair value of PSUs and restricted stock units granted during each fiscal year. The amounts reported in this column have been calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718,Compensation – Stock Compensation. The amounts reported in this column for PSUs granted during each fiscal year represent the value of each award at the grant date based upon the probable outcome of the performance conditions under the program, determined in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. In accordance with SEC rules, any estimate for forfeitures is excluded from, and does not reduce, such amounts. For a pension “de-risking” strategydiscussion of PSUs, see page 29. For additional information on the valuation assumptions with respect to stock grants, refer to Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

(4)This column represents the full grant date fair value of stock option awards granted during each fiscal year. The amounts reported in this column have been calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. In accordance with SEC rules, any estimate for forfeiture is excluded from, and does not reduce, such amounts. For additional information on the sizevaluation assumptions with respect to option grants, refer to Note 9 to our consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

(5)This column represents annual performance-based cash incentives awarded under the SMIP related to services rendered in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Awards are reported for the year in which they are earned, regardless of the year in which they are paid. These awards were paid fully in cash in April of 2015 and 2016, and expected to be paid in April 2017, respectively.

(6)The amounts shown in this column represent the aggregate change in actuarial present value of each named executive officer’s benefits under our frozen pension plan, obligationsexcept where such change is a negative value. When that is the case, SEC rules require that a zero be included in this table. In 2015, such figures were as follows(where applicable): Pat Gallagher – $(419); Doug Howell – $(557); Jim Gault – $(395); and Tom Gallagher – $(7,851).

 

Finalize funding arrangements
(7)The 2014 and 2015 amounts for our corporate headquarters buildingTom Gallagher have been revised to include Expatriate Benefits ($96,209 and $201,746, respectively) andNon-U.S. Tax Reimbursements ($91,440 and $509,832, respectively), which were not included in previous disclosures. The 2016 amount for these two categories was $909,052 greater than the 2015 amount (see the table below in footnote (8)).

 

Use our at-the-market equity program to help finance acquisitions

 

Increase earnings contribution from clean-energy investments by 15-20% (earnings contribution increased 56%)

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

(8)For 2016, includes the following:

 

Complete strategic alternatives review for Chem-Mod LLC investment (deferred)
         
Named Executive
Officer
 

DEPP
Awards*

($)

  

Supplemental

Plan Match**
($)

  401(k)
Match***
($)
  

Corporate

Auto &
Insurance
($)

  Financial
Advisory
Services
($)
  Expatriate
Benefits
($)
(i)
  Non-U.S. Tax
Reimbursements
($)
(ii)
  

Club Memberships

Not Exclusively
For Business Use,
Cell Phone
Allowance, Non
Employee Travel

($)

 
         

Pat Gallagher

  900,000   149,250   13,250   8,292            25,721 
         

Doug Howell

  450,000   85,500   13,250   8,292   15,325         80 
         

Jim Gault

  400,000   76,750   13,250   5,892   12,771         13,255 
         

Jim Durkin

  400,000   77,375   13,250   8,292   15,325         17,825 
         

Tom Gallagher

  400,000   68,000   13,250   4,692      227,848   1,395,116   6,718 

(i)Amounts reported in this column represent benefits in connection with expatriate assignments, including host housing and U.S. taxgross-ups. These expatriate expenses were valued on the basis of the aggregate incremental cost to the company and represent the amount accrued for payment or paid to the service provider.

 

Explore expense reduction and capital management initiatives
(ii)Amounts reported in this column representnon-U.S. tax reimbursements related to expatriate assignments.

*Deferred Equity Participation Plan (DEPP)

Deferred cash awards under the DEPP are nonqualified deferred compensation awards under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. Each named executive officer has made an irrevocable election to have such awards deemed invested in a fund representing shares of our common stock. Awards under the DEPP do not vest until participants reach age 62 (or theone-year anniversary of the date of grant for participants over the age of 61, which include Pat Gallagher, Jim Gault and Jim Durkin). Accordingly, amounts in the plan are subject to forfeiture in the event of a voluntary termination of employment prior to age 62 (or the minimumone-year vesting period). Awards deemed invested in our common stock provide an incentive for our named executive officers to manage our company for earnings growth and total shareholder return. In addition, the deferred realization of these awards encourages retention of our named executive officers until a normal retirement age, and forone-year increments after such age.

**Supplemental Savings and Thrift Plan (Supplemental Plan) Match

The Supplemental Plan allows certain highly compensated employees (those with compensation greater than an amount set annually by the IRS) to defer up to 80% of their base salary and annual cash incentive payment. We match any deferrals of salary and annual cash incentive payments on adollar-for-dollar basis up to the lesser of (i) the amount deferred or (ii) 5% of the employee’s regular earnings minus the maximum contribution that we could have matched under the 401(k) Plan. All such cash deferrals and match amounts may be deemed invested, at the employee’s election, in a number of investment options that include various mutual funds, an annuity product and a fund representing our common stock. Such employees may also defer restricted stock units and PSUs, but these deferrals are not subject to company matching. Amounts held in the Supplemental Plan accounts are payable as of the employee’s termination of employment, or at such other time as the employee elects in advance of the deferral, subject to certain exceptions set forth in IRS regulations.

***401(k) Match

Under our 401(k) Savings and Thrift Plan (401(k) Plan), a tax qualified retirement savings plan, participating employees, including our named executive officers, may contribute up to 75% of their earnings on abefore-tax orafter-tax basis into their 401(k) Plan accounts, subject to limitations imposed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Under the 401(k) Plan, we match an amount equal to one dollar for every dollar an employee contributes on the first 5% of his or her regular earnings. The 401(k) Plan has other standard terms and conditions.

 

Explore initiatives to improve accounting and financial reporting systems and organizations

 

Explore initiatives to improve corporate processes and communications, including India operations

Develop staffing plan within the finance and accounting organization

Complete a private placement of senior debt if necessary

Study alternatives for developing an internal audit function throughout the organization

Based on this performance, Mr. Howell received an award of $1,125,000 (150% of his target award opportunity).

James S. Gault. Mr. Gault is the leader of our U.S. retail property/casualty brokerage unit and has held this position since 2002. In 2011, Mr. Gault also assumed management responsibility for our international brokerage unit. In 2014, his units exceeded their combined budget for both revenue and EBITAC, achieving year-over-year EBITAC growth of 44.1% on revenue growth of 45.0%. In addition, Mr. Gault achieved substantially all of his individual performance goals, as follows:LOGO

 

Achieve new business sales (an internal measure of new business production) of $112 million(the unit achieved new business sales of $106.3 million)

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Complete acquisitions in the retail property/casualty brokerage unit totaling $50 million in annualized revenues(the unit completed acquisitions representing incremental annualized revenue of approximately $93.3 million)


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

 

Continue to focus on professional standards in branch offices; achieve professional standards audit grades of 91% (achieved the goal, in over 75% of 2014 audits)

2016 Grants of Plan-Based Awards

         

Name

 Plan  

Grant

Date

  

 

Estimated Future Payouts

UnderNon-Equity

Incentive Plan Awards

  

 

Estimated Future Payouts

Under Equity

Incentive Plan Awards

  

All Other

Stock

Awards:

Number of

Shares of

Stock or

Units

(#)

  

All Other

Option

Awards:

Number of

Securities

Underlying

Options

(#)

  

Exercise

or Base

Price of

Option

Awards

($/sh)

  

Grant

Date Fair

Value of

Stock and

Option

Awards

($)

 
   

Threshold

($)

  

Target

($)

  

Maximum

($)

  

Threshold

(#)

  

Target

(#)

  

Maximum

(#)

             
             

Pat Gallagher

  LTIP(1)   3/17/16                        62,900   43.71   531,505 
             
   LTIP(3)   3/17/16            9,425   18,850   18,850            823,934 
             
   SMIP(4)   N/A   N/A   1,500,000   2,250,000                     N/A 
             

Doug Howell

  LTIP(1)   3/17/16                        26,700   43.71   225,615 
             
   LTIP(2)   3/17/16                     5,350         233,849 
             
   LTIP(3)   3/17/16            5,350   10,700   10,700            467,697 
             
   SMIP(4)   N/A   N/A   850,000   1,275,000                     N/A 
             

Jim Gault

  LTIP(1)   3/17/16                        37,700   43.71   318,565 
             
   LTIP(3)   3/17/16            3,775   7,550   7,550            330,011 
             
   SMIP(4)   N/A   N/A   800,000   1,200,000                     N/A 
             

Jim Durkin

  LTIP(1)   3/17/16                        34,200   43.71   288,990 
             
   LTIP(3)   3/17/16            3,425   6,850   6,850             299,414 
             
   SMIP(4)   N/A   N/A   725,000   1,087,500                     N/A 
             

Tom Gallagher

  LTIP(1)   3/17/16                        35,400   43.71   299,130 
             
   LTIP(3)   3/17/16            3,550   7,100   7,100            310,341 
             
   SMIP(4)   N/A   N/A   750,000   1,125,000                     N/A 

(1)Stock options under our 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan, vestingone-third on each of the third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the grant date.

 

Reduce payroll by $7 million as a result
(2)Restricted stock units under our 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan, vesting on the fifth anniversary of moving to “model office” platform, a project to streamline and standardize branch office operations (reduced payroll by $7.6 million)

Continue to focus on cross selling with other units; contribute $5 million in new business to the employee benefits brokerage business and $2.5 million to the domestic wholesale brokerage business(the unit contributed $7.6 million in new revenue to the employee benefits brokerage business and $8.0 million to the domestic wholesale brokerage business)the grant date.

 

Increase unit’s net number
(3)The range of producers in existing operations by 50 (the unit increasedpossible awards each NEO would have been eligible to receive on the net number of producers in existing operations by 17)

Hire summer interns as part of long-term strategy to strengthen producer hiring.

Based on this performance, Mr. Gault received an award of $1,200,000 (150% of his target award opportunity).

James W. Durkin, Jr. Mr. Durkin is the leader of our employee benefits brokerage unit and has held this position since 1985. In 2014, his unit exceeded its budget for both revenue and EBITAC, achieving year-over-year EBITAC growth of 23.9% on revenue growth of 19.3%. In addition, Mr. Durkin achieved substantially all of his individual performance goals, as follows:

Continue to extend capabilities and geographic reachthird anniversary of the unit through acquisitions

Create and deploy a formalized sales development programgrate date related to promote consistent future organic revenue growth across the unit and promote cross selling with otherperformance share units

Increase unit’s net number of producers in existing operations by 20 (the unit increased the net number of producers in existing operations by 17)

Continue to leverage Healthcare Reform to differentiate Gallagher Benefit Services from its competitors

Ensure alignment of the current mission and value proposition of the unit with the new business environment and future customer needs

Better meet the needs of North American-based companies by extending the reach of under our services to include international human resources, benefits and retirement consulting services

Based on this performance, Mr. Durkin received an award of $1,087,500 (150% of his target award opportunity).

Thomas J. Gallagher. Mr. Tom Gallagher is the leader of our international brokerage unit. In 2014 his unit exceeded its budget for both revenue and EBITAC, achieving year-over-year EBITAC growth of 125.7% on revenue growth of 107.8%. In addition, Mr. Gallagher achieved substantially all of his individual performance goals, as follows:

Facilitate transition of Gallagher’s captive insurance business into the international brokerage unit

Successfully integrate recent large international acquisitions

Focus on building a strong sales organization within the unit

Strengthen the unit’s efforts in South America.

Based on this performance, Mr. Gallagher received an award of $1,050,000 (150% of his target award opportunity).

Long-Term Incentive CompensationPlan. See page 29.

Long-term incentives are designed to tie a significant portion
(4)The amounts in this line represent the range of our named executive officers’ compensation to our performance, create a meaningful alignment of our named executive officers’ financial interests with those of stockholders, and encourage long-term retention. Long-termpossible annual cash incentive opportunities are greater for those named executive officers who have greater direct impact on our financial results. In 2014, eachaward the named executive officer was eligible to receive a long-term incentive award value based on a percentage of base salary.in April 2017, related to 2016 performance under the SMIP. The Compensation Committee determined this percentage of base salary using its discretion based upon a number of factors, including retention considerations, internal pay equity considerations, external market data (including long-term incentive opportunities providedamounts were subject to similarly situated executives in the surveyperformance criteria and proxy comparison groups – see “Comparative Market Assessment” above) and our historical practices.

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The target award amount for each named executive officer set forth in the table below was converted into performance share units, stock options and restricted stock units. Because ofsubject to the Compensation Committee’s commitment to aligning named executive officers’ long-term incentive compensation opportunities with company performance, performance-based performance share units represented 50% of target long-term incentivedownward discretion. There was no threshold payout level for these awards for 2016. The amounts actually awarded to each named executive officer. For Mr. Howell, who has a shorter tenure with us and consequently less equityNEO are reported in the company than the other named executive officers, theNon-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation Committee determined it was appropriate to grant a portion of his target award in the form of restricted stock units subject to four-year “cliff” vesting. In addition to his target awards, Mr. Howell also received a discretionary grant of 40,000 stock options because of his strong performance in 2013, as described above under “Base Salary.”

Target award amounts in 2014 and the approximate allocation among performance share units, stock options, and restricted stock units, are presented below:

NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

  TARGET PERCENT  

OF SALARY

   TARGET GRANT   
AMOUNT
   PERFORMANCE  
SHARE UNITS
 STOCK
    OPTIONS    
     RESTRICTED    
STOCK
UNITS

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

 125% $ 1,250,000 50% 50% 

Douglas K. Howell

 100% $    750,000 50% 25% 25%

James S. Gault

   70% $    560,000 50% 50% 

James W. Durkin, Jr.

   70% $    507,500 50% 50% 

Thomas J. Gallagher

   70% $    490,000 50% 50% 

Performance Share Units (PSUs) and Performance Unit Program (PUP) Awards

In 2014, the Compensation Committee granted PSUs to named executive officers under our stockholder-approved long-term incentive plan. In past years, named executive officers received awards under our PUP, which is administered under our stockholder-approved SMIP. In 2014, we continued to grant PUP awards below the executive officer level. To encourage a focus on growing our core earnings, the number of PSUs and the portion of PUP awards actually earned is based on EBITAC growth thresholds set annually by the Compensation Committee. Earned PSUs “cliff” vest on the third anniversarycolumn of the date of grant (i.e., March 12, 2017 for awards made in 2014), and earned PUP awards “cliff” vest on the third anniversary of the first day of the year in which the award was granted (i.e., January 1, 2017 for awards made in 2014). PSUs settle in shares, while PUP awards settle in cash and pay out based on the trailing twelve month average price of our common stock for the calendar year prior to the vesting date (the TTM Price). The TTM Price is subject to an upper limit of 150% and a lower limit of 50% of our stock price on the date of grant. Although named executive officers did not receive PUP awards in 2014, they will continue to receive cash payouts connected to prior PUP awards granted in 2012 and 2013.

In March 2014, the Compensation Committee granted each named executive officer a provisional number of PSUs. For 2014, the number of PSUs earned by the named executive officers was based on the EBITAC growth thresholds set forth below:

EBITAC GROWTHPERCENTAGE OF TARGET AWARD EARNED

15% or greater

100% of target award

5% to 15%

Amount interpolated between 50% and 100% of target award on a straight-line basis

5.0%

50% of target award

Less than 5.0%

0%

We achieved 2014 EBITAC growth of 30.4%. Accordingly, each named executive officer earned 100% of his provisionally granted PSUs, which will cliff vest and distribute in the form of shares of our common stock on March 12, 2017.

Deferred Equity Participation Plan (Age 62 Plan)

Deferred cash awards under the Age 62 Plan are nonqualified deferred compensation awards under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. All such awards made to our named executive officers have at their election been deemed invested in a fund representing shares of our common stock. Awards under the Age 62 Plan do not vest until participants reach age 62 (or the one-year anniversary of the date of grant for participants over the age of 61, which include Messrs. Gallagher, Gault and Durkin). Accordingly, amounts in the plan are subject to forfeiture in the event of a voluntary termination of employment prior to age 62 (or

14


the minimum one-year vesting period). Awards deemed invested in our common stock provide an incentive for our named executive officers to manage our company for earnings growth and total shareholder return. In addition, the deferred realization of these awards encourages retention of our named executive officers until a normal retirement age, and for one-year increments after such age.

In determining 2014 awards, the Compensation Committee took into account an overall assessment of each individual, including consideration of individual and company performance in 2013 (as described in our 2014 proxy statement). This assessment does not rely on predetermined performance goals. As a result of these assessments, during the first quarter of 2014, the Compensation Committee approved Age 62 Plan awards for each named executive officer as follows: Mr. Pat Gallagher – $750,000; Mr. Howell – $400,000; Mr. Gault – $400,000; Mr. Durkin – $350,000; and Mr. Tom Gallagher – $350,000.

Benefits and Perquisites

Under our 401(k) Savings and Thrift Plan (401(k) Plan), a tax qualified retirement savings plan, participating employees, including our named executive officers, may contribute up to 75% of their earnings on a before-tax or after-tax basis into their 401(k) Plan accounts, subject to limitations imposed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Under the 401(k) Plan, we match an amount equal to one dollar for every dollar an employee contributes on the first 5% of his or her regular earnings. The 401(k) Plan has other standard terms and conditions. We also have a Supplemental Savings and Thrift Plan (Supplemental Plan), which allows certain highly compensated employees, including our named executive officers, to defer additional amounts on a before-tax basis. For a description of the Supplemental Plan, see page 21 under “Nonqualified Deferred Compensation.” We also provide minimal perquisites, including reimbursement of certain expenses for named executive officers related to automobile use and certain club memberships. The value of the benefits and perquisites received by our named executive officers can be found in the Summary Compensation Table. Our named executive officers are also participants in a pension plan, which we froze as to future benefit accruals in 2005. Please see “Pension Benefits” on page 20 for more details.

Change-in-Control Payments

The change-in-control agreements we have in place with each of our named executive officers provide for severance payments if the executive is terminated within 24 months following a change in control, a so-called “double trigger” (see “Change-in-Control Agreements” beginning on page 22 for more information). We believe it is appropriate to provide a double trigger for such payments because it helps ensure that our named executive officers do not receive an unintended benefit by receiving a severance payment while maintaining their positions following a change in control.

Our equity plans contain a so-called “single trigger” for accelerated vesting of awards upon a change in control. We believe a single trigger is appropriate because it gives executives the same right as other stockholders to sell their equity in the company at the time of a change in control. Moreover, it may not be possible to replace executives’ existing equity awards with comparable awards of the acquiring company’s stock. Finally, company performance may be negatively affected by integration activities, and individual executives’ ability to affect the performance of the company (and the value of their awards) may be significantly different following a change in control. Our nonqualified plans (the Age 62 Plan and the Supplemental Plan) also contain a single trigger for vesting and payment upon a change in control. Because the benefits under these plans are subject to the claims of our creditors, accelerated vesting and payment provide certainty with respect to benefits that represent a primary source of retirement income and ensures that executives receive deferred compensation they have earned. Our equity and nonqualified plans do not contain “liberal” change in control definitions (i.e., they do not provide for buyout thresholds lower than 50%, and a change in control is deemed to occur upon completion, rather than stockholder approval, of a transaction).  Please see page A-1 for a change-in-control definition typical of our plans.

Tax Considerations

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code limits the deductibility for Federal income tax purposes of certain compensation payable in a taxable year to certain of our named executive officers to the extent that such compensation exceeds $1 million. However, certain types of compensation are not subject to that limitation, including compensation that meets the requirements under Section 162(m) for “qualified performance-based compensation.” Our 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan and the SMIP described in this proxy statement are structured to permit, but not require, the Compensation Committee to award compensation that meets the requirements for “qualified performance-based compensation.” However, the Compensation Committee has on limited occasions authorized the payment of nondeductible compensation, and expressly reserves the right to do so in the future when appropriate. We make no representation that the compensation of our named executive officers will be fully deductible for Federal income tax purposes.

15


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

2016 Summary Compensation Table

Name and
Principal Position
 Year  

Salary

($)

  

Stock

Awards

($)(1)

  

Option

Awards

($)(2)

  

  Non-Equity  

  Incentive Plan  

  Compensation  

  ($)(3)  

  

  Change in  

  Pension  

  Value and  

  Nonqualified  

  Deferred  

  Compensation  

  Earnings  

  ($)(4)  

  

  All Other  

  Compensation  

  ($)(5)  

  

Total

($)

 
        

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

Chief Executive Officer

  2014    1,000,000    628,058    683,033    2,250,000    95,802    969,885    5,628,792  
  2013    1,000,000    1,004,711    268,107    1,350,000    0    995,466    4,618,284  
  2012    1,000,000    1,110,581    188,224    1,250,000    61,071    889,812    4,499,688  
        

Douglas K. Howell

Chief Financial Officer

  2014    750,000    567,128    591,253    1,125,000    4,657    588,938    3,628,990  
  2013    700,000    564,048    150,200    700,000    0    609,300    2,723,548  
  2012    700,000    653,493    73,984    700,000    2,718    551,632    2,681,827  
        

James S. Gault

President, Retail Property/Casualty

Brokerage

  2014    800,000    281,220    306,254    1,200,000    90,289    533,117    3,212,894  
  2013    800,000    450,455    120,160    800,000    0    527,324    2,697,939  
  2012    700,000    423,164    86,496    700,000    57,556    482,684    2,449,900  
        

James W. Durkin, Jr.

President, Employee Benefit Consulting and Brokerage

  2014    725,000    257,785    278,237    1,087,500    86,888    487,396    2,924,820  
  2013    725,000    409,327    109,646    725,000    0    471,387    2,440,360  
  2012    625,000    378,526    77,248    625,000    57,372    447,124    2,210,270  
        

Thomas J. Gallagher(6)

Chairman, International Brokerage

  2014    700,000    246,068    267,610    1,050,000    81,200    458,206    2,805,098  
  2013    700,000    278,107    159,963    700,000    0    401,858    2,239,928  

(1)This column includes the full grant date fair value of PSUs and restricted stock units granted during each fiscal year. The amounts reported in this column have been calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718,Compensation – Stock Compensation. The amounts reported in this column for PSUs granted during each fiscal year represent the value of each award at the grant date based upon the probable outcome of the performance conditions under the program, determined in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. In accordance with SEC rules, any estimate for forfeitures is excluded from, and does not reduce, such amounts. For a discussion of PSUs, see page 14. For additional information on the valuation assumptions with respect to stock grants, refer to Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

(2)This column represents the full grant date fair value of stock option awards granted during each fiscal year. The amounts reported in this column have been calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. In accordance with SEC rules, any estimate for forfeiture is excluded from, and does not reduce, such amounts. For additional information on the valuation assumptions with respect to option grants, refer to Note 9 to our consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

(3)This column represents annual cash incentives awarded under the SMIP related to services rendered in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Awards are reported for the year in which they are earned, regardless of the year in which they are paid. These awards were paid fully in cash in April of 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively.

(4)Other than for 2013, the amounts shown in this column represent the aggregate change in actuarial present value of each named executive officer’s benefits under our pension plan. In 2013, these figures were negative for each named executive officer, as follows: Mr. Pat Gallagher – $(23,957); Mr. Howell – $(1,991); Mr. Gault – $(22,579); Mr. Durkin – $(12,418); and Mr. Tom Gallagher – $(31,890). In the event that the change in actuarial present value is negative, SEC rules require that a zero be included in this table.

16


(5)Includes the following for 2014: and are more fully discussed in footnote (5) thereto.

 

Named Executive Officer Age 62 Plan
Awards
  

Supplemental

Plan Match

  

Dividend

Equivalents on

Unvested RSUs

  

401(k)

Match

  

Corporate

Auto &
Insurance

  Financial
Advisory
Services
  

Club Memberships

Not Exclusively

For Business Use

and Cell Phone

Allowance

 
       

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

 $750,000   $104,500   $79,815   $12,750   $  8,277   $   $22,820  
       

Douglas K. Howell

  400,000    59,500    93,411    12,750    8,277    15,000      
       

James S. Gault

  400,000    67,000    36,825    12,750    5,877        10,665  
       

James W. Durkin, Jr.

  350,000    59,500    33,419    12,750    8,277    10,000    13,450  
       

Thomas J. Gallagher

  350,000    50,000    36,219    12,750    5,157        4,080  

 

(6)The Board appointed Mr. Tom Gallagher an executive officer of the company in 2013.

36

Grants of Plan-Based Awards2017 PROXY STATEMENT

 

LOGO
NamePlan

Grant

Date

Estimated Future Payouts

Under Non-Equity

Incentive Plan Awards

Estimated Future Payouts

Under Equity

Incentive Plan Awards

All Other

Stock

Awards:

Number of

Shares of

Stock or

Units

(#)

All Other

Option

Awards:

Number of

Securities

Underlying

Options

(#)

Exercise

or Base

Price of

Option

Awards

($/sh)

Grant

Date Fair

Value of

Stock and

Option

Awards

($)

Threshold

($)

Target

($)

Maximum

($)

Threshold

(#)

Target

(#)

Maximum

(#)

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

LTIP(1)

LTIP(2)

LTIP(3)

SMIP(4)



EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2016 FiscalYear-End

   
   Option Awards (1)  Stock Awards 
        

Name

 

Grant

Date

  

Number of

Securities

Underlying

Unexercised

Options (#)

Exercisable

  

Number of

Securities

Underlying

Unexercised

Options (#)

Unexercisable

  

Option

Exercise

Price (#)

  

Option

Expiration

Date

  

Number

of Shares or

Units of Stock

That Have Not

Vested (#) (2)

  

Market Value

of Shares or

Units of Stock

That Have Not

Vested ($) (3)

 
        

Pat Gallagher

  5/15/07   16,667   0   28.65   5/14/17       
        
   3/5/08   17,762   0   23.76   3/4/18       
        
   3/2/10   50,750   0   24.13   3/1/17       
        
   3/8/11   25,600   0   30.95   3/7/18       
        
   3/16/12   23,067   11,533   35.71   3/15/19       
        
   3/13/13   11,901   23,799   39.17   3/12/20       
        
   3/12/14   0   70,700   46.87   3/11/21       
        
   3/11/15   0   51,000   46.17   3/10/22       
        
   3/17/16   0   62,900   43.71   3/16/23       
        
                       52,214   2,713,039 
        

Doug Howell

  5/15/07   11,375   0   28.65   5/14/17       
        
   10/18/07   45,000   5,000   27.94   10/17/17       
        
   3/5/08   6,061   0   23.76   3/4/18       
        
   3/8/11   10,200   0   30.95   3/7/18       
        
   3/16/12   9,067   4,533   35.71   3/15/19       
        
   3/13/13   6,667   13,333   39.17   3/12/20       
        
   3/12/14   0   61,200   46.87   3/11/21       
        
   3/11/15   0   19,100   46.17   3/10/22       
        
   3/17/16   0   26,700   43.71   3/16/23       
        
                       45,156   2,346,306 
        

Jim Gault

  3/5/08   8,082   0   23.76   3/4/18       
        
   3/8/11   11,600   0   30.95   3/7/18       
        
   3/16/12   10,601   5,299   35.71   3/15/19       
        
   3/13/13   5,334   10,666   39.17   3/12/20       
        
   3/12/14   0   31,700   46.87   3/11/21       
        
   3/11/15   0   30,600   46.17   3/10/22       
        
   3/17/16   0   37,700   43.71   3/16/23       
        
                       22,475   1,167,801 
        

Jim Durkin

  3/5/08   1,270   0   23.76   3/4/18       
        
   3/2/10   6,900   0   24.13   3/1/17       
        
   3/8/11   10,400   0   30.95   3/7/18       
        
   3/16/12   9,467   4,733   35.71   3/15/19       
        
   3/13/13   4,867   9,733   39.17   3/12/20       
        
   3/12/14   0   28,800   46.87   3/11/21       
        
   3/11/15   0   27,700   46.17   3/10/22       
        
   3/17/16   0   34,200   43.71   3/16/23       
        
                       20,452   1,062,686 

 

3/12/14

3/12/14

3/12/14

N/A




N/A




1,500,000




2,250,000




6,700




13,400




13,400






70,700



46.87



683,033

628,058

N/A


 

LOGO

2017 PROXY STATEMENT

37

 

 

Douglas K. Howell

LTIP(1)

LTIP(2)

LTIP(3)

SMIP(4)


3/12/14

3/12/14

3/12/14

N/A




N/A




750,000




1,125,000




4,025




8,050




8,050




4,050



61,200



46.87



591,253

189,824

377,304

N/A



EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

 

   
   Option Awards (1)  Stock Awards 
        

Name

 

Grant

Date

  

Number of

Securities

Underlying

Unexercised

Options (#)

Exercisable

  

Number of

Securities

Underlying

Unexercised

Options (#)

Unexercisable

  

Option

Exercise

Price (#)

  

Option

Expiration

Date

  

Number

of Shares or

Units of Stock

That Have Not

Vested (#) (2)

  

Market Value

of Shares or

Units of Stock

That Have Not

Vested ($) (3)

 
        

Tom Gallagher

  3/2/10   8,276   0   24.13   3/1/17       
        
   3/8/11   11,500   0   30.95   3/7/18       
        
   3/16/12   10,134   5,066   35.71   3/15/19       
        
   3/13/13   7,101   14,199   39.17   3/12/20       
        
   3/12/14   0   27,700   46.87   3/11/21       
        
   3/11/15   0   26,800   46.17   3/10/22       
        
   3/17/16   0   35,400   43.71   3/16/23       
        
                       20,910   1,086,484 

(1)Stock options vest in accordance with the following vesting schedules:

Grant Dates

One-tenth vest each:

10/18/07

January 1 st of each year starting January 1, 2008 with the last vesting date on January 1, 2017

Grant Dates

One-fifth vest on each of:

5/15/07

May 15, 2008, May 15, 2009, May 15, 2010, May 15, 2011 and May 15, 2012

3/5/08

March 5, 2009, March 5, 2010, March 5, 2011, March 5, 2012 and March 5, 2013

3/2/10

March 2, 2011, March 2, 2012, March 2, 2013, March 2, 2014 and March 2, 2015

3/8/11

March 8, 2012, March 8, 2013, March 8, 2014, March 8, 2015 and March 8, 2016

Grant Dates

One-third vest on each of:
  

James S. Gault

LTIP(1)

LTIP(2)

LTIP(3)

SMIP(4)


3/12/14

3/12/14

3/12/14

N/A




N/A




800,000




1,200,000




3,000




6,000




6,000






31,700



46.87



306,254

281,220

N/A


James W. Durkin, Jr.

LTIP(1)

LTIP(2)

LTIP(3)

SMIP(4)


3/12/14

3/12/14

3/12/14

N/A




N/A




725,000




1,087,500




2,750




5,500




5,500






28,800



46.87



278,237

257,785

N/A


Thomas J. Gallagher

LTIP(1)

LTIP(2)

LTIP(3)

SMIP(4)


3/12/14

3/12/14

3/12/14

N/A






N/A





700,000




1,050,000




2,625




5,250




5,250






27,700



46.87



267,610

246,068

N/A


(1)This line includes stock options granted to our named executive officers on March 12, 2014 under our 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The stock options vest one-third on each of the third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the grant date.

(2)This line includes restricted stock units granted to our named executive officers on March 12, 2014 under our 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The restricted stock units vest on March 12, 2018.

(3)These share totals represent the range of possible awards the named executive officer would have been eligible to receive on March 12, 2017 related to performance share units (PSUs) granted on March 12, 2014 under our 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan. Please see page 14 for more information regarding PSUs.

(4)The amounts in this line represent the range of possible annual cash incentive award the named executive officer was eligible to receive in April 2015, related to 2014 performance under the SMIP. The amounts were subject to performance criteria and subject to the Compensation Committee’s downward discretion. There is no threshold payout level for these awards. The amounts actually awarded to each named executive officer are reported in the Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation column of the Summary Compensation Table and are more fully discussed in footnote (3) thereto.

