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
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oSoliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-12
PLYMOUTH OPPORTUNITY REIT, INC. |
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) |
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___________________________
PLYMOUTH OPPORTUNITY REIT, INC.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON JUNE 3, 2014
To Our Stockholders:
You are invited to attend our annual meeting of stockholders that will be held at Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. Headquarters, 260 Franklin Street, Suite 1900, Boston, Massachusetts 02110 on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time. The purpose of the meeting is to vote on the following proposals.
Proposal 1: | To elect five directors to hold office for one year terms expiring at the 2014 annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors are elected and qualified.
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Proposal 2 | To approve the Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. and Plymouth Opportunity OP LP 2014 Incentive Award Plan.
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Proposal 3: | To ratify the appointment of Marcum LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014.
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Proposal 4: | To take action upon any other business as may properly come before the meeting, including approving any motion to adjourn to a later time to permit further solicitation of proxies if necessary to establish a quorum or to obtain additional votes in favor of the proposals. |
Stockholders of record at the close of business on April 30, 2014 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting. This proxy statement, a proxy card and our 2013 annual report to stockholders is being mailed to you on or about April 30, 2014. A copy of this proxy statement and our 2013 annual report to stockholders have been posted and made available for viewing online at http://www.plymouthreit.com/plymouth/2013-proxy-ar.pdf. Paper copies will be provided without charge upon written request.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. The presence, in person or represented by proxy, of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote at the annual meeting as of the record date is necessary to constitute a quorum at the annual meeting. Accordingly, you are asked to vote and return your proxy, whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
/s/ Pendleton White, Jr.
Pendleton White, Jr.
President, Chief Investment Officer and Secretary
April 30, 2014
Boston, Massachusetts
Table of Contents
Page | ||
INTRODUCTION | 1 | |
Who May Vote | 1 | |
How You May Vote | 1 | |
How You May Revoke Your Proxy | 2 | |
Quorum | 2 | |
Required Vote | 2 | |
Adjournments | 3 | |
Cost of Proxy Solicitation | 3 | |
PROPOSAL 1 ? ELECTION OF DIRECTORS | 3 | |
General | 3 | |
Nomination of Directors | 3 | |
Nominees | 4 | |
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE MATTERS | 6 | |
Board of Directors | 6 | |
Board Leadership Structure; Board Role in Risk Oversight | 6 | |
Board Meetings and Committees | 7 | |
Audit Committee | 8 | |
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee | 8 | |
General | 8 | |
Report of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee | 9 | |
Compensation Committee | 12 | |
Corporate Governance | 13 | |
Executive Officers and Directors | 14 | |
Compensation of Directors | 15 | |
STOCK OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS | 15 | |
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance | 16 | |
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS | 16 | |
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION | 16 | |
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS | 16 | |
PROPOSAL 2 ? EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN | 18 | |
PROPOSAL 3 ? RATIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM | 22 | |
PROPOSAL 4 ? ADJOURNMENT OF THE SPECIAL MEETING | 23 | |
OTHER MATTERS | 23 | |
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS | 23 |
PROXY STATEMENT
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
June 3, 2014
Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc.
260 Franklin Street, Suite 1900
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
The board of directors of Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. ("we," "us," "our" or the "company") is soliciting proxies to be used at our 2014 annual meeting of stockholders to be held at 260 Franklin Street, Suite 1900, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time. This proxy statement and accompanying proxy card are first being made available to stockholders on or about May 2, 2014. This proxy statement and our 2013 annual report to stockholders have been posted and made available for viewing online at http://www.plymouthreit.com/plymouth/2013-proxy-ar-pdf. Our 2013 annual report to stockholders and does not constitute part of this proxy statement.
Who May Vote
Only stockholders of record at the close of business on April 30, 2014, the record date, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting. As of April 30, 2014, we had 1,272,697 shares of common stock issued and outstanding. Each common stockholder of record on the record date is entitled to one vote on each matter properly brought before the annual meeting for each common share held.
How You May Vote
You may vote using any of the following methods:
● | BY FAX: Mark, sign and date the proxy card and fax it to ACS Securities, Inc. at (214)-887-7411. After indicating your votes by fax, you will not need to submit any further proxy materials by mail. The named proxies will vote your shares according to your directions. If you submit a signed proxy card without indicating your vote, the person voting will vote your shares FOR each of the proposals. | |
● | BY MAIL: Mark, sign, and date the proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided, or return it to ASC Securities Services Inc., 14911 Quorum Drive, Suite 200A, Dallas, Texas 75254. The named proxies will vote your shares according to your directions. If you submit a signed proxy card without indicating your vote, the person voting the proxy will vote your shares FOR each of the proposals. | |
● | BY ATTENDING THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTING IN PERSON. | |
The persons authorized under the proxies will vote on any other business that may properly come before the annual meeting, including a proposal to adjourn or postpone the annual meeting to permit us to solicit additional proxies if necessary to establish a quorum or to obtain additional votes in favor of any proposal, according to their best judgment to the same extent as the person delivering the proxy would be entitled to vote. We do not anticipate that any other matters will be raised at the meeting.
What Are The Board's Recommendations?
The Board recommends that you vote your shares as follows:
● | Proposal 1: FOR the election of each of Messrs. Jeffrey E. Witherell, Pendleton White, Jr., Philip S. Cottone, Richard J. DeAgazio and David G. Gaw, each to serve until the 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier death, retirement or resignation; |
● | Proposal 2: FOR the approval of the Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. and Plymouth Opportunity OP LP 2014 Incentive Award Plan; and |
● | Proposal 3: FOR the ratification of Marcum LLP as our independent registered public Accounting Firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014. |
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How You May Revoke Your Proxy
You may revoke your proxy at any time before it is exercised by:
● | giving written notice of revocation to Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc., Attn.: Corporate Secretary, 260 Franklin Street, Suite 1900, Boston, Massachusetts 02110; |
● | timely delivering a properly executed, later-dated proxy; or |
● | voting in person at the annual meeting |
Voting by proxy will in no way limit your right to vote at the annual meeting if you later decide to attend in person. Please sign and return your proxy promptly to assure that your shares are represented at the annual meeting.
Quorum
The presence, in person or represented by proxy, of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote at the annual meeting as of the record date is necessary to constitute a quorum at the annual meeting. However, if a quorum is not present at the annual meeting, the stockholders, present in person or represented by proxy, have the power to adjourn the annual meeting until a quorum is present or represented. Pursuant to our bylaws, abstentions are counted as present and entitled to vote for purposes of determining a quorum at the annual meeting. Shares held by brokers or nominees as to which instructions have not been received from the beneficial owners of the shares and as to which the brokers or nominees do not have discretionary voting power on a particular matter (referred to as "broker non-votes") will be counted as present and entitled to vote for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum at the annual meeting.
Required Vote
With regard to the election of directors, you may vote "FOR ALL" of the nominees, you may withhold your vote for all of the nominees by voting "WITHHOLD ALL," or you may vote for all of the nominees except for certain nominees by voting "FOR ALL EXCEPT," and listing the names of the nominee(s) for whom you want your vote withheld in the space provided on the proxy card. Under our charter, a majority of the shares entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy at an annual meeting at which a quorum is present is required for the election of the directors. This means that, of the shares entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy at an annual meeting, a director nominee needs to receive affirmative votes from a majority of such shares in order to be elected to the board of directors. Because of this majority vote requirement, "withhold"votes will have the effect of a vote against each nominee for director. Broker non-votes (discussed below), since they are not entitled to vote, will have no effect on the determination of this proposal. If an incumbent director nominee fails to receive the required number of votes for reelection, then under Maryland law, he will continue to serve as a "holdover" director until his successor is duly elected and qualified. If you submit a proxy card with no further instructions, your shares will be voted in accordance with the recommendation of the board of directors.
With regard to approval of the Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. and Plymouth Opportunity OP LP 2014 Incentive Award Plan, including the performance goals established under the plan for purposes of compliance with Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the proposal by stockholders of record as of the record date that are present, in person or by proxy, at a meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present is required. Under applicable Maryland law, abstentions will be taken into account for the purpose of determining whether a quorum is present at the meeting, but will not be counted as votes cast or shares voting on the proposal and will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.
With regard to the proposal relating to the appointment of Marcum LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014, you may vote "FOR" or "AGAINST" the proposal, or you may "ABSTAIN" from voting on the proposal. Under our bylaws, a majority of the votes cast at an annual meeting at which a quorum is present is required for the ratification of the appointment of Marcum LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not count as votes actually cast with respect to determining if a majority vote is obtained under our bylaws and will have no effect on the determination of this proposal. If you submit a proxy card with no further instructions, your shares will be voted in accordance with the recommendation of the board of directors.
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All other business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the proposal by stockholders of record as of the record date that are present, in person or by proxy, at a meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present. Under applicable Maryland law, abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will not be counted as votes cast or shares voting on the proposal and, therefore, will have no effect on the outcome of the vote, although abstentions and broker non-votes will be taken into account for the purpose of determining whether a quorum is present at the meeting.
Adjournments
Although it is not currently expected, the annual meeting may be adjourned for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies. Any adjournment may be made without notice by announcement at the annual meeting of the new date, time and place of the annual meeting. At the adjourned meeting the company may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original annual meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days or if, after the adjournment, a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each registered stockholder entitled to vote at the annual meeting. Whether or not a quorum exists, holders of a majority of the shares of the company’s common stock present in person or represented by proxy at the annual meeting and entitled to vote thereat may adjourn the annual meeting. Any signed proxies received by the company in which no voting instructions are provided on such matter will be voted in favor of an adjournment in these circumstances. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on Proposal 4 to adjourn the meeting. Any adjournment of the annual meeting for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies will allow the company’s stockholders who have already returned their proxies to revoke them at any time prior to their use at the annual meeting was adjourned.
Cost of Proxy Solicitation
The cost of soliciting proxies will be borne by us. Proxies may be solicited on our behalf by our directors and officers, in person, by mail, telephone, facsimile or by other electronic means. In accordance with regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), we will reimburse brokerage firms and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for their expenses incurred in mailing proxies and proxy materials and soliciting proxies from the beneficial owners of our common stock.
PROPOSAL 1 ─ ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
General
At the annual meeting, five directors will be elected by the stockholders, each to serve for a term of one year until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his successor has been duly elected and qualified, or until the earliest of his, resignation or retirement.
The persons named in the enclosed proxy will vote your shares as you specify on the enclosed proxy. If you return your properly executed proxy but fail to specify how you want your shares voted, the shares will be voted in favor of the nominees listed below. The board of directors has proposed the following nominees for election as directors at the annual meeting. Each of the nominees is currently a member of the board of directors.
Each director has consented to being named in this proxy statement and to serve if elected. The board of directors knows of no reason why such directors would be unable to serve. If any of the directors should for any reason become unable to serve, then valid proxies will be voted for the election of such substitute nominee as the board of directors may designate, the board of directors may reduce the number of directors to eliminate the vacancy or the position may remain vacant.
Nomination of Directors
General
The nominating and corporate governance committee of our board of directors will consider nominees for director positions made by stockholders, and will evaluate all nominees using the same standards, regardless of who recommended the nominee. Stockholders should send nominations to Philip S. Cottone, c/o Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc., 260 Franklin Street, Suite 1900, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. Any stockholder nominations proposed for consideration by the governance and nominating committee should include the nominee’s name and qualifications for board membership. See "Stockholder Proposals."
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Unless filled by a vote of the stockholders as permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, a vacancy that results from the removal of a director will be filled by a vote of a majority of the remaining directors. Any vacancy on the board of directors or any other cause will be filled by a vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even if such majority vote is less than a quorum. The board of directors believes that the primary reason for creating a standing nominating committee is to ensure that candidates for independent director positions can be identified and their qualifications assessed under a process free from conflicts of interest with us.
Board Membership Criteria
We believe members of our board of directors should meet the following criteria: (1) have significant business or public experience that is relevant and beneficial to the board of directors and the company, (2) are willing and able to make a sufficient time commitment to our affairs in order to effectively perform the duties of a director, including regular attendance of board meetings and committee meetings, (3) are individuals of character and integrity, (4) are individuals with inquiring minds who are willing to speak their minds and challenge and stimulate management, and (5) represent the interests of the company as a whole and not only the interests of a particular stockholder or group.
Since each nominee for director is currently on our board, we also considered the significant contributions that each such individual has made to our board and its committees during his tenure as a director. We believe that each of the director nominees possesses the knowledge, experience, integrity and judgment necessary to make independent decisions and a willingness to devote adequate time to board duties. In addition, we believe that each of the nominees brings his own particular experiences and set of skills, giving the board, as a whole, competence and experience to perform its obligations and responsibilities. The board does not have a formal policy with regard to the consideration of diversity in identifying director nominees. However, the board values diversity, in its broadest sense, reflecting, but not limited to, profession, geography, gender, ethnicity, skills and experience and strives to nominate directors so that as a group, the board will possess the appropriate talent, skills and expertise to oversee the company’s business.
Nominees
Jeffrey E. Witherell. Mr. Witherell is our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board and has held these positions since March 2011. He has also been the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of our advisor, Plymouth Real Estate Investors since its formation in August 2009. Mr. Witherell also owns a 30% interest in Plymouth Group Real Estate, our sponsor, and owns an 80% interest in Plymouth Real Estate Capital, our dealer manager. Mr. Witherell oversees all aspects of our advisor and our advisor’s business activities, including the acquisition, management and disposition of assets. Mr. Witherell has been involved in real estate and investment sales for over 25 years. He, along with Mr. White and Ms. Brownell, formed our sponsor, Plymouth Group Real Estate, LLC in July 2009, and formed our dealer manager in September 2009, and from March 2008 through August 2009 he was engaged in the formation of Plymouth Group Real Estate. Prior to that, from April 2000 to March, 2008, Mr. Witherell was employed as an investment banker in the Investment Banking division of Franklin Street Properties Corp., a publicly traded REIT, and its wholly-owned broker dealer, FSP Investments LLC. During that time, Mr. Witherell was involved in the syndication of 34 separate property investments, structured as single asset REITs, in 12 states, which raised in the aggregate in excess of $1.2 billion. Mr. Witherell worked with a team of investment bankers that was responsible for raising equity capital for those investments, but Mr. Witherell did not make any of the investment decisions for these entities. From 1999 to 2000, he was affiliated with IndyMac Bank where he was responsible for closed loan acquisitions. From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Witherell was COO for GAP LP, a real estate investment firm where he was responsible for the acquisition and subsequent development of several real estate investments in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Wyoming and Nova Scotia, Canada. From 1994 to 1996, he founded and served as president of Devonshire Development, Inc., a Massachusetts based land development firm, where he was responsible for the acquisition and subsequent development of several real estate developments. From 1990 to 1994, he was vice president of property management at New Boston Management, Inc., a Boston based real estate management firm. His responsibilities included property management and property disposition services. From 1987 to 1990, he was vice president of development for Kirkwood Development, an Oklahoma City based real estate development firm. His responsibilities included the development and construction of twelve residential development projects throughout New England. From 1982 to 1987, Mr. Witherell was employed at Dewsnap Engineering, a Boston based civil engineering and land surveying firm, where he was responsible for performing land surveying, permitting, design, and construction management services. Mr. Witherell graduated from Emmanuel College in Boston with a Bachelor of Science degree in business and is a member of several real estate organizations, including the Urban Land Institute (ULI). In addition, he holds FINRA Series 7, 63, 79 and Series 24 General Securities Principal licenses.
