The Committee shall have complete and discretionary authority to (a) select Participants, (b) determine the Award to be granted to a selected Participant, (c) determine the time or times when Awards will be granted, (d) determine the time or times and the conditions subject to which Awards may become vested or Restrictions will lapse, (e) interpret and construe the Plan and the rights of a Participant to an Award and make determinations, subject to the provisions of the Plan, in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.
The Committee may delegate nondiscretionary administrative duties under the Plan to one or more agents (e.g., attorneys, consultants, etc.) or officers as it deems necessary and advisable at the expense of the Company.
Any power that may be exercised by the Committee may also be exercised by the Board. No member of the Committee or the Board shall be personally liable for any action taken or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or its administration. All decisions made by the Committee as administrators of the Plan shall be conclusive and binding upon all persons and the Company.
5. Shares subject to the Plan
The maximum number of shares of Restricted Stock that may be issued or transferred under the Plan is 3,750,000, of which 350,000 shares shall be Common Stock, 350,000 shares shall be Class A Common Stock and 3,050,000 shares, at the discretion of the Committee, shall be any combination of Common Stock or Class A Common Stock. Any shares of Restricted Stock which have been awarded, but are later forfeited to the Company, will again be available for Awards under the Plan.
The Restricted Stock that may be issued or transferred under the Plan may be authorized but unissued Shares or Shares acquired by the Company and held in its Treasury as determined by the Committee.
6. Grant of Restricted Stock Awards
The Committee shall from time to time, in its discretion, (i) select Participants from employees and Non-Employee Directors of the Company, including members of the Committee, (ii) determine the number and class of Shares to be granted by each Award, and (iii) establish the applicable terms of each such Award. An Award granted to a Non-Employee Director of the Company shall be held by such Non-Employee Director for a period of at least six (6) months following the date of grant.
7. Award Agreement
Each Restricted Stock Award shall be evidenced by a written agreement, executed by the Participant and the Company, which shall contain the terms and conditions established by the Committee.
8. Terms of Restricted Stock Awards
Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine:
•The terms and conditions of the Award Agreement, including whether an Award shall consist of Common Stock, Class A Common Stock, or both;
•The Restricted Period of the Award; and
•The Restrictions applicable to an Award, including, but not limited to, employment status and director tenure rules governing forfeitures and limitations on the sale, assignment, pledge or other encumbrances during the Restricted Period.
The Committee may, in its discretion, determine that the issuance of stock certificates representing the Restricted Stock Awards be held in custody by the Company until the Restrictions lapse.
The Participant may, in the discretion of the Committee, receive any dividends, taxable at that time as ordinary income, and other distributions paid with respect to any Award(s), as declared and paid to shareholders during the Restricted Periods.
Upon the lapse of Restrictions, the value of the Restricted Stock will be taxable as ordinary income. At the Committee's discretion, an arrangement may be made by the Company to assist the Participant in meeting the withholding taxes required by federal, state and local authorities.
9. Termination of Employment during Restricted Period Absent a Change in Control
In the event that during the term of the Restricted Period a Participant's status as an employee or Non-Employee Director of the Company terminates:
•for any reason other than death, Disability or Retirement, such Participant shall forfeit any and all Restricted Stock Awards whose Restrictions have not lapsed; or,
•by reason of death or Disability, the Restrictions on any and all Awards shall lapse on the date of such termination; or,