17


Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

    Option Awards(1)   Stock Awards 
Name  

Grant

Date

   

Number of

Securities

Underlying

Unexercised

Options (#)

Exercisable

   

Number of

Securities

Underlying

Unexercised

Options (#)

Unexercisable

   

Option

Exercise

Price (#)

   

Option

Expiration

Date

   

Number

of Shares or

Units of Stock

That Have Not

Vested (#)(2)

   

Market Value

of Shares or

Units of Stock

That Have Not

Vested ($)(3)

 

 

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

   5/17/05     16,605     1,845     27.10     5/16/15            
    7/21/05     45,000     5,000     27.25     7/20/15            
    5/16/06     20,719     5,178     27.03     5/15/16            
    5/15/07     16,667     0     28.65     5/14/17            
    3/5/08     17,762     0     23.76     3/4/18            
    3/2/10     40,600     10,150     24.13     3/1/17            
    3/8/11     15,360     10,240     30.95     3/7/18            
    3/16/12     0     34,600     35.71     3/15/19            
    3/13/13     0     35,700     39.17     3/12/20            
    3/12/14     0     70,700     46.87     3/11/21            
                   76,350     3,594,558  
       

Douglas K. Howell

   7/21/05     31,500     3,500     27.25     7/20/15            
    5/16/06     2,072     518     27.03     5/15/16            
    5/15/07     11,375     0     28.65     5/14/17            
    10/18/07     35,000     15,000     27.94     10/17/17            
    3/5/08     6,061     0     23.76     3/4/18            
    3/2/10     7,200     1,800     24.13     3/1/17            
    3/8/11     6,120     4,080     30.95     3/7/18            
    3/16/12     0     13,600     35.71     3/15/19            
    3/13/13     0     20,000     39.17     3/12/20            
    3/12/14     0     61,200     46.87     3/11/21            
                   52,400     2,466,992  
       

James S. Gault

   7/21/05     31,500     3,500     27.25     7/20/15            
    5/15/07     7,583     0     28.65     5/14/17            
    3/5/08     8,082     0     23.76     3/4/18            
    3/2/10     10,200     2,550     24.13     3/1/17            
    3/8/11     6,960     4,640     30.95     3/7/18            
    3/16/12     0     15,900     35.71     3/15/19            
    3/13/13     0     16,000     39.17     3/12/20            
    3/12/14     0     31,700     46.87     3/11/21            
                   32,050     1,508,914  
       

James W. Durkin, Jr.

   7/21/05     6,000     3,000     27.25     7/20/15            
    3/5/08     1,270     0     23.76     3/4/18            
    3/2/10     4,600     2,300     24.13     3/1/17            
    3/8/11     6,240     4,160     30.95     3/7/18            
    3/16/12     0     14,200     35.71     3/15/19            
    3/13/13     0     14,600     39.17     3/12/20            
    3/12/14     0     28,800     46.87     3/11/21            
                   29,050     1,367,674  
       

Thomas J. Gallagher

   7/21/05     22,500     2,500     27.25     7/20/15            
    5/15/07     2,917     0     28.65     5/14/17            
    3/5/08     3,552     0     23.76     3/4/18            
    3/2/10     6,621     1,655     24.13     3/1/17            
    3/8/11     6,900     4,600     30.95     3/7/18            
    3/16/12     0     15,200     35.71     3/15/19            
    3/13/13     0     21,300     39.17     3/12/20            
    3/12/14     0     27,700     46.87     3/11/21            
                   24,550     1,155,814  

18


(1)Stock options vest in accordance with the following vesting schedules:

Grant Dates        One-tenth vest each:

5/17/05

January 1st of each year starting January 1, 2006 with the last vesting date on January 1, 2015

7/21/05

January 1st of each year starting January 1, 2006 with the last vesting date on January 1, 2015

5/16/06

January 1st of each year starting January 1, 2007 with the last vesting date on January 1, 2016

10/18/07

January 1st of each year starting January 1, 2008 with the last vesting date on January 1, 2017

Grant Dates        One-fifth vest on each of:

3/2/10

March 2, 2011, March 2, 2012, March 2, 2013, March 2, 2014 and March 2, 2015

3/8/11

March 8, 2012, March 8, 2013, March 8, 2014, March 8, 2015 and March 8, 2016

Grant Dates        One-third vest on each of:

3/16/12

 March 16, 2015, March 16, 2016 and March 16, 2017

3/13/13

 March 13, 2016, March 13, 2017 and March 13, 2018

3/12/14

 March 12, 2017, March 12, 2018 and March 12, 2019

3/11/15

(2)The following table provides information with respect to the vesting of each named executive officer’s unvested PUP awards, restricted stock units and performance share units as of December 31, 2014:March 11, 2018, March 11, 2019 and March 11, 2020

3/17/16

March 17, 2019, March 17, 2020 and March 17, 2021

 

Vesting Dates Type of award Mr. Pat Gallagher  Mr. Howell  Mr. Gault  Mr. Durkin  Mr. Tom Gallagher 
      

1/1/15

 PUP Award*  23,150    10,350    8,350    7,500    6,350  
      

1/1/16

 PUP Award*  20,750    8,900    8,600    7,800    3,800  
      

3/8/15

 Restricted Stock Units**    6,200    7,600    2,700    2,500    2,600  
      

3/16/16

 Restricted Stock Units**    7,950    7,950    3,500    3,100    3,250  
      

3/13/17

 Restricted Stock Units**    4,900    5,500    2,900    2,650    3,300  
      

3/12/18

 Restricted Stock Units**        4,050              
      

3/12/17

 Performance Share Units***    13,400    8,050    6,000    5,500    5,250  
      

Total

    76,350    52,400    32,050    29,050    24,550  

 

*Number of performance units held by the named executive officer from the 2012 and 2013 awards. See page 14 for information regarding the PUP.

38

2017 PROXY STATEMENT

LOGO


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

(2)The following table provides information with respect to the vesting of each named executive officer’s unvested restricted stock units and performance share units as of December 31, 2016:

 

**Restricted stock units granted in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Each grant has a vesting date four years from the date of grant.
       

Vesting Dates

 Type of award Pat
Gallagher
  Doug
Howell
  Jim
Gault
  Jim
Durkin
  Tom
Gallagher
 
       

3/13/17

 Restricted Stock Units*  4,900   5,500   2,900   2,650   3,300 
       

3/12/18

 Restricted Stock Units*     4,050          
       

3/11/20

 Restricted Stock Units*     3,950          
       

3/17/21

 Restricted Stock Units*     5,350          
       

3/12/17

 Performance Share Units**  13,400   8,050   6,000   5,500   5,250 
       

3/11/18

 Performance Share Units**  15,064   7,556   6,025   5,452   5,260 
       

3/17/19

 Performance Share Units**  18,850   10,700   7,550   6,850   7,100 
       

Total

    52,214   45,156   22,475   20,452   20,910 

*Restricted stock units granted in 2013 and 2014 (vesting four years from the date of grant), and 2015 and 2016 (vesting five years from the date of grant).

**Performance share units (PSUs) granted in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and earned based on our performance in 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. See page 29 for information regarding PSUs.

(3)The amounts in this column are based on a closing stock price of $51.96 for our common stock on December 31, 2016.

2016 Option Exercises and Stock Vested

 

***Performance share units (PSUs) granted in 2014, which had not been earned as of December 31, 2014. See page 14 for information regarding PSUs.
   
   Option Awards  Stock Awards 
     

Name

 

Number of
Shares
Acquired
on Exercise

(#)

  

Value
Realized on
Exercise

($)

  

Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Vesting

(#) (1)(2)

  

Value
Realized on
Vesting

($) (1)(2)

 
     

Pat Gallagher

  25,897   516,904   27,632   1,242,465 
     

Doug Howell

  11,590   286,913   10,887   492,738 
     

Jim Gault

  20,333   484,420   11,657   523,744 
     

Jim Durkin

        10,498   471,816 
     

Tom Gallagher

  6,469   165,115   7,050   313,581 

(1)These columns reflect the vesting of restricted stock units and awards under our Performance Unit Program (see below for information regarding this program). Restricted stock units awarded on March 16, 2012 vested on March 16, 2016, with value realized of $42.97 per share plus accrued cash dividend equivalents.

Performance Unit Program (PUP)

PSUs took the place of PUP awards for NEOs in 2014. The Compensation Committee granted provisional awards, in the form of units, and the portion of PUP awards actually earned was based on an EBITAC growth threshold set by the Compensation Committee. PUP awards cliff vest on the third anniversary of the first day of the year in which the awards were granted. PUP awards settle in cash and pay out based on the trailing twelve month average price of our common stock for the calendar year prior to the vesting date (the TTM Price). The TTM Price is subject to an upper limit of 150% and a lower limit of 50% of our stock price on the date of grant. The final PUP award for NEOs was in 2013 and vested on January 1, 2016. Based on our 2013 EBITAC performance, 100% of the 2013 PUP award opportunity was earned, with value realized in 2016 of $45.77 per unit.

(2)Pursuant to the terms of the Supplemental Plan (see page 35), Doug Howell deferred receipt of 5,963 shares related to the March 16, 2016 vesting of restricted stock units he was awarded on March 16, 2012. He elected alump-sum distribution in July 2022.

 

(3)The amounts in this column are based on a closing stock price of $47.08 for our common stock on December 31, 2014.

LOGO

20142017 PROXY STATEMENT

39


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

2016 Pension Benefits

    

Name

 Plan Name Number
of
Years of
Credited
Service
(#)
  Present
Value of
Accumulated
Benefit ($)
 
    

Pat Gallagher

 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan  25   687,888 
    

Doug Howell

 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan  1   22,214 
    

Jim Gault

 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan  25   648,301 
    

Jim Durkin

 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan  25   739,109 
    

Tom Gallagher

 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan  25   430,251 

We maintain the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan (the Pension Plan) which is qualified under the Internal Revenue Code and which historically covered substantially all domestic employees. In 2005, we amended the Pension Plan to freeze the accrual of future benefits for all domestic employees effective July 1, 2005. Benefits under the Pension Plan are based upon the employee’s highest average annual earnings for a five calendar-year period with us and are payable after retirement in the form of an annuity or a lump sum. The maximum amount of annual earnings that may be considered in calculating benefits under the Pension Plan is $210,000 (the maximum amount of annual earnings allowable by law in 2005, the last year that benefits accrued under the Pension Plan).

Benefits under the Pension Plan are calculated as an annuity equal to 1% of the participant’s highest annual average earnings multiplied by years of service, and commencing upon the participant’s retirement on or after age 65. The maximum benefit under the pension plan upon retirement would be $53,318 per year, payable at age 65 in accordance with IRS regulations. Participants also may elect to commence their pensions anytime on or after attaining age 55 if they retire prior to age 65, with an actuarial reduction to reflect the earlier commencement date, ranging from 54% at age 55 to no reduction at age 65. Except for Doug Howell, all of our named executive officers are eligible to take this early retirement option. For additional information on the valuation assumptions with respect to pensions, refer to Note 12 to our consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

2016 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

       

Name

 Plan Name Executive
Contributions
in Last Fiscal
Year
($)
(1)
  Registrant
Contributions
in Last Fiscal
Year
($)
(2)
  Aggregate
Earnings
in Last
Fiscal
Year
($)
(3)
  Aggregate
Withdrawals/
Distributions
in Last
Fiscal
Year
($)
(4)
  

Aggregate
Balance
at Last
Fiscal
Year

End
($)
(4)(5)

 
       

Pat Gallagher

 DEPP     900,000   852,273   36,650   3,782,855 
 Supplemental Plan  325,000   149,250   1,444,950      10,215,956 
       

Doug Howell

 DEPP     450,000   1,625,997      6,977,354 
 Supplemental Plan  481,366   85,500   1,485,741      7,049,488 
       

Jim Gault

 DEPP     400,000   435,723   19,547   1,918,701 
 Supplemental Plan  90,000   76,750   122,122      2,878,327 
       

Jim Durkin

 DEPP     400,000   2,366,679   17,104   8,766,762 
 Supplemental Plan  181,250   77,375   369,872      3,812,906 
       

Tom Gallagher

 DEPP     400,000   1,461,728      6,271,359 
 Supplemental Plan  75,000   68,000   85,436      985,173 

(1)Amounts in this column include amounts reported in the “Salary” and/or“Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” columns in the 2016 Summary Compensation Table. For Doug Howell, the amount in this column also includes the value of restricted stock units vested in 2016, which he deferred until July 2022. For more information, see also footnote (2) to the 2016 Option Exercises and Stock Vested table.

40

2017 PROXY STATEMENT

 

    Option Awards   Stock Awards 
Name  

Number of
Shares
Acquired
on Exercise

(#)

   

Value
Realized on
Exercise

($)

   

Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Vesting

(#)(1)(2)

   

Value
Realized on
Vesting

($)(1)(2)

 
    

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

   65,024     1,025,072     29,751     1,305,702  
    

Douglas K. Howell

   38,756     647,359     6,985     310,945  
    

James S. Gault

   35,000     558,890     11,879     517,133  
    

James W. Durkin, Jr.

   6,000     98,640     10,630     462,706  
    

Thomas J. Gallagher

   31,502     538,038     9,242     401,452  
LOGO


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

 

(1)These columns reflect the vesting of restricted stock units and PUP awards, as applicable. Restricted stock units awarded on March 2, 2010 vested on March 2, 2014, with value realized of $46.20 per share plus accrued cash dividends. In 2014, we made payments in connection with the vesting of earned performance units under our 2011 PUP awards. Based on our 2011 EBITAC performance, 94.4% of the 2011 PUP award opportunity was earned, with value realized in 2014 of $42.93 per unit. Please see the description of the PUP provided on page 14 for additional information.

 

(2)Pursuant to the terms of the Supplemental Plan (see page 21), Mr. Howell deferred receipt of 10,167 shares related to the March 2, 2014 vesting of restricted stock units he was awarded on March 2, 2010. He elected a lump-sum distribution in July 2015.

 

19


Pension Benefits

(2)These amounts are included in the “All Other Compensation” column of the 2016 Summary Compensation Table.

 

Name Plan Name Number of
Years of
Credited
Service (#)
   Present
Value of
Accumulated
Benefit ($)
 
   

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan  25     651,092  
   

Douglas K. Howell

 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan  1     21,133  
   

James S. Gault

 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan  25     613,623  
   

James W. Durkin, Jr.

 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan  25     692,432  
   

Thomas J. Gallagher

 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan  25     409,215  

We maintain
(3)Amounts in this column are not included in the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employees’ Pension Plan (the Pension Plan) which is qualified2016 Summary Compensation Table. These amounts represent the change in market value on deferred and matched amounts under the Internal Revenue CodeSupplemental Plan and which historically covered substantially all domestic employees. In 2005, we amendedon our contributions to the Pension Plan to freeze the accrual of future benefits for all domestic employees effective July 1, 2005. Benefits under the Pension Plan areDEPP, based upon the employee’s highest average annual earnings for a five calendar-year period with us and are payable after retirement in the form of an annuity or a lump sum. The maximum amount of annual earnings that may be considered in calculating benefits under the Pension Plan is $210,000 (the maximum amount of annual earnings allowable by law in 2005, the last year that benefits accrued under the Pension Plan).

Benefits under the Pension Plan are calculated as an annuity equal to 1% of the participant’s highest annual average earnings multiplied by years of service, and commencing upon the participant’s retirement on or after age 65. The maximum benefit under the pension plan upon retirement would be $53,318 per year, payable at age 65 in accordance with IRS regulations. Participants also may elect to commence their pensions anytime on or after attaining age 55 if they retire prior to age 65, with an actuarial reduction to reflect the earlier commencement date, ranging from 54% at age 55 to no reduction at age 65. Except for Mr. Howell, all of our named executive officers are eligible to take this early retirement option. For additional information on the valuation assumptions with respectmarket-rate returns and dividend equivalents credited to pensions, refer to Note 12 to our consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report on Form 10-Kparticipant accounts for the year endedperiod January through December 31, 2014.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

Name  Plan Name Executive
Contributions
in Last Fiscal
Year
($)(1)
  Registrant
Contributions
in Last Fiscal
Year
($)(2)
  Aggregate
Earnings
in Last Fiscal
Year
($)(3)
  Aggregate
Withdrawals/
Distributions
in Last Fiscal
Year
($)(4)
  

Aggregate
Balance
at Last
Fiscal Year

End
($)(4)(5)

 
      

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

  Age 62 Plan      750,000    667,741    11,005,563    1,591,705  
   

Supplemental Plan    

  235,000    104,500    357,499        8,237,537  
      

Douglas K. Howell

  Age 62 Plan      400,000    167,234        5,059,493  
   

Supplemental Plan    

  645,796    59,500    187,114    921,249    4,860,640  
      

James S. Gault

  Age 62 Plan      400,000    415,524    6,926,784    848,909  
��  

Supplemental Plan    

  80,000    67,000    34,458        2,538,879  
      

James W. Durkin, Jr.

  Age 62 Plan      350,000    223,560    17,912    6,710,625  
   

Supplemental Plan    

  145,000    59,500    199,876        2,880,241  
      

Thomas J. Gallagher

  Age 62 Plan      350,000    150,830        4,561,644  
   

Supplemental Plan    

  50,000    50,000    (27,317      759,237  

(1)Amounts in this column include amounts reported in the “Salary” and/or “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” columns in the Summary Compensation Table for 2014. For Mr. Howell, the amount in this column also includes the value of restricted stock units vested in 2014, which he deferred until July 2015. For more information, see also footnote (2) to the 2014 Option Exercises and Stock Vested table.

(2)These amounts are included in the “All Other Compensation” column of the Summary Compensation Table.

(3)Amounts in this column are not included in the Summary Compensation Table. These amounts represent the change in market value on deferred and matched amounts under the Supplemental Plan and on our contributions to the Age 62 Plan, based on the market-rate returns and dividend equivalents credited to participant accounts for the period January through December 2014.2016. Participants are able to direct that their Supplemental Plan account balances be deemed invested in a number of investment options that include various mutual funds, an annuity product and a fund representing our common stock, and may change such elections on any regular business day. Awards under the Age 62 Plan are credited with returns of deemed investments elected by the participant, including a fund representing our common stock. All of our named executive officers have elected the fund representing our common stock.

20


(4)Reflects distributions under the Age 62 Plan to Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Gault, each of whom reached age 62 during 2014. These distributions were made in the form of shares of Gallagher common stock, net of shares withheld to cover applicable taxes. Please see “Security Ownership by Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” beginning on page 32 for information regarding the number of shares beneficially owned by Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Gault reflecting the distribution of such shares. For Mr. Durkin, reflects an accelerated distribution to cover applicable taxes on a vested award. For Mr. Howell, reflects the distribution of compensation previously deferred under the Supplemental Plan until July 2014.

(5)The Age 62 Plan amounts include amounts also reported as compensation in this and prior years’ Summary Compensation Tables, as follows: Mr. Pat Gallagher – $7,200,000; Mr. Howell – $3,250,000; Mr. Gault – $4,300,000; Mr. Durkin – $3,400,000; and Mr. Tom Gallagher – $650,000.

All amounts in this table pertain to the Supplemental Plan or the Age 62 Plan. The material terms of the Age 62 Plan are provided above on pages 14-15. Under the Supplemental Plan, which allows certain highly compensated employees to defer amounts on a before-tax basis, employees who have compensation greater than an amount set annually by the IRS may elect to defer up to 90% of their salary and up to 100% of their annual cash incentive payment (as of January 1, 2015, these limits were reduced to 80% of base salary and 80% of annual cash incentive). We match any deferrals of salary and annual cash incentive payments on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to the lesser of (i) the amount deferred or (ii) 5% of the employee’s regular earnings minus the maximum contribution that we could have matched under the 401(k) Plan. All such cash deferrals and company match amounts may be deemed invested, at the employee’s election, in a number of investment options that include various mutual funds, an annuity product and a fund representing our common stock, and may change such elections on any regular business day. Awards under the DEPP are credited with returns of deemed investments elected by the participant, including a fund representing our common stock. Such employees may also defer restricted stock unit and PUP awards (and, asAll of January 1, 2015, PSUs), but these deferrals are not subject to company matching. Amounts held in the Supplemental Plan accounts are payable as of the employee’s termination of employment, or such other time as the employee elects in advance of the deferral, subject to certain exceptions set forth in IRS regulations.

21


POTENTIAL PAYMENTS UPON TERMINATION OR CHANGE IN CONTROL

Change-in-Control Agreements

We provide our named executive officers with change-in-control agreements, which we believe are an important part of their overall compensation. In additionhave elected the fund representing our common stock.

(4)For Pat Gallagher, Jim Gault and Jim Durkin, reflects accelerated distributions under the DEPP to helping secure their continued dedication to stockholder interestscover applicable taxes on vested awards.

(5)The DEPP amounts include amounts also reported as compensation in this and prior to or following a change in control, theyears’ Summary Compensation Committee also believes these agreements are important for recruitmentTables, as follows: Pat Gallagher – $8,850,000; Doug Howell – $4,100,000; Jim Gault – $5,100,000; Jim Durkin – $4,150,000; and retention, as all or nearly all of our competitors have similar agreements in place for their senior employees. In general, compensation levels under these agreements are separate and unrelated to named executive officers’ overall compensation decisions for a given year.

Double TriggerTom Gallagher – $1,400,000.

2016 Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control

Change-in-Control Agreements

We provide our named executive officers withchange-in-control agreements, which we believe are an important part of their overall compensation. In addition to helping secure their continued dedication to stockholder interests prior to or following a change in control, the Compensation Committee also believes these agreements are important for recruitment and retention, as all or nearly all of our competitors for talent have similar agreements in place for their senior employees. In general, compensation levels under these agreements are separate and unrelated to named executive officers’ overall compensation decisions for a given year.

Double Trigger

Each named executive officer’schange-in-control

Each named executive officer’s change-in-control agreement provides for payments if there is a “Termination” of the individual within 24 months after a “Change in Control” (commonly referred to in combination as a “double trigger”).

 

A “Change in Control” occurs (i) if a person or group is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of our securities representing 50% or more of the voting power to elect directors, (ii) if there is a change in the composition of the Board such that within a period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such two-year period constitute the Board and any new directors elected or nominated by at least two-thirds of the directors who were either directors at the beginning of the two-year period or were so elected or nominated, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, or (iii) our stockholders approve the sale of all or substantially all of our assets or any merger, consolidation, issuance of securities or purchase of assets, the result of which would be the occurrence of any event described in (i) or (ii) above. A substantially similar change-in-control definition is used under our equity plans, the Supplemental Plan, the Performance Unit Program and the Age 62 Plan.
AChange in Control occurs (i) if a person or group is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of our securities representing 50% or more of the voting power to elect directors, (ii) if there is a change in the composition of the Board such that within a period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of suchtwo-year period constitute the Board and any new directors elected or nominated by at leasttwo-thirds of the directors who were either directors at the beginning of thetwo-year period or were so elected or nominated, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, or (iii) our stockholders approve the sale of all or substantially all of our assets or any merger, consolidation, issuance of securities or purchase of assets, the result of which would be the occurrence of any event described in (i) or (ii) above. A substantially similarchange-in-control definition is used under our equity plans, the DEPP and the Supplemental Plan, except that our equity plans and the DEPP do not include subsection (iii) above.

 

A “Termination
ATermination means either (i) a termination of employment by us for any reason other than death, physical or mental incapacity or “cause” (defined as gross misconduct or willful and material breach of thechange-in-control agreement) or (ii) resignation upon the occurrence of (1) a material change in the nature or scope of the individual’s authorities, powers, functions or duties, (2) a reduction in total compensation, (3) any relocation of the individual’s principal place of employment more than 35 miles from his or her location prior to the Change in Control, (4) a breach of thechange-in-control agreement by us or (5) a good faith determination by the individual that as a result of the Change in Control, his or her position is materially affected.

Payments upon Double Trigger

Under thechange-in-control agreement) or (ii) resignation upon the occurrence of (1) a material change in the nature or scope of the individual’s authorities, powers, functions or duties, (2) a reduction in total compensation, (3) any relocation of the individual’s principal place of employment more than 35 miles from his or her location prior to the Change in Control, (4) a breach of the change-in-control agreement by us or (5) a good faith determination by the individual that as a result of the Change in Control, his or her position is materially affected.

Payments upon Double Trigger

Under the change-in-control agreements, each named executive officer subject to Termination within 24 months after a Change in Control is entitled to receive:

 

Severance – two-times salary and annual cash incentive. A lump sum severance payment equal to salary and annual cash incentive compensation payments for a 24-month period on the basis of a salary rate not less than his annual salary prior to the termination, or if greater, the salary at the time of the Change in Control and the annual cash incentive payment prior to termination or, if greater, the annual cash incentive payment prior to the Change in Control. The severance payment would be made in a lump sum not more than seven days after the date of termination.
Severance –two-times salary, bonus and annual cash incentive. A lump sum severance payment equal to salary, bonus and annual cash incentive compensation payments for a24-month period on the basis of a salary rate not less than his annual salary prior to the termination, or if greater, the salary at the time of the Change in Control and the bonus and annual cash incentive payment prior to termination or, if greater, the bonus and annual cash incentive payment prior to the Change in Control. The severance payment would be made in a lump sum not more than seven days after the date of termination.

 

No new excise tax gross-up payments. Our change-in-control agreements entered into prior to 2008 provide that the named executive officer would be eligible to receive an excise tax “gross-up” payment as defined in Sections 280G and 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to so-called “excess parachute payments.” However, our change-in-control agreements entered into after 2008 do not contain excise tax gross-ups, and it is our policy not to enter into new change-in-control agreements that contain excise tax gross-ups, or amend existing change-in-control agreements without removing these provisions.
No new excise taxgross-up payments. Ourchange-in-control agreements entered into prior to 2008 provide that the named executive officer would be eligible to receive an excise tax“gross-up” payment as defined in Sections 280G and 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, relating toso-called “excess parachute payments.” However, ourchange-in-control agreements entered into after 2008 do not contain excise taxgross-ups, and it is our policy not to enter into newchange-in-control agreements that contain excise taxgross-ups, or amend existingchange-in-control agreements without removing these provisions.

 

Participation in benefit plans. The change-in-control agreements also provide for continued participation in welfare benefit plans, including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, on the same basis and at the same cost as prior to the Termination, for the shorter of a
Participation in benefit plans. Thechange-in-control agreements also provide for continued participation in welfare benefit plans, including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, on the same basis and at the same cost as prior to the Termination, for the shorter of atwo-year period or until the individual becomes covered by a different plan with coverage or benefits equal to or greater than the plan provided by us. The agreements also provide for the payment of any unpaid salary and a lump sum cash payment for accumulated but unused vacation.

LOGO

2017 PROXY STATEMENT

41

 

22


Other Termination and Change-in-Control Payments

The table below shows potential incremental payments, benefits and equity award accelerations upon termination of our named executive officers. The amounts are determined under existing agreements and plans for various termination scenarios. The amounts assume that the trigger events for all such payments occurred on December 31, 2014 and use the closing price of our common stock on that date of $47.08.


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

Other Termination andChange-in-Control Payments

The table below shows potential incremental payments, benefits and equity award accelerations upon termination of our named executive officers. The amounts are determined under existing agreements and plans for various termination scenarios. The amounts assume that the trigger events for all such payments occurred on December 31, 2016 and use the closing price of our common stock on that date of $51.96. The amounts in the table below do not include the amount of pension or deferred compensation our named executive officers would receive under each termination scenario because these amounts are reflected in the “Pension Benefits”and “Nonqualified Deferred Compensation” tables presented above.

 

Stock options. Our named executive officers are eligible to exercise their stock options upon termination of employment. If they are terminated for cause they are eligible to exercise all options that are vested at the time of termination. If they voluntarily resign or are terminated without cause and such named executive officer is under the age of 55, the named executive officer may exercise all options that have vested at the time of termination. If a named executive officer is 55 years of age or older (true for all but Mr. Howell), upon a voluntary resignation or termination without cause, (1) such officer immediately vests in all outstanding nonqualified stock options that were granted in 2006 or earlier and may exercise or retain such options through their original expiration date; (2) nonqualified stock options that were granted in 2013 or later are no longer subject to forfeiture if such departure from the company is at least two years from the date of grant, and such officer may exercise or retain such options in accordance with the original vesting schedule through their original expiration date; and (3) such officer may exercise or retain through their original expiration date all nonqualified stock options granted 2007 through 2012 that have vested as of the date of termination. If a named executive officer is terminated due to death or disability all options vest and they remain outstanding through their original expiration date. In the event of a change in control as defined in the relevant equity plan, all options vest immediately and may be exercised through their original expiration date.
Stock options. Our named executive officers are eligible to exercise their stock options upon termination of employment. If they are terminated for cause they are eligible to exercise all options that are vested at the time of termination. If they voluntarily resign or are terminated without cause and such named executive officer is under the age of 55, the named executive officer may exercise all options that have vested at the time of termination. If a named executive officer is 55 years of age or older, upon a voluntary resignation or termination without cause, (1) such officer may exercise or retain through their original expiration date all nonqualified stock options granted 2007 through 2012 that have vested as of the date of termination, and (2) nonqualified stock options that were granted in 2013 or later are no longer subject to forfeiture if such departure from the company is at least two years after the date of grant. If a named executive officer is terminated due to death or disability all options vest and they remain outstanding through their original expiration date. In the event of a change in control, all options vest immediately and may be exercised through their original expiration date (under the 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan, accelerated vesting at a change in control will require Board approval).

 

Restricted stock awards. All of our named executive officers currently have outstanding restricted stock unit awards. To vest in these awards the named executive officer must be employed by us when the units vest. If a named executive officer is 55 years of age or older (true for all but Mr. Howell), upon a voluntary resignation or termination without cause, restricted stock units awarded in 2014 and 2013 are no longer subject to forfeiture if such departure from the company is at least two years from the date of grant, although vesting and distribution will still occur in accordance with the original schedule. If there is a change in control as defined in the relevant equity plan the awards immediately vest. If the named executive officer is terminated because of death or disability the awards immediately vest.
Restricted stock units. All of our named executive officers currently have outstanding restricted stock unit awards. To vest in these awards the named executive officer must be employed by us when the units vest. If a named executive officer is 55 years of age or older, upon a voluntary resignation or termination without cause, restricted stock units awarded in 2013 or later are no longer subject to forfeiture if such departure from the company is at least two years after the date of grant, although vesting and distribution will still occur in accordance with the original schedule. If there is a change in control, the awards immediately vest (under the 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan, accelerated vesting at a change in control will require Board approval). If the named executive officer is terminated because of death or disability the awards immediately vest.

 

PUP / PSU awards. All of our named executive officers have outstanding performance units under our Performance Unit Program (PUP) and Performance Share Unit awards under the LTIP (PSUs). To receive payment under the PUP, the named executive officer must be employed by us at the time the units vest, except that the units vest and become immediately payable upon a change in control as defined in the plan. To vest in the PSUs, the named executive officer must be employed by us with the PSUs vest. If a named executive officer is 55 years of age or older (true for all but Mr. Howell), upon a voluntary resignation or termination without cause, PUP awards and PSUs awarded in 2014 and/or 2013 are no longer subject to forfeiture if such departure from the company is at least two years from the date of grant, although vesting and distribution will still occur in accordance with the original schedule.
PSUs. All of our named executive officers have outstanding PSUs. To vest in the PSUs, the named executive officer must be employed by us when the PSUs vest. If a named executive officer is 55 years of age or older, upon a voluntary resignation or termination without cause, the earned portion of PSUs awarded in 2013 or later are no longer subject to forfeiture if such departure from the company is at least two years after the date of grant, although vesting and distribution will still occur in accordance with the original schedule. If there is a change in control, earned awards immediately vest (under the 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan, accelerated vesting at a change in control will require Board approval).

 

Age 62 Plan. All of our named executive officers participate in the Age 62 Plan. Amounts in this plan vest on the earliest to occur of (1) the date the participant turns 62 (or the one-year anniversary of the date of grant for participants over 61), (2) death, (3) termination of employment because of disability, (4) termination in a manner that grants the person severance pay under our Severance Plan (filed as an exhibit to our Exchange Act filings) and (5) a change in control as defined in the plan. Accordingly, vesting would accelerate under all of the termination scenarios other than a voluntary resignation or a termination for cause.

Termination for Cause.
DEPP. All of our named executive officers participate in the DEPP. Amounts in this plan vest on the earliest to occur of (1) the date the participant turns 62 (or theone-year anniversary of the date of grant for participants over 61), (2) death, (3) termination of employment because of disability, (4) termination in a manner that grants the person severance pay under our Severance Plan (filed as an exhibit to our Exchange Act filings) and (5) a change in control. Accordingly, vesting would accelerate under all of the termination scenarios other than a voluntary resignation or a termination for cause.

Termination for Cause. Where applicable, termination “for cause” under our plans generally means a termination of employment based upon the good faith determination of the company that one or more of the following events has occurred: (i) the participant has committed a dishonest or fraudulent act to the material detriment of the company; (ii) the participant has been convicted (or pleaded guilty ornolo contendere) for a crime involving moral turpitude or for any felony; (iii) material and persistent insubordination on the part of the participant; (iv) the loss by the participant, for any reason, of any license or professional registration without the company’s written consent; (v) the diversion by the participant of any business or business opportunity of the company for the benefit of any party other than the company; (vi) material violation of the company’s Global Standards of Business Conduct by the participant; or (vii) the participant has engaged in illegal conduct, embezzlement or fraud with respect to the assets, business or affairs of the company.