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Pendleton White, Jr. Mr. White is our President, Chief Investment Officer and Secretary and one of our directors and has served in these positions since March 2011. He has also served as the President and Chief Investment Officer of our advisor since its formation in August 2009. Mr. White owns an 18% interest in our sponsor. Along with Mr. Witherell and Ms. Brownell, Mr. White actively participates in the management and operations of our advisor and is responsible for the overall investment strategy of our company. Mr. White has over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate, serving in numerous capacities including portfolio management, property acquisitions, leasing, capital markets and structured finance. From November 2008 through August 2009, Mr. White was engaged in the formation of Plymouth Group Real Estate. Prior to that, Mr. White was Executive Vice President and Managing Director at Scanlan Kemper Bard (SKB) from September 2006 through November 2008, where he ran SKB’s East coast office and managed the funding of SKB Real Estate Investors Funds. From March 2002 through September 2006, Mr. White was employed at FSP Investments LLC, a subsidiary of Franklin Street Properties Corp (AMEX: FSP) and was responsible for providing funding for numerous structured REITs throughout North America. From 1997-2001, Mr. White was Principal and Director of North Shore Holdings, a family-owned real estate investment firm. From 1993-1997, Mr. White was Co-Director of Investment Sales at Coldwell Banker Commercial Real Estate Services (now CB Richard Ellis) and was responsible for overseeing the acquisition and disposition of commercial properties throughout New England. Mr. White also was Vice President at Spaulding &Slye (now Jones Lang LaSalle) from 1991-1993 and Senior Sales Consultant at the Charles E. Smith Companies (now Vornado), in Washington, DC, from 1987-1992 and was responsible for property leasing and investment sale transactions. Mr. White began his career at Coldwell Banker in 1982. Since then he has been involved in over $1 billion of real estate transactions either serving as a broker, investor, consultant or investment banker. Mr. White received a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston University and is a member of several real estate organizations, including Urban Land Institute.
David G. Gaw. Mr. Gawis one of our independent directors and chairman of our audit committee, positions he has held since November 2011. Mr. Gaw is currently a real estate project consultant and is managing personal investments. From November 2009 through January 2011, Mr. Gaw served as Chief Financial Officer of Pyramid Hotels and Resorts, a REIT that focused on hospitality properties. From September 2008 through November 2009, Mr. Gaw was engaged in managing his personal investments. From June 2007 to September 2008, he was Chief Financial Officer of Berkshire Development, a private real estate developer that focused on retail development. From April 2001 until June 2007, he served as the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Heritage Property Investment Trust, Inc., a publicly traded REIT listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Gaw was serving in those capacities when Heritage Property engaged in its initial public offering. Mr. Gaw served as Senior Vice President of Boston Properties, Inc., a publicly traded REIT listed on the New York Stock Exchange, from 1982 – 2000, and also served as its Chief Financial Officer beginning at the time of its initial public offering in 1997. Mr. Gaw received a bachelor of science degree and an MBA from Suffolk University.
Richard J. DeAgazio. Mr. DeAgazio is one of our independent directors and chairman of our corporate governance committee, positions he has held since November 2011. Mr. DeAgazio has been the Principal of Ironsides Assoc. LLC., a consulting company in marketing and sales in the financial services industry since he founded the company in June 2007. In 1981, he joined Boston Capital Corp., a diversified real estate and investment banking firm, which, through its various investment funds, owns over $12 billion in real estate assets, as Executive Vice President and Principal. He founded and served as the President of Boston Capital Securities, Inc., a FINRA-registered broker dealer, which is an affiliate of Boston Capital Corp., from 1981 through December 2007. Mr. DeAgazio formerly served on the National Board of Governors of FINRA and served as a member of the National Adjudicatory Council of FINRA. He was the Vice Chairman of FINRA’s District 11, and served as Chairman of the FINRA’s Statutory Disqualification Subcommittee of the National Business Conduct Committee. He also served on the FINRA State Liaison Committee, the Direct Participation Program Committee and as Chairman of the Nominating Committee. He is a founder and past President of the National Real Estate Investment Association. He is past President of the National Real Estate Securities and Syndication Institute and past President of the Real Estate Securities and Syndication Institute (MA Chapter). Prior to joining Boston Capital in 1981, Mr. DeAgazio was the Senior Vice President and Director of the Brokerage Division of Dresdner Securities (USA), Inc., an international investment-banking firm owned by four major European banks, and was a Vice President of Burgess &Leith/Advest. He was member of the Boston Stock Exchange for 42 years. He was on the Board of Directors of Cognistar Corporation and FurnitureFind.com. He currently serves as a Vice-Chairman of the board of Trustees of Bunker Hill Community College, the Board of Trustees of Junior Achievement of Massachusetts and the Board of Advisors for the Ron Burton Kid’s Training Village and is on the Board of Corporators of Northeastern University. He graduated from Northeastern University.
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Philip S. Cottone. Mr. Cottone is one of our independent directors and chairman of the compensation committee, positions he has held since November 2011. He is currently a mediator and arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA, formerly NASAD), the American Arbitration Association, and the Counselors of Real Estate, primarily in securities, real estate and general commercial matters. He is an officer of the Executive Committee of the governing Council of the Dispute Resolution Section of the American Bar Association, and has been certified by the International Mediation Institute at The Hague. From 2003 to December of 2007 he was a member of the Board of Directors of Government Properties Trust (NYSE – GPT) and Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee, and from 2004 to December 2008 he was lead director of Boston Capital REIT, a public, non-traded REIT. From 1972 to 1981 Mr. Cottone was senior real estate officer and group executive of IU International (NYSE – IU), a 2 billion dollar Fortune 100 company, and previously, from 1966 to 1972, he was Manager of Real Estate at the Port of New York Authority where, among other things he was responsible for acquisition of the World Trade Center property in Manhattan. In 1981 he co-founded Ascott Investment Corporation, an investment, development and syndication company headquartered in Philadelphia, and as Chairman and CEO, a position he still holds, and founder of its captive broker dealer, he headed a staff of 65 in the capital raising, acquisition, management and sale of more than thirty real estate programs in fourteen states. From 1977 through 1983 and again from 1998 through 2002 he was General Counsel and a member of the Executive Committee of the International Right of Way Association, and from 1988 to 1977 he was Trustee and Treasurer of the IRWA Foundation. In 1988 he was national President of RESSI, the Real Estate Securities & Syndication Institute, and in 2004 he was national Chair of the Counselors of Real Estate, both divisions of the National Association of Realtors. For ten years from 1995 to 2005 he was an adjunct on the faculty of the Real Estate Institute at New York University teaching a course he wrote in real estate securities. Mr. Cottone has an A.B from Columbia College (1961) where he was awarded the Burdette Kinne Memorial Prize for Humanities and an L.L.B. from NYU where he received the Administrative Law prize.
The board of directors unanimously recommends that you vote FOR the election of directors, as set forth in Proposal 1.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE MATTERS
Board of Directors
Pursuant to our articles of amendment and restatement (articles) and our bylaws, our business, property and affairs are managed under the direction of our board of directors. Members of the board are kept informed of the company’s business through discussions with the Chairman of the Board and executive officers, by reviewing materials provided to them and by participating in meetings of the board and its committees. Board members have complete access to the company’s management team and the independent registered public accounting firm. The board and each of the key committees — Audit, Compensation and Nominating, and Corporate Governance — also have authority to retain, at the company’s expense, outside counsel, consultants or other advisors in the performance of their duties. Although our shares are not listed for trading on any national securities exchange, our corporate governance guidelines require that a majority of the board be independent within the meaning of standards established by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). All of the members of the audit committee, the compensation committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee are independent as defined by the NYSE.
Board Leadership Structure; Board Role in Risk Oversight
Leadership Structure
Our board does not have a policy regarding the leadership structure of the Company. The leadership structure of a company may be determined based on a number of different factors and circumstances, including the company’s position, history, size, culture, board size and composition. Since the Company’s formation in 2011, Mr. Jeffrey E. Witherell has served as our Chief Executive Officer and as our Chairman of the Board. Mr. Witherell has substantial experience in the real estate business. At this time, our board believes that Mr. Witherell’s combined role as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board enables the company to obtain the greatest benefit from Mr. Witherell’s extensive knowledge of and experience with the company and its business while at the same time promoting unified leadership and direction for our board and executive management without duplication of effort and cost.
Given our board size and composition, the relatively small size of our company and management team and financial position, at this time, our board believes the company and our stockholders are best served by our current leadership structure. Our board believes that it is able to provide effective independent oversight of the company’s business and affairs, including risks facing the company, through the leadership of our independent directors, the independent committees of our board and the other corporate governance structures and processes the company has in place.
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Three of our five currently serving directors are non-management directors and are independent. All of our directors are free to call a meeting or executive session of our board, suggest the inclusion of items on the agenda for meetings of our board or raise subjects that are not on the agenda for that meeting. In addition, our board and each committee have complete and open access to any member of management and the authority to retain independent legal, financial and other advisors as they deem appropriate without consulting or obtaining the approval of any member of management. Our board also holds executive sessions of only non-management directors in order to promote discussion among the non-management directors and assure independent oversight of management. The chairman of our audit committee presides over these executive sessions.
Our audit committee, which is comprised entirely of independent directors, performs oversight functions independent of management. Among various other responsibilities set forth in the audit committee charter, the audit committee oversees the accounting and financial reporting processes as well as legal, compliance and risk management matters. The chair of the audit committee is responsible for directing the work of the committee in fulfilling its responsibilities. In addition, the board will also carry out its oversight function by forming a special committee comprised entirely of independent directors to review and take action with respect to related party transactions and related matters.
The board evaluates the board leadership structure in light of the company’s changing requirements and circumstances to ensure that it remains the most appropriate structure for the company and our stockholders. At this time, the company continues to believe its current leadership structure consisting of a Chairman who also serves as Chief Executive Officer and three board committees separately chaired by and comprised solely of independent members of our board remains the most appropriate leadership structure for the company and our stockholders.
Risk Oversight.
Our executive officers and our advisor are responsible for the day-to-day management of risks faced by the company, while the board of directors, as a whole and through its committees, has responsibility for the oversight of risk management. No less than quarterly, our entire board reviews information regarding the company's liability, credit, operations, regulatory compliance and compliance with covenants in our material agreements, as well as the risks associated with each. In addition, each year the board of directors reviews significant variances between our current portfolio business plan and our original underwriting analysis and each quarter the directors review significant variances between our current results and our projections from the prior quarter, review all significant changes to our projections for future periods and discuss risks related to our portfolio. The audit committee oversees risk management in the areas of financial reporting, internal controls and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The nominating and corporate governance committee manages risks associated with the independence of the board of directors and potential conflicts of interest involving our advisor and its affiliates. Although each committee is responsible for evaluating certain risks and overseeing the management of such risks, the entire board of directors is regularly informed through committee reports about such risks as well as through regular reports directly from the executive officers responsible for oversight of particular risks within the company.
Board Meetings and Committees
During fiscal 2013, the board of directors held four meetings. Each director attended, either in person or by teleconference, 100% of the board and committee meetings on which the director served that were held while the director was a member of the board or committee, as applicable. All of our directors are strongly encouraged to attend our annual meeting of stockholders. There were five directors at the time of our 2013 annual meeting of stockholders (held on June 17, 2013), and all directors attended the meeting, either in person or by teleconference. The board’s current standing committees are as follows:
Name | Audit Committee | Compensation Committee | Corporate Governance Committee |
Philip S. Cottone | M | M | X |
Richard J. DeAgazio | M | X | M |
David G. Gaw | X | M | M |
X = Chairman M= Member |
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Audit Committee
The audit committee's function is to assist the board of directors in fulfilling its responsibilities by doing the following:
● | oversee the accounting and financial reporting processes and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements on behalf of our board of directors and report the results of its activities to the board; |
● | be directly and solely responsible for the appointment, retention, compensation, oversight, evaluation and, when appropriate, the termination and replacement of our independent auditors; |
● | review the annual engagement proposal and qualifications of our independent auditors; |
● | prepare an annual report as required by applicable SEC disclosure rules; and |
● | review the integrity, adequacy and effectiveness of our internal controls and financial disclosure process. |
The audit committee met four times in 2013.
The members of the audit committee are David G. Gaw (Chairman), Philip S. Cottone and Richard J. DeAgazio. All of the members of the audit committee are "independent" as defined by the NYSE and have significant financial and/or accounting experience. Our board has determined that Mr. Gaw qualifies as "audit committee financial expert," as defined by the SEC, and that all members of the audit committee are "financially literate," within the meaning of NYSE rules, and "independent," under the audit committee independence standards of the SEC.
Our audit committee operates pursuant to a written charter which is posted on our website atwww.plymouthreit.com.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
General
The members of the nominating and governance committee are Philip J. Cottone (Chairman), Richard J. DeAgazio and David G. Gaw, all of whom are independent directors. Our articles empower the nominating and corporate governance committee to act on any matter permitted under Maryland law if the matter at issue is such that the exercise of independent judgment by directors who are affiliates of Plymouth Real Estate Investors, Inc., our advisor, could reasonably be compromised. Among the duties of the nominating and corporate governance committee are the following:
● | reviewing and reporting on our policies (see "Report of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee – Review of Our Policies" below); |
● | approving transactions with affiliates and reporting on their fairness to us; |
● | supervising and evaluating the performance and compensation of our advisor; |
● | reviewing our expenses and determining that they are reasonable and within the limits prescribed by our charter; |
● | approving borrowing in excess of the total liabilities limit set forth in our articles of amendment and restatement; |
● | developing criteria for selecting new directors and to identify individuals qualified to become board members and members of the various committees of the board; |
● | developing and recommending to the board a set of corporate governance principles applicable to us; |
● | developing criteria for selecting new directors and to identify individuals qualified to become board members and members of the various committees of the board; |
● | selecting, or recommending that the board select, the director nominees for each annual meeting of stockholders and the committee nominees; and |
● | developing and recommending to the board a set of corporate governance principles applicable to us. |
The primary responsibilities of the nominating and corporate governance committee are enumerated in our articles of amendment and restatement. Our nominating and corporate governance committee also operates pursuant to a written charter which is posted on our website, www.plymouthreit.com.
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Report of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
Review of Our Policies
The nominating and corporate governance committee has reviewed our policies and determined that they are in the best interest of our stockholders. Set forth below is a discussion of the basis for that determination.
Offering Policy. We are conducting a public offering of up to 50 million shares of common stock at $10 per share (with discounts available for certain categories of investors). We are also offering up to 15 million shares of common stock under our distribution reinvestment plan. We believe these offerings are currently in the best interest of our stockholders because they increase the likelihood that we will be able to acquire a diverse portfolio income-producing assets, thereby reducing risk in our portfolio.
Acquisition and Investment Policies. We will continue to acquire and operate a diverse portfolio of commercial real estate assets that are expected to provide consistent current income and may also provide capital appreciation resulting from our expectation that in certain circumstances we will be able to acquire properties at a discount to replacement cost or otherwise less than the anticipated market value or to expend capital to reposition or redevelop a property so as to increase its value over the amount of cash we paid to acquire and rehabilitate the property. In particular, we plan to diversify our portfolio by property type, geographic region, investment size and investment risk with the goal of acquiring a portfolio of income producing real estate properties and real estate related assets that provide attractive returns for our investors. Our advisor focuses on markets that it determines demonstrate sustainable value and/or growth potential and on those sellers who are distressed or face time-sensitive deadlines. The exact markets and asset types targeted by our advisor will depend upon its evaluation of property prices and other economic considerations impacting specific primary and secondary markets.
We believe that we are most likely to meet our investment objectives through the careful selection and underwriting of assets. When making an acquisition, we will focus on the performance and risk characteristics of that investment, how that investment will fit with our portfolio-level performance objectives, the other assets in our portfolio and how the returns and risks of that investment compare to the returns and risks of available investment alternatives. Thus, to the extent that our advisor presents us with good investment opportunities that allow us to meet the real estate investment trust (REIT) requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (Internal Revenue Code), our portfolio composition may vary from what we initially expect. However, we will attempt to construct a portfolio that produces stable and attractive returns by spreading risk across different real estate and real estate-related investments.
Borrowing Policies. Our investment strategy is to utilize primarily secured and possibly unsecured debt to finance our investment portfolio. We may elect to secure financing subsequent to the acquisition date of future real estate properties and initially acquire investments without debt financing. There is no limitation on the amount we may invest in any single property or other asset or on the amount we can borrow for the purchase of any individual property or other investment. Under our amendment and reinstatement, the maximum amount of our indebtedness shall not exceed "net assets" (as defined in our articles) as of the date of any borrowing; however, we may exceed that limit if approved by a majority of our independent directors and disclosed to our stockholders in a quarterly report on Form 10-Q along with the justification for such excess borrowing. In addition to the limitation in our articles, our board of directors has adopted a policy to generally limit our aggregate borrowings to approximately 65% of the aggregate value of our assets unless substantial justification exists that borrowing a greater amount is in our best interests. Our policy limitation, however, does not apply to individual real estate assets and only will apply once we have ceased raising capital under this or any subsequent offering and invested substantially all of our capital. As a result, we expect to borrow more than 65% of the contract purchase price of each real estate asset we acquire to the extent our board of directors determines that borrowing these amounts is prudent. To the extent financing in excess of our charter limit is available at attractive terms, the nomination and corporate governance committee may approve debt in excess of our limit. As of April 30, 2013, we had no outstanding borrowings.
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Disposition Policies. We intend to hold each asset we acquire for an extended period of time, generally five to seven years. The determination of whether an asset will be sold or otherwise disposed of will be made after consideration of relevant factors, including prevailing economic conditions, specific real estate market conditions, tax implications for our stockholders and other factors. The requirements for qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes also will put some limits on our ability to sell assets after short holding periods. However, in accordance with our investment objective of achieving maximum capital appreciation, we may sell a particular property or other asset before or after this anticipated holding period if, in the judgment of our advisor and our board of directors, selling the asset is in our best interest. The determination of when a particular investment should be sold or otherwise disposed of will be made after consideration of relevant factors, including prevailing and projected economic conditions, whether the value of the property or other investment is anticipated to decline substantially, whether we could apply the proceeds from the sale of the asset to make other investments consistent with our investment objectives, whether disposition of the asset would allow us to increase cash flow and whether the sale of the asset would constitute a prohibited transaction under the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise impact our status as a REIT. Our ability to dispose of property during the first few years following its acquisition is restricted to a substantial extent as a result of our REIT status. Our advisor will develop a well-defined exit strategy for each investment we make. Specifically, our advisor will assign a sell date to each asset we acquire prior to its purchase as part of the original business plan for the asset. Our advisor will continually perform a hold-sell analysis on each asset in order to determine the optimal time to sell the asset and generate a strong return for our stockholders. Periodic reviews of each asset will focus on the remaining available value enhancement opportunities for the asset and the demand for the asset in the marketplace. Economic and market conditions may influence us to hold our investments for different periods of time. We may sell an asset before the end of the expected holding period if we believe that market conditions and asset positioning have maximized its value to us or the sale of the asset would otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.
Policies Regarding Operating Expenses. Under our articles, we are required to limit our total operating expenses to the greater of 2% of our average invested assets or 25% of our net income for the four most recently completed fiscal quarters, as these terms are defined in our articles, unless the nominating and corporate governance committee has determined that such excess expenses were justified based on unusual and non-recurring factors.
Our Policy Regarding Transactions with Related Persons
Our articles require the nominating and corporate governance committee to review and approve all transactions between us and our advisor and any of our officers or directors or any of their affiliates. Prior to entering into a transaction with a related party, a majority of the committee must conclude that the transaction is fair and reasonable to us and on terms and conditions not less favorable to us than those available from unaffiliated third parties. In addition, our Code of Conduct and Ethics lists examples of types of transactions with related parties that would create prohibited conflicts of interest and requires our officers and directors to be conscientious of actual and potential conflicts of interest with respect to our interests and to seek to avoid such conflicts or handle such conflicts in an ethical manner at all times consistent with applicable law. Our executive officers and directors are required to report potential and actual conflicts to the compliance officer, via our ethics hotline, to an internal audit representative or directly to the audit committee chair, as appropriate.
Certain Transactions with Related Persons
The nominating and corporate governance committee has reviewed the material transactions between our affiliates and us since the beginning of 2013 as well as any such currently proposed transactions. Set forth below is a description of such transactions and the committee's report on their fairness.
As described further below, we have entered into agreements with certain affiliates pursuant to which they provide services to us. Mr. Witherell, our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer and Pendleton White, Jr., our President, control our advisor, Plymouth Real Estate Investors, and Mr. Witherell owns 80% of the dealer manager of our public offering, Plymouth Real Estate Capital LLC. All of these persons actively participate in the management and operations of our advisor.
Our Relationship with Plymouth Real Estate Investors Inc. Our advisor provides day-to-day management of our business. Among the services provided by our advisor under the terms of the advisory agreement are the following:
● | finding, presenting and recommending to us real estate and real estate-related investment opportunities consistent with our investment policies and objectives; |
● | structuring the terms and conditions of our investments, sales and joint ventures; |
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● | acquiring properties and other investments on our behalf in compliance with our investment objectives and policies; |
● | sourcing and structuring our loan originations and acquisitions; |
● | arranging for financing and refinancing of our properties and other investments; |
● | entering into leases and service contracts for our properties; |
● | supervising and evaluating each property manager's performance; |
● | reviewing and analyzing the properties' operating and capital budgets; |
● | assisting us in obtaining insurance; |
● | generating an annual budget for us; |
● | reviewing and analyzing financial information for each of our assets and our overall portfolio; |
● | formulating and overseeing the implementation of strategies for the administration, promotion, management, operation, maintenance, improvement, financing and refinancing, marketing, leasing and disposition of our properties and other investments; |
● | performing investor-relations services; |
● | maintaining our accounting and other records and assisting us in filing all reports required to be filed with the SEC, the IRS and other regulatory agencies; |
● | engaging in and supervising the performance of our agents, including our registrar and transfer agent; and |
● | performing any other services reasonably requested by us. |
Our advisor is subject to the supervision of the board of directors and only has such authority as we may delegate to it as our agent. The advisory agreement has a one-year term expiring July 27, 2014, subject to an unlimited number of successive one-year renewals upon the mutual consent of the parties. From January 1, 2012 through the most recent date practicable, which was March 31, 2014, we compensated our advisor as set forth below.
Our advisor or its affiliates have paid, and may pay in the future, some of our organization and other offering costs (other than selling commissions and dealer manager fees) incurred in connection with our public offering, including our legal, accounting, printing, mailing and filing fees. We reimburse our advisor, or its affiliate, for such costs up to an amount that, when combined with selling commissions, dealer manager fees and all other amounts spent by us on organization and offering expenses, does not exceed 15% of the gross proceeds of our primary offering and the offering under our distribution reinvestment plan. However, at the termination of our primary offering and at the termination of the offering under our distribution reinvestment plan, our advisor has agreed to reimburse us to the extent that selling commissions, dealer manager fees and other organization and offering expenses incurred by us exceed 15% of the gross offering proceeds of the respective offering. In addition, at the end of our primary offering and again at the end of the offering under our distribution reinvestment plan, our advisor has agreed to reimburse us to the extent that organization and offering expenses, excluding underwriting compensation (which includes selling commissions, dealer manager fees and any other items viewed as underwriting compensation by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) exceed 2% of the gross proceeds we raised in our respective offering. From January 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014, our advisor incurred approximately $1,110,932 of organization and offering expenses on our behalf, all of which was reimbursed to our advisor as of March 31, 2014.
In addition, we reimburse our advisor for customary acquisition and origination expenses, whether or not we ultimately acquire the asset. From January 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014, our advisor and its affiliates did not incur any such costs on our behalf.
For asset management services, we pay our advisor a monthly fee. With respect to investments in real property, the asset management fee is a monthly fee equal to one-twelfth of 1.0% of the amount paid or allocated to acquire the investment. This amount includes any portion of the investment that was debt financed and is inclusive of acquisition expenses related thereto. In the case of investments made through joint ventures, the asset management fee will be determined based on our proportionate share of the underlying investment. With respect to investments in loans and any investments other than real property, the asset management fee is a monthly fee calculated, each month, as one-twelfth of 1.0% of the lesser of (i) the amount actually paid or allocated to acquire or fund the loan or other investment (which amount includes any portion of the investment that was debt financed and is inclusive of acquisition or origination expenses related thereto), and (ii) the outstanding principal amount of such loan or other investment, plus the acquisition or origination expenses related to the acquisition or funding of such investment, as of the time of calculation. From January 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014, our asset management fees totaled $47,295, all of which had been paid as of March 31, 2014.
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Under the advisory agreement, our advisor and its affiliates have the right to seek reimbursement from us for all costs and expenses they incur in connection with their provision of services to us, including our allocable share of our advisor's overhead, such as rent, employee costs, utilities and information technology costs. Our advisor may seek reimbursement for employee costs under the advisory agreement. At this time, our advisor only expects to seek reimbursement for our allocable portion of the salaries, benefits and overhead of internal audit department personnel providing services to us. From January 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014, we reimbursed our advisor for $1,228,065 of operating expenses, the majority of which was employee costs.
The nominating and corporate governance committee considers our relationship with our advisor during 2013 to be fair. The nominating and corporate governance committee believes that the amounts payable to our advisor under the advisory agreement are similar to those paid by other publicly offered, unlisted, externally advised REITs and that this compensation is necessary in order for our advisor to provide the desired level of services to us and our stockholders.
Our Relationship with Plymouth Real Estate Capital LLC. On November 1, 2011, upon the launch of our initial public offering, we entered into the dealer manager agreement with our dealer manager. Pursuant to the agreement, our dealer manager is entitled to receive selling commissions and dealer manager fees of up to 5.0% of the gross proceeds of our primary offering (no selling commissions or dealer manager fees are payable with respect to sales under the distribution reinvestment plan). A reduced dealer manager fee is payable with respect to certain volume discount sales. Our dealer manager reallows 100% of selling commissions to broker-dealers participating in our public offering. From January 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014, we incurred selling commissions of $212,940. From January 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014, we incurred dealer manager fees of $110,485.
In addition to selling commissions and dealer manager fees, we are also obligated to reimburse our dealer manager and its affiliates for certain offering related expenses that they incur on our behalf. These expenses include, among others, the cost of bona fide training and education meetings held by us (primarily the travel, meal and lodging costs of registered representatives of broker-dealers), attendance and sponsorship fees and travel, meal and lodging costs for registered persons associated with our dealer manager and officers and employees of our affiliates to attend retail seminars conducted by broker-dealers and, in special cases, reimbursement to participating broker-dealers for technology costs associated with our public offering, costs and expenses related to such technology costs, and costs and expenses associated with the facilitation of the marketing of our shares by such broker-dealers and the ownership of our shares by such broker-dealers' customers. We reimburse our dealer manager for such underwriting compensation as discussed in the prospectus for our public offering, provided that within 30 days after the end of the month in which our primary initial public offering terminates, our dealer manager must reimburse us to the extent that our reimbursements cause total underwriting compensation for our primary initial public offering to exceed 10% of the gross offering proceeds from the offering. We also directly pay or reimburse our dealer manager for bona fide invoiced due diligence expenses of broker dealers. However, no reimbursements made by us to our dealer manager or our advisor may cause total organization and offering expenses incurred by us (including selling commissions, dealer manager fees and all other items of organization and offering expenses) to exceed 15% of the aggregate gross proceeds from our primary offering and the offering under our distribution reinvestment plan as of the date of reimbursement. From January 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014, our dealer manager sought no reimbursement for expenses.
The nominating and corporate governance committee believes that these arrangements with our dealer manager are fair. The compensation payable to our dealer manager reflects our belief that such selling commissions and dealer manager fees will maximize the likelihood that we will be able to achieve our goal of acquiring a large, diversified portfolio of real estate and real estate-related investments.
Compensation Committee
The compensation committee has been delegated the authority by our board of directors to make determinations regarding grants of restricted shares of common stock and to authorize and determine all salaries and incentive compensation for our officers and supervisory employees, if any. Our compensation committee may designate a sub-committee of at least one member to address specific issues on behalf of the committee. Among other matters, the compensation committee has responsibility to:
● | develop the overall compensation policies and the corporate goals and objectives, if any, relevant to the chief executive officer’s compensation from our company; |
● | evaluate the chief executive officer’s performance in light of those goals and objectives, if any; |
● | be directly and solely responsible for establishing the chief executive officer’s compensation level, if any, based on this evaluation; |
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● | make recommendations to the board regarding the compensation of officers junior to the chief executive officer, incentive-compensation plans and equity-based plans; and |
● | manage our relationship with our advisor. |
Our executive officers do not have a role in determining the amount of executive officer compensation, and our compensation committee has not engaged a compensation consultant. Our executive officers do not receive compensation from us. Our compensation committee did not meet in 2013. Our compensation committee operates pursuant to a written charter, which is posted on our website at wwwplymouthreit.com.
Corporate Governance
Committee Charters. Our board has adopted: (1) an audit committee charter, a nominating and corporate governance committee charter and a compensation committee charter; (2) standards of independence for our directors; and (3) a code of conduct and ethics for all directors, officers and employees. The charters of our audit committee, governance and nominating committee and compensation committee are available on our website.
Communications with the Board. Individuals may communicate with the board by sending a letter to:
Chairman, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc.
260 Franklin Street
Suite 1900
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
All directors have access to this correspondence. Communications that are intended specifically for non-management directors should be sent to the street address noted above, to the attention of the chairman of the nominating and corporate governance committee. In accordance with instructions from the board, the corporate secretary reviews all correspondence, organizes the communications for review by the board, and posts communications to the full board or individual directors as appropriate. Advertisements, solicitations for periodical or other subscriptions, and similar communications generally are not forwarded to the directors.
Code of Conduct and Ethics. Our board of directors has established a code of business conduct and ethics. Among other matters, the code of business conduct and ethics is designed to deter wrongdoing and to promote:
● | honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships; |
● | full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in our SEC reports and other public communications; |
● | compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations; |
● | prompt internal reporting of violations of the code to appropriate persons identified in the code; and |
● | accountabilityfor adherence to the code. |
Waivers to the code of business conduct and ethics will only be granted by the nominating and corporate governance committee of the board. The committee has never granted any waiver to the code. If the committee grants any waiver from the code of business conduct and ethics to any of our officers, we expect to disclose the waiver within five business days on the corporate governance section of our corporate website at www.plymouthreit.com. A copy of our code of conduct will be provided to any person without charge, upon request. All requests should be directed to Corporate Secretary, Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc., 260 Franklin Street, Suite 1900, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation. During 2013, the compensation committee consisted of Messrs. DeAgazio (chairman), Cottone and Gaw. None of these individuals has at any time served as an officer of the company. No member of the compensation committee has any interlocking relationship with any other company that requires disclosure under this heading. None of our executive officers served as a director or member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving as a member of our board of directors or compensation committee.
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Executive Officers and Directors
We have provided below certain information about our executive officers and directors. All of our directors have terms expiring on the date of the 2014 annual meeting and are being nominated for re-election to serve until 2015 annual meeting and until his or her successor is elected and qualified.
Name and Address(1) | Position(s) | Age(2) | Year First Became a Director | |||
Jeffrey E. Witherell | Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director | 49 | 2011 | |||
Pendleton White, Jr. | President, Chief Investment Officer, Secretary and Director | 54 | 2011 | |||
Donna Brownell | Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer | 54 | N/A | |||
Anne Alger Hayward | Senior Vice President and General Counsel | 62 | N/A | |||
Philip S. Cottone | Director | 74 | 2011 | |||
Richard S. DeAgazio | Director | 69 | 2011 | |||
David G. Gaw | Director | 62 | 2011 | |||
(1)The address of each named officer and director is 260 Franklin Street, Suite 1900, Boston, Massachusetts 02110
(2) As of April 30, 2014
The backgrounds of Messrs. Witherell, White, Cottone, DeAgazio and Gaw are described under "Proposal 1 – Election of Directors – Nominees" elsewhere in this proxy statement.
Donna Brownell. Ms. Brownell is our Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer and has served in these positions since March 2011. She has also served as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer of our advisor since its formation in August 2009. Ms. Brownell owns an 11% interest in our sponsor. Ms. Brownell is responsible for the business operations and the investor services of the Company. Ms. Brownell has over 20 years of experience in business operations. From February 2009 through August 2009, Ms. Brownell was engaged in the formation of Plymouth Group Real Estate. Prior to that, Ms. Brownell served as Vice President of Operations for Franklin Street Properties Corp., from September 2003 until January 2009. In this capacity, she was responsible for all operating business affairs of the company, including human resources, treasury and investor services, as well as leading the company's institutional investor outreach program. From September 2000 until August 2003, she was the Accounting Manager of Franklin Street. Prior to joining Franklin Street, she was the Assistant Vice President, Accounting of Brookwood Financial, a Massachusetts-based real estate investment firm from November 1998 until September 2000. From June 1995 through November 1998 Ms. Brownell was Accounting Manager for Lahey Harvard Partnership, a multi-physician medical care association located in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. From August 1991 through June 1995 Ms. Brownell was Accounting Supervisor at Burney & Handley, PA, an Orlando, Florida based full service law firm. Ms. Brownell holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Northeastern University, as well as professional certifications in, among others, human resources management, tax accounting, financial reporting and investor relations.