 

No LiberalChange-in-Control Definitions in Equity Plans or DEPP. None of our equity plans or the DEPP has a “liberal”change-in-control definition (i.e., they do not provide for buyout thresholds lower than 50%, and a change in control is deemed to occur upon completion, rather than stockholder approval, of a transaction).

42

 No Liberal Change-in-Control Definitions. None of our plans has a “liberal” change-in-control definition (i.e., they do not provide for buyout thresholds lower than 50%, and a change in control is deemed to occur upon completion, rather than stockholder approval, of a transaction).

 

232017 PROXY STATEMENT


   

Executive Benefits

and Payments
Upon Separation

 Voluntary
Resignation
  Death or
Disability
  

Termination

with Cause

  Termination
without
Cause
  Change in
Control
   

Termination

without Cause or

Resignation for

Good Reason

Following

Change in Control

 
    

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

 Severance Pay $   $   $   $1,000,000   $    $4,700,000  
 Stock Options(1)  3,780,275    4,869,025    3,540,443    3,780,275    4,869,025     4,869,025  
 Restricted Stock Units      976,689            976,689     976,689  
 PSUs / PUP Awards                  2,697,684     2,697,684  
 Age 62 Plan(2)  899,834    1,591,705    899,834    1,591,705    1,591,705     1,591,705  
 Benefit Plan Participation(3)                       821,701  
 Excise Tax Gross-Up                         
 Total $4,680,109   $7,437,419   $4,440,277   $6,371,980   $10,135,103    $15,656,804  
    

Douglas K. Howell

 Severance Pay $   $   $   $700,000   $    $2,900,000  
 Stock Options(1)  1,951,028    2,750,723    1,951,028    1,951,028    2,750,723     2,750,723  
 Restricted Stock Units      1,275,119            1,275,119     1,275,119  
 PSUs / PUP Awards                  1,285,284     1,285,284  
 Age 62 Plan      5,059,493        5,059,493    5,059,493     5,059,493  
 Benefit Plan Participation(3)                       184,209  
 Excise Tax Gross-Up                  2,914,395     4,723,543  
 Total $1,951,028   $9,085,335   $1,951,028   $7,710,521   $13,285,014    $18,178,371  
    

James S. Gault

 Severance Pay $   $   $   $800,000   $    $3,200,000  
 Stock Options(1)  1,368,632    1,815,997    1,299,227    1,368,632    1,815,997     1,815,997  
 Restricted Stock Units      465,253            465,253     465,253  
 PSUs / PUP Awards                  1,080,486     1,080,486  
 Age 62 Plan(2)  487,659    848,909    487,659    848,909    848,909     848,909  
 Benefit Plan Participation(3)                       529,176  
 Excise Tax Gross-Up                         
 Total $1,856,291   $3,130,159   $1,786,886   $3,017,541   $4,210,645    $7,939,821  
    

James W. Durkin, Jr.

 Severance Pay $   $   $   $725,000   $    $2,900,000  
 Stock Options(1)  414,308    817,181    354,818    414,308    817,181     817,181  
 Restricted Stock Units      421,829            421,829     421,829  
 PSUs / PUP Awards                  979,264     979,264  
 Age 62 Plan(2)  6,350,243    6,710,625    6,350,243    6,710,625    6,710,625     6,710,625  
 Benefit Plan Participation(3)                       190,961  
 Excise Tax Gross-Up                         
 Total $6,764,551   $7,949,635   $6,705,061   $7,849,933   $8,928,899    $12,019,860  
    

Thomas J. Gallagher

 Severance Pay $   $   $   $700,000   $    $2,800,000  
 Stock Options(1)  895,592    1,354,896    846,017    895,592    1,354,896     1,354,896  
 Restricted Stock Units      467,001            467,001     467,001  
 PSUs / PUP Awards                  725,032     725,032  
 Age 62 Plan      4,561,644        4,561,644    4,561,644     4,561,644  
 Benefit Plan Participation(3)                       168,863  
 Excise Tax Gross-Up                  1,745,503     3,422,555  
 Total $895,592   $6,383,541   $846,017   $6,157,236   $8,854,076    $13,499,991  

LOGO


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TABLES

        
   

Executive Benefits

and Payments
Upon Separation

 Voluntary
Resignation
  Death or
Disability
  

Termination

with Cause

  Termination
without
Cause
  Change in
Control
  

Termination

without Cause or

Resignation for

Good Reason

Following

Change in Control

 

Pat Gallagher

 Severance Pay $  $  $  $1,000,000  $  $6,500,000 
  Stock Options (1)  4,030,929   5,032,556   3,366,677   4,030,929   5,032,556   5,032,556 
  Restricted Stock Units  270,197   270,197      270,197   270,197   270,197 
  PSUs  705,444   705,444      705,444   2,490,512   2,490,512 
  DEPP (2)  2,671,107   3,782,855   2,671,107   3,782,855   3,782,855   3,782,855 
  Benefit Plan Participation (3)                 48,607 
  Excise TaxGross-Up                  
  Total $7,677,677  $9,791,052  $6,037,784  $9,789,425  $11,576,120  $18,124,727 

Doug Howell

 Severance Pay $  $  $  $425,000  $  $4,250,000 
  Stock Options (1)  2,071,191   2,970,545   1,963,883   2,071,191   2,970,545   2,970,545 
  Restricted Stock Units  217,397   1,033,088      217,397   1,033,088   1,033,088 
  PSUs  423,793   423,793      423,793   965,582   965,582 
  DEPP     6,977,354      6,977,354   6,977,354   6,977,354 
  Benefit Plan Participation (3)                 54,199 
  Excise TaxGross-Up              3,459,535   5,955,456 
  Total $2,712,381  $11,404,780  $1,963,883  $10,114,735  $15,406,104  $22,206,224 

Jim Gault

 Severance Pay $  $  $  $800,000  $  $4,000,000 
  Stock Options (1)  1,009,888   1,584,195   712,117   1,009,888   1,584,195   1,584,195 
  Restricted Stock Units  159,912   159,912      159,912   159,912   159,912 
  PSUs  315,870   315,870      315,870   1,030,385   1,030,385 
  DEPP (2)  1,424,590   1,918,701   1,424,590   1,918,701   1,918,701   1,918,701 
  Benefit Plan Participation (3)                 55,625 
  Excise TaxGross-Up                  
  Total $2,910,260  $3,978,678  $2,136,707  $4,204,371  $4,693,193  $8,748,818 

Jim Durkin

 Severance Pay $  $  $  $725,000  $  $3,625,000 
  Stock Options (1)  933,510   1,452,954   662,433   933,510   1,452,954   1,452,954 
  Restricted Stock Units  146,127   146,127      146,127   146,127   146,127 
  PSUs  289,548   289,548      289,548   937,047   937,047 
  DEPP (2)  8,272,651   8,766,762   8,272,651   8,766,762   8,766,762   8,766,762 
  Benefit Plan Participation (3)                 61,985 
  Excise TaxGross-Up                  
  Total $9,641,836  $10,655,391  $8,935,084  $10,860,947  $11,302,890  $14,989,875 

Tom Gallagher

 Severance Pay $  $  $  $750,000  $  $3,750,000 
  Stock Options (1)  868,428   1,579,578   727,435   868,428   1,579,578   1,579,578 
  Restricted Stock Units     189,585         189,585   189,585 
  PSUs  276,387   276,387      276,387   926,607   926,607 
  DEPP     6,271,359      6,271,359   6,271,359   6,271,359 
  Benefit Plan Participation (3)                 54,199 
  Excise TaxGross-Up                 3,445,296 
  Total $1,144,815  $8,316,909  $727,435  $8,166,174  $8,967,129  $16,216,624 

 

(1)A substantial portion of the values shown represent fully vested amounts, which are disclosed above under “Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-end.”

(2)The participant has reached age 62, which means that substantially all award balances under the plan are vested.

(3)Represents the lump sum present value of two years of benefits as described above under “Participation in benefit plans.”

24


BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Set forth below is a description of the background of each member of our Board of Directors standing for election at the Annual Meeting, including public and investment company directorships each member held during the past five years and the experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that led the Board to conclude that each such individual should be elected to serve as one of our directors at the Annual Meeting. Our Chairman of the Board, J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., is the brother of Thomas J. Gallagher, one of our executive officers.

SHERRY S. BARRAT

MEMBER OF THE BOARD SINCE 2013

Sherry S. Barrat, 65, currently serves on the Compensation Committee. Ms. Barrat retired in 2012 as Vice Chairman of Northern Trust Corporation, a global financial holding company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. She assumed the role of Vice Chairman in March 2011. From 2006 to 2011, Ms. Barrat served as Global President of Northern Trust’s personal financial services business, which provides asset management, fiduciary, estate and financial planning, and private banking services to individuals and families around the world. During her 22-year career at Northern Trust, Ms. Barrat served in various other leadership roles and as a member of the Northern Trust Management Committee. Since 1998, Ms. Barrat has served as a director of NextEra Energy, Inc., one of the largest publicly traded electric power companies in the United States, where she is currently chair of the Governance & Nominating Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. Since January 1, 2013, Ms. Barrat has also served as an independent trustee or director of certain Prudential Insurance mutual funds. Ms. Barrat’s extensive management, operational and financial experience, in particular her deep understanding of the financial services industry and the privacy and cybersecurity issues facing that industry, greatly enhances the Board’s decision making.

WILLIAM L. BAX

MEMBER OF THE BOARD SINCE 2006

William L. Bax, 71, currently serves as Chair of the Audit Committee. Mr. Bax was Managing Partner of the Chicago office of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), an international accounting, auditing and consulting firm, from 1997 until his retirement in 2003, and a partner in the firm for 26 years. He currently serves as a director and audit committee chair of several affiliated mutual fund companies (Northern Funds and Northern Institutional Funds since 2005, and Northern Multi-Manager Funds since 2006). Mr. Bax previously served as a director of Sears Roebuck & Co., a publicly traded retail company, from 2003 to 2005, and Andrew Corporation, a publicly traded communications products company, from 2006 to 2007. During his 26 years as a partner and 6 years as head of PwC’s Chicago office, Mr. Bax gained extensive experience advising public companies regarding accounting and strategic issues. This experience, along with his tenure on the boards of public companies such as Sears and Andrew, strengthen the Board’s decision making. Mr. Bax’s long history advising public companies on accounting and disclosure issues enhances the Board’s ability to oversee our assessment and management of material risks. Additionally, Mr. Bax’s experience as a director of various mutual funds provides us with valuable insight into the perspectives and concerns of our institutional stockholders.

D. JOHN COLDMAN

MEMBER OF THE BOARD SINCE 2014

D. John Coldman, 67, currently serves on the Audit Committee. Mr. Coldman began his career working for WT Greig, a reinsurance broker. In 1988 he became Managing Director and in 1996 was appointed Chairman of The Benfield Group, the world’s leading independent reinsurance and risk intermediary at the time, until its acquisition by Aon Corporation in 2008. From 2001 to 2006, Mr. Coldman served as Deputy Chairman and a Member of Council of Lloyd’s of London. He has also been a past Chairman of Brit PLC, a publicly traded global specialty insurer and reinsurer, from 1996 to 2000, and Omega Insurance Holdings Limited, a publicly traded insurance and reinsurance group, from 2010 to 2012. Mr. Coldman served as the non-executive Chairman of Roodlane Medical Ltd., a non-publicly traded healthcare services provider, from 2007 to 2011. The Board greatly benefits from Mr. Coldman’s 45 years of insurance brokerage, management and financial services experience. In addition, Mr. Coldman’s international insurance industry knowledge, his experience within the Lloyd’s and London marketplaces, and his experience with public company matters and mergers and acquisitions all strengthen the Board’s decision making as we continue our international expansion.

FRANK E. ENGLISH, JR.

MEMBER OF THE BOARD SINCE 2009

Frank E. English, Jr., 69, currently serves on the Audit Committee. Mr. English also serves on the board of directors and audit committee of Tower International, Inc., a publicly traded global automotive components manufacturer, of which he has been a board member or board advisor since August 2010. Since June 2012, Mr. English has also served on the board of directors and the finance and strategy committee, and since 2013 on the compensation and governance committees, of CBOE Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded holding company for various securities exchanges, including the largest U.S. options exchange. Since April 2011,

25


Mr. English has been a Senior Advisor to W.W. Grainger, a publicly traded broad-based distributor of industrial maintenance, repair and operations supplies. From 1976 to 2009, Mr. English served in various senior roles at Morgan Stanley, most recently as Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Investment Banking. Following his retirement in 2009, Mr. English served as a Senior Advisor at Morgan Stanley & Co. until April 2011. The Board greatly benefits from Mr. English’s 35 years of investment banking expertise, particularly in the areas of capital planning, strategy development, financing and liquidity management.

J. PATRICK GALLAGHER, JR.

MEMBER OF THE BOARD SINCE 1986

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., 63, has served as Chairman of the Board since 2006. Mr. Gallagher has spent his entire career with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in a variety of management positions, starting as a Production Account Executive in 1974, then serving as Vice President–Operations from 1985 to 1990, as President and Chief Operating Officer from 1990 to 1995, and as President and CEO since 1995. In 2011, Mr. Gallagher joined the board of directors of InnerWorkings, Inc., a publicly traded global provider of managed print, packaging and promotional solutions, and was appointed to its compensation and nominating/governance committees. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters and on the Board of Founding Directors of the International Insurance Foundation. Mr. Gallagher’s 41 years of experience with our company and 29 years of service on the Board provide him with a deep knowledge of our company and the insurance and insurance brokerage industries, as well as a depth of leadership experience. This depth of knowledge and experience greatly enhances the Board’s decision making and enables Mr. Gallagher to serve as a highly effective Chairman of the Board.

ELBERT O. HAND

MEMBER OF THE BOARD SINCE 2002

Elbert O. Hand, 75, currently serves as Chair of the Compensation Committee and as a member of the Nominating/Governance Committee. Mr. Hand was Chairman of the Board of Hartmarx Corporation, an apparel marketing and manufacturing company, from 1992 to 2004, and served as a member of Hartmarx’s board from 1984 to 2010. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Hartmarx from 1992 to 2002 and as President and Chief Operating Officer from 1987 to 1992. From 1982 to 1989, Mr. Hand also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Hartmarx’s Men’s Apparel Group. Mr. Hand was a director of Austin Reed Group PLC, a U.K.-based apparel company, from 1995 to 2002, and served as an advisor to the board for a number of years after 2002. From January 2010 to February 2011, Mr. Hand served as a member of the board and non-executive Chairman of Environmental Solutions Worldwide, Inc., a publicly traded manufacturer and marketer of environmental control technologies. He has also served as a member of Northwestern University’s Kellogg Advisory Board. The Board benefits from Mr. Hand’s business acumen gleaned from three decades of leadership roles in the apparel marketing and manufacturing industry, including significant experience in sales and marketing. Mr. Hand��s long association with U.K. apparel company Austin Reed is valuable to the Board as we continue to expand our U.K. and other international operations.

DAVID S. JOHNSON

MEMBER OF THE BOARD SINCE 2003

David S. Johnson, 58, currently serves as Chair of the Nominating/Governance Committee and as a member of the Compensation Committee. Mr. Johnson has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Americas for Barry Callebaut AG, the world’s largest manufacturer of cocoa and chocolate products, since 2009. He is also a member of Barry Callebaut AG’s global executive committee. Mr. Johnson served as President and Chief Executive Officer, and as a member of the board, of Michael Foods, Inc., a food processor and distributor, from 2008 to 2009, and as Michael Foods’ President and Chief Operating Officer from 2007 to 2008. From 1986 to 2006, Mr. Johnson served in a variety of senior management roles at Kraft Foods Global, Inc., a global food and beverage company, most recently as President of Kraft Foods North America, and as a member of Kraft Foods’ Management Committee. Prior to that, he held senior positions in marketing, strategy, operations, procurement and general management at Kraft Foods. The Board benefits from Mr. Johnson’s business acumen gleaned from over three decades of leadership roles in the food and beverage industry. In particular, Mr. Johnson’s sales and marketing experience and his experience as a senior executive of global, multi-national businesses such as Barry Callebaut and Kraft are valuable to the Board as we continue to expand in the United States and abroad. In addition, his knowledge of corporate governance and executive compensation best practices as a member of Kraft’s Management Committee, as a board member of Michael Foods and as a member of Barry Callebaut AG’s global executive committee, strengthens the Board’s decision-making.

KAY W. MCCURDY

MEMBER OF THE BOARD SINCE 2005

Kay W. McCurdy, 64, currently serves on the Compensation and Nominating/Governance Committees. Since 1975, Ms. McCurdy has practiced corporate and finance law at the law firm of Locke Lord LLP, where she has been Of Counsel since 2012 and was

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previously a partner from 1983 to 2012. She served on the firm’s Executive Committee from 2004 to 2006. During her nearly four decades as a corporate and finance attorney, Ms. McCurdy represented numerous companies on a wide range of matters including financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, executive compensation and corporate governance. Ms. McCurdy served as a director of Trek Bicycle Corporation, a leading bicycle manufacturer, from 1998 to 2007. In recognition of her ongoing commitment to director education and boardroom excellence, the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) named Ms. McCurdy a 2014 NACD Governance Fellow. Ms. McCurdy’s experience advising companies regarding legal, public disclosure, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and executive compensation issues provide her with a depth and breadth of expertise that enhances our ability to navigate legal and strategic issues and allows her to make valuable contributions to the Board.

NORMAN L. ROSENTHAL, PH.D.

MEMBER OF THE BOARD SINCE 2008

Norman L. Rosenthal, Ph.D., 63, currently serves on the Audit Committee. Since 1996, he has been President of Norman L. Rosenthal & Associates, Inc., a management consulting firm that specializes in the property and casualty insurance industry. Prior to 1996, Dr. Rosenthal spent 15 years practicing in the property and casualty insurance industry at Morgan Stanley & Co., a global financial services firm, most recently as Managing Director. Dr. Rosenthal served on the boards of Aspen Insurance Holdings, Ltd., a publicly traded global property and casualty insurance and reinsurance company, from 2002 to 2009, Mutual Risk Management Ltd., a publicly traded off-shore provider of alternative commercial insurance and financial services, from 1997 to 2002, Vesta Insurance Group, Inc., a publicly traded group of insurance companies, from 1996 to 1999, and Alliant Insurance Group Inc., a private insurance brokerage and financial services company, from 2005 to 2007. He currently serves on the private company board of The Plymouth Rock Company, a group of auto and homeowners’ insurance companies. Dr. Rosenthal holds a Ph.D. in Business and Applied Economics, with an insurance focus, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Rosenthal’s extensive experience in the insurance and finance industries is a valuable resource to us and greatly enriches the Board’s decision making. In addition, Dr. Rosenthal’s academic expertise in applied economics, combined with his decades of experience as a management consultant and director in the insurance sector, greatly enhances the Board’s ability to oversee our assessment and management of material risks.

Legal Proceedings Involving Directors and Executive Officers

As of the date of this proxy statement, there is no material proceeding to which any of our directors or executive officers, or any associate of any such director or executive officer, is a party or has a material interest adverse to us or any of our subsidiaries. To our knowledge, none of our directors or executive officers has been subject to any of the events described in Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K, as promulgated by the SEC, during the past ten years.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

We are committed to sound and effective corporate governance. To that end, the Board of Directors has adopted Governance Guidelines that set forth principles to assist the Board in determining director independence and other important corporate governance matters. Over the years we have taken steps to strengthen our corporate governance in various areas, including the following: all Board members other than our Chairman are independent; our directors are elected annually to a one-year term; we have majority voting for director elections; we do not have supermajority voting requirements in our certificate of incorporation; we do not have a poison pill; and we prohibit hedging and restrict pledging of company stock by directors and executive officers. The Board has also adopted Global Standards of Business Conduct (the Global Standards) that apply to all directors, executive officers and employees. The Global Standards, along with our Governance Guidelines and the charters of the Audit, Compensation and Nominating/Governance Committees, are available at www.ajg.com/ir, under the heading “Corporate Governance.” We will provide a copy of the Global Standards or Governance Guidelines without charge to any person who requests a copy by writing to our Secretary at The Gallagher Centre, Two Pierce Place, Itasca, Illinois 60143-3141. We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirements of Item 5.05 of Form 8-K regarding any amendment to, or waiver from, the Global Standards by posting such information on our website.

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Board Committees

The Board currently has Audit, Compensation and Nominating/Governance Committees, all of the members of which are independent. The following table sets forth the members of, and the number of meetings held by, each committee during 2014:

Director  Audit  Compensation  Nominating/Governance

Sherry S. Barrat

     X  

William L. Bax

  Chair    

D. John Coldman(1).

  X    

Frank E. English, Jr.

  X    

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

       

Elbert O. Hand

     Chair  X

David S. Johnson

     X  Chair

Kay W. McCurdy

     X  X

Norman L. Rosenthal

  X    

Meetings Held in 2014

  6  5  3

(1)Mr. Coldman joined the Board on November 17, 2014.

Audit Committee. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include general oversight of the integrity of our financial statements, risk assessment and risk management, our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, our independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications and independence, and the performance of our internal audit function and independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee manages our relationship with our independent registered public accounting firm and is responsible for the appointment, retention, termination and compensation of the independent auditor. Each member of the Audit Committee meets the additional heightened independence and other requirements of the NYSE listing standards and SEC rules. The Board has determined that Mr. Bax qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” under SEC rules.

Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee’s responsibilities include reviewing compensation arrangements for our executive officers, including our CEO, administering our equity compensation and other benefit plans, and reviewing our overall compensation structure to avoid incentives that promote excessive risk-taking by executive officers and other employees. The Compensation Committee may, and in 2014 did, engage a compensation consultant to assist it in carrying out its duties and responsibilities, and has the sole authority to retain and terminate any compensation consultant, including sole authority to approve any consultant’s fees and other retention terms. For more information regarding the roles of our CEO and compensation consultant in setting compensation, please see page 8.

Nominating/Governance Committee. The Nominating/Governance Committee’s responsibilities include identifying qualified Board and Board committee candidates, recommending changes to the Board’s size and composition, determining outside director compensation, recommending director independence standards and governance guidelines, and reviewing and approving related party transactions.

Director Qualifications. When identifying director candidates, in addition to evaluating the candidates’ independence under applicable SEC rules and NYSE listing standards, the Nominating/Governance Committee considers other factors as it deems appropriate, including the candidate’s judgment, skill, integrity, diversity, and business or other experience. Directors should have experience in positions with a high degree of responsibility, be leaders in the organizations with which they are affiliated, be selected based on contributions they can make to the Board and management and be free from relationships or conflicts of interest that could interfere with the director’s duties to us and our stockholders. The Nominating/Governance Committee may consider candidates suggested by stockholders, management or members of the Board and may hire consultants or search firms to help identify and evaluate potential nominees for director. During 2014, the Committee retained Egon Zehnder, a third-party executive search firm, for this purpose. Egon Zehnder recommended Mr. Coldman as a prospective Board candidate. For more information regarding how stockholders can submit a proposed director nominee for consideration by the Nominating/Governance Committee, please see page 3.

Board Diversity. The Nominating/Governance Committee seeks Board members from diverse professional backgrounds who combine a broad spectrum of experience and expertise with a reputation for integrity. The Nominating/Governance Committee implements this policy through discussions among committee members and assesses its effectiveness annually as part of the self-evaluation process of the Nominating/Governance Committee and the Board.

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Board Leadership Structure

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr. currently serves as Chairman of the Board and CEO. With the exception of the Chairman, all Board members are independent and actively oversee the activities of the Chairman and other members of the senior management team. At the end of each regularly scheduled meeting of the Board, the independent directors select an independent Lead Director who serves until the end of the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board. The responsibilities of the Lead Director include acting as a liaison between the Chairman and the independent directors, coordinating with the Chairman regarding information sent to the Board, coordinating with the Chairman regarding Board meeting agendas and schedules, and being available for consultation and communication with stockholders as appropriate. In addition, the Lead Director is authorized to call and preside over executive sessions of the independent directors without the Chairman or other members of management present. The independent directors also meet regularly in executive sessions. An executive session is held in conjunction with each regularly scheduled Board meeting, and other executive sessions may be called by the Lead Director at his or her discretion or at the request of the Board. The committees of the Board also meet regularly in executive sessions without management. We believe that our Board leadership structure allows us to take advantage of Mr. Gallagher’s extensive experience and knowledge of our business, which enriches the Board’s decision making. Mr. Gallagher’s role as Chairman and CEO also enhances communication and coordination between management and the Board on critical issues.

Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

The Board is responsible for oversight and monitoring of our enterprise risk management program. In carrying out this critical responsibility, the Board has designated the Audit Committee with primary responsibility for overseeing enterprise risk management. The other committees of the Board also consider risks within their areas of responsibilities. The Nominating/Governance Committee reviews legal and regulatory compliance risks as they relate to corporate governance structure and processes, and the Compensation Committee reviews risks related to compensation matters. The Board receives periodic reports from each committee and from management on our major risks and steps undertaken to monitor and mitigate such risks.

The Audit Committee, at each of its regularly scheduled meetings, monitors management’s risk management function by discussing, among other things, guidelines and policies regarding risk assessment and risk management, our major financial risk exposures and steps taken by management to monitor and control such exposures. Our Global Chief Compliance Officer, who chairs an enterprise risk management committee including key members of management, attends each Audit Committee meeting and reports on significant risk and compliance issues. In addition, the Audit Committee oversees an internal audit department, the head of which reports directly to the Audit Committee (other than with respect to the department’s day-to-day operations). The internal audit department is independent from management and the Audit Committee defines its responsibilities. Among other things, the purpose of the department is to bring a systematic and disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of our risk management, control and governance processes. The internal audit department evaluates the effectiveness of our risk management processes, performs consulting and advisory services for us related to risk management, and reports significant risk exposures, including fraud risks, to the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee periodically reports to the full Board a summary of its activities and any key findings that arise from its risk oversight and monitoring functions.

The Compensation Committee reviews our overall compensation policies and practices to determine whether our program provides incentives for executive officers and other employees to take excessive risks. Based upon an analysis conducted by management and discussions between management and the Compensation Committee, the Compensation Committee has determined that our overall compensation policies and practices do not present risks that are likely to have a material adverse effect on us or our business. In reaching this determination, our Compensation Committee and management noted the following: (i) no single business unit bears a disproportionate share of our overall risk profile; (ii) no single business unit is significantly more profitable than the other business units; (iii) our compensation practices are substantially consistent across all business units both in the amount and types of compensation awarded; and (iv) substantially all of our revenue-producing employees are sales professionals whose compensation is tied to the amount of revenue received by the company. In addition, our annual cash incentive program targets payouts for our CEO at 150% of base salary, and for other executive officers at 100% of base salary, and caps payouts at 150% of target. We believe that our compensation practices help ensure that no single year’s results and no single corporate action has a disproportionate effect on executive officers’ annual compensation, and encourage steady and consistent long-term performance by our executive officers. In addition, our equity plans permit the use of a variety of equity and equity-based compensation awards including performance share units, stock options, restricted stock units, and deferred cash and equity awards, with multi-year vesting and overlapping maturity. Together with our executive stock ownership guidelines and our conservative approach to annual cash incentives, the Compensation Committee believes this mix of incentives encourages executive officers to achieve both short-term operating and long-term strategic objectives, including the long-term performance of our stock.

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Other Board Matters

Independence. The Board has conducted its annual review of the independence of each director nominee under NYSE standards and the independence standards set forth in Appendix A of our Governance Guidelines (available on our website located at www.ajg.com/ir, under the heading “Corporate Governance”). Based upon its review, the Board has concluded in its business judgment that, with the exception of J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., our Chairman and CEO, all of the director nominees are independent.

Attendance. The Board expects each director to attend and participate in all Board and applicable committee meetings. Each director is expected to prepare for meetings in advance and to dedicate the time necessary to discharge properly his or her responsibilities at each meeting and to ensure other commitments do not materially interfere with his or her service on the Board. During 2014, the Board met eight times. All of the nominees attended 75% or more of the aggregate meetings of the Board and the committees on which they served during 2014. We expect all Board members to attend our Annual Meeting. All of our Board members attended our Annual Meeting held on May 13, 2014.

Stockholder Communications with the Board. A stockholder or other party interested in communicating with the Board, any of its committees, the Chairman, the Lead Director, the non-management directors as a group or any director individually may do so by writing to their attention at our principal executive offices, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., c/o Secretary, The Gallagher Centre, Two Pierce Place, Itasca, Illinois 60143-3141. These communications are distributed to the Board, Committee Chair, Chairman, Lead Director, non-management directors as a group, or individual director, as applicable.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

The Board sets the amount and form of director compensation based upon recommendations made by the Nominating/Governance Committee. Mr. Gallagher receives no additional compensation for his service as a director. A substantial portion of each non-employee director’s total annual compensation consists of equity grants, in the form of restricted stock units and/or stock options. Under our stock ownership guidelines, directors with at least five years of service are expected to own an amount of our common stock with a value equal to five times the cash portion of the annual director retainer. In 2014, the annual cash retainer was $90,000. Any shares pledged as collateral for a loan are not considered when determining whether directors have met their stock ownership guidelines. As of April 8, 2015, the record date, none of our directors had outstanding pledges of Gallagher stock.

On May 13, 2014, each non-employee director, other than Mr. Coldman, was granted restricted stock units with respect to 2,750 shares of common stock, which vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant (or immediately upon a director’s departure from the Board). Mr. Coldman, who joined our Board on November 17, 2014, was granted restricted stock units on February 10, 2015 with respect to 1,375 shares of common stock, subject to the same vesting conditions. Committee Chairs receive additional annual fees as follows: $20,000 for the Audit Committee, $15,000 for the Compensation Committee and $10,000 for the Nominating/Governance Committee. Directors are reimbursed for travel and accommodation expenses incurred in connection with attending Board and committee meetings.

Directors may elect to defer all or a portion of their annual cash retainer or restricted stock units under our Deferral Plan for Nonemployee Directors (Director Deferral Plan). Deferred cash retainers and restricted stock units are converted to notional stock units,values shown represent fully vested amounts, which are credited with dividend equivalents when dividends are paid on our common stock. Deferred restricted stock units are distributed in the form of common stock, and deferred cash retainers and accrued dividend equivalents are distributed in cash,disclosed above under “Outstanding Equity Awards at a date specified by each director or upon such director’s departure from the Board.

2016 FiscalNon-Employee Director Compensation TableYear-end.”

Name  

Fees Earned

or Paid in Cash

($)

   

Stock

Awards

($)(2)

   

Option

Awards

($)(3)

  

All Other

Compensation

($)(4)

   

Total

($)

 
     

Sherry S. Barrat

   90,000     125,510       4,320     219,830  
     

William L. Bax

   108,750     125,510       3,870     238,130  
     

D. John Coldman (1)

                      
     

Frank E. English, Jr.

   90,000     125,510       3,870     219,380  
     

Elbert O. Hand

   103,750     125,510       3,870     233,130  
     

David S. Johnson

   99,375     125,510       3,870     228,755  
     

Kay W. McCurdy

   90,000     125,510       3,870     219,380  
     

Norman L Rosenthal

   90,000     125,510       3,870     219,380  
     

Total

   671,875     878,570       27,540     1,577,985  

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(1)Mr. Coldman joined the Board on November 17, 2014.

(2)This column represents the full grant date fair value of restricted stock awards granted in 2014 in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718,Compensation – Stock Compensation, except that in accordance with SEC rules, any estimate for forfeitures is excluded from, and does not reduce, such amounts. For additional information on the valuation assumptions with respect to awards of restricted stock units, refer to Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. Other than Mr. Coldman, each director had 2,750 unvested restricted stock units outstanding as of December 31, 2014.

(3)The directors did not receive stock option awards in 2014. The number of unexercised option awards (vested or unvested) outstanding as of December 31, 2014 for each director listed above was as follows: Ms. Barrat – 0; Mr. Bax – 0; Mr. English – 0; Mr. Hand – 0; Mr. Johnson – 18,750; Ms. McCurdy – 33,249; and Dr. Rosenthal – 18,750. Some of these options were previously issued under our 1989 Non-Employee Directors’ Stock Option Plan, which was replaced by the 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

(4)Includes the value of dividend equivalents credited on unvested restricted stock units during 2014 for each director.

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Related party transactions approval policy

We have adopted written policies and procedures for the review and approval or ratification of any “related party transaction,” defined as any transaction, arrangement or relationship in which we are a participant, the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and one of our executive officers, directors, director nominees, 5% stockholders (or their immediate family members) or any entity with which any of the foregoing persons is an employee, general partner, principal or 5% stockholder, each of whom is referred to as a “related person,” has a direct or indirect interest as set forth in Item 404 of Regulation S-K, as promulgated by the SEC. The policy provides that management must present to the Nominating/Governance Committee each related party transaction for the Committee’s review and approval (other than related party transactions involving director and executive officer compensation matters, certain ordinary course transactions, transactions involving competitive bids or rates fixed by law, and transactions involving services as a bank depository, transfer agent or similar services). The Committee must review the relevant facts and circumstances of the transaction, including if the transaction is on terms comparable to those that could be obtained in arms’-length dealings with an unrelated third party and the extent of the related party’s interest in the transaction, take into account the conflicts of interest and corporate opportunity provisions of our Global Standards of Business Conduct, and either approve or disapprove the related party transaction. If advance approval of a related party transaction requiring the Committee’s approval is not feasible, the transaction may be preliminarily entered into by management upon prior approval of the transaction by the chair of the Committee, subject to ratification by the Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting. No director may participate in approval of a related party transaction for which he or she is a related party.

Related party transactions

Since the beginning of fiscal 2014, we have engaged in the following related party transactions with immediate family members of some of our executive officers, in each case on terms commensurate with that of other employees with equivalent qualifications and responsibilities and holding similar positions:

A sister of Mr. Pat Gallagher is the head of a specialty sales unit within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $938,003 in 2014.

A brother-in-law of Mr. Pat Gallagher is a vice president of administration and development within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $1,319,645 in 2014.

A son of Mr. Pat Gallagher is a regional leader within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $826,902 in 2014.

Another son of Mr. Pat Gallagher is a producer within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $260,563 in 2014.

Another son of Mr. Pat Gallagher is a producer within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $214,723 in 2014.

A son of Mr. McGurn is a producer within our brokerage segment, and received total compensation of $168,885 in 2014.

A brother of Mr. Durkin is a divisional leader within our UK brokerage operation. He received salary, benefits and performance-based compensation of $783,884 (in addition to cost-of-living adjustments, tax gross-ups and other expenses related to working overseas totaling $834,567) in 2014. In addition, in 2008, he received two loans from the company totaling $325,000 and bearing annual interest at 3.2%, and in 2010, he received another loan from the company for $65,000 and bearing annual interest at 3.0%. These loans were made as part of our company relocation program. No principal or interest was paid on these loans during 2014, and during the year $16,250 of principal and $488 of interest was forgiven by the company (such amounts are included in his compensation figure above). As of December 31, 2014, no amount remained outstanding under these three loans.

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Thomas J. Gallagher, one of our named executive officers, is a brother of our CEO. Because of his status as a named executive officer, his compensation arrangements with us are disclosed elsewhere in this proxy statement and do not require disclosure under this section.

SECURITY OWNERSHIP BY CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The table below presents information concerning beneficial ownership of our common stock as of April 8, 2015 by: (i) each person we know to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding shares of common stock; (ii) each of our named executive officers, directors and director nominees; and (iii) all of our executive officers and directors as a group. The percentage calculations in this table are based on a total of 166,749,556 shares of our common stock outstanding as of the close of business on April 8, 2015. Unless otherwise indicated below, to our knowledge, the individuals and entities named in the table have sole voting and sole investment power with respect to all shares beneficially owned by them, subject to community property laws where applicable. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, the address for all persons named below is c/o Arthur J Gallagher & Co., The Gallagher Centre, Two Pierce Place, Itasca, Illinois 60143.

      Common Stock Issuable Within 60 Days         
 Name 

Shares of

Common

Stock(1)

  Stock Options(2)  

Restricted Stock

Units(3)

  

  Total Beneficial  

  Ownership  

  

  Percent of  

  Common Stock  

  Outstanding  

 

 5% Stockholders

       

 BlackRock, Inc.(4)

 55 East 52nd Street

 New York, NY 10022

  12,698,653    N/A    N/A    12,698,653    7.6

 The Vanguard Group(5)

 100 Vanguard Blvd.

 Malvern, PA 19355

  9,718,271    N/A    N/A    9,718,271    5.8

 M&G Investment Management Limited and M&G Global Dividend Fund(6)

 Governor’s House

 Laurence Pountney Hill

 London, England, EC4R 0HH

  8,947,258    N/A    N/A    8,947,258    5.4

 NEOs, directors and nominees

       

 J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

  729,894(7)   143,090        872,984    *  

 Douglas K. Howell

  128,652(8)   116,461        245,113    *  

 James S. Gault

  178,356(9)   42,996        221,352    *  

 James W. Durkin, Jr.

  446,488(10)   30,224        476,712    *  

 Thomas J. Gallagher

  318,647(11)   29,012        347,659    *  

 Sherry S. Barrat

  3,505        2,750    6,255    *  

 William L. Bax

  32,970        2,750    35,720    *  

 D. John Coldman

          1,375    1,375    *  

 Frank E. English, Jr.

  12,500        2,750    15,250    *  

 Elbert O. Hand

  28,466        2,750    31,216    *  

 David S. Johnson

  37,921    18,750    2,750    59,421    *  

 Kay W. McCurdy

  25,745    33,249    2,750    61,744    *  

 Norman L. Rosenthal

  19,325(12)   9,375    2,750    31,450    *  

 All directors and executive officers as a group (18 people)

  2,164,564    544,636    20,625    2,729,825    1.6

   *Less than 1%

(1)Includes “notional stock units” held under our Supplemental Plan (see page 21) for executive officers. Under this plan, some of our executive officers have deferred restricted stock units upon vesting or elected to invest other deferred amounts into a Gallagher common stock fund. These deferred notional stock units are included because the plan permits participants to elect to move in and out of the Gallagher common stock fund and, as a result, participants have investment power with respect to the underlying shares.

(2)All non-employee director stock options are immediately exercisable upon a director’s departure from the Board under most circumstances, and are included because a director could depart the Board at his or her discretion and acquire rights to the underlying stock within 60 days. Stock options granted to executive officers prior to 2007 are immediately exercisable upon the departure of an executive officer that has reached the age of 55, and therefore, for these officers (Messrs. Pat Gallagher, Gault, Durkin and Tom Gallagher), such options are included because they could depart the company at their discretion and acquire rights to the underlying stock within 60 days. Stock options granted to executive officers beginning in 2007 are forfeited upon an officer’s departure, and are included only to the extent exercisable within 60 days pursuant to their vesting schedules.

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(3)All non-employee director unvested restricted stock units vest immediately upon a director’s departure from the Board, and are included because a director could depart the Board at his or her discretion and acquire rights to the underlying stock within 60 days.

(4)Share total obtained from a Schedule 13G filed on January 23, 2015 by BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock disclosed that it had sole voting power with respect to 12,072,610 of these shares and sole investment power with respect to the full number of shares disclosed.

(5)Share total obtained from a Schedule 13G filed on February 10, 2015 by The Vanguard Group. Vanguard disclosed that it had sole voting power with respect to 108,339 of these shares, sole investment power with respect to 9,623,332 of these shares, and shared investment power with respect to 94,939 of these shares.

(6)Share total obtained from a Schedule 13G filed on February 4, 2015 by M&G. M&G disclosed that the two entities each had shared voting and investment power with respect to the full number of shares disclosed.

(7)Includes 122,126 net shares distributed in 2014 under the Age 62 Plan; 52,548 notional stock units (see footnote (1) above); 192,972 shares held in trust for the benefit of his children by his wife, Anne M. Gallagher, and another, as trustees, and over which he has shared voting and shared investment power; 122,229 shares held in a revocable trust of which his wife is the sole trustee and over which he has no voting or investment power; 150,000 shares held by Elm Court LLC, a limited liability company of which the voting LLC membership interests are owned by Mr. Gallagher and the non-voting LLC membership interests are owned by a grantor retained annuity trust of which Mr. Gallagher is the trustee; 1,279 shares held in an irrevocable trust of which he is the sole trustee; and 34,071 shares of vested phantom stock under the Age 62 Plan, over which he has no voting or investment power.

(8)Includes 98,582 notional stock units (see footnote (1) above). Also includes 323 shares held by his wife, over which he has no voting or investment power and therefore disclaims beneficial ownership.

(9)Includes 76,905 net shares distributed in 2014 under the Age 62 Plan; 48,708 shares held by his wife, over which he has shared voting power; and 18,172 shares of vested phantom stock under the Age 62 Plan, over which he has no voting or investment power.

(10)Includes 8,889 notional stock units (see footnote (1) above), and 143,643 shares of vested phantom stock under the Age 62 Plan, over which he has no voting or investment power.

(11)Includes 82,560 shares held in a grantor retained annuity trust of which he is the sole beneficiary; 55,280 shares held in trusts for the benefit of his children, of which his wife is the sole trustee, and over which he has no voting or investment power and disclaims beneficial ownership; 31,671 shares held by his wife, over which he has no voting or investment power; 10,234 shares held by children sharing his household; and 1,279 shares held in an irrevocable trust of which he is the sole trustee.

(12)Includes 2,500 shares held in a joint brokerage account with Caryl G. Rosenthal and 2,000 shares held in a joint brokerage account with Marisa F. Rosenthal. Dr. Rosenthal has shared voting and investment power with respect to these shares.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Our executive officers, directors and 10% stockholders are required under the Exchange Act to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC and the NYSE. Copies of these reports must also be furnished to us. Based on a review of copies of Forms 3, 4 and 5 furnished to us or filed with the SEC, or written representations that no additional reports were required, we believe that our executive officers, directors and 10% stockholders timely filed all reports required by Section  16(a) of the Exchange Act.

EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION

The following table provides information as of December 31, 2014, regarding the number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under our equity compensation plans.

   (a)  (b)  (c) 
Plan Category 

Number of securities

to be issued

upon exercise of
outstanding options,

warrants and rights

  

Weighted-average

exercise price of
outstanding options,

warrants and rights

  

Number of securities remaining

available for future issuance
under equity compensation
plans (excluding securities
reflected in column (a))

 

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

  9,275,625(1)  $35.42(2)   9,557,897(3) 

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders(4)

  73,235(5)   27.25(2)     

Total

  9,348,860    35.41(2)   9,557,897  

(1)This amount includes the following:

 

8,089,174 shares
(2)The participant has reached age 62, which means that may be issued in connection with outstanding stock options; and

1,186,451 unvested restricted stock units.

(2)Indicates the weighted average exercise price of the outstanding stock options included in column (a).

(3)This amount includes the following:substantially all award balances under the plan are vested.

 

9,291,032 shares available
(3)Represents the lump sum present value of two years of benefits as described above under the 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan; and

266,865 shares available under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

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(4)Set forth below are equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders, under which we have outstanding awards:

The Restricted Stock Plan. All of our directors, officers and employees were eligible to receive awards under the plan, which provided for the grant of contingent rights to receive shares of our common stock. Awards under the plan were granted at the discretion of the Compensation Committee. Each award granted under the plan represents the right of the holder of the award to receive shares of our common stock, cash or a combination of shares and cash, subject to the holder’s continued employment with us for a period of time after the grant date of the award. The Compensation Committee determined each recipient of an award under the plan, the number of shares of common stock subject to such an award and the period of continued employment required for the vesting of such award. The last year we made awards under this plan was 2009.

The United Kingdom Incentive Stock Option Plan (the UK Plan). The UK Plan, which became effective in 1986 and expired in 2008, allowed us to grant stock options eligible for beneficial tax treatment under U.K. law to officers and key employees resident in the United Kingdom. The Option Committee, and later the Compensation Committee, determined which employees received options, the number of options granted, and the terms and conditions of the options including exercise dates, limitations on exercise and price and payment terms, and any annual sale limitations with respect to shares acquired upon exercise of options.

The Wesfarmers Inducement Award Plan. In connection with the closing of our acquisition of Crombie/OAMPS in 2014, the Compensation Committee approved this plan so that we could grant one-time employment inducement awards of restricted stock units to three employees of the acquired businesses under NYSE Rule 303A.08. The Compensation Committee determined the amount of each award, along with vesting and other terms.

(5)This amount includes the following:“Participation in benefit plans.”

 

9,494 shares that may be issued in connection with outstanding stock options under the UK Plan;

 

30,000 unvested restricted stock units under the Restricted Stock Plan; and

LOGO

 

33,741 unvested restricted stock units under the Wesfarmers Inducement Award Plan.

2017 PROXY STATEMENT

43

 

34


AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

The Audit Committee represents and assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities for general oversight of the integrity of our financial statements, risk assessment and risk management, our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, the qualifications and independence of our independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP, and the performance of our internal audit function and independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee manages our relationship with, and is responsible for the appointment, retention, termination and compensation of, Ernst & Young LLP. Ernst & Young LLP was our independent registered public accounting firm at the time of our initial public offering in 1984 and has continued in that role since. The members of the Audit Committee and the Board believe that the continued retention of Ernst & Young LLP to serve as our independent registered public accounting firm is in the best interests of the company and its investors.

Our management is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of our consolidated financial statements, our accounting and financial reporting principles, and internal controls designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. Ernst & Young LLP is responsible for auditing our consolidated financial statements and expressing an opinion as to their conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and for auditing the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. The Audit Committee monitors our financial reporting process and reports its findings to the Board.

The Audit Committee carried out its duties and responsibilities, including the following specific actions:


 

Item 4 – Advisory Vote to Approve the Compensation of Our Named Executive Officers

Pursuant to Section 14A of the Exchange Act, we are asking our stockholders to vote, on anon-binding, advisory basis, to approve the compensation of our named executive officers, as described in this Proxy Statement. This proposal, commonly known as a“say-on-pay” proposal, gives our stockholders the opportunity to express their views on the compensation of our named executive officers. Our stockholders are given the opportunity to vote, on anon-binding, advisory basis, onsay-on-pay proposals annually. Assuming our stockholders again approve an annual frequency of futuresay-on-pay votes, our stockholders will have the next opportunity to vote on such a proposal at the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

We believe that our compensation program for named executive officers is structured in the best manner possible to support our company and business objectives, as well as to support our culture and traditions developed over the past80-plus years. We believe our program strikes the appropriate balance between using responsible, measured pay practices and effectively motivating our executives to dedicate themselves fully to value creation for our stockholders.

We encourage you to read our Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page25 of this Proxy Statement and our Executive Compensation tables beginning on page34.

Resolution and Recommendation

The Board strongly endorses the company’s compensation program for named executive officers and recommends that stockholders vote in favor of the following resolution:

RESOLVED, that the compensation of the named executive officers of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., as disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the executive compensation tables and the related narrative in this Proxy Statement, is hereby APPROVED.

LOGO Reviewed and discussed with management and Ernst & Young LLP our audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 and our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014;

Reviewed and discussed with Ernst & Young LLP all matters required to be discussed by the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), including those described in Auditing Standard No. 16,Communications with Audit Committees; and

Obtained the written disclosures and letter from Ernst & Young LLP regarding its communications with the Audit Committee concerning Ernst & Young LLP’s independence as required by the applicable requirements of the PCAOB, including the requirements under PCAOB Rule 3526, and discussed with Ernst & Young LLP its independence.

Based on these reviews and discussions with management and Ernst & Young LLP, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that our audited consolidated financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, for filing with the SEC.

AUDIT COMMITTEE

William L. Bax (Chair)

D. John Coldman

Frank E. English, Jr.

Norman L. Rosenthal

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PROPOSALS REQUIRING A STOCKHOLDER VOTE

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

(Item 1 on the Proxy Card)

Upon the recommendation of the Nominating/Governance Committee, the Board has nominated each of the nine individuals listed under “Board of Directors” beginning on page 25. Each of the nominees currently serves on the Board and has consented to serve for a new term if elected.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTEFORTHE ADVISORY RESOLUTION

APPROVING THE ELECTION OF EACHCOMPENSATION OF THE DIRECTOR NOMINEESCOMPANY’S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Item 5 – Advisory Vote on the Frequency of Future Stockholder Votes to Approve the Compensation of Our Named Executive Officers

Pursuant to Section 14A of the Exchange Act, we are asking our stockholders to vote, on anon-binding, advisory basis, to provide input on the frequency of future stockholder advisory votes to approve our compensation program for named executive officers. Commonly known as“say-on-frequency,” this proposal gives you the opportunity to advise the Board on whether such advisory votes should occur every year, every two years or every three years. Oursay-on-pay votes currently take place on an annual basis.

The Board believes that submitting the advisory vote on our compensation program for named executive officers on an annual basis is appropriate for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and our stockholders. We view the advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers as an additional opportunity for our stockholders to communicate with us regarding their views. Additionally, an annual advisory vote is consistent with our objective of engaging in regular dialogue with our stockholders on corporate governance and executive compensation matters. Accordingly, the Board recommends that stockholders approve holding the advisory vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers every “1 YEAR.”

The enclosed proxy card gives you four choices for voting on this item. You can choose whether thesay-on-pay vote should be conducted every 1 YEAR, 2 YEARS or 3 YEARS. You may also abstain from voting on this item. You are not voting to approve or disapprove the Board’s recommendation on this item.

Although the vote is advisory andnon-binding, the Compensation Committee and the Board value your opinion and will consider the outcome of this vote when determining the frequency of future stockholder votes on named executive officer compensation.

LOGOTHE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR 1 YEAR ON THIS ITEM

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

LOGO


Questions & Answers About the Annual Meeting

Why are these proxy materials being provided to stockholders?

We are soliciting proxies to be voted at our 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and at any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting. In connection with this solicitation of proxies, we have made the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, this Proxy Statement and Annual Report available to you on the Internet or, upon your request, delivered printed versions of these materials to you by mail. We refer to these materials collectively as our proxy materials. Basic information regarding the Annual Meeting is set forth below:

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORPurpose:

(Item 2Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Date and Time:

May 16, 2017, 9:00 AM CST

Place:

2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-4002

Record Date:

March 20, 2017

Mailing Date:

The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (Internet Availability Notice) was first mailed to stockholders of record, and these proxy materials were first made available to stockholders, on the Proxy Card)

or about March 24, 2017.

The Audit Committee has considered the qualifications of Ernst & Young LLP and has appointed Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015. The Board wishes to obtain stockholders’ ratification of the Audit Committee’s action in such appointment. A resolution ratifying the appointment will be offered atAttending the Annual Meeting. If the selection of Ernst & Young LLP is not ratified, the Audit Committee will consider the outcome of this vote in its future deliberations regarding the selection of our independent registered public accounting firm.Meeting:

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

The following is a summary of the fees billed

Stockholders who wish to us by Ernst & Young LLP for professional services rendered for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013:

    2014   2013 

Audit Fees

  $5,252,000    $  3,048,000  

Audit-Related Fees

   1,644,000     1,364,000  

Tax Fees

   5,031,000     3,023,000  

All Other Fees

   5,000     5,000  

Totals

  $11,932,000    $7,440,000  

Fees for audit services include fees associated with the annual audit of our company and our subsidiaries and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, the review of our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual report on Form 10-K, and statutory audits required internationally. These fees were higher in 2014 due in large part to statutory audits related to acquired entities. Audit-related fees principally include due diligence in connection with acquisitions, audits in connection with our employee benefit plans, issuance of service auditor reports (SOC 1) related to operations at one of our subsidiaries and advisory work related to our compliance with foreign statutory requirements. Audit-related fees were higher in 2014 due in large part to the significant amount of due diligence related to our acquisitions of businesses outside the United States in 2014 (including the three largest in our history, Crombie/OAMPS, Noraxis Capital Corporation, and the Oval Group of Companies). Tax fees include tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning related to Federal, state and international tax matters, and were higher in 2014 due in part to increased activity related to our clean energy investments, as well as a higher overall level of activity related to state regulatory matters. All other fees principally include fees for access to an online accounting and tax information database.

All audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services for fiscal years 2014 and 2013 were pre-approved by the Audit Committee. It is the policy of the Audit Committee to pre-approve the engagement of Ernst & Young LLP before we engage such firm to render audit or other permitted non-audit services. The Audit Committee has adopted procedures for pre-approving all audit and permitted non-audit services provided by Ernst & Young LLP. The Audit Committee annually pre-approves a list of specific services and categories of services, subject to a specified cost level. Part of this approval process includes making a determination as to whether permitted non-audit services are consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence. The Audit Committee has delegated pre-approval authority to the Chairman of the Audit Committee for the types of services that Ernst & Young LLP has historically been retained to perform related to integrated audit and other recurring services, subject to reporting any such approvals at the next Audit Committee meeting.

A representative of Ernst & Young LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting to respond to appropriate questions and to make a statement if the representative so desires.

THE BOARD AND AUDIT COMMITTEE RECOMMEND THAT YOU VOTEFOR

RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP

AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR 2015

36


APPROVAL OF THE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

(Item 3 on the Proxy Card)

General

The Board of Directors recommends that stockholders approve the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the ESPP). The ESPP was adopted by the Board of Directors on March 11, 2015, subject to stockholder approval within 12 months of such date. The Board of Directors and stockholders last approved an employee stock purchase plan in 2003, with 4,000,000 shares authorized under the plan. We anticipate that we will soon finish using these shares.

The purposes of the ESPP are to encourage and facilitate the purchase of shares of our common stock by our eligible employees and to provide an additional incentive to such employees to promote our best interests and to provide an additional opportunity to participate in our economic success.

Description of the ESPP

The following is a summary description of the ESPP. This description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the plan document, a copy of which is attached to this Proxy Statement asExhibit A and incorporated herein by reference.

The ESPP consists of a 423 Component, which is structured to be a qualified employee stock purchase plan under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code and is intended to be used for our employees in the U.S., and a Non-423 Component, which is intended to be used for our employees outside the U.S., where participation in the 423 Component is not advisable or practical. Except as specifically noted below, this summary discusses the terms of the 423 Component of the ESPP.

Shares Available. The maximum number of shares available for purchase under the ESPP will be 8,000,000, subject to adjustment in the event of certain changes to our capital structure. This represents fewer than 5% of our total outstanding shares.

Eligibility. Any of our employees is eligible to participate in the ESPP, provided that we may impose eligibility requirements to the extent permitted by applicable laws. No employee may be permitted to purchase shares under the 423 Component if such employee, immediately after the first day of a purchase period, would own 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of our common stock.

Purchase of Shares. Unless we determine otherwise, shares will be offered under the ESPP through a series of successive purchase periods. Eligible employees may purchase shares of our common stock through payroll deductions during a purchase period. At the end of a purchase period, the accumulated funds in a participant’s account will be applied to the purchase of up to the maximum number of shares, at a price (designated by us) up to a 15% discount from the fair market value of our common stock on the last trading day of the purchase period, or if less, from the fair market value of our common stock on the first trading day of the purchase period. No participant will be permitted to purchase shares of our common stock in any calendar year under the ESPP (and all other “employee stock purchase plans” within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code) with an aggregate fair market value in excess of $25,000.

Non-423 Component. If we determine that the participation in the 423 Component for one or more otherwise eligible employees is not advisable or practical, we may provide for a purchase of shares by such eligible employees in a separate purchase period under the Non-423 Component with terms that do not comply with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code, and we may establish rules and regulations relating to the operation and administration of such purchase period under the Non-423 Component, subject to the terms and limitations set forth in the ESPP.

Amendment or Termination. We may at any time amend, suspend or terminate the ESPP in any respect, unless the amendment requires stockholder approval pursuant to Section 423, other applicable laws or stock exchange rules.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

The following discussion summarizes general principles of U.S. federal income tax law applicable to the ESPP and the shares of our common stock acquired under the ESPP by a participant who is a U.S. taxpayer. The discussion is intended only as a summary and does not purport to be a complete enumeration or analysis of all potential tax effects relevant to participants in the ESPP.

The U.S. federal income tax consequences for a participant will depend on whether he or she participates in the 423 Component or the Non-423 Component.

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Section 423 Component. As a qualified “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code, participants may receive favorable tax treatment for purchases of shares of our common stock under the 423 Component of the ESPP. A participant will not recognize income with respect to purchases of shares of our common stock until he or she sells or otherwise disposes of the shares.

If a participant sells or otherwise disposes of the shares more than two years from the first day of the purchase period in which such shares were purchased, and the amount realized exceeds the purchase price, the participant will recognize ordinary compensation income equal to the lesser of (i) the excess of the fair market value of the shares as of the first day of the purchase period over the purchase price and (ii) the amount realized over the purchase price. If the amount realized exceeds the fair market value of the shares on the first day of the purchase period, such excess will be taxed as long-term capital gain. Under these circumstances, we will not receive a tax deduction for any compensation income recognized by the participant.

If a participant sells or otherwise disposes of shares prior to the end of the two-year period described above, the participant will recognize ordinary compensation income equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares as of the date of purchase over the purchase price, without regard to the amount realized upon such sale or disposition, and we will be entitled to a deduction for compensation expense equal to the ordinary income recognized by the participant. The amount of ordinary compensation income recognized is added to the basis of the shares for purposes of determining the further amount of gain or loss upon such disposition, and any further gain or loss will be long or short-term capital gain depending upon how long such shares were held from the date of purchase.

Non-Section 423 Component. Participants in the Non-423 Component will realize ordinary compensation income equal to the value of the shares on the date of purchase less the purchase price, and the participant will have a basis in the shares purchased equal to the value of the shares on the date of purchase. When a participant in the Non-423 Component sells or otherwise disposes of the shares from the Non-423 Component, he or she will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the sales proceeds received and the basis in such shares, which capital gain or loss will be long or short-term depending upon how long such shares were held from the date of purchase.

New Plan Benefits

The benefits that might be received by employees under the ESPP cannot be determined because the benefits depend upon the degree of participation by employees and the trading price of our common stock in future offering periods. The approval of the ESPP requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock represented atattend the Annual Meeting in person should bring a driver’s license, passport or by proxy, and entitledother form of government-issued identification to vote thereon.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTEFOR THE APPROVAL OF

THE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

38


APPROVAL OF THE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. SENIOR MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN INCLUDING APPROVAL OF THE MATERIAL TERMS OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES

(Item 4 on the Proxy Card)

General

The Board of Directors recommendsverify their identities. In addition, if you hold your shares through a broker, you will need to bring either (1) a letter from your broker stating that stockholders approve the Arthur J.you held Gallagher & Co. Senior Management Incentive Plan (the SMIP). A previous SMIP was approved by stockholders at the 2010 Annual Meeting (the 2010 SMIP), with a term expiring on December 31, 2014. The SMIP was adopted by the Board of Directors on March 11, 2015, subject to stockholder approval at the Annual Meeting. The SMIP has been designed to allow for the useshares as of the performance-based compensation exception to the $1 million deduction limit under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Board recommends that stockholders approve the material terms of the SMIP so that awards and payments made under the SMIP for 2015 and in future years may qualify for the performance-based exception, and not count towards the $1 million deduction limitation under Section 162(m).

The SMIP is substantially similar to the 2010 SMIP, but (a) the SMIP will allow for other objectively determinable adjustments to be made to onerecord date, or more of the performance goals, in addition to the adjustments for certain changes in accounting and for certain extraordinary or other nonrecurring or unusual events permitted under the 2010 SMIP, (b) the SMIP limit is increased to $6,000,000 for the awards with respect to the performance of all or any portion of any fiscal year, and (c) the SMIP includes new provisions for the recoupment and clawback of awards under the SMIP in certain circumstances.

The purposes of the SMIP are to retain and motivate our officers and the officers of our subsidiaries by providing them with the opportunity to earn incentive payments or stock-based awards based upon the extent to which specific performance goals have been achieved or exceeded for specified periods. The Board continues to believe that awards made pursuant to the SMIP will provide us with certain advantages, including that such awards closely link compensation to objective measures of our performance and may increase the amount of compensation we can deduct for federal income tax purposes.

Description of the SMIP

The following is a summary description of the SMIP. This description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the plan document,(2) a copy of which is attached to this Proxy Statement asExhibit B and incorporated herein by reference.

Term and Eligibility. The termthe notice of the SMIP is January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019, and all of our officers and the officers of our subsidiaries are eligible for selection by the Compensation Committee to participate during any given performance period.

Form of Awards. All payments under the SMIP will be made in cash or in stock under one of our incentive plans.

Administration. The Compensation Committee will interpret, construe and administer the SMIP. In particular, the Compensation Committee will determine which officers will participate during each performance period, applicable performance goals for each participant, whether goals have been attained, and whether incentive awards must or may be deferred by participants. Except with respect to awards payable to our CEO and officers with compensation likely to reach the $1 million deduction limit under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, the Compensation Committee may delegate some or all of its authority under the SMIP to any executive officer.

Performance Goals. For each performance period, the Compensation Committee will establish one or more objective performance goals for each participant or for one or more groups of participants. Performance goals will be based exclusively on one or more of the following corporate-wide or subsidiary, division, operating unit or individual measures: (i) the attainment of a specified fair market value for shares of our common stock for a specified period of time, (ii) earnings per share, (iii) return to stockholders, (iv) return on assets, (v) return on equity, (vi) revenue, (vii) cash flow, (viii) operating expense reduction, (ix) return on investment, (x) return on capital, (xi) operating margin, (xii) net income, (xiii) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or change in estimated earnout payables or net earnings (either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or change in estimated earnout payables), (xiv) operating earnings, (xv) net cash provided by operations, and (xvi) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives such as (A) geographic business expansion goals, (B) cost targets, (C) customer satisfaction ratings, (D) reductions in errors and omissions, (E) reductions in lost business, (F) management of employment practices and employee benefits, (G) supervision of litigation, (H) satisfactory audit scores, (I) productivity, (J) efficiency, and (K) goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures, or any combination of the foregoing.

Limits. The Compensation Committee will have the sole authority to determine the objective performance goals. Awards may be expressed as a gross dollar amount or as a percentage or multiple of the participant’s salary. The Compensation Committee has the authority to reduce the award or decide that no payment will be made. No participant may receive a payment under the SMIP with

39


respect to the awards based on performance during a fiscal year of the Company (regardless of the year in which actually paid) in excess of $6,000,000, which maximum amount shall be proportionately adjusted with respect to awards based on performance periods that are more or less than a single entire fiscal year in duration.

Recoupment and Clawback. All awards granted under the SMIP are subject to recoupment or “clawback,” to the extent required by law, regulation, the terms of the SMIP or any policy of ours (including our existing compensation recovery policy), as well asAnnual Meeting document you received in the event of a participant’s violation of certain restrictive covenants.

Amendment or Termination. The Board may amend or terminate the SMIP, as it deems advisable, subject to any requirement of stockholder approval required by law, rule or regulation.

New Plan Benefitsmail.

What is the purpose of the Annual Meeting?

The actual amount of compensation that will be paid under the SMIP cannot be determined at this time.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTEFOR THE APPROVAL OF

THE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. SENIOR MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN

INCLUDING THE MATERIAL TERMS OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES

40


ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

(Item 5 on the Proxy Card)

Pursuant to Section 14A of the Exchange Act, we are asking our stockholders to vote, on a non-binding, advisory basis, to approve the compensation of our named executive officers, as described in this proxy statement. This proposal, commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal, gives our stockholders the opportunity to express their views on the compensation of our named executive officers. Our stockholders are given the opportunity to vote, on a non-binding, advisory basis, on say-on-pay proposals annually, with the next opportunity to vote on such a proposal being the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The next vote on the frequency of the say-on-pay vote is scheduled to be held at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Compensation Program

We believe that our compensation program for named executive officers is structured in the best manner possible to support our company and business objectives, as well as to support our culture and traditions developed over the past 80-plus years. We believe our program strikes the appropriate balance between using responsible, measured pay practices and effectively motivating our executives to dedicate themselves fully to value creation for our stockholders. Evidence of this balance includes the following:

We tie annual cash incentives to company and business unit performance and achievement of individual performance goals. Annual cash incentives are targeted at 150% of base salary for our CEO and 100% of base salary for our other named executive officers. Annual cash incentive awards may not exceed 150% of a named executive officer’s target award in any year.

Over half of the compensation of our named executive officers is provided through incentive plans or in accordance with performance goals approved by stockholders.

Performance share unit awards are earned based on our financial performance during the year of grant, and final payouts are in the form of shares of our common stock.

We do not have employment agreements or guaranteed bonuses with any of our named executive officers.

Our named executive officers receive minimal perquisites and no related tax gross ups.

Our change-in-control agreements contain a “double trigger.” While our change-in-control agreements prior to 2008 do provide excise tax gross ups, we eliminated this practice beginning in 2008. In addition, we adopted a policy that we will not amend any existing agreements without removing the excise tax gross-up.

We prohibit hedging and strongly discourage pledging of company stock by directors and executive officers.

We closely monitor the compensation programs and pay levels of executives from companies of similar size and complexity as a market check to ensure that our compensation program is consistent with prevailing market practices.