Anne Alger Hayward.Ms. Hayward is our Senior Vice President and General Counsel and has served in these positions since March 2011. She also serves as Senior Vice President and General Counsel to Plymouth Real Estate Capital, LLC, our dealer manager. Ms. Hayward is responsible for the overall legal operations and compliance of our company. Ms. Hayward has over 25 years of experience in the practice of law, specializing in project finance, securities, equipment leasing and real estate transactional matters. She has structured and documented a wide variety of complex commercial transactions and public and private equity and debt securities offerings. Prior to joining Plymouth, from November 2007 through February 2011 she was General Counsel at Shane & Associates, Ltd., a Boston-based privately held real estate development and management company. Prior thereto, from April 2004 to November 2007 she was employed by Atlantic Exchange Company, an Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 exchange accommodator. From 2001 to 2004, Ms. Hayward served as Senior Counsel at Holland & Knight LLP, representing large corporate clients such as GMAC in structuring tax credit transactions and real estate development projects. From 1997 to 2001, Ms. Hayward was senior counsel at BankBoston, NA representing the bank’s asset based financing subsidiary. From 1993 to 1997, Ms. Hayward was Associate General Counsel at American Finance Group, a Boston-based general equipment leasing company. From 1985 to 1993, Ms. Hayward was corporate/securities counsel at CSA Financial Corp., an equipment lease finance company concentrating in high technology assets. From 1976 to 1985 Ms. Hayward was an Associate at Gaston & Snow representing firm clients, such as brokerage firms and issuers, such as Shearson and Fidelity Investments in ‘33 Act, ‘34 Act and ‘40 Act product structuring and compliance matters. Ms. Hayward is a graduate of Skidmore College and New England School of Law. She holds FINRA Series 22 and 63 licenses, is a licensed real estate broker, and is a member of the Massachusetts and Federal District Court Bars.
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Compensation of Directors
Directors who are also our executive officers receive no compensation for board service. The following table discloses compensation paid to members serving on our board of directors in 2013.
2013 Board of Directors Compensation
Name | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($)(1) | Total | |||
Philip S. Cottone | -- | $75,000 | $75,000 | |||
Richard J. DeAgazio | -- | $75,000 | $75,000 | |||
David G. Gaw | -- | $75,000 | $75,000 | |||
______ | -- |
(1)
| The amounts appearing in the Stock Awards column represent compensation expense recognized during fiscal 2013 for all outstanding awards. The grant date fair value of the stock awards granted in 2013 to each director was $75,000. The fair value was estimated to be $10.000 per share for the 2013 grant based on the public offering price of our common stock. |
In 2013, each non-officer director received an annual award of 7,500 restricted shares of common stock which vested immediately.
STOCK OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of April 30, 2014 by (1) each current director, (2) each named executive officer, and (3) all current directors and executive officers as a group. No stockholder known to us owns beneficially more than 5% of our common stock. The number of shares beneficially owned by each entity, person, director or executive officer is determined under the rules of the SEC, and the information is not necessarily indicative of beneficial ownership for any other purpose. Under such rules, beneficial ownership includes any shares as to which the individual has the sole or shared voting power or investment power. Unless otherwise indicated, each person has sole voting and investment power (or shares such powers with his spouse) with respect to the shares set forth in the following table.
Directors and Executive Officers (1) | Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership | Percent of Class (2) | ||
David Gaw | 12,849 | * | ||
Richard DeAgazio | 11,269 | * | ||
Philip Cottone | 11,772 | * | ||
Jeffrey Witherell | 52,339 | * | ||
Donna Brownell | 52,930 | * | ||
Pendleton White | 52,293 | * | ||
Anne Alger Hayward | 106 | * | ||
All directors and executive officers as a group (seven persons) | 89,032 | 0.07% |
_____________________
* | Beneficial ownership of less than 1% of the class is omitted. | |
(1) | The address of each director and executive officer is that of the company. | |
(2) | The percentage of shares owned provided in the table is based on 1,272,697 shares outstanding as of May 9, 2014. Percentage of beneficial ownership by a person as of a particular date is calculated by dividing the number of shares beneficially owned by such person as of April 30, 2014 by the sum of the number of shares of common stock outstanding as of such date. |
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Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires our directors and executive officers, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities, to file reports of holdings and transactions in our securities with the SEC. Executive officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners are required by applicable regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file with the SEC.
Based solely upon a review of the reports furnished to us with respect to fiscal 2013, we believe that all SEC filing requirements applicable to our directors and executive officers and 10% beneficial owners were satisfied during the year ended December 31, 2013.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
No director or executive officer was selected as a result of any arrangement or understanding between the director or executive officer or any other person. Messrs. Witherell and White and Ms. Brownell and Hayward are our only executive officers. Our executive officers are elected annually by, and serve at the discretion of, the board of directors. Please see "Election of Directors" for biographical information regarding Mr. Witherell, our chief executive officer, and Mr. White, our President, and see "Executive Officers and Directors" for biographical information regarding Ms. Brownell, our chief operating officer, and Ms. Hayward, our general counsel.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
We are externally managed and advised by our advisor, Plymouth Real Estate Investors, pursuant to the advisory agreement. Our executive officers undertake certain ministerial tasks on our behalf; however, they are compensated by our advisor and do not receive compensation from us for services rendered to us. Our executive officers are also officers of our advisor and its affiliates, and are compensated by these entities, in part, for their services to us. Please see "Report of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee" for a further description of the relationship between us and our advisor.
We did not grant any stock options or restricted stock to our executive officers in 2013, or provide them with any perquisites or other personal benefits. We do not currently have an employment agreement or a change in control agreement with any of our executive officers.
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Management is responsible for the financial reporting process, including the system of internal controls, and for the preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. The company’s independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing those financial statements and expressing an opinion as to their conformity with GAAP. Our responsibility is to oversee and review these processes. We are not, however, professionally engaged in the practice of accounting or auditing, and do not provide any expert or other special assurance as to such financial statements concerning compliance with the laws, regulations or GAAP or as to the independence of the registered public accounting firm. We rely, without independent verification, on the information provided to us and on the representations made by management and the independent registered public accounting firm. Our meetings are designed, among other things, to facilitate and encourage communication among the committee, management, and the company’s independent registered public accounting firm. We discussed with our auditors the overall scope and plans for their audit.
We have reviewed and discussed the audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 with management and our auditors. We also discussed with management and our auditors the process used to support certifications by the company’s chief executive officer and chief accounting officer that are required by the SEC and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to accompany the company’s periodic filings with the SEC.
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In addition, the audit committee obtained from our auditors and reviewed the written disclosures and the letter required by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding our auditors' communications with the audit committee concerning independence, discussed with our auditors any relationships that may impact their objectivity and independence, and satisfied itself as to their independence. When considering our auditors' independence, we considered whether its provision of services to the company beyond those rendered in connection with their audit of the company’s consolidated financial statements and reviews of the company’s consolidated financial statements, including in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, was compatible with maintaining their independence. We also reviewed, among other things, the audit and non-audit services performed by, and the amount of fees paid for such services to our auditors. The audit committee also discussed and reviewed with the independent auditors all communications required by generally accepted auditing standards, including those required to be discussed by the Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 61, as amended, "Certification of Statements and Auditing Standards."
Based on our review and these meetings, discussions and reports, and subject to the limitations on our role and responsibilities referred to above and in the audit committee charter, we recommended to the board of directors (and the board has approved) that the audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2013 be included in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for filing with the SEC. We have selected Marcum LLP as the company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014.
The undersigned members of the audit committee have furnished this report to the board of directors.
Respectfully Submitted,
Audit Committee
David G. Gaw, Chairman
Richard DeAgazio
Philip Cottone
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PROPOSAL 2 ─ EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
Introduction. The purpose of this Proposal 2 is to obtain stockholder approval of a new equity and incentive plan. Section 1629(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “IRC”), requires stockholder approval of applicable performance goals contained in incentive and equity plans generally every five years to preserve the ability to deduct for tax purposes, awards and payments to certain of our named executive officers. Therefore, to comply with IRC Section 162(m), we seek stockholder approval of the Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. and Plymouth Opportunity OP LP 2014 Incentive Stock Plan (the “Plan”) and the performance goals set forth in the 2014 Plan.
The Plan was designed to allow for flexibility to create compensation programs consistent with our pay-for-performance compensation philosophy. The purpose of the Plan is to provide stock and cash incentives to certain officers, employees, directors, consultants, and other service providers of us and our affiliates in order to stimulate their efforts toward our continued success and the creation of stockholder value; to encourage stock ownership by certain officers, employees, directors, consultants, and other service providers by providing them with a means to acquire a proprietary interest in the company or to receive compensation which is based upon appreciation in the value of our common stock; and to provide a means of attracting, rewarding and retaining officers, employees, directors, consultants, and other service providers. The 2014 Plan was approved by our board on April 28, 2014, subject to the further approval of the 2014 Plan by our stockholders at the Annual Meeting.
The Plan provides for a variety of equity and equity-based awards, including the following: cash performance awards, incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units, restricted stock awards and other stock-based awards. Stockholder approval of the Plan will allow our board, should the board deem it appropriate, to grow “performance-based compensation” awards that qualify for certain tax deductions under IRC Section 162(m).
The following is merely a summary of the material features of the Plan and such summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Play which is included as Appendix A hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
Eligibility and Administration. Our employees, consultants and directors, and employees, consultants and directors of our operating partnership, our services company and our respective subsidiaries will be eligible to receive awards under the Plan. Initially, the Plan will be administered by our board of directors but following our initial public offering the Plan will be administered by our board of directors with respect to awards to non-employee directors and by our compensation committee with respect to other participants, each of which may delegate its duties and responsibilities to committees of our directors and/or officers (referred to collectively as the plan administrator below), subject to certain limitations that may be imposed under Section 162(m) of the IRC, Section 16 of the Exchange Act, Maryland law and/or stock exchange rules, as applicable. The plan administrator has the authority to make all determinations and interpretations under, prescribe all forms for use with, and adopt rules for the administration of, the Plan, subject to its express terms and conditions. The plan administrator also sets the terms and conditions of all awards under the Plan, including any vesting and vesting acceleration conditions.
Limitation on Awards and Shares Available. The aggregate number of shares of our common stock and/or LTIP units of partnership interest in our operating partnership that are available for issuance under awards granted pursuant to the Plan is 750,000 shares/LTIP units. Shares and units granted under the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares/LTIP units, or, if authorized by the board of directors, shares purchased in the open market. If an award under the Plan is forfeited, expires or is settled for cash, any shares/LTIP units subject to such award may, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement, be used again for new grants under the Plan. However, the following shares/LTIP units may not be used again for grant under the Plan: (1) shares/LTIP units tendered or withheld to satisfy grant or exercise price or tax withholding obligations associated with an award; (2) shares subject to a stock appreciation right, or SAR, that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the SAR on its exercise; and (3) shares purchased on the open market with the cash proceeds from the exercise of options. The maximum number of shares that may be issued under the Plan upon the exercise of incentive stock options is 750,000.
Awards granted under the Plan upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, awards authorized or outstanding under a qualifying equity plan maintained by an entity with which we enter into a merger or similar corporate transaction will not reduce the shares available for grant under the Plan. The maximum number of shares of our common stock that may be subject to one or more awards granted to any one participant pursuant to the Plan during any calendar year will be 100,000 and the maximum amount that may be paid under a cash award pursuant to the Plan to any one participant during any calendar year period will be 500,000.
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Awards. The Plan provides for the grant of stock options, including incentive stock options, or ISOs, and nonqualified stock options, or NSOs, restricted stock, dividend equivalents, stock payments, restricted stock units, or RSUs, performance shares, other incentive awards, LTIP units, SARs, and cash awards. Certain awards under the Plan may constitute or provide for a deferral of compensation, subject to Section 409A of the IRC, which may impose additional requirements on the terms and conditions of such awards. All awards under the Plan will be set forth in award agreements, which will detail all terms and conditions of the awards, including any applicable vesting and payment terms and post-termination exercise limitations. Awards other than cash awards and LTIP units generally will be settled in shares of our common stock, but the plan administrator may provide for cash settlement of any award. A brief description of each award type follows.
· | Stock Options. Stock options provide for the purchase of shares of our common stock in the future at an exercise price set on the grant date. ISOs, by contrast to NSOs, may provide tax deferral beyond exercise and favorable capital gains tax treatment to their holders if certain holding period and other requirements of the IRC are satisfied. The exercise price of a stock option may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying share on the date of grant (or 110% in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders), except with respect to certain substitute options granted in connection with a corporate transaction. The term of a stock option may not be longer than ten years (or five years in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders). Vesting conditions determined by the plan administrator may apply to stock options and may include continued service, performance and/or other conditions. |
· | SARs. SARs entitle their holder, upon exercise, to receive from us an amount equal to the appreciation of the shares subject to the award between the grant date and the exercise date. The exercise price of a SAR may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying share on the date of grant (except with respect to certain substitute SARs granted in connection with a corporate transaction) and the term of a SAR may not be longer than ten years. Vesting conditions determined by the plan administrator may apply to SARs and may include continued service, performance and/or other conditions. |
· | Restricted Stock, RSUs and Performance Shares. Restricted stock is an award of nontransferable shares of our common stock that remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met, and which may be subject to a purchase price. RSUs are contractual promises to deliver shares of our common stock in the future, which may also remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met. Delivery of the shares underlying RSUs may be deferred under the terms of the award or at the election of the participant, if the plan administrator permits such a deferral. Performance shares are contractual rights to receive a range of shares of our common stock in the future based on the attainment of specified performance goals, in addition to other conditions which may apply to these awards. Conditions applicable to restricted stock, RSUs and performance shares may be based on continuing service, the attainment of performance goals and/or such other conditions as the plan administrator may determine. |
· | Stock Payments, Other Incentive Awards, LTIP Units and Cash Awards. Stock payments are awards of fully vested shares of our common stock that may, but need not, be made in lieu of base salary, bonus, fees or other cash compensation otherwise payable to any individual who is eligible to receive awards. Other incentive awards are awards other than those enumerated in this summary that are denominated in, linked to or derived from shares of our common stock or value metrics related to our shares, and may remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met. LTIP units are awards of units of limited partnership interest in our operating partnership intended to constitute "profits interests" within the meaning of the relevant IRS guidance, which may be convertible into shares of our common stock. Cash awards are cash incentive bonuses subject to performance goals. |
· | Dividend Equivalents. Dividend equivalents represent the right to receive the equivalent value of dividends paid on shares of our common stock and may be granted alone or in tandem with awards other than stock options or SARs. Dividend equivalents are credited as of dividend record dates during the period between the date an award is granted and the date such award vests, is exercised, is distributed or expires, as determined by the plan administrator. Dividend equivalents may not be paid on performance awards granted under the Plan unless and until such performance awards have vested. |
Performance Awards. Performance awards include any of the foregoing awards that are granted subject to vesting and/or payment based on the attainment of specified performance goals. The plan administrator will determine whether performance awards are intended to constitute "qualified performance-based compensation," or QPBC, within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the IRC, in which case the applicable performance criteria will be selected from the list below in accordance with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the IRC.
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Section 162(m) of the IRC imposes a $1,000,000 cap on the compensation deduction that a public company may take in respect of compensation paid to its "covered employees" (which should include its chief executive officer and its next three most highly compensated employees other than its chief financial officer), but excludes from the calculation of amounts subject to this limitation any amounts that constitute QPBC. Under current tax law, we do not expect Section 162(m) of the IRC to apply to certain awards under the Plan until the earliest to occur of (1) our annual stockholders’ meeting at which members of our board of directors are to be elected that occurs in 2017; (2) a material modification of the Plan; (3) an exhaustion of the share/unit supply under the Plan; or (4) the expiration of the Plan. However, QPBC performance criteria may be used with respect to performance awards that are not intended to constitute QPBC. In addition, our company may issue awards that are not intended to constitute QPBC even if such awards might be non-deductible as a result of Section 162(m) of the IRC.