We have a “clawback” policy under which named executive officers may be required to return incentive compensation payments if our financial statements are restated.

Fiscal 2014 Compensation

We had strong financial performance in 2014, achieving year-over-year revenue6 growth of 29.9% (to $3.58 billion) and EBITAC7 growth of 30.4%, (to $688.3 million). Our acquisition program, a key aspect of our strategy, experienced excellent results. In 2014, we completed 60 acquisitions, including three of the largest in our history, with total annualized revenues of approximately $761 million. The largest of these was the Crombie/OAMPS acquisition, which significantly expanded our presence in Australia and New Zealand. Our existing operations also performed well. We achieved organic revenue growth8 of 5.5% in our combined brokerage and risk management segments and maintained our focus on improving quality and efficiency.

Our performance in 2014 carried forward our strong results in prior years. Over the past three years, we increased revenue and EBITAC by compound annual growth rates of 19.3% and 24.8%, respectively. These results have been reflected in our total shareholder return (including dividends), which grew at an effective annualized rate of 15.9% over the same three-year period.

Based on this excellent performance, as described in more detail in our Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 4, the Compensation Committee approved the following compensation actions for 2014:

Adjustment to CEO’s Annual Cash Incentive Award Opportunity. The Compensation Committee increased Mr. Gallagher’s target award opportunity under our annual cash incentive plan from 135% to 150% of base salary. The Compensation

6 See footnote 1.

7 Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most closely comparable GAAP measures are presented inExhibit C to this proxy statement.

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Committee concluded this increase was appropriate based on our strong performance during the past three years, Mr. Gallagher’s achievement of individual performance goals during the same period, and the Committee’s determination that Mr. Gallagher’s total direct compensation opportunity was below that of similarly situated CEOs in our comparison groups (see page 10 for a discussion regarding the Committee’s decision). The Committee favored increasing Mr. Gallagher’s performance-based compensation opportunity, rather than base salary, for further alignment with stockholder interests.

Adjustment to CEO’s Mix of Long-Term Incentive Awards. The Compensation Committee changed Mr. Gallagher’s mix of long-term incentive awards to further align his interests with those of stockholders. Instead of a combination of restricted stock units, stock options and awards under our performance unit program, which pay out in cash, the Compensation Committee granted Mr. Gallagher a long-term incentive award equally weighted between performance share units, which pay out in shares, and stock options. See pages 13-14 for more information.

Annual Cash Incentive Compensation Payments.As a result of company and business unit financial performance and achievement of individual performance goals, performance-based cash incentive payments for the named executive officers were paid at maximum levels for fiscal 2014.

Performance Share Units.100% of the performance share units provisionally awarded in 2014 were earned based on 2014 results, reflecting our strong performance during the year.

We encourage you to read our Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 4 and our Executive Compensation tables beginning on page 16.

Recommendation

The Board strongly endorses our compensation program for named executive officers and recommends that stockholders vote in favor of the following resolution:

RESOLVED, that the compensation of the named executive officers of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., as disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the executive compensation tables and the related narrative in this proxy statement, is hereby APPROVED.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTEFOR

THE ADVISORY RESOLUTION APPROVING THE COMPENSATION OF

OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AS SET FORTH IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT

By Order

At the Annual Meeting, stockholders will act upon the proposals outlined in this Proxy Statement, including the election of directors, approval of our 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan (including the number of shares authorized for issuance thereunder and material terms of the performance goals under Section 162(m)), ratification of our independent registered public accounting firm,“say-on-pay,” and“say-on-frequency.” In addition, there will be a presentation by our Chairman and CEO and an opportunity for you to ask questions of the Board of Directors and our senior management team.

Set forth below is the applicable voting standard, the treatment of abstentions and “brokernon-votes,” and the Board’s voting recommendation for each item on the proxy card.

VOTING ITEM

VOTING STANDARDTREATMENT OF ABSTENTIONS &
BROKERNON-VOTES
BOARD
RECOMMENDATION

Election of directors(Item 1)

Majority of votes castNot counted as votes cast and therefore no effect

For each

nominee

2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan(Item 2)

Majority of stock having voting power and presentAbstentions treated as votes against. Brokernon-votes have no effectFor

Auditor ratification(Item 3)

Majority of stock having voting power and presentAbstentions treated as votes against. Brokernon-votes not applicable (routine matter, so brokers can vote)For

Say-on-pay(Item 4)

Majority of stock having voting power and presentAbstentions treated as votes against. Brokernon-votes have no effectFor

Say-on-frequency(Item 5)

Majority of stock having voting power and presentAbstentions treated as votes against. Brokernon-votes have no effectFor 1 Year

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING

What are brokernon-votes?

If you are the beneficial owner of shares held in the name of a broker, trustee or other nominee and do not provide that broker, trustee or other nominee with voting instructions, your shares may constitute “brokernon-votes.” Generally, brokernon-votes occur on a matter when a broker is not permitted to vote on that matter without instructions from the beneficial owner and instructions are not given. Under the rules of the NYSE, brokers, trustees or other nominees may generally vote on routine matters but cannot vote onnon-routine matters. Only Item 2 (auditor ratification) is considered a routine matter. The other proposals are not considered routine matters, and without your instructions, your broker cannot vote your shares.

If you provide specific instructions with regard to certain items, your shares will be voted as you instruct on such items. If you vote by proxy card or voting instruction card and sign the card without giving specific instructions, your shares will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of the Board (FOR all of our nominees to the Board, FOR the 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan, including the number of authorized shares and the material terms of performance goals, FOR ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm, FOR the approval of the compensation of our named executive officers, and every 1 YEAR as the frequency of future advisory stockholder votes to approve the compensation of our named executive officers).

What is the quorum requirement for holding the Annual Meeting?

The holders of a majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at a meeting of the stockholders, present in person or deemed to be present or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for purposes of any Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Brokernon-votes and abstentions are counted for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum at this Annual Meeting. If a quorum is not present at the scheduled time of the Annual Meeting, the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person, deemed to be present or represented by proxy, shall have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present, deemed to be present or represented.

Will any matters other than those identified in this Proxy Statement be decided at the Annual Meeting?

As of the date of this Proxy Statement, we are not aware of any matters to be raised at the Annual Meeting other than those described in this Proxy Statement. If any other matters are properly presented at the Annual Meeting for consideration, the people named as proxy holders on the proxy card will vote your proxy on those matters in their discretion. If any of our nominees are not available as a candidate for director, the proxy holders will vote your proxy for any other candidate the Board may nominate.

Who can vote, and how do I vote?

Only holders of our common stock at the close of business on the record date of March 20, 2017 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. We have no other outstanding securities entitled to vote, and there are no cumulative voting rights for the election of directors. At the close of business on the

record date, we had 179,475,539 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. Each holder of our common stock on that date will be entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting.

“Record holders” may vote (1) by completing and returning a proxy card, (2) on the Internet, or (3) using a toll-free telephone number. Please see the proxy card for specific instructions on how to vote using one of these methods. The telephone and Internet voting facilities for record holders will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 15, 2017. “Beneficial owners” will receive instructions from their broker or other intermediary describing the procedures and options for voting.

What is the difference between a “record holder” and a “beneficial owner”?

If your shares are registered directly in your name, you are considered the “record holder” of those shares. If, on the other hand, your shares are held in a brokerage account or by a bank or other intermediary, you are considered the “beneficial owner” of shares held in street name, and an Internet Availability Notice was forwarded to you automatically from your broker or other intermediary. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to instruct your broker or other intermediary to vote your shares in accordance with your wishes. You are also invited to attend the Annual Meeting. Because a beneficial owner is not the record holder, you may not vote your shares in person at the meeting unless you obtain a “legal proxy” from your broker or other intermediary. Your broker or other intermediary has provided you with an explanation of how to instruct it regarding the voting of your shares. If you do not provide your broker or other intermediary with voting instructions, your broker or other intermediary will not be allowed to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting for any matter other than ratification of the appointment of our independent auditor.

What is “householding”?

Householding is a procedure approved by the SEC whereby multiple stockholders of record who share the same last name and address will receive only one Internet Availability Notice or one set of proxy materials. Each stockholder of record will continue to receive a separate proxy card. We have undertaken householding to reduce printing costs and postage fees. A stockholder must affirmatively “opt in” for householding to be effective. Record holders who wish to begin or discontinue householding may contact Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge) by calling1-800-542-1061, or by writing to Broadridge, Householding Department, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. Broadridge will undertake the necessary steps to continue or discontinue householding upon such request of a record holder. Beneficial owners who wish to begin or discontinue householding should contact their broker or other intermediary.

What should I do if I receive more than one Internet Availability Notice or proxy card?

If you own some shares of common stock directly as a record holder and other shares indirectly as a beneficial owner, or if you own shares of common stock through more than one broker or other intermediary, you may receive multiple Internet Availability Notices or, if you request proxy materials to be delivered to you by mail, you may receive multiple proxy cards. It is necessary for you to vote, sign and return all of the proxy cards or follow the

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46

WALTER D. BAY2017 PROXY STATEMENT

SECRETARY

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING

instructions for any alternative voting procedure on each of the Internet Availability Notices you receive in order to vote all of the shares you own. If you request proxy materials to be delivered to you by mail, each proxy card you receive will come with its own prepaid return envelope. If you vote by mail, please make sure you return each proxy card in the return envelope that accompanied the proxy card.

May I change my vote after I return my proxy?

Yes. Even after you have submitted your proxy, you may revoke or change your vote at any time before the proxy is exercised by delivering to our Secretary, at 2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-4002, a written notice of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, by otherwise casting a later dated proxy via the Internet or telephone, or by voting in person at the Annual Meeting. Beneficial owners must have a “legal proxy” from their broker to vote in person at the Annual Meeting. Attendance at the Annual Meeting will not, by itself, revoke a proxy.

Who will pay the costs of soliciting these proxies?

We will pay the costs of soliciting proxies to be voted at the Annual Meeting. After the Internet Availability Notices are initially distributed, we and our agents may also solicit proxies by mail, electronic mail, telephone or in person. We will also reimburse brokers and other intermediaries for their expenses in sending Internet Availability Notices to beneficial owners. In addition, we have hired Morrow Sodali LLC to assist us in soliciting proxies, for which we will pay a fee of $10,000 plus their reasonableout-of-pocket expenses.

What is the deadline for submitting a stockholder proposal to be included in the 2018 Proxy Statement?

The deadline for submitting a stockholder proposal to be included in our Proxy Statement and proxy card for the 2018 Annual Meeting is close of business on or before November 24, 2017. Such proposals must comply with the requirements of Rule14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the Exchange Act) regarding stockholder proposals to be included in company-sponsored proxy materials. Proposals should be addressed to our Secretary at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., 2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-4002.

How do I submit a proposal regarding a director nomination or other item of business to be presented directly at the 2018 Annual Meeting?

Under our bylaws, notice of any matter that is not submitted for inclusion in our Proxy Statement and proxy card for the 2018 Annual Meeting, but that a stockholder instead wishes to present directly at the Annual Meeting, including director nominations and other items of business, must be delivered to our Secretary, at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., 2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-4002, not later than the close of business on February 15, 2018 and not earlier than the close of business on January 16, 2018. If the date of the Annual Meeting is more than 30 days before or after May 16, 2018, notice of any such matter must be delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the date of the 2018 Annual Meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior

to the 2018 Annual Meeting or the 10th day following the date the 2018 Annual Meeting date is publicly announced. For these purposes, “close of business” means 5:00 p.m. CST. We will not entertain any nominations or other items of business at the 2018 Annual Meeting that do not meet the requirements in our bylaws. If we do not receive notice of a matter by February 15, 2018 (or the applicable deadline if the 2018 Annual Meeting is more than 30 days before or after May 16, 2018), SEC rules permit the people named as proxy holders on the proxy card to vote proxies in their discretion when and if the matter is raised at the 2018 Annual Meeting. Any stockholder proposal relating to a director nomination should set forth all information relating to such person required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for contested director elections under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, including, among other things, the particular experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of the nominee that, in light of our business and structure, led to the stockholder’s conclusion that the nominee should serve on the Board. The proposal should also include the director nominee’s written consent to be named in our Proxy Statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected. Stockholders are also advised to review our bylaws, which contain additional disclosure and other requirements regarding the information to be included in the advance notices of stockholder proposals and director nominations.

How do I recommend a proposed director nominee to the Board for consideration?

Any stockholder who wishes to propose director nominees for consideration by the Board’s Nominating/Governance Committee, but does not wish to present such proposal at an annual meeting, may do so at any time by directing a description of each nominee’s name and qualifications for Board membership to the Chair of the Nominating/Governance Committee, c/o our Secretary at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., 2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-4002. The recommendation should contain all of the information regarding the nominee described in the question and answer above and in our bylaws relating to director nominations brought before the Annual Meeting. The Nominating/Governance Committee evaluates nominee proposals submitted by stockholders in the same manner in which it evaluates other nominees.

Where can I find the voting results of the Annual Meeting?

An automated system administered by Broadridge will tabulate the votes. Voting results will be reported in a Current Report on Form8-K that we will file with the SEC within four business days following the Annual Meeting.

DATED: APRIL 16, 2015LOGO

2017 PROXY STATEMENT

47

 

42


Exhibit A

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan

I. Introduction

1.1Purposes. The purposes of the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan (this “Plan”) are (i) to align the interests of the Company’s stockholders and the recipients of Awards under this Plan by increasing the proprietary interest of such recipients in the Company’s growth and success, (ii) to advance the interests of the Company by attracting and retaining directors, officers and other employees, and (iii) to motivate such persons to act in the long-term best interests of the Company and its stockholders. As of the effective date of the Plan, no further awards shall be granted under the Prior Plans, as defined in Section 1.2.

1.2Certain Definitions.

Agreement” shall mean the written or electronic agreement evidencing an Award hereunder. An Agreement may be in the form of an agreement to be executed by both the Participant and the Company (or an authorized representative of the Company) or certificates, memoranda, notices or similar instruments as approved by the Committee.

Automatic Exercise Date” shall mean the last business day of the term of an Option or SAR.

Award” shall mean an Option, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award, or a SAR, which may be awarded or granted under the Plan (collectively, “Awards”).

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

Change in Control” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.8(b).

Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Committee” shall mean the Committee designated by the Board, consisting of two or more members of the Board, each of whom shall be (i) a“non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule16b-3 under the Exchange Act, (ii) an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and (iii) “independent” within the meaning of the rules of the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Common Stock is not listed on the New York Stock Exchange, within the meaning of the rules of the principal national stock exchange on which the Common Stock is then traded. Any reference herein to the Committee shall be deemed to include any person to whom any duty of the Committee has been delegated pursuant to Section 1.3.

Common Stock” shall mean the common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company.

Company” shall mean Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., a Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto.

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

Fair Market Value” shall mean the closing transaction price (or, at the discretion of the Committee, the real time price) of a share of Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on the date as of which such value is being determined or, if the Common Stock is not listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the closing transaction price of a share of Common Stock on the principal national stock exchange on which the Common Stock is traded on the date as of which such value is being determined or, if there shall be no reported transactions for such date, on the next preceding date for which transactions were reported; provided, however, that if the Common Stock is not listed on a national stock exchange or if Fair Market Value for any date cannot be so determined, Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Committee by whatever means or method as the Committee, in the good faith exercise of its discretion and in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 409A of the Code, shall at such time deem appropriate. For purposes of Section 2.1(c)(i)(B), Section 2.1(c)(i)(C) and Section 4.5, the Fair Market Value of any shares of Common Stock shall be the market value determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee.

Free-Standing SAR” shall mean a SAR which is not granted in tandem with, or by reference to, an Option, which entitles the holder thereof to receive, upon exercise, shares of Common Stock (which may be Restricted Stock) or cash with an aggregate value equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the date of exercise over the base price of such SAR, multiplied by the number of such SARs which are exercised.

Full Value Award” shall mean any Award settled in shares of Common Stock other than (i) an Option or (ii) a SAR.

Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an Option that meets the requirements of Section 422 of the Code, or any successor provision, which is intended by the Committee to constitute an Incentive Stock Option and is specified to be an Incentive Stock Option in the applicable Award Agreement.

Non-Employee Director” shall mean any director of the Company who is not an officer or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary.

Nonqualified Stock Option” shall mean an Option which is not an Incentive Stock Option.

Option” shall mean a right to purchase shares of Common Stock at a specified exercise price, and includes both Incentive Stock Options and Nonqualified Stock Options.

Participant” shall mean a person who has been granted an Award.

Performance Measures” shall mean the criteria and objectives, established by the Committee, which shall be satisfied or met (i) as a condition to the grant or exercisability of all or a portion of an Option or SAR or (ii) during the applicable Restriction Period or Performance Period as a condition to the vesting of the holder’s interest, in the case of a Restricted Stock Award, of the


EXHIBIT ALOGO

ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO.

EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

Section 1.Purpose.

(a) The purpose of the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (as amended from time to time and including both the 423 Component and Non-423 Component described below, the “Plan”) is to provide the employees of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries and Designated Affiliates with an opportunity to purchase shares of Common Stock through accumulated Contributions.

(b) The Plan includes two components: a Code Section 423 Component (the “423 Component”) and a non-Code Section 423 Component (the “Non-423 Component”). The Company intends to have the 423 Component qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423. The provisions of the 423 Component, accordingly, shall be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis consistent with the requirements of Section 423. In addition, the Plan authorizes the grant of options under the Non-423 Component, which does not qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423; such options granted under the Non-423 Component shall be granted pursuant to rules, procedures or sub-plans adopted by the Administrator designed to achieve tax, securities laws or other objectives for Eligible Employees and the Company. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Non-423 Component will operate and be administered in the same manner as the 423 Component. Offerings intended to be made under the Non-423 Component will be designated as such by the Administrator at or prior to the time of such Offering.

(c) If a Participant transfers employment from the Company or any Designated Subsidiary participating in the 423 Component to a Designated Affiliate participating in the Non-423 Component, he or she shall immediately cease to participate in the 423 Component; however, any Contributions made for the Purchase Period in which such transfer occurs shall be transferred to the Non-423 Component, and such Participant shall immediately join the then current Offering under the Non-423 Component upon the same terms and conditions in effect for his or her participation in the Plan, except for such modifications as may be required by applicable law or otherwise applicable for Participants in such Designated Affiliates. A Participant who transfers employment from a Designated Affiliate participating in the Non-423 Component to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary participating in the 423 Component shall remain a Participant in the Non-423 Component until the earlier of (i) the end of the current Offering Period under the Non-423 Component, or (ii) the Enrollment Date of the first Offering Period in which he or she participates following such transfer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may establish different rules to govern transfers of employment between companies participating in the 423 Component and the Non-423 Component, consistent with the applicable requirements of Section 423.

Section 2.Definitions.

(a) “Administrator” means the Company or such committee or person to which or whom the Company has appointed to be the Administrator for Plan purposes.

(b) “Affiliate” means (i)any entity that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by, controls or is under common control with, the Company or (ii)any entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest, in either case as determined by the Administrator, whether now or hereafter existing (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall include any Subsidiary).

(c) “Applicable Laws” means the requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards under U.S. state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or quoted and the applicable laws of any foreign country or jurisdiction where options are, or will be, granted under the Plan.

(d) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(e) “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

(i) any “person,” as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of 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 proportion as their ownership of the Company’s stock), is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities (other than pursuant to a merger or consolidation described in clause (1) or (2) of Section 2(e)(iii);

 

A-12017 PROXY STATEMENT


(ii) individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (as of the date hereof, the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, provided that any person becoming a Director subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Directors then comprising the Incumbent Board (other than an election or nomination of an individual whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest relating to the election of the Directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act) shall be, for purposes of the Plan, considered as though such person were a member of the Incumbent Board;

(iii) the Company’s stockholders approve a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, and such merger or consolidation is consummated, other than (1)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 75% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, or (2)a merger or consolidation effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no “person” (as defined above) acquires more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; orA-1

(iv) the Company’s stockholders approve an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, and such sale or disposition is consummated.


EXHIBIT A: 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

shares of Common Stock subject to such Award, or, in the case of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, to the holder’s receipt of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award or of payment with respect to such Award.

Performance Period” shall mean any period designated by the Committee during which (i) the Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) applicable to an Award shall be measured and (ii) the conditions to vesting applicable to an Award shall remain in effect.

Prior Plans” shall mean the Company’s 2009 Long-Term Incentive Plan, the Company’s 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan and the Company’s 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

Qualifying Performance Measures” shall mean, one or more of the following (or a derivation of the following) objective corporate-wide or subsidiary, division, operating unit or individual measures, stated in either absolute terms,per-share or relative terms, such as rates of growth or improvement, compared to a previous year’s results or to a designated comparison group, either based upon United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) ornon-GAAP financial results, individually or in combination, measured annually or cumulatively over a period of years: (i) the attainment by a share of Common Stock of a specified Fair Market Value for a specified period of time, (ii) earnings per share, (iii) return to stockholders, (iv) return on assets, (v) return on equity, (vi) revenue (organic or otherwise), (vii) cash flow, (viii) operating expense reduction, (ix) return on investment, (x) return on capital, (xi) operating margin, (xii) net income, (xiii) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or change in estimated earnout payables or net earnings (either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or change in estimated earnout payables), (xiv) operating earnings, (xv) net cash provided by operations, and (xvi) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives such as (A) geographic business expansion goals, (B) cost targets, (C) customer satisfaction ratings, (D) reductions in errors and omissions, (E) reductions in lost business, (F) management of employment practices and employee benefits, (G) supervision of litigation, (H) satisfactory audit scores, (I) productivity, (J) efficiency, and (K) goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures, or any combination of the foregoing. Qualifying Performance Measures shall be subject to such other special rules and conditions as the Committee may establish at any time within the time prescribed by Section 162(m) of the Code.

The Committee may specify that an Award or a portion of an Award is intended to satisfy the requirements for “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, provided that the performance criteria for such Award or portion of an Award that is intended by the Committee to satisfy the requirements for “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code shall be a measure based on one or more Qualifying Performance Measures selected by the Committee and specified at the time the Award is granted. The Committee shall certify the extent to which any Qualifying Performance Measure has been satisfied, and the amount payable as a result thereof, prior to payment, settlement or vesting of any Award that is intended to satisfy the requirements for “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

In the sole discretion of the Committee, but subject to Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee may provide that one or more objectively determinable adjustments shall be made to one or more of the Qualifying Performance Measures. Such adjustments may include one or more of the following: (i) items related

to a change in accounting principles or applicable law; (ii) items relating to financing activities; (iii) expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives; (iv) othernon-operating items; (v) items related to acquisitions; (vi) items attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by the Company during the Performance Period; (vii) items related to the disposal of a business or segment of a business; (viii) items related to discontinued operations that do not qualify as a segment of a business under GAAP; (ix) items attributable to any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares occurring during the Performance Period; (x) any other items of significant income or expense which are determined to be appropriate adjustments if such adjustment is timely approved in connection with the establishment of such Qualifying Performance Measures; (xi) items relating to infrequently occurring corporate transactions, events or developments, (xii) items related to amortization of acquired intangible assets; (xiii) items that are outside the scope of the Company’s core,on-going business activities; (xiv) items relating to any other infrequently occurring events or changes in applicable laws, accounting principles or business conditions; (xv) items relating to foreign currency impacts; or (xvi) items relating to such other events as the Committee shall deem appropriate, if such adjustment is timely approved in connection with the establishment of such Qualifying Performance Measures. For all Awards intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, such determinations shall be made within the time prescribed by, and otherwise in compliance with, Section 162(m) of the Code.

Restricted Stock” shall mean shares of Common Stock which are subject to a Restriction Period and which may, in addition thereto, be subject to the attainment of specified Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) within a specified Performance Period.

Restricted Stock Award” shall mean an Award of Restricted Stock under this Plan.

Restricted Stock Unit” shall mean a right to receive one share of Common Stock or, in lieu thereof, the Fair Market Value of such share of Common Stock in cash, which shall be contingent upon the expiration of a specified Restriction Period and which may, in addition thereto, be contingent upon the attainment of specified Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) within a specified Performance Period.

Restricted Stock Unit Award” shall mean an Award of Restricted Stock Units under this Plan.

Restriction Period” shall mean any period designated by the Committee during which (i) the Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Award may not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or disposed of, except as provided in this Plan or the Agreement relating to such Award, and (ii) the conditions to vesting applicable to a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall remain in effect. Further, and notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units granted under the Plan may not become exercisable, vest or be settled, in whole or in part, for Board members, prior to theone-year anniversary, and for all other participants, prior to the three-year anniversary, of the date of grant, except that the Committee may provide that Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units become exercisable, vest or settle prior to such date in the event of the Participant’s death or disability or in the event of a Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, up to 5% of the aggregate number of shares of

For the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if its sole purpose is either to change the state of the Company’s incorporation or to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction.A-2

(f) “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference to a specific Section of the Code will include the Treasury Regulations under such Section of the Code.

(g) “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee designated by the Board to administer the Plan.

(h) “Common Stock” means the common stock, one dollar ($1.00) par value, of the Company.

(i) “Company” means Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., a Delaware corporation.

(j) “Compensation” for an Offering means the items of an Eligible Employee’s compensation that the Administrator, in its discretion, specifies as being included for such Offering, which may include (without limitation) regular base straight time gross earnings, commissions, sales rewards or other sales-related payments, and exclude any items of the Eligible Employee’s compensation that the Administrator, in its discretion, excludes for such Offering, which may include (without limitation) equity compensation and payments for incentive compensation, bonuses, overtime or any other similar compensation. The Administrator, in its discretion, may, on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis for each Offering, establish a different definition of Compensation for a subsequent Offering Period. Further, the Administrator shall have discretion to determine the application of this definition to Participants outside the United States.

(k) “Contributions” means the payroll deductions, any other additional payments that the Administrator may permit to be made by a Participant and any alternative forms of contributions permitted under Section 6(f) to fund the exercise of options granted pursuant to the Plan.

(l) “Designated Affiliate” means any Affiliate that has been designated by the Administrator from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the Non-423 Component.

(m) “Designated Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that has been designated by the Administrator from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the 423 Component.

(n) “Director” means a member of the Board.

(o) “Eligible Employee” means a person treated as an employee of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary or Designated Affiliate for purposes of Section 423. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship will be treated as continuing intact where a Participant transfers employment between the Company, Designated Subsidiaries and/or Designated Affiliates and while

 

A-22017 PROXY STATEMENT

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EXHIBIT A: 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

Common Stock authorized for issuance under this Plan (as described in Section 1.5(a)) may be issued pursuant to Awards subject to any, or no, vesting conditions, as the Committee determines appropriate.

SAR” shall mean a stock appreciation right which may be a Free-Standing SAR or a Tandem SAR.

Stock Award” shall mean a Restricted Stock Award or a Restricted Stock Unit Award.

Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture or similar entity in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, an equity interest possessing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the total outstanding equity interests of such entity.

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

Tandem SAR” shall mean a SAR which is granted in tandem with, or by reference to, an Option (including a Nonqualified Stock Option granted prior to the date of grant of the SAR), which entitles the holder thereof to receive, upon exercise of such SAR and surrender for cancellation of all or a portion of such Option, shares of Common Stock (which may be Restricted Stock) or cash with an aggregate value equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the date of exercise over the base price of such SAR, multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock subject to such Option, or portion thereof, which is surrendered.

Ten Percent Holder” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

1.3Administration. This Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Any one or a combination of the following Awards may be made under this Plan to eligible persons: (i) Options to purchase shares of Common Stock in the form of Incentive Stock Options or Nonqualified Stock Options, (ii) SARs in the form of Tandem SARs or Free-Standing SARs, and (iii) Stock Awards in the form of Restricted Stock Awards or Restricted Stock Unit Awards. The Committee shall, subject to the terms of this Plan, select eligible persons for participation in this Plan and determine the form, amount and timing of each Award to such persons and, if applicable, the number of shares of Common Stock, the number of SARs, the number of Restricted Stock Units subject to such an Award, the exercise price or base price associated with the Award, the time and conditions of exercise or settlement of the Award and all other terms and conditions of the Award, including, without limitation, the form of the Agreement evidencing the Award. Subject to the minimum vesting criteria set forth in the definition of “Restriction Period” and in Sections 2.1(b) and 2.2(b), the Committee may, in its sole discretion and for any reason at any time, subject to the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and regulations thereunder in the case of an Award intended to be qualified performance-based compensation, take action such that (i) any or all outstanding Options and SARs shall become exercisable in part or in full, (ii) all or a portion of the Restriction Period applicable to any outstanding Restricted Stock

or Restricted Stock Units shall lapse, (iii) all or a portion of the Performance Period applicable to any outstanding Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Options shall lapse and (iv) the Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) (if any) applicable to any outstanding Award shall be deemed to be satisfied at the maximum or any other level. The Committee shall have the authority, subject to the terms of this Plan: (x) to interpret this Plan and the application thereof, establish rules and regulations it deems necessary or desirable for the administration of this Plan and to make exceptions to the Plan or any such rules and regulations if the Committee determines, in good faith, that it is necessary to do so in light of extraordinary circumstances and for the benefit of the Company and so as to avoid unanticipated consequences or to address unanticipated events (including any temporary closure of an applicable stock exchange, disruption of communications or natural catastrophe); (y) to impose, incidental to the grant of an Award, conditions with respect to the Award, such as limiting competitive employment or other activities or applying the Company’s compensation recovery policy, as amended from time to time; and (z) subject to Section 4.2, to amend any outstanding Awards; provided, however, that if any such amendment materially impairs a Participant’s rights with respect to such Award, such amendment shall also be subject to the Participant’s consent. All such interpretations, rules, regulations and conditions shall be conclusive and binding on all parties.

Subject to applicable law and applicable rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange, the Committee may delegate some or all of its power and authority hereunder to the Board or to the President and Chief Executive Officer or other executive officer of the Company as the Committee deems appropriate; provided, however, that (i) the Committee may not delegate its power and authority to the Board or the President and Chief Executive Officer or other executive officer of the Company with regard to the grant of an Award to any person who is a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code or who, in the Committee’s judgment, is likely to be a covered employee at any time during the period an Award hereunder to such employee would be outstanding and (ii) the Committee may not delegate its power and authority to the President and Chief Executive Officer or other executive officer of the Company with regard to the selection for participation in this Plan of an officer,Non-Employee Director or other person subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or decisions concerning the timing, pricing or amount of an Award to such an officer,Non-Employee Director or other person. In addition, the Committee may delegate any or all aspects of day to day administration of the Plan to one or more officers or employees of the Company or any Subsidiary, and/or to any one or more agents.

No member of the Board or Committee, and neither the President and Chief Executive Officer nor any other executive officer to whom the Committee delegates any of its power and authority hereunder, shall be liable for any act, omission, interpretation, construction or determination made in connection with this Plan in good faith, and the members of the Board and the Committee and the President and Chief Executive Officer or other executive officer shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement by the Company in respect of any claim, loss, damage or expense (including attorneys’ fees) arising therefrom to the full extent permitted by law (except as otherwise may be provided in the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and/orBy-laws) and under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that may be in effect from time to time.

an individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence that the Employer approves or is legally protected under Applicable Laws. Where a period of leave of absence exceeds three months and the individual’s right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship will be deemed to have terminated three months and one day following the commencement of such leave. The Administrator, in its discretion, from time to time may, prior to an Enrollment Date for all options to be granted on such Enrollment Date in an Offering, determine (on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis or as otherwise permitted by Section 1.423-2 of the Treasury Regulations for options granted under the 423 Component) that the definition of Eligible Employee will or will not include an individual if he or she: (i) has not completed at least two years of service since his or her last hire date (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the Administrator in its discretion), (ii) customarily works not more than 20 hours per week (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the Administrator in its discretion), (iii) customarily works not more than five months per calendar year (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the Administrator in its discretion), (iv) is a highly compensated employee within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code, or (v) is a highly compensated employee within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code with compensation above a certain level or is an officer or subject to the disclosure requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act. Under the 423 Component, each exclusion shall be applied with respect to an Offering in a manner complying with Section 1.423-2 (e)(2)(ii) of the Treasury Regulations. A Participant shall be deemed to have ceased to be an Eligible Employee either upon an actual termination of employment or upon the corporation employing the Participant during an Offering Period ceasing to be an Affiliate of the Company, or if the Participant transfers to an Affiliate that is not a Designated Subsidiary or Designated Affiliate.

(p) “Employer” means the Designated Subsidiary or Designated Affiliate that is the employer of the applicable Eligible Employee in accordance with the definition in Section 2(o).LOGO

(q) “Enrollment Date” means the first Trading Day of each Offering Period.

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

(s) “Exercise Date” means the last Trading Day of each Purchase Period.

(t) “Fair Market Value” of a share of Common Stock as of any date means the closing transaction price of a share of Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on such date, or if there is no reported transactions on such date, on the next preceding date for which a transaction was reported.

(u) “New Exercise Date” means a new Exercise Date if the Administrator shortens any Offering Period then in progress.

(v) “Offering” means an offer under the Plan of an option that may be exercised during an Offering Period as further described in Section 4. Unless otherwise specified by the Administrator, each Offering to the Eligible Employees of the Company, a Designated Subsidiary or a Designated Affiliate shall be deemed a separate Offering (the terms of which Offering under the Non-423 Component need not be identical), even if the dates and other terms of the applicable Offering Periods of each such Offering are identical and the provisions of the Plan will separately apply to each Offering. To the extent permitted by Section 1.423-2(a)(1) of the Treasury Regulations, the terms of each separate Offering under the Section 423 Component need not be identical, provided that the terms of the Plan and an Offering together satisfy Section 1.423-2(a)(2) and Section 1.423-2(a)(3) of the Treasury Regulations.

(w) “Offering Periods” means the periods established in accordance with Section 4 during which an option granted pursuant to the Plan may be exercised on one or more Exercise Dates. The duration and timing of Offering Periods may be changed pursuant to Section 4 and Section 21.

(x) “Parent” means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

(y) “Participant” means an Eligible Employee that participates in the Plan.

(z) “Purchase Account” of a Participant means the account created by the Company under the Plan for the Participant which is credited to reflect the amount of the Participant’s Contributions.

(aa) “Purchase Period” means a period of time within an Offering Period, as may be specified by the Administrator in accordance with Section 4, generally beginning on the Enrollment Date and ending on an Exercise Date. An Offering Period may consist of one or more Purchase Periods.

 

A-32017 PROXY STATEMENT


(bb) “Purchase Price” for an Offering Period means the purchase price designated by the Administrator for such Offering Period, which may be an amount equal to (i) 85% or more of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Enrollment Date, (ii) 85% or more of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Exercise Date, or (iii) the lower of an amount determined under (i) and an amount determined under (ii); provided however, that the Administrator may provide for a different Purchase Price for an Offering Period (subject to compliance with Section 423 and Applicable Laws) or pursuant to Section 21; provided further, in no event shall the Purchase Price be less than the par value of a share of Common Stock.

(cc) “Section 423” means Section 423 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.A-3

(dd) “Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424 (f) of the Code.


EXHIBIT A: 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

Each member of the Committee is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company or the Committee to assist in the administration of the Plan.

1.4Eligibility. Participants in this Plan shall consist of such officers, other employees andNon-Employee Directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries as the Committee in its sole discretion may select from time to time. The Committee’s selection of a person to participate in this Plan at any time shall not require the Committee to select such person to participate in this Plan at any other time. For purposes of this Plan, references to employment by the Company shall also mean employment by a Subsidiary.

1.5Shares Available.

(a)Share Reserve and Full Value Award Limit. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.7 and to all other limits set forth in this Section 1.5, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that shall be available for issuance under this Plan is equal to the sum of: (i) 16,000,000; plus (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to any awards granted under the Prior Plans that are outstanding as of the effective date of this Plan that are subsequently settled for cash, forfeited, expired, or for any reason are cancelled or terminated, without resulting in the issuance of shares of Common Stock.

Of the total number of shares of Common Stock authorized for grant under the Plan, no more than 4,000,000 Shares may be used for Full Value Awards. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.7 only to the extent that such calculation or adjustment will not affect the status of any Option intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code, the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for grant as Incentive Stock Options shall be no more than the total number of shares of Common Stock authorized for grant under the Plan under Section 1.5(a)(i).

(b)Counting Shares Against the Share Reserve. Any shares of Common Stock that are issued pursuant to Awards shall be counted against the share reserve limit in Section 1.5 as one (1) share of Common Stock for every one (1) share of Common Stock granted.

(c)Substitute Awards. Substitute Awards shall not reduce the shares of Common Stock authorized for grant under the Plan; nor shall shares of Common Stock subject to Substitute Awards be added to the shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided in Section 1.5(d) below. Additionally, to the extent permitted by NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.08 or other applicable stock exchange rules, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under apre-existing plan approved by stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of suchpre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio of formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the shares of Common Stock authorized for grant under the Plan (and shares of

Common Stock subject to such Awards shall not be added to the shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided in Section 1.5(d) below); provided, that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards could have been made under the terms of thepre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not employed by or providing services to the Company or its Subsidiaries immediately prior to such acquisition or combination.

(d)Shares Available for Subsequent Issuance. If any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award are forfeited, canceled, terminated or expire, or an Award is settled for cash (in whole or in part), the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, cancelation, termination, expiration or cash settlement, again be available for Awards under the Plan (and shall not be counted against the limit set forth in the second paragraph of Section 1.5(a)).

(e)Shares Not Available for Subsequent Issuance. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 1.5 to the contrary, shares of Common Stock subject to an Award under this Plan (or the Prior Plans) may not be made available for issuance under this Plan if such shares are: (i) shares that were subject to a stock-settled SAR (or stock appreciation right granted under the Prior Plans) and were not issued upon the net settlement or net exercise of such SAR (or stock appreciation right granted under the Prior Plans); (ii) shares delivered to or withheld by the Company to pay the exercise price of an Option (or option granted under the Prior Plans); (iii) shares delivered to or withheld by the Company to pay withholding taxes related to an Award (or award granted under the Prior Plans); or (iv) shares repurchased on the open market with the proceeds of an Option (or option granted under the Prior Plans) exercise.

(f)Source of Shares. Shares of Common Stock to be delivered under this Plan shall be made available from authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock, or authorized and issued shares of Common Stock reacquired and held as treasury shares or otherwise or a combination thereof.

(g)Award Limitations. Subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 4.7 only to the extent that such adjustment will not affect the status of any Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code: (i) the maximum number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which Options or SARs or a combination thereof that may be granted during any calendar year to any person under this Plan shall be 200,000; (ii) the maximum number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which Awards other than Options or SARs that are intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code and are denominated in shares of Common Stock that may be earned pursuant to such Awards granted during any calendar year to any person under this Plan shall be 200,000; and (iii) the maximum amount that may be payable with respect to all Awards that are intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code and are denominated in cash granted during any calendar year to any person under this Plan shall be $5,000,000.

(h)Non-Employee Director Awards. The aggregate dollar value of equity-based (based on the grant date fair value of equity-based Awards) and cash compensation granted under this Plan or otherwise during any calendar year to any oneNon-Employee Director shall not exceed $500,000; provided, however, that in

(ee) “Trading Day” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.A-4

(ff) “Treasury Regulations” means the U.S. Treasury regulations issued by the Department of Treasury under the Code.

Section 3.Eligibility.

(a)General. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3 and subject to the requirements of Section 5, any Eligible Employee on a given Enrollment Date shall be eligible to participate in the Plan.

(b)Non-U.S. Employees. Employees who are citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction (without regard to whether they also are citizens or residents of the United States or resident aliens within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of the Code) may be excluded from participation in the Plan or an Offering if the participation of such Employees is prohibited under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or if complying with the laws of the applicable jurisdiction would cause the Plan or an Offering to violate Section 423. Further, in the case of the Non-423 Component, Eligible Employees may be excluded from participation in the Plan or an Offering if the Administrator has determined that participation of such Eligible Employees is not advisable or practicable.

(c)Limitations. Notwithstanding any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, no Eligible Employee will be granted an option under the Plan (i)to the extent that, immediately after the grant, such Eligible Employee (or any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Eligible Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own capital stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company and/or hold outstanding options to purchase such stock possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of the capital stock of the Company or of any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, or (ii)to the extent that his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans (as defined in Section 423) of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company accrues at a rate, which exceeds $25,000 USD worth of stock (determined using the Fair Market Value of the stock at the time such option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time, as determined in accordance with Section 423.

Section 4.Offering Periods. The Plan will be implemented by consecutive Offering Periods with a new Offering Period commencing on the first Trading Day on or after January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year, and terminating, respectively, on the last Trading Day on or before March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year, or on such other dates as the Administrator will determine. Unless and until the Administrator determines otherwise in its discretion, each Offering Period shall consist of one three-month Purchase Period, which shall run simultaneously with the Offering Period. The Administrator will have the authority to establish additional or alternative sequential or overlapping Offering Periods, a different duration for one or more Offerings or Offering Periods or different commencement or ending dates for such Offering Periods with respect to future offerings without stockholder approval if such change is announced prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Offering Period to be affected thereafter, provided, however, that no Offering Period may have a duration exceeding 27 months. In addition, to the extent that the Administrator establishes overlapping Offering Periods with more than one Purchase Period in each Offering Period, the Administrator will have the discretion to structure an Offering Period so that if the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the first Trading Day of a new Purchase Period within that Offering Period is less than or equal to the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the Enrollment Date, then (i) that Offering Period will terminate immediately as of that first Trading Day, and (ii) the Participants in such terminated Offering Period will be automatically enrolled in a new Offering Period beginning on the first Trading Day of such new Purchase Period.

Section 5.Participation. An Eligible Employee may participate in the Plan by (i) submitting to the Company’s designated Human Resources representative, on or before a date determined by the Administrator prior to an applicable Enrollment Date, a properly completed subscription agreement authorizing Contributions in the form provided by the Administrator for such purpose, or (ii) following an electronic or other enrollment procedure determined by the Administrator, and in either case completing any other forms and following any procedures for enrollment in the Plan as may be established by the Administrator from time to time.

 

A-42017 PROXY STATEMENT

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EXHIBIT A: 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

the calendar year in which aNon-Employee Director first joins the Board of Directors or is first designated as Chairman of the Board of Directors or Lead Director, the maximum aggregate dollar value of equity-based and cash compensation granted to the Participant may be up to two hundred percent (200%) of the foregoing limit and the foregoing limit shall not count any Tandem SARs.

II. Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights

2.1Stock Options. The Committee may, in its discretion, grant Options to purchase shares of Common Stock to such eligible persons as may be selected by the Committee. Each Option, or portion thereof, that is not an Incentive Stock Option shall be a Nonqualified Stock Option. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of grant) of shares of Common Stock with respect to which Options designated as Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by a participant during any calendar year (under this Plan or any other plan of the Company, or any parent or Subsidiary) exceeds the amount (currently $100,000) established by the Code, such Options shall constitute Nonqualified Stock Options.

Options may be granted in addition to, or in lieu of, any other compensation payable to officers, other employees andNon-Employee Directors, and in all cases shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem advisable:

(a)Number of Shares and Purchase Price. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option and the purchase price per share of Common Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Option shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that the purchase price per share of Common Stock purchasable upon exercise of a Nonqualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant of such Option; provided further, that if an Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any person who, at the time such Option is granted, owns capital stock possessing more than 10 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of capital stock of the Company (or of any parent or Subsidiary) (a “Ten Percent Holder”), the purchase price per share of Common Stock shall not be less than the price (currently 110% of Fair Market Value) required by the Code in order to constitute an Incentive Stock Option. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the purchase price per share of Common Stock purchasable upon exercise of an Option granted pursuant to a Substitute Award may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant, provided, that such purchase price complies with the requirements of Sections 409A and 422 of the Code, as applicable.

(b)Option Period and Exercisability. The period during which an Option may be exercised shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that no Incentive Stock Option or Nonqualified Stock Option shall be exercised later than 7 years after its date of grant; provided further, that if an Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to a Ten Percent Holder, such Option shall not be exercised later than five years after its date of grant. The Committee may, in its discretion, determine that an Option is to be granted subject to performance criteria and may establish an

applicable Performance Period and Performance Measures which shall be satisfied or met as a condition to the grant of such Option or to the exercisability of all or a portion of such Option. The Committee shall determine whether an Option shall become exercisable in cumulative ornon-cumulative installments and in part or in full at any time. Each Option granted under the Plan shall become vested and exercisable, in whole or in part, at such time or times during its term as set forth in the Agreement. Further, and notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, Options granted under the Plan may not become exercisable, vest or be settled, in whole or in part, prior to theone-year anniversary of the date of grant, except that the Committee may provide that Options become exercisable, vest or settle prior to such date in the event of the Participant’s death or disability or in the event of a Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, up to 5% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under this Plan (as described in Section 1.5(a)) may be issued pursuant to Awards subject to any, or no, vesting conditions, as the Committee determines appropriate. An exercisable Option, or portion thereof, may be exercised only with respect to whole shares of Common Stock.

(c)Method of Exercise. An Option may be exercised, to the extent then exercisable, (i) by delivering a written or electronic notice to the Company’s stock plan administrator in a form satisfactory to the Committee specifying the number of whole shares of Common Stock to be purchased and accompanying such notice with payment therefor in full (or arrangement made for such payment to the Company’s satisfaction) either (A) in cash or check, (B) by delivery (either actual delivery or by attestation procedures established by the Company) of shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the aggregate purchase price payable by reason of such exercise, (C) authorizing the Company or stock plan administrator to withhold whole shares of Common Stock which would otherwise be delivered having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the amount necessary to satisfy such obligation, (D) except as may be prohibited by applicable law, in cash by a broker-dealer acceptable to the Company to whom the optionee has submitted an irrevocable notice of exercise or (E) a combination of (A), (B) and (C), in each case to the extent set forth in the Agreement relating to the Option, (ii) if applicable, by surrendering to the Company any Tandem SARs which are cancelled by reason of the exercise of the Option and (iii) by executing such documents as the Company may reasonably request. Any fraction of a share of Common Stock which would be required to pay such purchase price shall be disregarded and the remaining amount due shall be paid in cash by the optionee. No shares of Common Stock shall be issued and no certificate representing Common Stock shall be delivered until the full purchase price therefor and any withholding taxes thereon, as described in Section 4.5, have been paid (or arrangement made for such payment to the Company’s satisfaction).

(d)Automatic Exercise ofIn-the-Money Options. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may provide in an Award Agreement or otherwise that any Option outstanding on the Automatic Exercise Date with an exercise price per share of Common Stock that is less than the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of such date shall automatically and without further action by any Participant (or, in the event of Participant’s death, Participant’s personal representative or estate) or the Company be exercised on the Automatic Exercise Date if the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines that such exercise would provide economic benefit to the Participant after payment of the exercise price, applicable taxes and any expenses to effect the exercise. In the

Section 6.Contributions.LOGO

(a) At the time a Participant enrolls in the Plan pursuant to Section 5, he or she will elect to have payroll deductions made on each pay day or other Contributions (to the extent permitted by the Administrator) made during the Offering Period in an amount not exceeding 15% of the Compensation which he or she receives on each pay day during the Offering Period, or such different maximum percentage as may be determined by the Administrator prior to any Offering Period; should a pay day occur on an Exercise Date, a Participant shall have the payroll deductions made on such day applied to his or her Purchase Account under the current Purchase Period, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may permit all Participants in a specified Offering to contribute amounts to the Plan through payment by cash, check or other means set forth in the subscription agreement prior to each Exercise Date of each Offering Period. A Participant’s subscription agreement will remain in effect for successive Offering Periods unless terminated as provided in Section 10.

(b) Payroll deductions for a Participant will commence on the first pay day following the Enrollment Date and will end on the last pay day of the Offering Period to which such authorization is applicable, unless sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10.

(c) All Contributions made for a Participant will be credited to his or her Purchase Account and payroll deductions will be made in whole percentages only. A Participant may not make any additional payments into his or her Purchase Account.

(d) A Participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 10. If permitted by the Administrator, as determined in its sole discretion, for an Offering Period, a Participant may increase or decrease the rate of his or her Contributions during the Offering Period or Purchase Period by (i) properly completing and submitting to the Company’s designated Human Resources representative, on or before a date determined by the Administrator prior to an applicable Exercise Date, a new subscription agreement authorizing the change in Contribution rate in the form provided by the Administrator for such purpose, or (ii) following an electronic or other procedure prescribed by the Administrator. If a Participant has not followed such procedures to change the rate of Contributions, the rate of his or her Contributions will continue at the originally elected rate throughout the Offering Period and future Offering Periods (unless terminated as provided in Section 10). The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, limit the nature and/or number of Contribution rate changes that may be made by Participants during any Offering Period or Purchase Period, and may establish such other conditions or limitations as it deems appropriate for Plan administration. Any change in payroll deduction rate made pursuant to this Section 6(d) will be effective as soon as administratively practicable after the date on which the change is made by the Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless and until otherwise determined by the Administrator, a Participant shall not be permitted to increase or decrease his or her rate of Contributions during an Offering Period, with the exception that a Participant may withdraw from the Plan and receive a refund of Contributions in accordance with Section 10.

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 6, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(c)(ii), a Participant’s Contributions may be decreased to 0% at any time during an Offering Period. Subject to Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(c)(ii), Contributions will recommence at the rate originally elected by the Participant effective as of the beginning of the first Offering Period scheduled to end in the following calendar year, unless terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10.

(f) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in the Plan, the Administrator may allow Eligible Employees to participate in the Plan via cash, check or other means instead of payroll deductions if payroll deductions are not permitted under applicable local law and, for any Offering under the 423 Component, the Administrator determines that cash contributions are permissible under Section 423.

Section 7.Grant of Option. On the Enrollment Date of each Offering Period, each Participant in such Offering Period will be granted an option to purchase on each Exercise Date during such Offering Period (at the applicable Purchase Price) up to a number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing such Participant’s Contributions accumulated prior to such Exercise Date and retained in the Participant’s Purchase Account as of the Exercise Date by the applicable Purchase Price; provided that in no event will a Participant be permitted to purchase during a Purchase Period if such purchase would allow the Participant to purchase Common Stock under the Plan and any other employee stock purchase plan of the Company or its Designated Subsidiaries which is qualified under Section 423, and which, when aggregated, would have a Fair Market Value (as determined on the Enrollment Date for the Purchase Period in which such right is granted) in excess of $25,000 or such other amount as may be specified under Section 423. The Administrator may, in its discretion and prior to the Enrollment Date of any Offering Period, (i) change the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be purchased by a Participant in such Offering Period or on any Exercise Date within an Offering Period, including the method for determining such maximum, or (ii) specify a maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be purchased by all Participants in an Offering Period or on any Exercise Date within

 

A-52017 PROXY STATEMENT


an Offering Period. Further, the Board may limit the number or value of the shares of Common Stock made available for purchase in a qualified period (e.g.,12-month period) by Participants in specified countries or working for specified Employers, if necessary to avoid securities law filings, achieve tax objectives or to meet other Company compliance objectives in particular locations outside the United States, provided that any such limitation is imposed under the Non-423 Component or, with respect to any Offering under the 423 Component, is imposed on an equal basis to all Participants under such Offering or as otherwise permitted in accordance with Section 423. Exercise of the option will occur as provided in Section 8, unless the Participant has withdrawn pursuant to Section 10. The option will expire on the last day of the Offering Period.

Section 8.Exercise of Option.A-5

(a) Unless a Participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 10, his or her option for the purchase of shares of Common Stock will be exercised automatically on the Exercise Date, and the maximum number of full shares subject to the option will be purchased for such Participant at the applicable Purchase Price with the accumulated Contributions from his or her Purchase Account. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator prior to the Enrollment Date of any Offering Period, fractional shares calculated up to five decimal places will be purchased. In the event that the Administrator determines not to allow the purchase of fractional shares, any Contributions accumulated in a Participant’s Purchase Account which are not sufficient to purchase a full share may be retained in the Participant’s Purchase Account for the subsequent Offering Period or Purchase Period, subject to earlier withdrawal by the Participant as provided in Section 10. Any other funds left over in a Participant’s Purchase Account after the Exercise Date will be returned to the Participant. During a Participant’s lifetime, a Participant’s option to purchase shares hereunder is exercisable only by him or her.


EXHIBIT A: 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

sole discretion of the Committee, payment of the exercise price of any Option may be made pursuant to Section 2.1(c)(i)(C) or (D), and the Company may deduct or withhold an amount sufficient to satisfy all taxes associated with such exercise in accordance with Section 4.5(ii)(C) or (D). Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, this Section 2.1(d) shall not apply to an Option if the Participant of such Option incurs a termination of employment or service on or before the Automatic Exercise Date.

(e)No Stockholder Rights. Participants shall have no voting rights and will have no rights to receive dividends or dividend equivalents in respect of an Option or any shares of Common Stock subject to an Option until the Participant has become the holder of record of such shares of Common Stock.

2.2Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee may, in its discretion, grant SARs to such eligible persons as may be selected by the Committee. The Agreement relating to a SAR shall specify whether the SAR is a Tandem SAR or a Free-Standing SAR.

SARs shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem advisable:

(a)Number of SARs and Base Price. The number of SARs subject to an Award shall be determined by the Committee. Any Tandem SAR related to an Incentive Stock Option shall be granted at the same time that such Incentive Stock Option is granted. The base price of a Tandem SAR shall be the purchase price per share of Common Stock of the related Option. The base price of a Free-Standing SAR shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that such base price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant of such SAR. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the base price of a SAR granted pursuant to a Substitute Award may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant, provided, that such base price complies with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

(b)Exercise Period and Exercisability. The period for the exercise of a SAR shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that no Tandem SAR shall be exercised later than the expiration, cancellation, forfeiture or other termination of the related Option and no Free-Standing SAR shall be exercised later than 7 years after its date of grant. The Committee may, in its discretion, establish Performance Measures which shall be satisfied or met as a condition to the grant of a SAR or to the exercisability of all or a portion of a SAR. The Committee shall determine whether a SAR may be exercised in cumulative ornon-cumulative installments and in part or in full at any time. Each SAR granted under the Plan shall become vested and exercisable, in whole or in part, at such time or times during its term as set forth in the Agreement. Further, and notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, SARs granted under the Plan may not become exercisable, vest or be settled, in whole or in part, prior to theone-year anniversary of the date of grant, except that the Committee may provide that SARs become exercisable, vest or settle prior to such date in the event of the Participant’s death or disability or in the event of a Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, up to 5% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under this Plan (as described in Section 1.5(a)) may be issued pursuant to Awards subject to any, or no, vesting conditions, as the Committee determines appropriate. An exercisable SAR, or por-

tion thereof, may be exercised, in the case of a Tandem SAR, only with respect to whole shares of Common Stock and, in the case of a Free-Standing SAR, only with respect to a whole number of SARs. If a SAR is exercised for shares of Restricted Stock, a certificate or certificates representing such Restricted Stock shall be issued in accordance with Section 3.2(c), or such shares shall be transferred to the holder in book entry form with restrictions on the Shares duly noted, and the holder of such Restricted Stock shall have such rights of a stockholder of the Company as determined pursuant to Section 3.2(d).

(c) Method of Exercise. A Tandem SAR may be exercised, to the extent then exercisable, (i) by delivering a written or electronic notice to the Company’s stock plan administrator in a form satisfactory to the Committee specifying the number of whole SARs which are being exercised, (ii) by surrendering to the Company any Options which are cancelled by reason of the exercise of the Tandem SAR and (iii) by executing such documents as the Company may reasonably request. A Free-Standing SAR may be exercised, to the extent then exercisable, (A) by delivering a written or electronic notice to the Company’s stock plan administrator in a form satisfactory to the Committee specifying the whole number of SARs which are being exercised and (B) by executing such documents as the Company may reasonably request.

(d)Automatic Exercise ofIn-the-Money SARs. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may provide in an Award Agreement or otherwise that any SAR outstanding on the Automatic Exercise Date with a base price per share of Common Stock that is less than the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of such date shall automatically and without further action by any Participant (or, in the event of Participant’s death, Participant’s personal representative or estate) or the Company be exercised on the Automatic Exercise Date if the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines that such exercise would provide economic benefit to the Participant after payment of the applicable taxes and any expenses to effect the exercise. In the sole discretion of the Committee, the Company may deduct or withhold an amount sufficient to satisfy all taxes associated with such exercise in accordance with Section 4.5(ii)(C) or (D). Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, this Section 2.2(d) shall not apply to a SAR if the Participant of such SAR incurs a termination of employment or service on or before the Automatic Exercise Date.

(e)No Stockholder Rights. Participants shall have no voting rights and will have no rights to receive dividends or dividend equivalents in respect of a SAR or any shares of Common Stock subject to a SAR until the Participant has become the holder of record of such shares of Common Stock.

2.3Termination of Employment or Service. All of the terms relating to the exercise, cancellation or other disposition of an Option or SAR upon a termination of employment or service with the Company of the holder of such Option or SAR, as the case may be, whether by reason of disability, retirement, death or any other reason, shall be determined by the Committee, subject to the terms of the Plan.

2.4Limitations.

(a)No Repricing. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary and subject to Section 4.7, without the prior approval of the stockholders of the Company, the Committee will not amend or replace any previously granted Option or SAR in a transaction that constitutes a “repricing,” including, but not limited to: (i) the reduction, directly or indirectly, in theper-share price of an out-

(b) If the Administrator determines that, on a given Exercise Date, the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which options are to be exercised may exceed (i) the number of shares of Common Stock that were available for sale under the Plan on the Enrollment Date of the applicable Offering Period, or (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock available for sale under the Plan on such Exercise Date, the Administrator may in its sole discretion (x) provide that the Company will make a pro rata allocation of the shares of Common Stock available for purchase on such Enrollment Date or Exercise Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as will be practicable and as it will determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all Participants exercising options to purchase shares of Common Stock on such Exercise Date, and continue all Offering Periods then in effect or (y) provide that the Company will make a pro rata allocation of the shares available for purchase on such Enrollment Date or Exercise Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as will be practicable and as it will determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all Participants exercising options to purchase shares of Common Stock on such Exercise Date, and terminate any or all Offering Periods then in effect pursuant to Section 21. The Company may make a pro rata allocation of the shares available on the Enrollment Date of any applicable Offering Period pursuant to the preceding sentence, notwithstanding any authorization of additional shares for issuance under the Plan by the Company’s stockholders subsequent to such Enrollment Date.A-6

(c) At the time the option is exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time some or all of the shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan is disposed of (or any other time that a taxable event related to the Plan occurs), the Participant must make adequate provision for the Company’s or Employer’s federal, state, local or any other tax liability payable to any authority including taxes imposed by jurisdictions outside of the U.S., national insurance, social security or other tax withholding obligations, if any, which arise upon the exercise of the option or the disposition of the shares of Common Stock (or any other time that a taxable event related to the Plan occurs), including, for the avoidance of doubt, any liability to pay an employer tax or social insurance contribution which has been shifted from the Company or any Employer to the Participant as a matter of law or contract. At any time, the Company or the Employer may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from the Participant’s compensation the amount necessary for the Company or the Employer to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company or the Employer any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of shares of Common Stock by the Eligible Employee. In addition, the Company or the Employer may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from the proceeds of the sale of shares of Common Stock or any other method of withholding the Company or the Employer deems appropriate.

Section 9.Delivery. As soon as reasonably practicable after each Exercise Date on which a purchase of shares of Common Stock occurs, the Company will arrange the delivery to each Participant of the shares purchased upon exercise of his or her option in a form determined by the Administrator (in its sole discretion) and pursuant to rules established by the Administrator. The Company may permit or require that shares be deposited directly with a broker designated by the Company or to a designated agent of the Company, and the Company may utilize electronic or automated methods of share transfer. The Company may require that shares be retained with such broker or agent for a designated period of time, and/or may establish procedures to permit tracking of dispositions of shares.

 

A-62017 PROXY STATEMENT

LOGO


EXHIBIT A: 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

standing Option or SAR by amendment, cancellation or substitution; (ii) any action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles; (iii) at any time when theper-share price of an outstanding Option or SAR is above the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock, canceling (or accepting the surrender of) an Option or SAR in exchange for another Option, SAR or other equity security or cash (unless the cancellation and exchange occurs in connection with a merger, acquisition, or similar transaction); and (iv) any other action that is treated as a repricing by the rules or regulations of the New York Stock Exchange.

III. Stock Awards

3.1Stock Awards. The Committee may, in its discretion, grant Stock Awards to such eligible persons as may be selected by the Committee. The Agreement relating to a Stock Award shall specify whether the Stock Award is a Restricted Stock Award or a Restricted Stock Unit Award.

3.2Terms of Restricted Stock Awards. Restricted Stock Awards shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem advisable.

(a)Number of Shares and Other Terms. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Award and the Restriction Period, Performance Period (if any) and Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) (if any) applicable to a Restricted Stock Award shall be determined by the Committee.

(b)Vesting and Forfeiture. The Agreement relating to a Restricted Stock Award shall provide, in the manner determined by the Committee, in its discretion, and subject to the provisions of this Plan, for the vesting of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award (i) if the holder of such Award remains continuously in the employment or service of the Company during the specified Restriction Period and (ii) if specified Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) (if any) are satisfied or met during a specified Performance Period, and for the forfeiture of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award (x) if the holder of such Award does not remain continuously in the employment or service of the Company during the specified Restriction Period or (y) if specified Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) (if any) are not satisfied or met during a specified Performance Period.

(c)Stock Issuance. During the Restriction Period, the shares of Restricted Stock shall be held by a custodian in book entry form with restrictions on such shares duly noted or, alternatively, a certificate or certificates representing a Restricted Stock Award shall be registered in the holder’s name and may bear a legend, in addition to any legend which may be required pursuant to Section 4.6, indicating that the ownership of the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificate is subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions of this Plan and the Agreement relating to the Restricted Stock Award. All such certificates shall be deposited with the Company, together with stock powers or other instruments of assignment (including a power of attorney), each endorsed in blank with a guarantee of signature if deemed necessary or appropriate, which would permit transfer to the Company of all or a portion of the shares of Common Stock subject to

the Restricted Stock Award in the event such Award is forfeited in whole or in part. Upon termination of any applicable Restriction Period (and the satisfaction or attainment of applicable Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures)), subject to the Company’s right to require payment of any taxes in accordance with Section 4.5, the restrictions shall be removed from the requisite number of any shares of Common Stock that are held in book entry form, and all certificates evidencing ownership of the requisite number of shares of Common Stock shall be delivered to the holder of such Award.

(d)Rights with Respect to Restricted Stock Awards. Unless otherwise set forth in the Agreement relating to a Restricted Stock Award, and subject to the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Award, the holder of such Award shall have all rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, but not limited to, voting rights, the right to receive dividends and the right to participate in any capital adjustment applicable to all holders of Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends credited/payable in connection with a Restricted Stock Award that is not yet vested shall be subject to the same restrictions and risk of forfeiture as the underlying Restricted Stock Award and shall not be paid until the underlying Restricted Stock Award vests.

3.3Terms of Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Restricted Stock Unit Awards shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem advisable.

(a)Number of Shares and Other Terms. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award and the Restriction Period, Performance Period (if any) and Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) (if any) applicable to a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be determined by the Committee.

(b)Vesting and Forfeiture. The Agreement relating to a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall provide, in the manner determined by the Committee, in its discretion, and subject to the provisions of this Plan, for the vesting of such Restricted Stock Unit Award (i) if the holder of such Award remains continuously in the employment or service of the Company during the specified Restriction Period and (ii) if specified Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) (if any) are satisfied or met during a specified Performance Period, and for the forfeiture of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award (x) if the holder of such Award does not remain continuously in the employment or service of the Company during the specified Restriction Period or (y) if specified Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) (if any) are not satisfied or met during a specified Performance Period.

(c)Settlement of Vested Restricted Stock Unit Awards. The Agreement relating to a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall specify (i) whether such Award may be settled in shares of Common Stock or cash or a combination thereof and (ii) whether the holder thereof shall be entitled to receive dividend equivalents with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock subject to such Award. Prior to the settlement of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the holder of such Award shall have no rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any dividend equivalents credited/payable in connection with a Restricted Stock Unit Award that is not yet vested shall be subject to the same restrictions and risk of forfeiture as the underly-

Section 10.Withdrawal.LOGO

(a) A Participant may withdraw all but not less than all the Contributions credited to his or her Purchase Account and not yet used to exercise his or her option under the Plan at any time by (i) submitting to the Company’s designated Human Resources representative a written notice of withdrawal in the form determined by the Administrator for such purpose, or (ii) following an electronic or other withdrawal procedure determined by the Administrator. Further, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, any Participant who elects to decrease the rate of his or her Contributions to 0% during an Offering Period shall be deemed to withdraw from participation in the Plan. The Administrator may impose, from time to time, a requirement that the applicable notice of withdrawal from the Plan be on file with the Company for a reasonable period prior to the effectiveness of the Participant’s withdrawal, subject to such prior period not exceeding 45 days after the giving of the notice. All of the Participant’s Contributions credited to his or her Purchase Account will be paid to such Participant promptly after receipt of notice of withdrawal and such Participant’s option for the Offering Period will be automatically terminated, and no further Contributions for the purchase of shares will be made for such Offering Period. If a Participant withdraws from an Offering Period, Contributions will not resume at the beginning of the succeeding Offering Period, unless the Participant re-enrolls in the Plan in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.