In order to constitute QPBC under Section 162(m) of the IRC, in addition to certain other requirements, the relevant amounts must be payable only upon the attainment of pre-established, objective performance goals set by our compensation committee and linked to stockholder-approved performance criteria. For purposes of the Plan, one or more of the following performance criteria will be used in setting performance goals applicable to QPBC, and may be used in setting performance goals applicable to other performance awards: (1) net earnings (either before or after one or more of the following: (a) interest, (b) taxes, (c) depreciation, (d) amortization and (e) non-cash equity-based compensation expense); (2) gross or net sales or revenue; (3) net income (either before or after taxes); (4) adjusted net income; (5) operating earnings or profit; (6) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow); (7) return on assets; (8) return on capital; (9) return on stockholders’ equity; (10) total stockholder return; (11) return on sales; (12) gross or net profit or operating margin; (13) costs; (14) funds from operations; (15) expenses; (16) working capital; (17) earnings per share; (18) adjusted earnings per share; (19) price per share of common stock; (20) leasing activity; (21) implementation or completion of critical projects; (22) market share; (23) economic value; (24) debt levels or reduction; (25) sales-related goals; (26) comparisons with other stock market indices; (27) operating efficiency; (28) financing and other capital raising transactions; (29) recruiting and maintaining personnel; (30) year-end cash; (31) acquisition activity; (32) investment sourcing activity; (33) customer service; and (34) marketing initiatives, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms for us or any operating unit of our company or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease or as compared to results of a peer group or to market performance indicators or indices. The Plan also permits the plan administrator to provide for objectively determinable adjustments to the applicable performance criteria in setting performance goals for QPBC awards.
Certain Transactions. The plan administrator has broad discretion to take action under the Plan, as well as make adjustments to the terms and conditions of existing and future awards, to prevent the dilution or enlargement of intended benefits and facilitate necessary or desirable changes in the event of certain transactions and events affecting our common stock and/or LTIP units, such as stock dividends, stock splits, mergers, acquisitions, consolidations and other corporate transactions. In addition, in the event of certain non-reciprocal transactions with our stockholders known as "equity restructurings," our board of directors will make equitable adjustments to the Plan and outstanding awards. In the event of a change in control of our company (as defined in the Plan), to the extent that the surviving entity declines to continue, convert, assume or replace outstanding awards, then all such awards will become fully vested and exercisable in connection with the transaction. Upon or in anticipation of a change of control, the plan administrator may cause any outstanding awards to terminate at a specified time in the future and give the participant the right to exercise such awards during a period of time determined by the plan administrator in its sole discretion. Individual award agreements may provide for additional accelerated vesting and payment provisions.
Foreign Participants, Claw-Back Provisions, Transferability, and Participant Payments. The plan administrator may modify award terms, establish subplans and/or adjust other terms and conditions of awards, subject to the share/unit limits described above, in order to facilitate grants of awards subject to the laws and/or stock exchange rules of countries outside of the United States. All awards will be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by our company to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable award agreement. With limited exceptions for estate planning, domestic relations orders, certain beneficiary designations and the laws of descent and distribution, awards under the Plan are generally non-transferable prior to vesting, and are exercisable only by the participant. With regard to tax withholding, exercise price and purchase price obligations arising in connection with awards under the Plan, the plan administrator may, in its discretion, accept cash or check, shares of our common stock that meet specified conditions, a "market sell order" or such other consideration as it deems suitable.
Plan Amendment and Termination. Our board of directors may amend or terminate the Plan at any time; however, except in connection with certain changes in our capital structure, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that increases the number of shares/units available under the Plan, "reprices" any stock option or SAR, or cancels any stock option or SAR in exchange for cash or another award when the option or SAR price per share exceeds the fair market value of the underlying shares. After the tenth anniversary of the date on which we adopt the Plan, no automatic annual increases to the Plan’s share limit will occur and no incentive stock options may be granted; however, the Plan does not have a specified expiration and will otherwise continue in effect until terminated by our company.
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Additional REIT Restrictions. The Plan provides that no participant will be granted, become vested in the right to receive or acquire or be permitted to acquire, or will have any right to acquire, shares under an award if such acquisition would be prohibited by the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock contained in our charter or would impair our status as a REIT.
Tax Consequences. The following discussion outlines generally the federal income tax consequences of participation in the Plan. Individual circumstances may vary and each recipient should rely on his or her own tax counsel for advice regarding federal income tax treatment under the Plan. Furthermore, any tax advice contained in this discussion is not intended to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid penalties imposed under the IRC.
Non-Qualified Stock Options. A recipient will not recognize income upon the grant of an option or at any time prior to the exercise of the option or a portion thereof. At the time the recipient exercises a non-qualified stock option or portion thereof, he or she will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income in any amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of common stock on the date the option is exercised over the price paid for common stock, and he or she will then be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction.
Depending upon the period shares of common stock are held after exercise, the sale or other taxable disposition of shares acquired through the exercise of a non-qualified stock option generally will result in a short or long-term capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on such disposition and the fair market value of such shares when the non-qualified stock option was exercised.
Incentive Stock Options.A recipient who exercises an incentive stock option will not be taxed at the time he or she exercises the option or a portion thereof. Instead, he or she will be taxed at the time he or she sells common stock purchased pursuant to the option. The recipient will be taxed on the difference between the price he or she paid for the stock and the amount for which he or she sells the stock. If the recipient does not sell the stock prior to two years from the date of grant of the option and one year from the date the stock is transferred to him or her, the recipient will be entitled to capital gain or loss treatment based upon the difference between the amount realized on the disposition and the aggregate exercise price and we will not get a corresponding tax deduction. If (the recipient sells the stock at a gain prior to that time. The excess of the lesser of the fair market value on the date of exercise or the amount for which the stock is sold over the amount the recipient paid for the stock will be taxed as ordinary income and we will be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction: If the stock is sold for an amount in excess of the fair market value on the date of exercise, the excess amount is taxed as capital gain. If the recipient sells the stock for less than the amount he or she paid for the stock prior to the one or two year periods indicated, no amount will be taxed as ordinary income and the loss will be taxed as a capital loss.
Exercise of an incentive option may subject a recipient to. or increase a recipient's liability for the alternative minimum tax.
Stock Awards. A recipient will not be taxed upon the grant of a stock award if such award is not transferable by the recipient and is subject to a "substantial risk of forfeiture," as defined in the IRC. However, when the shares of common stock that are subject to the stock award are transferable by the recipient or are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, the recipient will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income in an amount equal to the fair market value of the stock subject to the stock award, less any amount paid for such stock, and we will then be entitled to a corresponding deduction. However, if a recipient so elects at the time of receipt of a stock award, he or she may include the fair market value of the stock subject to the stock award, less any amount paid for such stock, in income at that time and we also will be entitled to a corresponding deduction at that time.
Other Awards. A recipient will not recognize income upon the grant of a stock appreciation right, dividend equivalent right. performance unit award or restricted stock unit (the "Equity Incentives") or cash performance award. Generally, at the time a recipient receives payment under any Equity Incentive or cash performance award, he or she will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income in an amount equal to the cash or the fair market value of common stock received, and we will then be entitled to a corresponding deduction.
The Plan is not qualified under IRC Section 401(a).
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PROPOSAL 3 ─ RATIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
KPMG LLP served as our independent auditors to audit our financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2012. In April 2013, the audit committee did not renew the company's relationship with KPMG LLP and retained Marcum LLP to be the company's independent auditors for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013.
Aggregate fees billed to us by our independent auditors for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 are set forth below.
Fees | 2013 | 2012 | ||||||
Audit Fees (1) | ||||||||
KPMG LLP | $ | 48,250 | $ | 227,160 | ||||
Marcum LLP | 73,340 | — | ||||||
Audit-Related Fees (2) | ||||||||
KPMG LLP | — | �� | — | |||||
Marcum LLP | — | — | ||||||
Tax Fees (3) | ||||||||
KPMG LLP | — | 18,000 | ||||||
Marcum LLP | 46,623 | — | ||||||
All Other Fees | ||||||||
KPMG LLP | — | 16,745 | ||||||
Marcum LLP | 34,806 | — | ||||||
Total | $ | 203,019 | $ | 261,905 |
1) | Fees for audit services billed in 2013 and 2012 consisted of audit of the Company’s annual financial statements, reviews of the Company’s quarterly financial statements, consents and other services related to SEC matters. |
2) | Fees for audit-related services billed in 2013 and 2012 consisted of services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or the review of financial statements. |
3) | Fees for tax-related services billed in 2013 and 2012 consisted of services that are reasonably related to the preparation of the tax returns of our taxable subsidiaries. |
At its regularly scheduled and special meetings, the audit committee considers and pre-approves any audit and non-audit services to be performed by our independent accountants. The audit committee has delegated to its chairman, an independent member of our board of directors, the authority to grant pre-approvals of non-audit services provided that any such pre-approval by the chairman shall be reported to the audit committee at its next scheduled meeting. However, pre-approval of non-audit services is not required if (1) the aggregate amount of non-audit services is less than 5% of the total amount paid by us to the auditor during the fiscal year in which the non-audit services are provided; (2) such services were not recognized by the company as non-audit services at the time of the engagement; and (3) such services are promptly brought to the attention of the audit committee and, prior to completion of the audit, are approved by the audit committee or by one or more audit committee members who have been delegated authority to grant approvals. All services provided in 2013 were pre-approved.
The audit committee considered whether the provision of these services is compatible with maintaining the independent accountants’ independence and has determined that such services have not adversely affected the independence of KPMG LLP or Marcum LLP.
In April 2014, the Audit Committee approved Marcum LLP to be the Company's independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014. Representatives of Marcum LLP will be present at the annual meeting and will have an opportunity to make a statement, if they desire to do so, and to respond to appropriate questions from stockholders.
The board of directors unanimously recommends that you vote FOR the ratification of Marcum LLP as the company's independent registered public accounting firm as set forth in Proposal 3.
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PROPOSAL 4 ─ ADJOURNMENT OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
We may ask our stockholders to vote on a proposal to adjourn the annual meeting, if necessary or appropriate, in order to allow for the solicitation of additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the meeting to approve either of proposals 1, 2 or 3.
The board of directors unanimously recommends that you vote FOR the adjournment as set forth in Proposal 4.
OTHER MATTERS
As of the mailing date of this proxy statement, the board of directors knows of no other matters to be presented at the meeting. Should any other matter requiring a vote of the stockholders arise at the meeting, the persons named in the proxy will vote the proxies in accordance with their best judgment.
A stockholder cannot properly bring an item of business before the meeting simply by speaking at the meeting. Stockholders must follow the requirements in our bylaws in bringing any business before the annual meeting of the stockholders. If the procedures in our bylaws are not followed, then such matter cannot be considered by the stockholders at such annual meeting of the stockholders.
Our bylaws provide that nominations by stockholders for directors to be elected, or proposals by stockholders to be considered, at an annual meeting of stockholders and which have not been previously approved by the board of directors must be submitted to the secretary of the company with respect to an election to be held, or a proposal considered at the annual meeting of stockholders less than 90 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the date of mailing of the notice for the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice for the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to the date of mailing of the notice for such annual meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is made less than 100 days prior to the date of such annual meeting, the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of mailing of the notice for such meeting is first made
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
Any stockholder who intends to present a proposal at the annual meeting in the year 2015, and who wishes to have the proposal included in our proxy statement for that meeting, must deliver the proposal to Jeffrey E. Witherell, c/o of Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc., 260 Franklin Street, Suite 1900, Boston, Massachusetts 02110 by February 15, 2015, assuming the 2015 meeting is held within 30 calendar days of the calendar date of the 2014 meeting. If the 2015 meeting is not held within 30 days of the 2014 meeting, any proposal must be received a reasonable time before Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. begins to print and send its proxy materials. All proposals must meet the requirements set forth in our bylaws and the rules and regulations of the SEC in order to be eligible for inclusion in the proxy statement for that meeting.
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APPENDIX A
PLYMOUTH OPPORTUNITY REIT, INC. AND
PLYMOUTH OPPORTUNITY op LP 2014 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN
Article 1.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. and Plymouth Opportunity OP LP 2014 Incentive Award Plan (the "Plan") is to promote the success and enhance the value of Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), and Plymouth Opportunity OP LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the "Partnership"), by linking the individual interests of Employees, Consultants, members of the Board to those of the Company’s stockholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to the Company’s stockholders. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company, the Partnership and their subsidiaries in their ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of those individuals upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s and the Partnership’s operations is largely dependent.
Article 2.
DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION
Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.
2.1 "Administrator" shall mean the entity that conducts the general administration of the Plan as provided inArticle 12 hereof. With reference to the duties of the Committee under the Plan which have been delegated to one or more persons pursuant toSection 12.6 hereof, or which the Board has assumed, the term "Administrator" shall refer to such person(s) unless the Committee or the Board has revoked such delegation or the Board has terminated the assumption of such duties.
2.2 "Affiliate" shall mean the Partnership, any Parent or any Subsidiary.
2.3 "Applicable Accounting Standards" shall mean Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States, International Financial Reporting Standards or such other accounting principles or standards as may apply to the Company’s financial statements under United States federal securities laws from time to time.
2.4 "Applicable Law" shall mean any applicable law, including without limitation, (a) provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any rules or regulations thereunder; (b) corporate, securities, tax or other laws, statutes, rules, requirements or regulations, whether federal, state, local or foreign; and (c) rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded.
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2.5 "Award" shall mean an Option, a Restricted Stock award, a Performance Award, a Dividend Equivalent award, a Stock Payment award, a Restricted Stock Unit award, a Performance Share award, an Other Incentive Award, an LTIP Unit award or a Stock Appreciation Right, which may be awarded or granted under the Plan.
2.6 "Award Agreement" shall mean any written notice, agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium, which shall contain such terms and conditions with respect to an Award as the Administrator shall determine, consistent with the Plan.
2.7 "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.8 "Change in Control" shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events:
(a) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Shares to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any "person" or related "group" of "persons" (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, the Partnership or any Subsidiary, an employee benefit plan maintained by any of the foregoing entities or a "person" that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than thirty percent (30%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or
(b) During any period of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new director(s) (other than a director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described inSection 2.8(a) orSection 2.8(c) hereof) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the two (2)-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or
(c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination, (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case, other than a transaction:
(i) Which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of, the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the "Successor Entity")) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and
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(ii) After which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity;provided,however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of thisSection 2.8(c)(ii) as beneficially owning thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; or
(d) Approval by the Company’s stockholders of a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or any portion of an Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A of the Code, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A of the Code, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a "change in control event" (within the meaning of Code Section 409A). Consistent with the terms of thisSection 2.8, the Administrator shall have full and final authority to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control of the Company has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto.
2.9 "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, together with the regulations and official guidance promulgated thereunder, whether issued prior or subsequent to the grant of any Award.
2.10 "Committee" shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board, or another committee or subcommittee of the Board described inArticle 12 hereof.
2.11 "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.
2.12 "Company" shall mean Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation.
2.13 "Consultant" shall mean any consultant or advisor of the Company, the Partnership or any Subsidiary who qualifies as a consultant or advisor under the applicable rules of Form S-8 Registration Statement.
2.14 "Covered Employee" shall mean any Employee who is, or could become, a "covered employee" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.
2.15 "Director" shall mean a member of the Board, as constituted from time to time.
2.16 "Dividend Equivalent" shall mean a right to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares, awarded underSection 9.2 hereof.
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2.17 "DRO" shall mean a "domestic relations order" as defined by the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, or the rules thereunder.
2.18 "Effective Date" shall mean the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, subject to approval of the Plan by the Company’s stockholders.
2.19 "Eligible Individual" shall mean any person who is an Employee, a Consultant or a Non-Employee Director, as determined by the Administrator.
2.20 "Employee" shall mean any officer or other employee (within the meaning of Section 3401(c) of the Code) of the Company, the Partnership or any Subsidiary.
2.21 "Equity Restructuring" shall mean a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, rights offering or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the number or kind of Shares (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Stock (or other securities) and causes a change in the per share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding stock-based Awards.
2.22 "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
2.23 "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning provided inSection 13.1 hereof.