(b) A Participant’s withdrawal from an Offering Period will not have any effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in any similar plan that may hereafter be adopted by the Company or in succeeding Offering Periods that commence after the termination of the Offering Period from which the Participant withdraws.

Section 11.Termination of Eligible Employee Status. Upon a Participant’s ceasing to be an Eligible Employee, for any reason, he or she will be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan and the Contributions credited to such Participant’s Purchase Account during the Offering Period but not yet used to purchase shares of Common Stock under the Plan will be returned to such Participant or, in the case of his or her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 15, and such Participant’s option will be automatically terminated.

Section 12.Interest. No interest will accrue on the Contributions of a Participant in the Plan, except as may be required by applicable law, as determined by the Company, and if so required by the laws of a particular jurisdiction, shall apply to all Participants in the relevant Offering except to the extent otherwise permitted by Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(f), or with respect to any Offering under the Non-423 Component, the payment of interest shall apply as determined by the Administrator.

Section 13.Stock.

(a)Basic Limitation. Subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 20, a maximum of 8,000,000 shares of Common Stock will be made available for sale under the Plan. All or any portion of such maximum number of shares may be issued under the Section 423 Component.

(b)Rights as an Unsecured Creditor. Until the shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of or broker selected by the Company), a Participant will only have the rights of an unsecured creditor with respect to such shares, and no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder will exist with respect to such shares.

(c)Source of Shares. Any shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares, treasury shares, shares purchased in the open market (on an exchange or in negotiated transactions) or any combination thereof.

Section 14.Administration. The Plan will be administered by the Board or the Committee. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, in connection with the administration of the Plan, any of the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Secretary or Chief Human Resources Officer of the Company, by and behalf of the Company, shall have the authority (a) to negotiate, fix and vary the terms of, and to execute and deliver, contracts, agreements, assignments, concessions, licenses, options and all other similar instruments, (b) to engage any agents or contractors, including banks, stock brokers and attorneys, (c) to amend the Plan, and (d) to otherwise do all acts and things necessary or suitable in connection with the exercise of any of the aforementioned powers; provided, that no such authorization shall extend to any amendment of the Plan that increases the number of shares of Common Stock available for purchase under the Plan or otherwise requires stockholder approval under applicable tax or stock exchange rules. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board or the Compensation Committee of the Board shall administer the Plan to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable Laws.

Unless otherwise determined by the Board (within the constraints of Applicable Laws), the Administrator will have full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe, interpret and apply the terms of the Plan, to designate separate Offerings under the

 

A-72017 PROXY STATEMENT


Plan, to determine which entities shall be Designated Subsidiaries or Designated Affiliates, to determine eligibility, to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Plan (including making factual determinations), to change the Offering Periods and Purchase Periods, limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during an Offering Period or Purchase Period, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Company’s processing of properly completed subscription agreements, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of shares of Common Stock for each Participant properly correspond with Contribution amounts, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion advisable that are consistent with the Plan, including adopting amendments to the Plan and/or outstanding options as permitted by Section 21.

Further, the Administrator, or its delegate to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, may adopt such rules, procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit the participation in the Plan by employees who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States, the terms of which rules, procedures and sub-plans may take precedence over other provisions of the Plan, with the exception of Section 13(a), but unless otherwise superseded by the terms of such sub-plan, the provisions of the Plan shall govern the operation of such sub-plan. To the extent inconsistent with the requirements of Section 423, any such sub-plan shall be considered part of the Non-423 Component, and rights granted thereunder shall not be required by the terms of the Plan to comply with Section 423. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrator is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures regarding eligibility to participate, the definition of Compensation, handling of Contributions, making of Contributions to the Plan (including, without limitation, in forms other than payroll deductions), establishment of bank or trust accounts to hold Contributions, establishment of trusts to hold shares of Common Stock on behalf of employees or other escrow arrangements in relation to placing appropriate sale restrictions on shares of Common Stock, payment of interest, establishment of the exchange ratio applicable to Contributions withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, obligations to pay payroll tax, determination of beneficiary designation requirements, withholding procedures and handling of stock certificates that vary with applicable local requirements. The Administrator also is authorized to determine that, to the extent permitted by Section 1.423-2(f) of the Treasury Regulations, the terms of an option granted under the Plan or an Offering to citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction will be less favorable than the terms of options granted under the Plan or the same Offering to employees resident solely in the U.S. Every finding, decision and determination made by the Administrator will be final and binding upon all parties.A-7

Section 15.Death of Participant. In the event of the death of a Participant, any shares of Common Stock and cash, if any, from the Participant’s Purchase Account will be delivered to the executor, administrator or personal representative of the estate of the Participant, or such other individual as may be prescribed by applicable law.


EXHIBIT A: 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

ing Restricted Stock Unit Award and shall not be paid until the underlying Restricted Stock Unit Award vests.

3.4Termination of Employment or Service. All of the terms relating to the satisfaction of Performance Measures (which may be Qualifying Performance Measures) and the termination of the Restriction Period or Performance Period relating to a Stock Award, or any forfeiture and cancellation of such Award upon a termination of employment or service with the Company of the holder of such Award, whether by reason of disability, retirement, death or any other reason, shall be determined by the Committee.

IV. General

4.1Effective Date and Term of Plan. This Plan shall be submitted to the stockholders of the Company for approval at the Company’s 2017 annual meeting of stockholders and, if approved by the stockholders of the Company shall become effective as of the date of such approval. This Plan shall terminate as of the annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders that occurs during the year of the tenth anniversary of its effective date, unless terminated earlier by the Board, and Awards hereunder may be made at any time prior to the termination of this Plan; provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options may not be granted under the Plan after the tenth anniversary of the date of the Board’s original approval of this Plan (March 16, 2017). Termination of this Plan shall not affect the terms or conditions of any Award granted prior to termination. Upon the effective date of this Plan, no further Awards shall be granted under the Prior Plans.

4.2Amendment or Termination. The Board may amend or terminate this Plan as it shall deem advisable, subject to any requirement of stockholder approval required by applicable law, rule or regulation, including Section 162(m) of the Code and any rule of the New York Stock Exchange, or, if the Common Stock is not listed on the New York Stock Exchange, any rule of the principal national stock exchange on which the Common Stock is then traded; provided, however, that no amendment or termination may impair in any material way the rights of a holder of an outstanding Award without the consent of such holder; provided that no such consent shall be required if the Committee determines in its sole discretion and prior to the date of any Change in Control that such amendment either is required or advisable in order for the Company, the Plan or the Award to satisfy any law or regulation or to meet the requirements of or avoid adverse financial accounting consequences under any accounting standard, or is not reasonably likely to significantly diminish the benefits provided under such Award, or that any such diminishment has been adequately compensated.

4.3Agreement. Each Award under this Plan shall be evidenced by a written or electronic Agreement setting forth the terms and conditions applicable to such Award. An Agreement may be in the form of an agreement to be executed by both the Participant and the Company (or an authorized representative of the Company) or certificates, memoranda, notices or similar instruments as approved by the Committee. The Committee may provide that an Award shall not be valid until an Agreement is executed by the Company and the recipient of such Award (for clarity, electronic acceptance of an agreement in accordance with the procedures of the Company’s stock plan administrator shall be deemed to be execution) and, upon execution by each party and delivery of the Agreement to the Company within the time period specified by the Company, such Award shall be effective as of the effective date set forth in the Agreement.

4.4Non-Transferability. Each Award may not be sold, transferred for value, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and each Option or SAR shall be exercisable only by the Participant during his or her lifetime. Notwithstanding the foregoing, outstanding Options may be exercised following the Participant’s death by the Participant’s beneficiaries or as permitted by the Committee. Further, and notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permitted by the Committee, the person to whom an Award is initially granted (the “Grantee”) may transfer an Award to any “family member” of the Grantee (as such term is defined in Section A.1(a)(5) of the General Instructions to FormS-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“FormS-8”)), to trusts solely for the benefit of such family members and to partnerships in which such family members and/or trusts are the only partners; provided that, (i) as a condition thereof, the transferor and the transferee must execute a written agreement containing such terms as specified by the Administrator, and (ii) the transfer is pursuant to a gift or a domestic relations order to the extent permitted under the General Instructions to FormS-8. Except to the extent specified otherwise in the agreement the Administrator provides for the Grantee and transferee to execute, all vesting, exercisability and forfeiture provisions that are conditioned on the Grantee’s continued employment or service shall continue to be determined with reference to the Grantee’s employment or service (and not to the status of the transferee) after any transfer of an Award pursuant to this Section 4.4, and the responsibility to pay any taxes in connection with an Award shall remain with the Grantee notwithstanding any transfer other than by will or intestate succession.

4.5Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the right to require, prior to the issuance or delivery of any shares of Common Stock or the payment of any cash pursuant to an Award made hereunder, payment by the holder of such Award of any federal, state, local or other taxes which may be required to be withheld or paid in connection with such Award. An Agreement may provide that (i) the Company shall withhold or direct the withholding of whole shares of Common Stock which would otherwise be delivered to a holder, having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the amount necessary to satisfy any such obligation, or withhold or direct the withholding of an amount of cash which would otherwise be payable to a holder, in the amount necessary to satisfy any such obligation or (ii) the holder may satisfy any such obligation by any of the following means: (A) a cash payment to the Company, (B) delivery (either actual delivery or by attestation procedures established by the Company) to the Company of previously owned whole shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the amount necessary to satisfy any such obligation, (C) authorizing the Company or its stock plan administrator to withhold whole shares of Common Stock which would otherwise be delivered having an aggregate Fair Market Value or withhold an amount of cash which would otherwise be payable to a holder, equal to the amount necessary to satisfy any such obligation, (D) in the case of the exercise of an Option and except as may be prohibited by applicable law, a cash payment by a broker-dealer acceptable to the Company to whom the optionee has submitted an irrevocable notice of exercise or (E) any combination of (A), (B) and (C), in each case to the extent set forth in the Agreement relating to the Award.

4.6Restrictions on Shares. Each Award made hereunder shall be subject to the requirement that if at any time the Company determines that the listing, registration or qualification of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award upon any secu-

Section 16.Transferability. Neither Contributions credited to a Participant’s Purchase Account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or to receive shares of Common Stock under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution or as provided in Section 15) by the Participant. Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition will be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw funds from an Offering Period in accordance with Section 10.A-8

Section 17.Use of Funds. The Company may use all Contributions received or held by it under the Plan for any corporate purpose, and the Company will not be obligated to segregate such Contributions except under Offerings in which applicable local law requires that Contributions to the Plan by Participants be segregated from the Company’s general corporate funds and/or deposited with an independent third party for Participants in non-U.S. jurisdictions. Until shares of Common Stock are issued, Participants will only have the rights of an unsecured creditor with respect to such shares.

Section 18.Reports. Individual Purchase Accounts will be maintained for each Participant in the Plan. Statements of account will be given to participating Eligible Employees at least annually, which statements will set forth the amounts of Contributions, the Purchase Price, the number of shares of Common Stock purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.

Section 19.No Right to Employment. Participation in the Plan by a Participant shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained as an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate, as applicable. Furthermore, the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate may dismiss a Participant from employment at any time, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan.

Section 20.Adjustments, Dissolution, Liquidation or Change in Control.

(a)Adjustments. In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the shares of Common Stock occurs, the Administrator, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, will, in such manner as it may deem

 

A-82017 PROXY STATEMENT

LOGO


EXHIBIT A: 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

rities exchange or under any law, or the consent or approval of any governmental body, or the taking of any other action is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the delivery of shares thereunder, such shares shall not be delivered unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent, approval or other action shall have been effected or obtained, free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. The Company may require that certificates evidencing shares of Common Stock delivered pursuant to any Award made hereunder bear a legend indicating that the sale, transfer or other disposition thereof by the holder is prohibited except in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

4.7Adjustment. In the event of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, exchange of shares, liquidation,spin-off or other similar change in capitalization or event, or any distribution to holders of Common Stock other than a regular cash dividend, the number and class of securities available under this Plan, the number and class of securities subject to each outstanding Option and the purchase price per security, the terms of each outstanding SAR, the terms of each outstanding Restricted Stock Award and Restricted Stock Unit Award, including the number and class of securities subject thereto, the maximum number of securities with respect to which Options or SARs may be granted during any fiscal year of the Company to any one grantee, and the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be awarded during any fiscal year of the Company to any one grantee pursuant to a Stock Award that is subject to Performance Measures (including Qualifying Performance Measures) granted during any fiscal year of the Company to any one grantee shall be equitably adjusted by the Committee. The decision of the Committee regarding any such adjustment shall be final, binding and conclusive. Adjustments need not be uniform between different Awards or different types of Awards. If any such adjustment would result in a fractional security being (a) available under this Plan, such fractional security shall be disregarded, or (b) subject to an Award under this Plan, the Company shall pay the holder of such Award, in connection with the first vesting, exercise or settlement of such Award, in whole or in part, occurring after such adjustment, an amount in cash determined by multiplying (i) the fraction of such security (rounded to the nearest hundredth) by (ii) the excess, if any, of (A) the Fair Market Value on the vesting, exercise or settlement date over (B) the exercise or base price, if any, of such Award.

4.8Change in Control.

(a) The Committee may through the terms of the Award or otherwise provide that any or all of the following shall occur, either immediately upon the Change in Control, or upon termination or constructive termination of the Participant’s employment or service within six (6) months prior to or twenty-four (24) months following a Change in Control: (a) all outstanding Options and SARs shall immediately become exercisable in full, (b) the Restriction Period applicable to any outstanding Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit Award shall lapse, (c) the Performance Period applicable to any outstanding Award shall lapse, and/or (d) the Performance Measures (including Qualifying Performance Measures) applicable to any outstanding Award shall be deemed to be satisfied at their target levels or, if greater, on a pro rata basis based on actual achievement as of the date of the Change in Control; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall any accelerated vesting of an award in connection with a Change in Control be effective unless the Change in Control is consummated. The

Board (as constituted prior to such Change in Control) may, in its discretion: (1) require that shares of stock of the corporation resulting from such Change in Control, or a parent corporation thereof, be substituted for some or all of the shares of Common Stock subject to an outstanding Award, with an appropriate and equitable adjustment to such Award as shall be determined by the Board in accordance with Section 4.7; and/or (2) require outstanding Awards, in whole or in part, to be surrendered to the Company by the holder, and to be immediately cancelled by the Company, and to provide for the holder to receive (A) a cash payment in an amount equal to (i) in the case of an Option or a SAR, the number of shares of Common Stock then subject to the portion of such Option or SAR surrendered multiplied by the excess, if any, of the highest per share price offered to holders of Common Stock in any transaction whereby the Change in Control takes place, over the purchase price or base price per share of Common Stock subject to such Option or SAR, and (ii) in the case of a Stock Award, the number of shares of Common Stock then subject to the portion of such award surrendered multiplied by the highest per share price offered to holders of Common Stock in any transaction whereby the Change in Control takes place; (B) shares of capital stock of the corporation resulting from such Change in Control, or a parent corporation thereof, having a fair market value not less than the amount determined under clause (A) above; or (C) a combination of the payment of cash pursuant to clause (A) above and the issuance of shares pursuant to clause (B) above. The Board need not take the same action or actions with respect to all Awards or portions of Awards with respect to all participants. If, in connection with a Change in Control, no provision is made for the exercise, payment or lapse of conditions or restrictions on an Award, or other procedure whereby a Participant may realize the full benefit of the Award, the Committee may, through the terms of the Award or otherwise, provide for a conditional exercise, payment or lapse of conditions or restrictions on an Award, which shall only be effective if such Change in Control is consummated.

(b) For purposes of this Plan, a “Change in Control” shall occur (a) upon the consummation of any transaction pursuant to which any person or group, as defined in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, as amended, is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly of securities of the Company representing 50 percent or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities then entitled to vote for the election of directors; or (b) if during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board and any new directors whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by at leasttwo-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election was previously so approved cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof.

If and to the extent that any Award is determined by the Company to constitute“non-qualified deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code and such Award is payable to a participant upon a Change in Control, then no payment shall be made pursuant to such Award unless such Change in Control constitutes a “change in the ownership of the corporation,” “a change in effective control of the corporation,” or “a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the corporation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code; provided that if such Change in Control does not constitute a “change in the ownership of the corporation,” “a change in effective control of the corporation,” or “a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the corporation” within the meaning of

equitable, adjust the number and class of shares of Common Stock that may be delivered under the Plan, the Purchase Price per share and the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each option under the Plan that has not yet been exercised, and the numerical limits of Section 7.

(b)Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any Offering Period then in progress will be shortened by setting a New Exercise Date, and will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed dissolution or liquidation, unless provided otherwise by the Administrator. The New Exercise Date will be before the date of the Company’s proposed dissolution or liquidation. The Administrator will notify each Participant in writing or electronically, prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10.

(c)Change in Control. In the event of a Change in Control, each outstanding option will be assumed or an equivalent option substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation. In the event that the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute for the option, then, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, either (i) all outstanding options will be cancelled by the Administrator as of a date prior to the effective date of the Change in Control and all Contributions shall be refunded to the Participants; or (ii) the Offering Period with respect to which such option relates will be shortened by setting a New Exercise Date on which such Offering Period shall end. The New Exercise Date will occur before the date of the Company’s proposed Change in Control. The Administrator will notify each Participant in writing or electronically prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10.

Section 21.Amendment or Termination.LOGO

(a) The Administrator, in its sole discretion (except as provided in Section 14), may amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan, or any part thereof, at any time and for any reason. If the Plan is terminated, the Administrator, in its discretion, may elect to terminate all outstanding Offering Periods either immediately or upon completion of the purchase of shares of Common Stock on the next Exercise Date (which may be sooner than originally scheduled, if determined by the Administrator in its discretion), or may elect to permit Offering Periods to expire in accordance with their terms (and subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 20). If the Offering Periods are terminated prior to expiration, all amounts then credited to ParticipantsPurchase Accounts that have not been used to purchase shares of Common Stock will be returned to the Participants (without interest thereon, except as otherwise required under local laws, as further set forth in Section 12) as soon as administratively practicable. In addition, an amendment to the Plan must be approved by the stockholders of the Company within 12 months of the adoption of such amendment if such amendment would authorize the sale of more shares than are then authorized for issuance under the Plan or would change the definition of the corporations that may be designated by the Administrator as participating companies under the Plan.

(b) In the event the Administrator determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Administrator may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify, amend or terminate the Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence including, but not limited to:

(i) amending the Plan to conform with the safe harbor definition under the Financial Accounting Standards Board ASC Topic 718 (or any successor thereto), including with respect to an Offering Period underway at the time;

(ii) altering the Purchase Price for any Purchase Period or Offering Period including a Purchase Period or Offering Period underway at the time of the change in Purchase Price;

(iii) shortening any Offering Period by setting a New Exercise Date, including an Offering Period underway at the time of the Administrator action;

(iv) reducing the maximum percentage of Compensation a Participant may elect to set aside as Contributions; and

(v) reducing the maximum number of shares of Common Stock a Participant may purchase during any Offering Period. Such modifications or amendments will not require stockholder approval or the consent of any Plan Participants.

(c) The Administrator may amend an outstanding option or grant a replacement option for an option previously granted under the Plan if, in the Administrator’s discretion, it determines that (i) the tax consequences of such option to the Company or the Participant differ from those consequences that were expected to occur on the date the option was granted, (ii) clarifications or

 

A-92017 PROXY STATEMENT


interpretations of, or changes to, tax law or regulations permit options to be granted that have more favorable tax consequences than initially anticipated, or (iii) such amendment is necessary or advisable to comply with applicable local laws.

Section 22.Notices. All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan will be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form and manner specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.A-9

Section 23.Notification of Disposition of Shares. As a condition of participation in the Plan, the Company requires Participants in an Offering under the 423 Component to give the Company prompt notice of any disposition of shares of Common Stock acquired by exercise of an option. The Company may further require that until such time as a Participant in an Offering under the 423 Component disposes of shares acquired upon exercise of an option, the Participant shall hold all such shares in the Participant’s name (or, if elected by the Participant, in the name of the Participant and his or her spouse but not in the name of any nominee) until the later of two years after the date of grant of such option or one year after the date of exercise of such option. The Company may direct that the certificates evidencing shares acquired by exercise of an option refer to such requirement to give prompt notice of disposition.


EXHIBIT A: 2017 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

Section 409A of the Code, then the Award shall still fully vest upon such Change in Control, but shall be payable upon the original schedule contained in the Award.

4.9Deferrals. The Committee may determine that the delivery of shares of Common Stock or the payment of cash, or a combination thereof, upon the exercise or settlement of all or a portion of any Award (other than Awards of Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options and SARs) made hereunder shall be deferred, or the Committee may, in its sole discretion, approve deferral elections made by holders of Awards. Deferrals shall be for such periods and upon such terms as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion, subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

4.10No Right of Participation, Employment or Service. Unless otherwise set forth in an employment agreement, no person shall have any right to participate in this Plan. Neither this Plan nor any Award made hereunder shall confer upon any person any right to continued employment by or service with the Company, any Subsidiary or any affiliate of the Company or affect in any manner the right of the Company, any Subsidiary or any affiliate of the Company to terminate the employment or service of any person at any time without liability hereunder.

4.11Designation of Beneficiary. To the extent permitted by the Committee, a participant may, by completing and returning the appropriate form provided by the Company or its stock plan administrator, name a beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive any payment to which such participant may become entitled under this Plan in the event of his or her death. To the extent permitted by the Committee, a participant may change his or her beneficiary or beneficiaries from time to time by submitting a new form in accordance with the procedures established by the Company and/or its stock plan administrator. If a participant does not or is not permitted to designate a beneficiary, or if no designated beneficiary is living on the date any amount becomes payable under this Plan, such payment will be made to the legal representatives of his or her estate, which will be deemed to be his or her designated beneficiary under this Agreement.

4.12Recovery Policy. Notwithstanding any other provisions in the Plan, any Award which is subject to a recovery policy under any law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement, will be subject to such deductions and clawback as may be required to be made pursuant to such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement (or any recovery policy adopted by the Company, including a policy adopted by the Company in response to any such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement). To the extent any such recovery policy requires the repayment of incentive-based compensation received by a Participant, whether paid pursuant to an Award granted under this Plan or any other plan of incentive-based compensation maintained in the past or adopted in the future by the Company, by accepting an Award under this Plan, the Participant agrees to the repayment of such amounts to the extent required by such policy and applicable law.

4.13Section 409A. (a) The Plan and Awards granted under the Plan are intended to be exempt from the requirements of Section 409A of the Code to the maximum extent possible, whether pursuant to the short-term deferral exception described in Treasury Regulation1.409A-1(b)(4), the exclusion applicable to stock options, stock appreciation rights and certain other equity-based compensation under Treasury Regulation1.409A-1(b)(5), or otherwise. To the extent Section 409A of the Code is applicable to

the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan, it is intended that the Plan and any Awards granted under the Plan comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan to the contrary, the Plan and any Award granted under the Plan shall be interpreted, operated and administered in a manner consistent with such intentions.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Board, to the extent it deems necessary or advisable in its sole discretion, reserves the right, but shall not be required, to unilaterally amend or modify the Plan pursuant to Section 4.2 and any Award granted under the Plan so that the Award qualifies for exemption from or complies with Section 409A of the Code; provided, however, that the Committee makes no representations that Awards granted under the Plan shall be exempt from or comply with Section 409A of the Code and makes no undertaking to preclude Section 409A of the Code from applying to Awards granted under the Plan.

(c) To the extent any payment under this Plan is considered deferred compensation subject to the restrictions contained in Section 409A of the Code, and to the extent necessary to avoid the imposition of taxes under Section 409A of the Code, such payment may not be made to a specified employee (as determined in accordance with a uniform policy adopted by the Company with respect to all arrangements subject to Section 409A of the Code) upon separation from service (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) before the date that is six months after the specified employee’s separation from service (or, if earlier, the specified employee’s death). Any payment that would otherwise be made during this period of delay shall be accumulated and paid on the sixth month plus one day following the specified employee’s separation from service (or, if earlier, as soon as administratively practicable after the specified employee’s death).

4.14Governing Law. This Plan, each Award hereunder and the related Agreement, and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant thereto, to the extent not otherwise governed by the Code or the laws of the United States, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware and construed in accordance therewith without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws.

4.15Non-U.S. Employees. Without amending this Plan, the Committee may grant Awards to eligible persons who arenon-U.S. nationals on such terms and conditions different from those specified in this Plan as may in the judgment of the Committee be necessary or desirable to foster and promote achievement of the purposes of this Plan and, in furtherance of such purposes the Committee may make such modifications, amendments, procedures, subplans and the like as may be necessary or advisable to comply with provisions of laws in other countries or jurisdictions in which the Company or its Subsidiaries operates or has employees.

4.16Data Protection. By participating in the Plan, a Participant consents to the collection, processing, transmission and storage by the Company in any form whatsoever, of any data of a professional or personal nature which is necessary for the purposes of introducing and administering the Plan. The Company may share such information with any Subsidiary, the trustee of any employee benefit trust, its registrars, trustees, brokers, other third-party administrator or any Person who obtains control of the Company or acquires the Company or a Subsidiary which employs the Participant.

Section 24.Conditions upon Issuance of Shares. Shares of Common Stock will not be issued with respect to an option unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto will comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the shares may then be listed, and will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. The inability or impracticability of the Company to obtain from any regulatory body having jurisdiction the authority, if any, deemed by the Company’s legal counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any shares under the Plan, or the approval of any securities exchange or market system upon which the shares of Common Stock may then be listed, if any, deemed by the Company’s legal counsel to be necessary to the issuance and sale of any shares under the Plan in compliance with the requirements of such securities exchange or market system, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such shares as to which such requisite authority or approval shall not have been obtained. As a condition to the exercise of an option, the Company may require the Participant to satisfy any qualifications that may be necessary or appropriate, to evidence compliance with any applicable law or regulation, and to make any representation or warranty with respect thereto as may be requested by the Company.A-10

Section 25.Section 409A. The Plan is exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Code and the Plan will be interpreted consistent with such intention. The Non-423 Component is intended to be exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Code under the short-term deferral exception and the Plan will be interpreted consistent with such intention. In furtherance of the foregoing and notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, if the Administrator determines that an option granted under the Plan may be subject to Section 409A of the Code or that any provision in the Plan would cause an option under the Plan to be subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Administrator may amend the terms of the Plan and/or of an outstanding option granted under the Plan, or take such other action the Administrator determines is necessary or appropriate, in each case, without the Participant’s consent, to exempt any outstanding option or future option that may be granted under the Plan from or to allow any such options to comply with Section 409A of the Code, but only to the extent any such amendments or action by the Administrator would not violate Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no liability to a Participant or any other party if an option to purchase shares of Common Stock under the Plan that is intended to be exempt from or compliant with Section 409A of the Code is not so exempt or compliant or for any action taken by the Administrator with respect thereto.

Section 26.Tax-Qualification. Although the Company may endeavor to (i) qualify an option for favorable tax treatment under the laws of the United States or jurisdictions outside of the United States or (ii) avoid adverse tax treatment to Participants, the Company makes no representation to that effect and expressly disavows any covenant to maintain favorable or avoid unfavorable tax treatment, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, including Section 25. The Company shall be unconstrained in its corporate activities without regard to the potential negative tax impact on Participants.

Section 27.Term of Plan. Subject to Section 28, the Plan will become effective upon its adoption by the Board, and will continue in effect until terminated under Section 21; provided, however, no Offering Period may commence until after the date that the Plan is approved by the stockholders pursuant to Section 28.

Section 28.Stockholder Approval. The Plan will be subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within 12 months after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board. Such stockholder approval will be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Laws.

 

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Section 29.Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its choice of law provisions.

Section 30.Severability. If any provision of the Plan is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason in any jurisdiction or as to any Participant, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as to such jurisdiction or Participant as if the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had not been included.

Section 31.Headings. Headings are given to the sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan.

 

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EXHIBIT BLOGO

ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO.

SENIOR MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN

I. PURPOSES

The purposes of the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Senior Management Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) are to retain and motivate the officers of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (the “Company”) and its subsidiaries who have been designated by the Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) to participate in the Plan for a specified Performance Period by providing them with the opportunity to earn incentive payments based upon the extent to which specified performance goals have been achieved or exceeded for an applicable Performance Period. It is intended that all amounts payable under the Plan to Participants who are “covered employees” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code will constitute “qualified performance-based compensation” within the meaning of U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, and the Plan and the terms of any awards hereunder shall be so interpreted and construed to the maximum extent possible.

II. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

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

Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee designated by the Board that satisfies any then applicable requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, or such other principal national stock exchange on which the common stock of the Company is then traded, to constitute a compensation committee, and which consists of two or more members of the Board, each of whom shall be an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

Company” shall mean Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto.

Determination Period” shall mean, with respect to any Performance Period, a period commencing on or before the first day of the Performance Period and ending not later than the earlier of (i) 90 days after the commencement of the Performance Period and (ii) the date on which twenty-five percent (25%) of the Performance Period has been completed. Any action required to be taken within a Determination Period may be taken at a later date if permissible under Section 162(m) of the Code or regulations promulgated thereunder, as they may be amended from time to time.

Individual Award Opportunity” shall mean the potential of a Participant to receive an incentive payment based on the extent to which the applicable performance goals for a Performance Period shall have been satisfied. An Individual Award Opportunity may be expressed in U.S. dollars or pursuant to a formula that is consistent with the provisions of the Plan.

Participant” shall mean an officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries who is designated by the Company to participate in the Plan for a Performance Period, in accordance with Article III.

Performance Period” shall mean any period commencing on or after January 1, 2015 for which performance goals are established pursuant to Article IV. A Performance Period may be coincident with one or more fiscal years of the Company or a portion of any fiscal year of the Company.

Plan” shall mean the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Senior Management Incentive Plan, as set forth herein, as it may be amended from time to time.

III. ADMINISTRATION

3.1General. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which shall have the full power and authority to interpret, construe and administer the Plan and any Individual Award Opportunity granted hereunder (including reconciling any inconsistencies, correcting any defaults and addressing any omissions). The Committee’s interpretation, construction and administration of the Plan and all its determinations hereunder shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons for all purposes.

3.2Powers and Responsibilities. The Committee shall have the following discretionary powers, rights and responsibilities in addition to those described in Section 3.1:


 

(a)to designate within the Determination Period the Participants for a Performance Period;

 

(b)

to establish within the Determination Period the performance goals and other terms and conditions that are to apply to each Participant’s Individual Award Opportunity, including the extent to which any incentive payment shall be made

Exhibit B

Information RegardingNon-GAAP Measures

In this Proxy Statement, we provide information regarding the non GAAP financial measures EBITAC, EBITDAC, adjusted EBITDAC margin, and organic revenue. These measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative to, the GAAP information provided in this Proxy Statement. We believe that these presentations provide useful information to management, analysts and investors regarding financial and business trends relating to Gallagher’s results of operations and financial condition.

For 2016, the performance objectives selected by the Compensation Committee were revenue (GAAP) and EBITAC(non-GAAP) growth for our annual cash incentive plan and EBITAC growth for our performance share units – in both cases, for our combined brokerage and risk management segments. The committee believes that these objectives measure performance against key components of our long-term strategy: organic revenue growth, mergers and acquisitions, and productivity and quality. The committee also believes that revenue and EBITAC growth are key drivers of our stock price.

Our industry peers may provide similar supplementalnon-GAAP information related to organic revenues and EBITDAC, although they may not use the same or comparable terminology and may not make identical adjustments. Thenon-GAAP information we provide should be used in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the GAAP information provided in this Proxy Statement. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year amounts in order to conform them to the current year presentation.

Earnings measures – We believe that EBITAC and adjusted EBITDAC margin each provide a meaningful representation of our operating performance. Adjusted EBITDAC margin is presented to improve the comparability of our results between periods by eliminating the impact of items that have a high degree of variability.

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Participant in the event of (A) the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company due to disability, retirement, death or any other reason or (B) a change in control of the Company;

 

(c)to determine in writing prior to the payment under any Incentive Award Opportunity that the performance goals for a Performance Period and other material terms applicable to the Incentive Award Opportunity have been satisfied;

(d)subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, to decide whether, and under what circumstances and subject to what terms, Incentive Award Opportunities are to be paid on a deferred basis, including whether such a deferred payment shall be made solely at the Committee’s discretion or whether a Participant may elect deferred payment; and

(e)to adopt, revise, suspend, waive or repeal, when and as appropriate, in its sole and absolute discretion, such administrative rules, guidelines and procedures for the Plan as it deems necessary or advisable to implement the terms and conditions of the Plan.

3.3Delegation of Power. The Committee may delegate some or all of its power and authority hereunder to the President and Chief Executive Officer or other executive officer of the Company as the Committee deems appropriate; provided, however, that with respect to any person who is a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code or who, in the Committee’s judgment, is likely to be a covered employee at any time during the applicable Performance Period, only the Committee shall be permitted to (i) designate such person to participate in the Plan for such Performance Period, (ii) establish performance goals and Individual Award Opportunities for such person, and (iii) certify the achievement of such performance goals.

IV. PERFORMANCE GOALS

4.1Establishing Performance Goals. The Committee shall establish within the Determination Period of each Performance Period one or more objective performance goals for each Participant or for any group of Participants (or both), provided that the outcome of each goal is substantially uncertain at the time the Committee establishes such goal. Performance goals shall be based exclusively on one or more of the following objective corporate-wide or subsidiary, division, operating unit or individual measures, stated in either absolute terms or relative terms, such as rates of growth or improvement: (i) the attainment of a specified fair market value for shares of our common stock for a specified period of time, (ii) earnings per share, (iii) return to stockholders, (iv) return on assets, (v) return on equity, (vi) revenue, (vii) cash flow, (viii) operating expense reduction, (ix) return on investment, (x) return on capital, (xi) operating margin, (xii) net income, (xiii) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or change in estimated earnout payables or net earnings (either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or change in estimated earnout payables), (xiv) operating earnings, (xv) net cash provided by operations, and (xvi) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives such as (A) geographic business expansion goals, (B) cost targets, (C) customer satisfaction ratings, (D) reductions in errors and omissions, (E) reductions in lost business, (F) management of employment practices and employee benefits, (G) supervision of litigation, (H) satisfactory audit scores, (I) productivity, (J) efficiency, and (K) goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures, or any combination of the foregoing. With respect to Participants who are not “covered employees” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and who, in the Committee’s judgment, are not likely to be a covered employees at any time during the applicable Performance Period, the performance goals established for the Performance Period may consist of any objective corporate-wide or subsidiary, division, operating unit or individual measures, whether or not listed herein. Performance goals shall be subject to such other special rules and conditions as the Committee may establish at any time within the Determination Period.

4.2Impact of Extraordinary Items or Changes in Accounting. The measures utilized in establishing performance goals under the Plan for any given Performance Period shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and in a manner consistent with the methods used in the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements. In the sole discretion of the Committee, but subject to Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee may provide that one or more objectively determinable adjustments shall be made to one or more of the performance goals. Such adjustments may include one or more of the following: (i) items related to a change in accounting principles or applicable law; (ii) items relating to financing activities; (iii) expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives; (iv) other non-operating items; (v) items related to acquisitions; (vi) items attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by the Company during the Performance Period; (vii) items related to the disposal of a business or segment of a business; (viii) items related to discontinued operations that do not qualify as a segment of a business under GAAP; (ix) items attributable to any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares occurring during the Performance Period; (x) any other items of significant income or expense which are determined to be appropriate adjustments; (xi) items relating to unusual or extraordinary corporate transactions, events or developments, (xii) items related to amortization of acquired intangible assets; (xiii) items that are outside the scope of the Company’s core, on-going business activities; or (xiv) items relating to any other unusual or nonrecurring events or changes in applicable laws, accounting principles or business conditions. Such determinations shall be made within the Determination Period or as otherwise required under Section 162(m) of the Code.

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V. INCENTIVE AWARD OPPORTUNITIES

5.1 Terms.At the time performance goals are established for a Performance Period, the Committee also shall establish an Individual Award Opportunity for each Participant or group of Participants, which shall be based on the achievement of one or more specified targets of performance goals. The targets shall be expressed in terms of an objective formula or standard which may, at the discretion of the Committee, be based upon the Participant’s annual base salary or a multiple thereof. In all cases the Committee shall have the sole and absolute discretion to reduce the amount of any payment under any Incentive Award Opportunity that would otherwise be made to any Participant or to decide that no payment shall be made. No Participant shall receive a payment under the Plan with respect to the awards based on performance for a fiscal year of the Company (regardless of the year in which actually paid) in excess of $6,000,000, which maximum amount shall be proportionately adjusted with respect to awards based on Performance Periods that are more or less than a single entire fiscal year in duration.

5.2 Incentive Payments.Payments under Incentive Award Opportunities shall be in cash or shares under a stock incentive plan maintained by the Company, as determined by the Committee, and shall be made at the time determined by the Committee after the end of the Performance Period for which the Incentive Awards are payable, except that no such payment shall be made unless and until the Committee, based to the extent applicable on the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for such Performance Period (as prepared and reviewed by the Company’s independent public accountants), has certified in writing the extent to which the applicable performance goals for such Performance Period have been satisfied.

VI. RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

6.1Restrictive Covenants; Clawback. If, at any time within two years after the payment of an Individual Award Opportunity, the Participant, in the sole determination of the management of the Company, engages in any activity in competition with any activity of the Company, or inimical, contrary or harmful to the interests of the Company, including, but not limited to: (i) conduct related to his or her employment for which either criminal or civil penalties against him may be sought, (ii) violation of Company policies, including, without limitation, the Company’s Global Standards of Business Conduct and Insider Trading Policy, (iii) directly or indirectly, soliciting, placing, accepting, aiding, counseling or consulting in the renewal, discontinuance or replacement of any insurance or reinsurance by, or handling self-insurance programs, insurance claims or other insurance administrative functions (“insurance services”) for, any existing Company account or any actively solicited prospective account of the Company for which the Participant performed any of the foregoing functions during the two-year period immediately preceding his or her termination or providing any employee benefit brokerage, consulting, or administration services, in the areas of group insurance, defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans, individual life, disability and capital accumulation products, investment advisory services and all other employee benefit areas (“benefit services”) the Company is involved with, for any existing Company account or any actively solicited prospective account of the Company for which the Participant performed any of the foregoing functions during the two-year period immediately preceding such termination or, if the Participant has not terminated employment, the date of the prohibited activity (the term Company account as used in this Section 6.1 shall be construed broadly to include all users of insurance services or benefit services including commercial and individual consumers, risk managers, carriers, agents and other insurance intermediaries), (iv) the rendering of services for any organization which is competitive with the Company, (v) employing or recruiting any current or former employee of the Company, (vi) disclosing or misusing any confidential information or material concerning the Company, or (vii) participating in a hostile takeover attempt of the Company, then such Individual Award Opportunity shall be forfeited effective as of the date on which the Participant enters into such activity, unless terminated sooner by operation of another term or condition of the Plan, and such Individual Award Opportunities shall be repaid by the Participant to the Company. For residents of the United Kingdom, if the conduct described above occurs during “garden leave,” 85% of awards paid in the 12-month period, and 60% of awards paid in the 24 months to 12 months, prior to the commencement of garden leave, shall be forfeited and repaid; and if such conduct occurs following termination of employment, then 75% of awards paid in the 12-month period, and 50% of awards paid in the 24 months to 12 months, prior to termination, shall be forfeited and repaid. Such repayment shall include interest measured from the first date the Participant engaged in any of the prohibited activities set forth above at the highest rate allowable under applicable law.

6.2Injunctive Relief. By participating in the Plan, each Participant acknowledges that the Participant’s engaging in activities and behavior in violation of Section 6.1 will result in a loss to the Company which cannot reasonably or adequately be compensated in damages in an action at law, that a breach of Section 6.1 will result in irreparable and continuing harm to the Company and that therefore, in addition to and cumulative with any other remedy which the Company may have at law or in equity, the Company shall be entitled to injunctive relief for a breach of Section 6.1 by the Participant. By participating in the Plan each Participant acknowledges and agrees that the requirement in Section 6.1 that the Participant disgorge and pay over to the Company the payments of Individual Award Opportunities received by such Participant is not a provision for liquidated damages. The Participant agrees to pay any and all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Company in enforcing any breach of any covenant in the Plan.

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6.3Consent to Deduction; Set-Off. To the extent permitted by Section 409A of the Code, by participating in the Plan, each Participant consents to deductions from any amounts the Company owes the Participant from time to time (including amounts owed as wages or other compensation, fringe benefits or vacation pay, as well as any other amounts owed to the Participant by the Company) to the extent of the amounts the Participant owes the Company under Section 6.1. Whether or not the Company elects to make any set-off in whole or in part, if the Company does not recover by means of setoff the full amount owed, calculated as set forth above, the Participant agrees to pay immediately the unpaid balance to the Company.

6.4Compliance with Local Laws. The Committee shall have the right to provide for terms different from those set forth in this Article VI for certain Participants to the extent necessary or advisable, in the Committee’s discretion, for purposes of any local (including state and foreign) laws applicable to such Participants.

VII. GENERAL

7.1Effective Date and Term of Plan. The Plan shall be submitted to the stockholders of the Company for approval at the 2015 annual meeting of stockholders and, if approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of common stock of the Company present in person or represented by proxy at such meeting, shall become effective for Performance Periods beginning on and after January 1, 2015. This Plan shall terminate as of December 31, 2019, unless terminated earlier by the Board. In the event that this Plan is not approved by the stockholders of the Company, this Plan shall be null and void.

7.2Amendment or Termination of Plan. The Board may amend or terminate this Plan as it shall deem advisable, subject to any requirement of stockholder approval required by applicable law, rule or regulation, including Section 162(m) of the Code.

7.3Non-Transferability of Awards. No award under the Plan shall be transferable other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to beneficiary designation procedures approved by the Company. Except to the extent permitted by the foregoing sentence, no award may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, hypothecated, encumbered or otherwise disposed of (whether by operation of law or otherwise) or be subject to execution, attachment or similar process. Upon any attempt to sell, transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate, encumber or otherwise dispose of any such award, such award and all rights thereunder shall immediately become null and void.

7.4Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the right to require, prior to the payment of any amount pursuant to an award made hereunder, payment by the Participant of any Federal, state, local or other taxes which may be required to be withheld or paid in connection with such award.

7.5No Right of Participation or Employment. No person shall have any right to participate in this Plan. Neither this Plan nor any award made hereunder shall confer upon any person any right to continued employment by the Company, any subsidiary or any affiliate of the Company or affect in any manner the right of the Company, any subsidiary or any affiliate of the Company to terminate the employment of any person at any time without liability hereunder.

7.6Designation of Beneficiary. If permitted by the Company, a Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of one or more persons as such Participant’s beneficiary or beneficiaries (both primary and contingent) in the event of the Participant’s death. Each beneficiary designation shall become effective only when filed in writing with the Committee during the Participant’s lifetime on a form prescribed by the Committee. The spouse of a married Participant domiciled in a community property jurisdiction shall join in any designation of a beneficiary other than such spouse. The filing with the Committee of a new beneficiary designation shall cancel all previously filed beneficiary designations. If a Participant fails to designate a beneficiary, or if all designated beneficiaries of a Participant predecease the Participant, then each outstanding award shall be payable to the Participant’s executor, administrator, legal representative or similar person.

7.7Recovery Policy. Notwithstanding any other provisions in the Plan, any Individual Award Opportunity which is subject to recovery under any law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement, will be subject to such deductions and clawback as may be required to be made pursuant to such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement (or any recoupment policy adopted by the Company, including a policy adopted by the Company in response to any such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement).

7.8Governing Law. This Plan and each award hereunder, and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant thereto, to the extent not otherwise governed by the Code or the laws of the United States, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Illinois and construed in accordance therewith without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws.

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7.9Other Plans. Neither the adoption of the Plan nor the submission of the Plan to the Company’s stockholders for their approval shall be construed as limiting the power of the Board or the Committee to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may otherwise deem appropriate.

7.10 Binding Effect. The Plan shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and the Participants and their beneficiaries, personal representatives and heirs. If the Company becomes a party to any merger, consolidation or reorganization, then the Plan shall remain in full force and effect as an obligation of the Company or its successors in interest, unless the Plan is amended or terminated pursuant to Section 7.2.

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EXHIBIT C

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES

In this proxy statement, we provide information regarding EBITAC, adjusted EBITDAC margin, adjusted compensation expense ratio, adjusted operating expense ratio, adjusted net earnings (relating only to our clean energy investments) and organic revenue measures. These measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative to, the GAAP information provided in this proxy statement. We believe that these presentations provide useful information to investors regarding financial and business trends relating to our results of operations and financial condition. Our industry peers may provide similar supplemental non-GAAP information related to organic revenues and EBITDAC, although they may not use the same or comparable terminology and may not make identical adjustments. The non-GAAP information we provide should be used in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the GAAP information provided in this proxy statement. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year amounts in order to conform them to the current year presentation.

Adjusted presentation - We believe that the adjusted financial information presented herein provides stockholders and other interested persons with useful information regarding certain financial metrics that may assist such persons in analyzing our operating results as they develop a future earnings outlook for us. The after-tax amounts related to the adjustments were computed using the normalized effective tax rate for each respective period.

Adjusted revenues and expenses - We define these measures as revenues, compensation expense and operating expense, respectively, each adjusted to exclude net gains realized from sales of books of business, acquisition integration costs, claim portfolio transfer and South Australia ramp up fees/costs, New South Wales client run-off costs, workforce related charges, lease termination related charges, acquisition related adjustments and the impact of foreign currency translation, as applicable. Integration costs include costs related to transactions not expected to occur on an ongoing basis in the future once we fully assimilate the applicable acquisition. These costs are typically associated with redundant workforce, extra lease space, duplicate services and external costs incurred to assimilate the acquisition with our IT related systems.

Adjusted ratios - Adjusted compensation expense ratio and adjusted operating expense ratio are defined as adjusted compensation expense and adjusted operating expense, respectively, each divided by adjusted revenues.

Earnings Measures - We believe that EBITAC and adjusted EBITDAC margin each provide a meaningful representation of our operating performance. We consider EBITAC as a way to measure financial performance on an ongoing basis. Adjusted EBITDAC margin is presented to improve the comparability of our results between periods by eliminating the impact of items that have a high degree of variability.

EBITAC -
EBITAC We define this measure as net earnings before interest, income taxes, amortization and the change in estimated acquisition earnout payables.

 

EBITDAC - We define this measure as net earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and the change in estimated acquisition earnout payables.

 

Adjusted EBITDAC - We define this measure as EBITDAC adjusted to exclude net gains realized from sales of books of business, acquisition integration costs, workforce related charges, lease termination related charges, claim portfolio transfer and South Australia ramp up fees/costs, New South Wales client run-off costs, acquisition related adjustments and the period-over-period impact of foreign currency translation, as applicable. The amounts excluded with respect to foreign currency translation are calculated by applying current year foreign exchange rates to the same periods in the prior year.

 

Adjusted EBITDAC margin - We define this measure as adjusted EBITDAC divided by total adjusted revenues (see table below).

Adjusted net earnings- We use this measure only with respect to our clean energy investments and define it as net earnings adjusted to exclude non-cash after-tax gains of $14.1 million and $5.8 million from re-consolidation accounting gains related to clean-energy investments recorded in first quarters of 2014 and 2013, respectively.

Organic Revenues - For the Brokerage segment, organic change in base commission and fee revenues excludes the first twelve months of net commission and fee revenues generated from acquisitions accounted for as purchases and the net commission and fee revenues related to operations disposed of in each year presented. These commissions and fees are excluded from organic revenues in order to help interested persons analyze the revenue growth associated with the operations that were a part of our

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businessGallagher in both the current and prior year. In addition, change in base commission and fee revenue organic growth excludes the period-over-period impact of foreign currency translation. The amounts excluded with respect to foreign currency translation are calculated by applying current year foreign exchange rates to the same prior year periods. For the Risk Management segment, organic change in fee revenues excludes the first twelve months of fee revenues generated from acquisitions accounted for as purchases and the fee revenues related to operations disposed of in each year presented. In addition, change in organic growth excludes the impact of fees from acquisitions,run-off of the New South Australia ramp-up fees, New Zealand earthquake claims administrationWales Workers’ Compensation Scheme and other closed down operations and the period-over-period impact of foreign currency translation to improve the comparability of our results between periods by eliminating the impact of the items that have a high degree of variability or are due to the limited-time nature of these revenue sources.

These revenue items are excluded from organic revenues in order to determine a comparable measurement of revenue growth that is associated with the revenue sources that are expected to continue in the current fiscal year and beyond. We haveGallagher has historically viewed organic revenue growth as an important indicator when assessing and evaluating the performance of ourits brokerage and risk management segments. Gallagher also believes that using this measure allows readers of our financial statements to measure, analyze and compare the growth from its brokerage and risk management segments in a meaningful and consistent manner.

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

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EXHIBIT B: INFORMATION REGARDING NON-GAAP MEASURES

All figures are unaudited and in millions except percentages

EBITAC

 

  
Brokerage and Risk Management    2014     2013     2012     2011     2010          2016                  2015                  2014                  2013                  2012         

Earnings from continuing operations

    $305.0      $251.0      $198.3      $173.5      $166.8   $414.3  $325.3  $305.9  $253.2  $199.4 

Provision for income taxes

     176.3       150.1       128.9       107.7       108.0    229.4   180.4   176.3   150.1   128.9 

Amortization

     189.5       125.2       99.0       79.3       60.8    247.2   240.3   189.5   125.2   99.0 

Change in estimated acquisition earnout payables

     17.5       1.7       3.4       (6.2     (2.6  32.1   40.6   17.5   1.7   3.4 
  

EBITAC

    $688.3      $528.0      $429.6      $354.3      $333.0   $923.0  $786.6  $689.2  $530.2  $430.7 
  

EBITAC growth

     30.4     22.9     21.2     6.4     7.4  17.3  14.1  30.0  23.1  21.6

EBITDAC

 

  
EBITDAC – Brokerage    2014     2013          2016                  2015         

Net earnings

    $263.8      $204.8   $357.1  $268.1 

Provision for income taxes

     151.8       122.8    194.1   145.3 

Depreciation

     44.7       31.1    57.2   54.4 

Amortization

     186.7       122.7    244.7   237.3 

Change in estimated acquisition earnout payables

     17.5       2.6    32.1   41.1 
  

EBITDAC

    $664.5      $484.0   $885.2  $746.2 
        
EBITDAC – Risk Management    2014     2013 

Net earnings

    $41.2      $46.2  

Provision for income taxes

     24.5       27.3  

Depreciation

     20.9       19.4  

Amortization

     2.8       2.5  

Change in estimated acquisition estimated payables

            (0.9

EBITDAC

    $89.4      $94.5  
        
EBITDAC – Brokerage and Risk Management    2014     2013 

Net earnings

    $305.0      $251.0  

Provision for income taxes

     176.3       150.1  

Depreciation

     65.6       50.5  

Amortization

     189.5       125.2  

Change in estimated acquisition estimated payables

     17.5       1.7  

EBITDAC

    $753.9      $578.5  

   

EBITDAC – Risk Management

         2016                  2015         

Net earnings

 $57.2  $57.2 

Provision for income taxes

  35.3   35.1 

Depreciation

  27.2   24.3 

Amortization

  2.5   3.0 

Change in estimated acquisition estimated payables

     (0.5
   

EBITDAC

 $122.2  $119.1 

   

EBITDAC – Brokerage and Risk Management

         2016                  2015         

Net earnings

 $414.3  $325.3 

Provision for income taxes

  229.4   180.4 

Depreciation

  84.4   78.7 

Amortization

  247.2   240.3 

Change in estimated acquisition estimated payables

  32.1   40.6 
   

EBITDAC

 $1,007.4  $865.3 

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2017 PROXY STATEMENT

LOGO


EXHIBIT B: INFORMATION REGARDING NON-GAAP MEASURES

 

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ADJUSTED EBITDAC MARGIN AND ADJUSTED REVENUES

 

ADJUSTED EBITDAC    2014     2013 

Brokerage – EBITDAC

    $664.5      $484.0  

Gains on book sales

     (7.3     (5.2

Acquisition integration

     67.1       24.1  

Workforce and lease termination

     8.0       7.8  

Acquisition related adjustments

     1.1         

Levelized foreign currency translation

            (0.2

Brokerage – Adjusted EBITDAC

    $733.4      $510.5  

Risk Management – EBITDAC

    $89.4      $94.5  

New South Wales client run-off

     12.9         

Workforce and lease termination

     0.8       1.7  

Claim portfolio transfer and South Australia ramp up

     6.4       (0.1

Levelized foreign currency translation

            (1.6

Risk Management – Adjusted EBITDAC

     109.5       94.5  

Brokerage and Risk Management – Adjusted EBITDAC

    $842.9      $605.0  

Brokerage and Risk Management – Adjusted EBITDAC Margin

     23.6     22.0
        
ADJUSTED REVENUES    2014     2013 

Brokerage – Reported Revenues

    $2,914.3      $2,144.3  

Gains on book sales

     (7.3     (5.2

Levelized foreign currency translation

            10.8  

Brokerage – Adjusted Revenues

    $2,907.0      $2,149.9  

Risk Management – Reported Revenues

    $664.3      $611.0  

Claim portfolio transfer and South Australia ramp up

            (1.4

Levelized foreign currency translation

            (5.5

Risk Management – Adjusted Revenues

    $664.3      $604.1  

Brokerage and Risk Management – Adjusted Revenues

    $3,571.3      $2,754.0  

   

ADJUSTED EBITDAC

         2016                  2015         

Brokerage – EBITDAC

 $885.2  $746.2 

Gains on book sales

  (6.6  (6.7

Acquisition integration

  45.7   100.9 

Workforce and lease termination

  20.7   23.0 

Acquisition related adjustments

  3.7   3.4 

Levelized foreign currency translation

     (10.0
   

Brokerage – Adjusted EBITDAC

 $948.7  $856.8 

Risk Management – EBITDAC

 $122.2  $119.1 

Clientrun-off/bankruptcy

     4.0 

Workforce and lease termination

  2.2   2.9 

Levelized foreign currency translation

     (1.1
   

Risk Management – Adjusted EBITDAC

  124.4   124.9 
   

Brokerage and Risk Management – Adjusted EBITDAC

 $1,073.1  $981.7 
   

Brokerage and Risk Management – Adjusted EBITDAC Margin

  25.3  24.8

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ORGANIC REVENUE GROWTH

 

Brokerage – Organic Revenue Growth    2014     2013 

Commissions and Fees

         

Commission revenues as reported

    $2,083.0      $1,553.1  

Fee revenues as reported

     595.0       450.5  

Less commission and fee revenues from acquisitions

     (595.2       

Less disposed of operations

            (8.5

Levelized foreign currency translation

            9.7  

Organic base commission and fee revenues

    $2,082.8      $2,004.8  

Organic change in base commission and fee revenues

     3.9    

Supplemental Commissions

         

Supplemental commissions as reported

    $104.0      $77.3  

Less supplemental commissions from acquisitions

     (25.2       

Organic supplemental commissions

    $78.8      $77.3  

Organic change in supplemental commissions

     1.9    

Contingent Commissions

         

Contingent commissions as reported

    $84.7      $52.1  

Less contingent commissions from acquisitions

     (19.9       

Organic contingent commissions

    $64.8      $52.1  

Organic change in contingent commissions

     24.4    

Combination Calculations

         

Organic change in commissions and fees and supplemental commissions

     4.3    
   

Brokerage – Organic Revenue Growth

         2016                  2015         

Commission revenues as reported

 $3,214.8  $3,044.5 

Less commission and fees from acquisitions

  (173.2   

Less disposed of operations

     (3.3

Levelized foreign currency translation

     (78.7

Organic base commissions and fees

 $3,041.6  $2,962.5 
   

Supplemental commissions as reported

 $147.0  $125.5 

Less supplemental commissions from acquisitions

  (1.5   

Less disposed of operations

     (0.3

Levelized foreign currency translation

     (6.3

Organic supplemental commissions

 $145.5  $118.9 
   

Contingent commissions as reported

 $107.2  $93.7 

Less contingent commissions from acquisitions

  (7.6   

Less disposed of operations

     (0.2

Levelized foreign currency translation

     (1.0

Organic contingent commissions

 $99.6  $92.5 

Organic base commissions and fees, supplemental commissions and contingent commissions

 $3,286.7  $3,173.9 
   

Organic change in base commissions and fees, supplemental commissions and contingent commissions

  3.6    

 

  
Risk Management – Organic Revenue Growth    2014     2013          2016                  2015         

Fees

    $644.6      $589.0   $713.5  $710.9 

International performance bonus fees

     18.7       20.0    3.6   15.6 

Fees as reported

     663.3       609.0    717.1   726.5 

Less fees from acquisitions

     (4.1         (3.1   

Less South Australia ramp up fees

            (1.4

New Zealand earthquake claims administration

            (0.1

Less clientrun-off

  (0.1  (16.7

Levelized foreign currency translation

            (5.3     (4.7

Organic fees

    $659.2      $602.2   $713.9  $705.1 
  

Organic change in fees

     9.5      1.3   

 

  
Combined Brokerage and Risk Management – Organic Revenue Growth    2014     2013          2016                  2015         
  

Combined organic commissions and fees

    $2,885.6      $2,736.4   $4,000.6  $3,879.0 
  

Organic change in commissions and fees

     5.5      3.1   

LOGO

2017 PROXY STATEMENT

B-3


 

C-4Exhibit C


ADJUSTED COMPENSATION EXPENSE RATIOResources

 

Brokerage – Adjusted Compensation Expense    2014     2013 

Reported compensation expense

    $1,715.7      $1,290.4  

Acquisition integration

     (45.3     (10.9

Workforce and lease termination related charges

     (7.4     (7.7

Acquisition related adjustments

     (1.1       

Levelized foreign currency translation

            8.6  

Adjusted compensation expense

    $1,661.9      $1,280.4  

Adjusted revenues

    $2,907.0      $2,149.9  

Adjusted compensation expense ratio

     57.2     59.56
        
Risk Management – Adjusted Compensation Expense    2014     2013 

Reported compensation expense

    $401.6      $370.5  

New South Wales client run-off

     (1.7       

Claim portfolio transfer ramp up costs

     (3.6     (1.2

Workforce and lease termination related charges

     (0.6     (1.7

Levelized foreign currency translation

            (3.2

Adjusted compensation expense

    $395.7      $364.4  

Adjusted revenues

    $664.3      $604.1  

Adjusted compensation expense ratio

     59.6     60.3
        
Brokerage and Risk Management Combined    2014     2013 

Adjusted compensation expense

    $2,057.6      $1,644.8  

Adjusted revenues

     3,571.3       2,754.0  

Adjusted compensation expense ratio

     57.6     59.7

ADJUSTED OPERATING EXPENSE RATIO

Annual Meeting

Proxy Statement

www.ajg.com/ir > Financial Reports > 2017 Proxy Statement

Annual Report

www.ajg.com/ir > Financial Reports > 2016 Annual Report

 

Brokerage – Adjusted Operating Expense    2014     2013 

Reported operating expense

    $534.1      $369.9  

Acquisition integration

     (21.8     (13.2

Workforce and lease termination related charges

     (0.6     (0.1

Levelized foreign currency translation

            2.4  

Adjusted operating expense

    $511.7      $359.0  

Adjusted revenues

    $2,907.0      $2,149.9  

Adjusted operating expense ratio

     17.6     16.7
        
Risk Management – Adjusted Operating Expense    2014     2013 

Reported operating expense

    $173.3      $146.0  

New South Wales client run off

     (11.2       

Claim portfolio transfer and South Australia ramp up costs

     (2.8     (0.1

Workforce and lease termination related charges

     (0.2       

Levelized foreign currency translation

            (0.7

Adjusted operating expense

    $159.1      $145.2  

Adjusted revenues

    $664.3      $604.1  

Adjusted operating expense ratio

     24.0     24.0
        
Brokerage and Risk Management Combined    2014     2013 

Adjusted compensation expense

    $670.8      $504.2  

Adjusted revenues

    $3,571.3      $2,754.0  

Adjusted compensation expense ratio

     18.8     18.3

Board of Directors

Board of Directors

www.ajg.com/ir > Corporate Governance > Board of Directors

Board Committee Members

www.ajg.com/ir > Corporate Governance > Committee Members

Audit Committee Charter

www.ajg.com/ir > Corporate Governance > Audit Committee Charter

Compensation Committee Charter

www.ajg.com/ir > Corporate Governance > Compensation Committee Charter

Nominating/Governance Committee Charter

www.ajg.com/ir > Corporate Governance > Nominating/Governance Committee Charter

 

C-5

Governance Documents

Global Standards of Business Conduct

www.ajg.com/ir > Corporate Governance > Global Standards of Business Conduct

Governance Guidelines

www.ajg.com/ir > Corporate Governance > Governance Guidelines

Other Resources

The Gallagher Way

www.ajg.com/about-us/the-gallagher-way/

Corporate Social Responsibility

www.ajg.com/about-us/corporate-social-responsibility/

LOGO

2017 PROXY STATEMENT

C-1


LOGOLOGO

ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO.

THE GALLAGHER CENTRE2850 GOLF ROAD

TWO PIERCE PLACE

ITASCA,ROLLING MEADOWS, IL 60143-314160008

VOTE BY INTERNET -www.proxyvote.com

Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on May 31, 2015.15, 2017. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.

ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS

If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by our company in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically viae-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years.

VOTE BY PHONE -1-800-690-6903

Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on May 31, 2015.15, 2017. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.

VOTE BY MAIL

Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.

 

TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS:

M88726-P60670                     

E19367-P87844              
  KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS
  DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY

THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.

 

ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO.

 

       

The Board of Directors recommends you vote

FOR the following:

          
            
1. Election of Directors For Against Abstain      
 

 

1a.

 

 

Sherry S. Barrat

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

     
 

 

1b.

 

 

William L. Bax

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposals 2, 3 4 and 5.4. 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

 

1c.

 

 

D. John Coldman

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

2.

 

 

RatificationApproval of the Appointment2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan including Authorized Shares thereunder and Material Terms of Ernst & Young LLP as our Independent AuditorPerformance Goals.

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 
 

 

1d.

 

 

Frank E. English, Jr.

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

      

3.

Approval of the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

¨
¨
¨
 

 

1e.

 

 

J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr.

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

4.

 

Approval of the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Senior Management Incentive Plan

3.

 ¨

Ratification of the Appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our Independent Auditor for 2017.

 ¨

 ¨

 
 

 

1f.

 

 

Elbert O. Hand

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 
     

5.

Approval of the Compensation of our Named Executive Officers

¨¨¨
 

 

1g.

 

 

David S. Johnson

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 4. Approval, on an Advisory Basis, of the Compensation of our Named Executive Officers.   
 

 

1h.

 

 

Kay W. McCurdy

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

The Board of Directors recommends you vote for 1 YEAR on the following proposal.

 

1 Year

 

2 Years

 

3 Years

 

Abstain

 

 

1i.

Ralph J. Nicoletti

5.

Advisory Vote on the Frequency of Future Stockholder Votes to Approve the Compensation of our Named Executive Officers.

1j.

 

 

Norman L. Rosenthal

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

 

 

¨

      
               
 Yes
No       YesNo

 

Please indicate if you plan to attend this meeting

¨

¨meeting.

  

 

  
               

Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer.

      

               
               
 Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] Date     Signature (Joint Owners) Date   

V.1.1


Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting:

The 2017 Notice &and Proxy Statement and 2016 Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com.

 

 

 

M88727-P60670E19368-P87844

 

ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO.

Annual Meeting of Stockholders

June 1, 2015 3:May 16, 2017 9:00 PM, BSTAM CDT

This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors

The undersigned hereby appoints J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr. and Walter D. Bay, each of whom is an officer of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., or either of them, as proxies, each with the power to appoint his substitute, and hereby authorizes them to represent and to vote, as designated on the reverse side of this ballot, all of the shares of common stockCommon Stock of ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO. that the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at 3:9:00 PM, BSTAM, CDT on June 1, 2015,May 16, 2017, at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., The Walbrook Building, 25 Walbrook Place, London EC4N 8AW, England,2850 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008, and any adjournment or postponement thereof. In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before theAnnual Meeting of Stockholders or any adjournment thereof (including, if applicable, on any matter which the Board of Directors did not know would be presented at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders.Stockholders by a reasonable time before the proxy solicitation was made or for the election of a person to the Board of Directors if any nominee named in Proposal 1 becomes unable to serve or for good cause will not serve).

This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein. If no such direction is made, this proxy will be voted in accordance with the Board of Directors’ recommendations.

Continued and to be signed on reverse side

V.1.1