2.24 "Fair Market Value" shall mean, as of any given date, the value of a Share determined as follows:
(a) If the Common Stock is (i) listed on any established securities exchange (such as the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Capital Market, the NASDAQ Global Market and the NASDAQ Global Select Market), (ii) listed on any national market system or (iii) listed, quoted or traded on any automated quotation system, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for a Share as quoted on such exchange or system for such date or, if there is no closing sales price for a Share on the date in question, the closing sales price for a Share on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;
(b) If the Common Stock is not listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system, but the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the mean of the high bid and low asked prices for such date or, if there are no high bid and low asked prices for a Share on such date, the high bid and low asked prices for a Share on the last preceding date for which such information exists, as reported inThe Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or
(c) If the Common Stock is neither listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system nor regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be established by the Administrator in good faith.
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2.25 "Greater Than 10% Stockholder" shall mean an individual then-owning (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any "parent corporation" or "subsidiary corporation" (as defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively).
2.26 "Incentive Stock Option" shall mean an Option that is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option and conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.
2.27 "Individual Award Limit" shall mean the cash and share limits applicable to Awards granted under the Plan, as set forth inSection 3.3 hereof.
2.28 "LTIP Unit" shall mean, to the extent authorized by the Partnership Agreement, a unit of the Partnership that is granted pursuant toSection 9.7 hereof and is intended to constitute a "profits interest" within the meaning of the Code.
2.29 "Non-Employee Director" shall mean a Director of the Company, who is not an Employee.
2.30 "Non-Qualified Stock Option" shall mean an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option or which is designated as an Incentive Stock Option but does not meet the applicable requirements of Section 422 of the Code.
2.31 "Option" shall mean a right to purchase Shares at a specified exercise price, granted underArticle 6 hereof. An Option shall be either a Non-Qualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option;provided,however, that Options granted to Non-Employee Directors and Consultants shall only be Non-Qualified Stock Options.
2.32 "Other Incentive Award" shall mean an Award denominated in, linked to or derived from Shares or value metrics related to Shares, granted pursuant toSection 9.6 hereof.
2.33 "Parent" shall mean any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities ending with the Company if each of the entities other than the Company beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.
2.34 "Participant" shall mean an Eligible Individual who has been granted an Award pursuant to the Plan.
2.35 "Partnership" shall mean Plymouth Opportunity OP LP., a Delaware limited partnership.
2.36 "Partnership Agreement" shall mean the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Plymouth Opportunity OP LP, as the same may be amended, modified or restated from time to time.
2.37 "Performance Award" shall mean an Award that is granted underSection 9.1 hereof.
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2.38 "Performance-Based Compensation" shall mean any compensation that is intended to qualify as "performance-based compensation" as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code.
2.39 "Performance Criteria" shall mean the criteria (and adjustments) that the Committee selects for an Award for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Performance Period, determined as follows:
(a) The Performance Criteria that shall be used to establish Performance Goals are limited to the following: (i) net earnings (either before or after one or more of the following: (A) interest, (B) taxes, (C) depreciation, (D) amortization, and (E) non-cash equity-based compensation expense); (ii) gross or net sales or revenue; (iii) net income (either before or after taxes); (iv) adjusted net income; (v) operating earnings or profit; (vi) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow); (vii) return on assets; (viii) return on capital; (ix) return on stockholders’ equity; (x) total stockholder return; (xi) return on sales; (xii) gross or net profit or operating margin; (xiii) costs; (xiv) funds from operations; (xv) expenses; (xvi) working capital; (xvii) earnings per share; (xviii) adjusted earnings per share; (xix) price per Share; (xx) leasing activity; (xxi) implementation or completion of critical projects; (xxii) market share; (xxiii) economic value; (xxiv) debt levels or reduction; (xxv) sales-related goals; (xxvi) comparisons with other stock market indices; (xxvii) operating efficiency; (xxviii) financing and other capital raising transactions; (xxix) recruiting and maintaining personnel; (xxx) year-end cash; (xxxi) acquisition activity; (xxxii) investment sourcing activity; (xxxiii) customer service; and (xxxiv) marketing initiatives, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms for the Company or any operating unit of the Company or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease or as compared to results of a peer group or to market performance indicators or indices.
(b) The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, provide that one or more objectively determinable adjustments shall be made to one or more of the Performance Goals. Such adjustments may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: (i) items related to a change in accounting principle; (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 sale or disposition 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 Applicable Accounting Standards; (ix) items attributable to any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of stock 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; (xiv) items related to acquired in-process research and development; (xv) items relating to changes in tax laws; (xvi) items relating to major licensing or partnership arrangements; (xvii) items relating to asset impairment charges; (xviii) items relating to gains or losses for litigation, arbitration and contractual settlements; or (xix) items relating to any other unusual or nonrecurring events or changes in Applicable Law, accounting principles or business conditions. For all Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, such determinations shall be made within the time prescribed by, and otherwise in compliance with, Section 162(m) of the Code.
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2.40 "Performance Goals" shall mean, for a Performance Period, one or more goals established in writing by the Administrator for the Performance Period based upon one or more Performance Criteria. Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall performance of the Company, the Partnership, any Subsidiary, any division or business unit thereof or an individual. The achievement of each Performance Goal shall be determined in accordance with Applicable Accounting Standards.
2.41 "Performance Period" shall mean one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping durations, as the Administrator may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, a Performance Award.
2.42 "Performance Share" shall mean a contractual right awarded underSection 9.5 hereof to receive a number of Shares or the cash value of such number of Shares based on the attainment of specified Performance Goals or other criteria determined by the Administrator.
2.43 "Permitted Transferee" shall mean, with respect to a Participant, any "family member" of the Participant, as defined under the General Instructions to Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act or any successor Form thereto, or any other transferee specifically approved by the Administrator, after taking into account Applicable Law.
2.44 "Plan" shall mean this Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. and Plymouth Opportunity REIT OP LP 2014 Incentive Award Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.
2.45 "Program" shall mean any program adopted by the Administrator pursuant to the Plan containing the terms and conditions intended to govern a specified type of Award granted under the Plan and pursuant to which such type of Award may be granted under the Plan.
2.46 "Public Trading Date" shall mean the first date upon which the Common Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system.
2.47 "REIT" shall mean a real estate investment trust within the meaning of Sections 856 through 860 of the Code.
2.48 "Restricted Stock" shall mean an award of Shares made underArticle 8 hereof that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture.
2.49 "Restricted Stock Unit" shall mean a contractual right awarded underSection 9.4 hereof to receive in the future a Share or the cash value of a Share.
2.50 "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2.51 "Share Limit" shall have the meaning provided inSection 3.1(a) hereof.
2.52 "Shares" shall mean shares of Common Stock.
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2.53 "Stock Appreciation Right" shall mean a stock appreciation right granted underArticle 10 hereof.
2.54 "Stock Payment" shall mean a payment in the form of Shares awarded underSection 9.3 hereof.
2.55 "Subsidiary" shall mean (a) a corporation, association or other business entity of which fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of capital stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, the Partnership and/or by one or more Subsidiaries, (b) any partnership or limited liability company of which fifty percent (50%) or more of the equity interests are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, the Partnership and/or by one or more Subsidiaries, and (c) any other entity not described in clauses (a) or (b) above of which fifty percent (50%) or more of the ownership and the power (whether voting interests or otherwise), pursuant to a written contract or agreement, to direct the policies and management or the financial and the other affairs thereof, are owned or controlled by the Company, the Partnership and/or by one or more Subsidiaries.
2.56 "Substitute Award" shall mean an Award granted under the Plan in connection with a corporate transaction, such as a merger, combination, consolidation or acquisition of property or stock, in any case, upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, an outstanding equity award previously granted by a company or other entity that is a party to such transaction;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 Stock Appreciation Right.
2.57 "Successor Entity" shall have the meaning provided inSection 2.8(c)(i) hereof.
2.58 "Termination of Service" shall mean:
(a) As to a Consultant, the time when the engagement of a Participant as a Consultant to the Company and its Affiliates is terminated for any reason, with or without cause, including, without limitation, by resignation, discharge, death or retirement, but excluding terminations where the Consultant simultaneously commences or remains in employment and/or service as an Employee and/or Director with the Company or any Affiliate.
(b) As to a Non-Employee Director, the time when a Participant who is a Non-Employee Director ceases to be a Director for any reason, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, failure to be elected, death or retirement, but excluding terminations where the Participant simultaneously commences or remains in employment and/or service as an Employee and/or Consultant with the Company or any Affiliate.
(c) As to an Employee, the time when the employee-employer relationship between a Participant and the Company and its Affiliates is terminated for any reason, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, discharge, death, disability or retirement, but excluding terminations where the Participant simultaneously commences or remains in service as a Consultant and/or Director with the Company or any Affiliate.
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The Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to any Termination of Service, including, without limitation, whether a Termination of Service has occurred, whether any Termination of Service resulted from a discharge for cause and whether any particular leave of absence constitutes a Termination of Service;provided,however, that, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, unless the Administrator otherwise provides in the terms of any Program, Award Agreement or otherwise, or as otherwise required by Applicable Law, a leave of absence, change in status from an employee to an independent contractor or other change in the employee-employer relationship shall constitute a Termination of Service only if, and to the extent that, such leave of absence, change in status or other change interrupts employment for the purposes of Section 422(a)(2) of the Code. For purposes of the Plan, a Participant’s employee-employer relationship or consultancy relationship shall be deemed to be terminated in the event that the Affiliate employing or contracting with such Participant ceases to remain an Affiliate following any merger, sale of stock or other corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a spin-off).
Article 3.
SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
3.1Number of Shares.
(a) Subject toSection 3.1(b) andSection 13.2 hereof, the aggregate number of Shares which may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan is Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand (750,000) Shares (the "Share Limit"). In order that the applicable regulations under the Code relating to Incentive Stock Options be satisfied, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall be Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand (750,000) Shares. Subject toSection 13.2 hereof, each LTIP Unit issued pursuant to an Award shall count as one Share for purposes of calculating the aggregate number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan as set forth in thisSection 3.1(a) and for purposes of calculating the Individual Award Limit set forth inSection 3.3 hereof.
(b) If any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited or expire or such Award is settled for cash (in whole or in part), the Shares subject to such Award shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement, again be available for future grants of Awards under the Plan and shall be added back to the Share Limit in the same number of Shares as were debited from the Share Limit in respect of the grant of such Award (as may be adjusted in accordance withSection 13.2 hereof). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following Shares shall not be added back to the Share Limit and will not be available for future grants of Awards: (i) Shares tendered by a Participant or withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price of an Option; (ii) Shares tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award; (iii) Shares subject to a Stock Appreciation Right that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the Stock Appreciation Right on exercise thereof; and (iv) Shares purchased on the open market with the cash proceeds from the exercise of Options. Any Shares repurchased by the Company underSection 8.4 hereof at the same price paid by the Participant so that such Shares are returned to the Company will again be available for Awards. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the provisions of thisSection 3.1(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Stock Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.
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(c) Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Affiliate, or with which the Company or any Affiliate combines, has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by its stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or 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 authorized for grant under the Plan;provided,however, that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-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 Affiliates immediately prior to such acquisition or combination.
3.2Stock Distributed. Any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Common Stock or, if authorized by the Board, Common Stock purchased on the open market.
3.3Limitation on Number of Shares Subject to Awards. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject toSection 13.2 hereof, (a) the maximum aggregate number of Shares with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to any one person during any calendar year shall be One Hundred Thousand (100,000) Shares and the maximum aggregate amount of cash that may be paid in cash during any calendar year with respect to one or more Awards payable in cash shall be Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) (together, the "Individual Award Limits");provided,however, that the foregoing limitations shall not apply until the earliest of the following events to occur after the Public Trading Date: (a) the first material modification of the Plan (including any increase in the Share Limit in accordance withSection 3.1 hereof); (b) the issuance of all of the Shares reserved for issuance under the Plan; (c) the expiration of the Plan; (d) the first meeting of stockholders at which members of the Board are to be elected that occurs after the close of the third calendar year following the calendar year in which occurred the first registration of an equity security of the Company under Section 12 of the Exchange Act; or (e) such other date required by Section 162(m) of the Code and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Article 4.
GRANTING OF AWARDS
4.1Participation. The Administrator may, from time to time, select from among all Eligible Individuals, those to whom one or more Awards shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award, which shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of the Plan. No Eligible Individual shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to the Plan.
4.2Award Agreement. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement stating the terms and conditions applicable to such Award, consistent with the requirements of the Plan and any applicable Program.
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4.3Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, with respect to any Award granted or awarded to any individual who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, any applicable Program and the applicable Award Agreement shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and any amendments thereto) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule, and such additional limitations shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into such Award to the extent permitted by Applicable Law.
4.4At-Will Service. Nothing in the Plan or in any Program or Award Agreement hereunder shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue as an Employee, Director or Consultant of the Company or any Affiliate, or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company or any Affiliate, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge any Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, and with or without notice, or to terminate or change all other terms and conditions of any Participant’s employment or engagement, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any Affiliate.
4.5Foreign Participants. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company and its Affiliates operate or have Employees, Non-Employee Directors or Consultants, or in order to comply with the requirements of any foreign securities exchange, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (a) determine which Affiliates shall be covered by the Plan; (b) determine which Eligible Individuals outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (c) modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Eligible Individuals outside the United States to comply with applicable foreign laws or listing requirements of any such foreign securities exchange; (d) establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable;provided,however, that no such subplans and/or modifications shall increase the Share Limit or Individual Award Limits contained inSections 3.1 and3.3 hereof, respectively; and (e) take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local governmental regulatory exemptions or approvals or listing requirements of any such foreign securities exchange. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate Applicable Law.
4.6Stand-Alone and Tandem Awards. Awards granted pursuant to the Plan may, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, be granted either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with, any other Award granted pursuant to the Plan. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards.
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Article 5.
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS INTENDED TO QUALIFY AS
PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION
5.1Purpose. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine whether any Award is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation. If the Committee, in its sole discretion, decides to grant an Award to an Eligible Individual that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, then the provisions of thisArticle 5 shall control over any contrary provision contained in the Plan. The Administrator may in its sole discretion grant Awards to Eligible Individuals that are based on Performance Criteria or Performance Goals but that do not satisfy the requirements of this Article 5 and that are not intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation. Unless otherwise specified by the Committee at the time of grant, the Performance Criteria with respect to an Award intended to be Performance-Based Compensation payable to a Covered Employee shall be determined on the basis of Applicable Accounting Standards.
5.2Applicability. The grant of an Award to an Eligible Individual for a particular Performance Period shall not require the grant of an Award to such Eligible Individual in any subsequent Performance Period and the grant of an Award to any one Eligible Individual shall not require the grant of an Award to any other Eligible Individual in such period or in any other period.
5.3Procedures with Respect to Performance-Based Awards. To the extent necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, with respect to any Award which is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, no later than ninety (90) days following the commencement of any Performance Period or any designated fiscal period or period of service (or such earlier time as may be required under Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall, in writing, (a) designate one or more Eligible Individuals; (b) select the Performance Criteria applicable to the Performance Period; (c) establish the Performance Goals, and amounts of such Awards, as applicable, which may be earned for such Performance Period based on the Performance Criteria; and (d) specify the relationship between Performance Criteria and the Performance Goals and the amounts of such Awards, as applicable, to be earned by each Covered Employee for such Performance Period. Following the completion of each Performance Period, the Committee shall certify in writing whether and the extent to which the applicable Performance Goals have been achieved for such Performance Period. In determining the amount earned under such Awards, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, the Committee shall have the right to reduce or eliminate (but not to increase) the amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the Committee may deem relevant, including the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the Performance Period.
5.4Payment of Performance-Based Awards. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Program or Award Agreement (and only to the extent otherwise permitted by Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code), the holder of an Award that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation must be employed by the Company or an Affiliate throughout the applicable Performance Period. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Performance Goals, Program or Award Agreement, a Participant shall be eligible to receive payment pursuant to such Awards for a Performance Period only if and to the extent the Performance Goals for such Performance Period are achieved.
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5.5Additional Limitations. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan and except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, any Award which is granted to an Eligible Individual and is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall be subject to any additional limitations imposed by Section 162(m) of the Code that are requirements for qualification as Performance-Based Compensation, and the Plan, the Program and the Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.
Article 6.
GRANTING OF OPTIONS
6.1Granting of Options to Eligible Individuals. The Administrator is authorized to grant Options to Eligible Individuals from time to time, in its sole discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may determine which shall not be inconsistent with the Plan.
6.2Qualification of Incentive Stock Options. No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any person who is not an Employee of the Company or any "parent corporation" or "subsidiary corporation" of the Company (as defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively). No person who qualifies as a Greater Than 10% Stockholder may be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless such Incentive Stock Option conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code. Any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan may be modified by the Administrator, with the consent of the Participant, to disqualify such Option from treatment as an "incentive stock option" under Section 422 of the Code. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value of stock with respect to which "incentive stock options" (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, but without regard to Section 422(d) of the Code) are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year under the Plan and all other plans of the Company or any "parent corporation" or "subsidiary corporation" of the Company (as defined in Section 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively) exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), the Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options to the extent required by Section 422 of the Code. The rule set forth in the preceding sentence shall be applied by taking Options and other "incentive stock options" into account in the order in which they were granted and the Fair Market Value of stock shall be determined as of the time the respective options were granted. In addition, to the extent that any Options otherwise fail to qualify as Incentive Stock Options, such Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options.
6.3Option Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share subject to each Option shall be set by the Administrator, but shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (or, as to Incentive Stock Options, on the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code). In addition, in the case of Incentive Stock Options granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, such price shall not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (or the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code).
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6.4Option Term. The term of each Option shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion;provided,however, that the term shall not be more than ten (10) years from the date the Option is granted, or five (5) years from the date an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder. The Administrator shall determine the time period, including the time period following a Termination of Service, during which the Participant has the right to exercise the vested Options, which time period may not extend beyond the stated term of the Option. Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A or Section 422 of the Code, the Administrator may extend the term of any outstanding Option, and may extend the time period during which vested Options may be exercised, in connection with any Termination of Service of the Participant, and may amend any other term or condition of such Option relating to such a Termination of Service.
6.5Option Vesting.
(a) The terms and conditions pursuant to which an Option vests in the Participant and becomes exercisable shall be determined by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Such vesting may be based on service with the Company or any Affiliate, any of the Performance Criteria, or any other criteria selected by the Administrator. At any time after the grant of an Option, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion and subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects, accelerate the vesting of the Option.
(b) No portion of an Option which is unexercisable at a Participant’s Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable, except as may be otherwise provided by the Administrator either in an applicable Program, the applicable Award Agreement or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Option.
6.6Substitute Awards. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of thisArticle 6 to the contrary, in the case of an Option that is a Substitute Award, the price per Share of the Shares subject to such Option may be less than the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant;provided,however, that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Sections 424 and 409A of the Code.
6.7Substitution of Stock Appreciation Rights. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, substitute an Award of Stock Appreciation Rights for an outstanding Option at any time prior to or upon exercise of such Option;provided,however, that such Stock Appreciation Rights shall be exercisable with respect to the same number of Shares for which such substituted Option would have been exercisable, and shall also have the same exercise price and remaining term as the substituted Option.
Article 7.
EXERCISE OF OPTIONS
7.1Partial Exercise. An exercisable Option may be exercised in whole or in part. However, an Option shall not be exercisable with respect to fractional shares and the Administrator may require that, by the terms of the Option, a partial exercise must be with respect to a minimum number of Shares.
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7.2Manner of Exercise. All or a portion of an exercisable Option shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the Secretary of the Company, or such other person or entity designated by the Administrator, or his, her or its office, as applicable:
(a) A written or electronic notice complying with the applicable rules established by the Administrator stating that the Option, or a portion thereof, is exercised. The notice shall be signed by the Participant or other person then entitled to exercise the Option or such portion of the Option;
(b) Such representations and documents as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with Applicable Law. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, also take such additional actions as it deems appropriate to effect such compliance, including, without limitation, placing legends on share certificates and issuing stop-transfer notices to agents and registrars;
(c) In the event that the Option shall be exercised pursuant toSection 11.3 hereof by any person or persons other than the Participant, appropriate proof of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Option, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator; and
(d) Full payment of the exercise price and applicable withholding taxes to the stock administrator of the Company for the Shares with respect to which the Option, or portion thereof, is exercised, in a manner permitted by the Administrator in accordance withSections 11.1 and11.2 hereof.
7.3Notification Regarding Disposition. The Participant shall give the Company prompt written or electronic notice of any disposition of Shares acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option which occurs within (a) two (2) years after the date of granting (including the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code) of such Option to such Participant, or (b) one (1) year after the date of transfer of such Shares to such Participant.
Article 8.
RESTRICTED STOCK
8.1Award of Restricted Stock.
(a) The Administrator is authorized to grant Restricted Stock to Eligible Individuals, and shall determine the terms and conditions, including the restrictions applicable to each award of Restricted Stock, which terms and conditions shall not be inconsistent with the Plan, and may impose such conditions on the issuance of such Restricted Stock as it deems appropriate.
(b) The Administrator shall establish the purchase price, if any, and form of payment for Restricted Stock;provided,however, that if a purchase price is charged, such purchase price shall be no less than the par value of the Shares to be purchased, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law. In all cases, legal consideration shall be required for each issuance of Restricted Stock to the extent required by Applicable Law.
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8.2Rights as Stockholders. Subject toSection 8.4 hereof, upon issuance of Restricted Stock, the Participant shall have, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, all the rights of a stockholder with respect to said shares, subject to the restrictions in an applicable Program or in the applicable Award Agreement, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions paid or made with respect to the shares;provided,however, that, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, any extraordinary distributions with respect to the shares shall be subject to the restrictions set forth inSection 8.3 hereof.
8.3Restrictions. All shares of Restricted Stock (including any shares received by Participants thereof with respect to shares of Restricted Stock as a result of stock dividends, stock splits or any other form of recapitalization) shall, in the terms of an applicable Program or the applicable Award Agreement, be subject to such restrictions and vesting requirements as the Administrator shall provide. Such restrictions may include, without limitation, restrictions concerning voting rights and transferability and such restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times and pursuant to such circumstances or based on such criteria as selected by the Administrator, including, without limitation, criteria based on the Participant’s continued employment, directorship or consultancy with the Company, the Performance Criteria, Company or Affiliate performance, individual performance or other criteria selected by the Administrator. By action taken after the Restricted Stock is issued, the Administrator may, on such terms and conditions as it may determine to be appropriate, accelerate the vesting of such Restricted Stock by removing any or all of the restrictions imposed by the terms of any Program or by the applicable Award Agreement. Restricted Stock may not be sold or encumbered until all restrictions are terminated or expire.
8.4Repurchase or Forfeiture of Restricted Stock. If no purchase price was paid by the Participant for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service, the Participant’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall lapse, and such Restricted Stock shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled without consideration. If a purchase price was paid by the Participant for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service the Company shall have the right to repurchase from the Participant the unvested Restricted Stock then-subject to restrictions at a cash price per share equal to the price paid by the Participant for such Restricted Stock or such other amount as may be specified in an applicable Program or the applicable Award Agreement. The Administrator in its sole discretion may provide that, upon certain events, including, without limitation, a Change in Control, the Participant’s death, retirement or disability, any other specified Termination of Service or any other event, the Participant’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock shall not terminate, such Restricted Stock shall vest and cease to be forfeitable and, if applicable, the Company shall cease to have a right of repurchase.
8.5Certificates for Restricted Stock. Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Administrator shall determine. Certificates or book entries evidencing shares of Restricted Stock must include an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, and the Company may, in its sole discretion, retain physical possession of any stock certificate until such time as all applicable restrictions lapse.
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Article 9.
PERFORMANCE AWARDS; DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS; STOCK
PAYMENTS; RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS; PERFORMANCE
SHARES; OTHER INCENTIVE AWARDS; LTIP UNITS
9.1Performance Awards.
(a) The Administrator is authorized to grant Performance Awards to any Eligible Individual and to determine whether such Performance Awards shall be Performance-Based Compensation. The value of Performance Awards may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific criteria determined by the Administrator, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Administrator.
(b) Without limitingSection 9.1(a) hereof, the Administrator may grant Performance Awards to any Eligible Individual in the form of a cash bonus payable upon the attainment of objective Performance Goals, or such other criteria, whether or not objective, which are established by the Administrator, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Administrator. Any such bonuses paid to a Participant which are intended to be Performance-Based Compensation shall be based upon objectively determinable bonus formulas established in accordance with the provisions ofArticle 5 hereof.
9.2Dividend Equivalents.
(a) Subject toSection 9.2(b) hereof, Dividend Equivalents may be granted by the Administrator, either alone or in tandem with another Award, based on dividends declared on the Common Stock, to be credited as of dividend payment dates during the period between the date the Dividend Equivalents are granted to a Participant and the date such Dividend Equivalents terminate or expire, as determined by the Administrator. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional Shares by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Administrator. In addition, Dividend Equivalents with respect to Shares covered by a Performance Award shall only be paid out to the Participant at the same time or times and to the same extent that the vesting conditions, if any, are subsequently satisfied and the Performance Award vests with respect to such Shares.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Dividend Equivalents shall be payable with respect to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.
9.3Stock Payments. The Administrator is authorized to make one or more Stock Payments to any Eligible Individual. The number or value of Shares of any Stock Payment shall be determined by the Administrator and may be based upon one or more Performance Criteria or any other specific criteria, including service to the Company or any Affiliate, determined by the Administrator. Stock Payments may, but are not required to be made in lieu of base salary, bonus, fees or other cash compensation otherwise payable to such Eligible Individual.
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9.4Restricted Stock Units. The Administrator is authorized to grant Restricted Stock Units to any Eligible Individual. The number and terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Units shall be determined by the Administrator. The Administrator shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Stock Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate, including conditions based on one or more Performance Criteria or other specific criteria, including service to the Company or any Affiliate, in each case, on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods, as determined by the Administrator. The Administrator shall specify, or permit the Participant to elect, the conditions and dates upon which the Shares underlying the Restricted Stock Units shall be issued, which dates shall not be earlier than the date as of which the Restricted Stock Units vest and become nonforfeitable and which conditions and dates shall be consistent with the applicable provisions of Section 409A of the Code or an exemption therefrom. On the distribution dates, the Company shall issue to the Participant one unrestricted, fully transferable Share (or the Fair Market Value of one such Share in cash) for each vested and nonforfeitable Restricted Stock Unit.
9.5Performance Share Awards. Any Eligible Individual selected by the Administrator may be granted one or more Performance Share awards which shall be denominated in a number of Shares and the vesting of which may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria, other specific performance criteria (in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Administrator) and/or time-vesting or other criteria, as determined by the Administrator.
9.6Other Incentive Awards. The Administrator is authorized to grant Other Incentive Awards to any Eligible Individual, which Awards may cover Shares or the right to purchase Shares or have a value derived from the value of, or an exercise or conversion privilege at a price related to, or that are otherwise payable in or based on, Shares, shareholder value or shareholder return, in each case, on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Administrator. Other Incentive Awards may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Administrator.
9.7LTIP Units. The Administrator is authorized to grant LTIP Units in such amount and subject to such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Administrator;provided,however, that LTIP Units may only be issued to a Participant for the performance of services to or for the benefit of the Partnership (a) in the Participant’s capacity as a partner of the Partnership, (b) in anticipation of the Participant becoming a partner of the Partnership, or (c) as otherwise determined by the Administrator,provided that the LTIP Units are intended to constitute "profits interests" within the meaning of the Code, including, to the extent applicable, Revenue Procedure 93-27, 1993-2 C.B. 343 and Revenue Procedure 2001-43, 2001-2 C.B. 191. The Administrator shall specify the conditions and dates upon which the LTIP Units shall vest and become nonforfeitable. LTIP Units shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Partnership Agreement and such other restrictions, including restrictions on transferability, as the Administrator may impose. These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, pursuant to such circumstances, in such installments, or otherwise, as the Administrator determines at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter.
9.8Other Terms and Conditions. All applicable terms and conditions of each Award described in thisArticle 9, including, without limitation, as applicable, the term, vesting conditions and exercise/purchase price applicable to the Award, shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion;provided,however, that the value of the consideration paid by a Participant for an Award shall not be less than the par value of a Share, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law.
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9.9Exercise upon Termination of Service. Awards described in thisArticle 9 are exercisable or distributable, as applicable, only while the Participant is an Employee, Director or Consultant, as applicable. The Administrator, however, in its sole discretion may provide that such Award may be exercised or distributed subsequent to a Termination of Service as provided under an applicable Program, Award Agreement, payment deferral election and/or in certain events, including without limitation, a Change in Control, the Participant’s death, retirement or disability or any other specified Termination of Service.
Article 10.
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
10.1Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights.
(a) The Administrator is authorized to grant Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals from time to time, in its sole discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may determine consistent with the Plan.
(b) A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion of the Stock Appreciation Right (to the extent then-exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to receive from the Company an amount determined by multiplying the difference obtained by subtracting the exercise price per Share of the Stock Appreciation Right from the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right by the number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right shall have been exercised, subject to any limitations the Administrator may impose. Except as described inSection 10.1(c) hereof, the exercise price per Share subject to each Stock Appreciation Right shall be set by the Administrator, but shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value on the date the Stock Appreciation Right is granted.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions ofSection 10.1(b) hereof to the contrary, in the case of a Stock Appreciation Right that is a Substitute Award, the price per share of the shares subject to such Stock Appreciation Right may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant;provided,however, that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Sections 424 and 409A of the Code.
10.2Stock Appreciation Right Vesting.
(a) The Administrator shall determine the period during which the Participant shall vest in a Stock Appreciation Right and have the right to exercise such Stock Appreciation Rights (subject toSection 10.4 hereof) in whole or in part. Such vesting may be based on service with the Company or any Affiliate, any of the Performance Criteria or any other criteria selected by the Administrator. At any time after grant of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion and subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects, accelerate the period during which the Stock Appreciation Right vests.
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(b) No portion of a Stock Appreciation Right which is unexercisable at Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable, except as may be otherwise provided by the Administrator either in an applicable Program or Award Agreement or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Stock Appreciation Right.
10.3Manner of Exercise. All or a portion of an exercisable Stock Appreciation Right shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the stock administrator of the Company, or such other person or entity designated by the Administrator, or his, her or its office, as applicable:
(a) A written or electronic notice complying with the applicable rules established by the Administrator stating that the Stock Appreciation Right, or a portion thereof, is exercised. The notice shall be signed by the Participant or other person then-entitled to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right or such portion of the Stock Appreciation Right;
(b) Such representations and documents as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with all applicable provisions of the Securities Act and any other federal, state or foreign securities laws or regulations. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, also take whatever additional actions it deems appropriate to effect such compliance;
(c) In the event that the Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercised pursuant to thisSection 10.3 by any person or persons other than the Participant, appropriate proof of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right; and
(d) Full payment of the applicable withholding taxes for the Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Rights, or portion thereof, are exercised, in a manner permitted by the Administrator in accordance withSections 11.1 and11.2 hereof.
10.4Stock Appreciation Right Term. The term of each Stock Appreciation Right shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion;provided,however, that the term shall not be more than ten (10) years from the date the Stock Appreciation Right is granted. The Administrator shall determine the time period, including the time period following a Termination of Service, during which the Participant has the right to exercise the vested Stock Appreciation Rights, which time period may not extend beyond the expiration date of the Stock Appreciation Right term. Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, the Administrator may extend the term of any outstanding Stock Appreciation Right, and may extend the time period during which vested Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised, in connection with any Termination of Service of the Participant, and may amend any other term or condition of such Stock Appreciation Right relating to such a Termination of Service.
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Article 11.
ADDITIONAL TERMS OF AWARDS
11.1Payment. The Administrator shall determine the methods by which payments by any Participant with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan shall be made, including, without limitation: (a) cash or check, (b) Shares (including, in the case of payment of the exercise price of an Award, Shares issuable pursuant to the exercise of the Award) held for such period of time as may be required by the Administrator in order to avoid adverse accounting consequences, in each case, having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate payments required, (c) delivery of a written or electronic notice that the Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker with respect to Shares then-issuable upon exercise or vesting of an Award, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the aggregate payments required;provided,however, that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale, or (d) other form of legal consideration acceptable to the Administrator. The Administrator shall also determine the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant who is a Director or an "executive officer" of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to make payment with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan, or continue any extension of credit with respect to such payment with a loan from the Company or a loan arranged by the Company in violation of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.
11.2Tax Withholding. The Company and its Affiliates shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company or an Affiliate, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Participant’s social security, Medicare and any other employment tax obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Participant arising in connection with any Award. The Administrator may in its sole discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement allow a Participant to satisfy such obligations by any payment means described inSection 11.1 hereof, including, without limitation, by allowing such Participant to elect to have the Company or an Affiliate withhold Shares otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the surrender of Shares). The number of Shares which may be so withheld or surrendered shall be limited to the number of Shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding or repurchase no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income. The Administrator shall determine the fair market value of the Shares, consistent with applicable provisions of the Code, for tax withholding obligations due in connection with a broker-assisted cashless Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise involving the sale of Shares to pay the Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise price or any tax withholding obligation.
11.3Transferability of Awards.
(a) Except as otherwise provided inSection 11.3(b) or(c) hereof:
(i) No Award under the Plan may be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, subject to the consent of the Administrator, pursuant to a DRO, unless and until such Award has been exercised, or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed;
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(ii) No Award or interest or right therein shall be subject to the debts, contracts or engagements of the Participant or his successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy) unless and until such Award has been exercised, or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed, and any attempted disposition of an Award prior to the satisfaction of these conditions shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by clause (i) of this provision; and
(iii) During the lifetime of the Participant, only the Participant may exercise an Award (or any portion thereof) granted to him under the Plan, unless it has been disposed of pursuant to a DRO; after the death of the Participant, any exercisable portion of an Award may, prior to the time when such portion becomes unexercisable under the Plan or the applicable Program or Award Agreement, be exercised by his personal representative or by any person empowered to do so under the deceased Participant’s will or under the then-applicable laws of descent and distribution.
(b) NotwithstandingSection 11.3(a) hereof, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Participant or a Permitted Transferee of such Participant to transfer an Award other than an Incentive Stock Option (unless such Incentive Stock Option is to become a Non-Qualified Stock Option) to any one or more Permitted Transferees of such Participant, subject to the following terms and conditions: (i) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall not be assignable or transferable by the Permitted Transferee (other than to another Permitted Transferee of the applicable Participant) other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (ii) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall continue to be subject to all the terms and conditions of the Award as applicable to the original Participant (other than the ability to further transfer the Award); and (iii) the Participant (or transferring Permitted Transferee) and the Permitted Transferee shall execute any and all documents requested by the Administrator, including, without limitation, documents to (A) confirm the status of the transferee as a Permitted Transferee, (B) satisfy any requirements for an exemption for the transfer under applicable federal, state and foreign securities laws and (C) evidence the transfer. In addition, and further notwithstandingSection 11.3(a) hereof, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Participant to transfer Incentive Stock Options to a trust that constitutes a Permitted Transferee if, under Section 671 of the Code and applicable state law, the Participant is considered the sole beneficial owner of the Incentive Stock Option while it is held in the trust.
(c) NotwithstandingSection 11.3(a) hereof, a Participant may, in the manner determined by the Administrator, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participant’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Program or Award Agreement applicable to the Participant, except to the extent the Plan, the Program and the Award Agreement otherwise provide, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Administrator. If the Participant is married or a domestic partner in a domestic partnership
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qualified under Applicable Law and resides in a "community property" state, a designation of a person other than the Participant’s spouse or domestic partner, as applicable, as his or her beneficiary with respect to more than fifty percent (50%) of the Participant’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written or electronic consent of the Participant’s spouse or domestic partner. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Participant’s will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at any time provided the change or revocation is delivered to the Administrator prior to the Participant’s death.
11.4Conditions to Issuance of Shares.
(a) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Company nor its Affiliates shall be required to issue or deliver any certificates or make any book entries evidencing Shares pursuant to the exercise of any Award, unless and until the Administrator has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance of such Shares is in compliance with Applicable Law, and the Shares are covered by an effective registration statement or applicable exemption from registration. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Administrator may require that a Participant make such reasonable covenants, agreements, and representations as the Administrator, in its discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with any such laws, regulations, or requirements.
(b) All Share certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan and all Shares issued pursuant to book entry procedures are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to comply with Applicable Law. The Administrator may place legends on any Share certificate or book entry to reference restrictions applicable to the Shares.
(c) The Administrator shall have the right to require any Participant to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement, distribution or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the sole discretion of the Administrator.
(d) No fractional Shares shall be issued and the Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares shall be eliminated by rounding down.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator or required by Applicable Law, the Company and/or its Affiliates may, in lieu of delivering to any Participant certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Award, record the issuance of Shares in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator).
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11.5Forfeiture and Claw-Back Provisions.
(a) Pursuant to its general authority to determine the terms and conditions applicable to Awards under the Plan, the Administrator shall have the right to provide, in the terms of Awards made under the Plan, or to require a Participant to agree by separate written or electronic instrument, that: (i) any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by the Participant upon any receipt or exercise of the Award, or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award, must be paid to the Company, and (ii) the Award shall terminate and any unexercised portion of the Award (whether or not vested) shall be forfeited, if (x) a Termination of Service occurs prior to a specified date, or within a specified time period following receipt or exercise of the Award, (y) the Participant at any time, or during a specified time period, engages in any activity in competition with the Company, or which is inimical, contrary or harmful to the interests of the Company, as further defined by the Administrator or (z) the Participant incurs a Termination of Service for cause; and
(b) All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by the Participant upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award) shall be subject to the applicable provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, whether implemented prior to or after the grant of such Award, including, without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with the requirements of Applicable Law.
11.6Prohibition on Repricing. Subject toSection 13.2 hereof, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, (a) authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right to reduce its price per share, or (b) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option or Stock Appreciation Right price per share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares. Subject toSection 13.2 hereof, the Administrator shall have the authority, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, to amend any outstanding award to increase the price per share or to cancel and replace an Award with the grant of an Award having a price per share that is greater than or equal to the price per share of the original Award.
11.7Cash Settlement. Without limiting the generality of any other provision of the Plan, the Administrator may provide, in an Award Agreement or subsequent to the grant of an Award, in its discretion, that any Award may be settled in cash, Shares or a combination thereof.
11.8Leave of Absence. Unless the Administrator provides otherwise, vesting of Awards granted hereunder shall be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence. A Participant shall not cease to be considered an Employee, Non-Employee Director or Consultant, as applicable, in the case of any (a) leave of absence approved by the Company, (b) transfer between locations of the Company or between the Company and any of its Affiliates or any successor thereof, or (c) change in status (Employee to Director, Employee to Consultant, etc.),provided that such change does not affect the specific terms applying to the Participant’s Award.
11.9Terms May Vary Between Awards. The terms and conditions of each Award shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion and the Administrator shall have complete flexibility to provide for varied terms and conditions as between any Awards, whether of the same or different Award type and/or whether granted to the same or different Participants (in all cases, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan).
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Article 12.
ADMINISTRATION
12.1Administrator. Unless the Board has otherwise theretofore delegated the administration of the Plan to a Committee as set forth herein, prior to the Public Trading Date, the Board shall administer the Plan. Effective as of the Public Trading Date, the Committee (or another committee or a subcommittee of the Board assuming the functions of the Committee under the Plan) shall administer the Plan (except as otherwise permitted herein) and, unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors appointed by and holding office at the pleasure of the Board, each of whom is intended to qualify as a "non-employee director" as defined by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, an "outside director" for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code and an "independent director" under the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded, in each case, to the extent required under such provision;provided,however, that any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in thisSection 12.1 or otherwise provided in the Company’s charter or Bylaws or any charter of the Committee. Except as may otherwise be provided in any charter of the Committee, appointment of Committee members shall be effective upon acceptance of appointment, Committee members may resign at any time by delivering written or electronic notice to the Board, and vacancies in the Committee may only be filled by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the full Board, acting by a majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to Awards granted to Non-Employee Directors and (b) the Board or Committee may delegate its authority hereunder to the extent permitted bySection 12.6 hereof.
12.2Duties and Powers of Administrator. It shall be the duty of the Administrator to conduct the general administration of the Plan in accordance with its provisions. The Administrator shall have the power to interpret the Plan and all Programs and Award Agreements, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan and any Program as are not inconsistent with the Plan, to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules and to amend any Program or Award Agreement provided that the rights or obligations of the holder of the Award that is the subject of any such Program or Award Agreement are not affected adversely by such amendment, unless the consent of the Participant is obtained or such amendment is otherwise permitted underSection 13.13 hereof. Any such grant or award under the Plan need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Any such interpretations and rules with respect to Incentive Stock Options shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. In its sole discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee under the Plan except with respect to matters which under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, Section 162(m) of the Code, or the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded are required to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.
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12.3Action by the Committee. Unless otherwise established by the Board, in the Company’s charter or Bylaws or in any charter of the Committee or as required by Applicable Law or, a majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by all members of the Committee in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Committee. To the greatest extend permitted by Applicable Law, 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 Affiliate, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.
12.4Authority of Administrator. Subject to any specific designation in the Plan and Applicable Law, the Administrator has the exclusive power, authority and sole discretion to:
(a) Designate Eligible Individuals to receive Awards;
(b) Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Eligible Individual;
(c) Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of Shares to which an Award will relate;
(d) Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price, any performance criteria, any reload provision, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for vesting, lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, and any provisions related to non-competition and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Administrator in its sole discretion determines;
(e) Determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;
(f) Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Participant;
(g) Determine as between the Company, the Partnership and any Subsidiary which entity will make payments with respect to an Award, consistent with applicable securities laws and other Applicable Law;
(h) Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;
(i) Establish, adopt, or revise any rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;
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(j) Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan, any Program or any Award Agreement; and
(k) Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan.
12.5Decisions Binding. The Administrator’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, any Program, any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Administrator with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.
12.6Delegation of Authority. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Board or Committee may from time to time delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board or one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant or amend Awards or to take other administrative actions pursuant to thisArticle 12;provided,however, that in no event shall an officer of the Company be delegated the authority to grant Awards to, or amend Awards held by, the following individuals: (a) individuals who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, (b) Covered Employees with respect to Awards intended to constitute Performance-Based Compensation, or (c) officers of the Company (or Directors) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder;provided,further, that any delegation of administrative authority shall only be permitted to the extent it is permissible under Section 162(m) of the Code and other Applicable Law. Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Board or Committee specifies at the time of such delegation, and the Board may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint a new delegatee. At all times, the delegatee appointed under thisSection 12.6 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Board and the Committee.
Article 13.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
13.1Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan. Except as otherwise provided in thisSection 13.1, the Plan may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Board. However, without approval of the Company’s stockholders given within twelve (12) months before or after the action by the Administrator, no action of the Administrator may, except as provided inSection 13.2 hereof, (i) increase the Share Limit, (ii) reduce the price per share of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan, or (iii) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award in violation ofSection 11.6 hereof. Except as provided inSection 13.13 hereof, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the Participant, impair any rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted or awarded, unless the Award itself otherwise expressly so provides. The annual increase to the Share Limit (set forth inSection 3.1(a)(ii) hereof) shall terminate on the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date and, from and after such tenth (10th) anniversary, no additional share increases shall occur pursuant toSection 3.1(a)(ii) hereof. In addition, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no ISO shall be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date.
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13.2Changes in Common Stock or Assets of the Company, Acquisition or Liquidation of the Company and Other Corporate Events.
(a) In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the shares of the Company’s stock or the share price of the Company’s stock other than an Equity Restructuring, the Board may make equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to (i) the aggregate number and kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, without limitation, adjustments of the Share Limit and Individual Award Limits); (ii) the number and kind of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards; (iii) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and/or (iv) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan. Any adjustment affecting an Award intended as Performance-Based Compensation shall be made consistent with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code unless otherwise determined by the Administrator.
(b) In the event of any transaction or event described inSection 13.2(a) hereof or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or of changes in Applicable Law or accounting principles, the Board, in its sole discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Board determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in laws, regulations or principles:
(i) To provide for either (A) termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash and/or other property, if any, equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in thisSection 13.2, the Board determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment) or (B) the replacement of such Award with other rights or property selected by the Board in its sole discretion having an aggregate value not exceeding the amount that could have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights had such Award been currently exercisable or payable or fully vested;
(ii) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;
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(iii) To make adjustments in the number and type of securities subject to outstanding Awards and Awards which may be granted in the future and/or in the terms, conditions and criteria included in such Awards (including the grant or exercise price, as applicable);
(iv) To provide that such Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect to all securities covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or an applicable Program or Award Agreement; and
(v) To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event.
(c) In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary inSections 13.2(a) and13.2(b) hereof:
(i) The number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, shall be equitably adjusted; and/or
(ii) The Board shall make such equitable adjustments, if any, as the Board in its discretion may deem appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring with respect to the aggregate number and kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, without limitation, adjustments to the Share Limit and the Individual Award Limits).
The adjustments provided under thisSection 13.2(c) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company.
(d) Except as may otherwise be provided in any applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement entered into between the Company (or an Affiliate) and a Participant, if a Change in Control occurs and a Participant’s outstanding Awards are not continued, converted, assumed, or replaced by the surviving or successor entity in such Change in Control, then immediately prior to the Change in Control such outstanding Awards, to the extent not continued, converted, assumed, or replaced, shall become fully vested and, as applicable, exercisable and shall be deemed exercised immediately prior to the consummation of such transaction, and all forfeiture, repurchase and other restrictions on such Awards shall lapse immediately prior to such transaction. If an Award vests and, as applicable, is exercised in lieu of continuation, conversion, assumption or replacement in connection with a Change in Control, the Administrator shall notify the Participant of such vesting and any applicable deemed exercise, and the Award shall terminate upon the Change in Control. Upon, or in anticipation of, a Change in Control, the Administrator may cause any and all Awards outstanding hereunder to terminate at a specific time in the future, including, without limitation, to the date of such Change in Control, and shall give each Participant the right to exercise such Awards during a period of time as the Administrator, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall determine. For the avoidance of doubt, if the value of an Award that is terminated in connection with thisSection 13.2(d) is zero or negative at the time of such Change in Control, such Award shall be terminated upon the Change in Control without payment of consideration therefor.
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(e) The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, include such further provisions and limitations in any Award, agreement or certificate, as it may deem equitable and in the best interests of the Company that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.
(f) With respect to Awards which are granted to Covered Employees and are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, no adjustment or action described in thisSection 13.2 or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized to the extent that such adjustment or action would cause such Award to fail to so qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, unless the Administrator determines that the Award should not so qualify. No adjustment or action described in thisSection 13.2 or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized to the extent that such adjustment or action would cause the Plan to violate Section 422(b)(1) of the Code. Furthermore, no such adjustment or action shall be authorized with respect to any Award to the extent such adjustment or action would result in short-swing profits liability under Section 16 of the Exchange Act or violate the exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act unless the Administrator determines that the Award is not to comply with such exemptive conditions.
(g) The existence of the Plan, any Program, any Award Agreement and/or any Award granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company, the stockholders of the Company or any Affiliate to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s or such Affiliate’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company or any Affiliate, any issue of stock or of options, warrants or rights to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks whose rights are superior to or affect the Common Stock, the securities of any Affiliate or the rights thereof or which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock or securities of any Affiliate, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any Affiliate, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.
(h) No action shall be taken under thisSection 13.2 which shall cause an Award to fail to comply with Section 409A of the Code or an exemption therefrom, in either case, to the extent applicable to such Award, unless the Administrator determines any such adjustments to be appropriate.
(i) In the event of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the Shares or the share price of the Common Stock including any Equity Restructuring, for reasons of administrative convenience, the Company in its sole discretion may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award during a period of thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of any such transaction.
13.3Approval of Plan by Stockholders. The Plan shall be submitted for the approval of the Company’s stockholders within twelve (12) months after the date of the Board’s initial adoption of the Plan. Awards may be granted or awarded prior to such stockholder approval;provided,however, that such Awards shall not be exercisable, shall not vest and the restrictions thereon shall not lapse and no Shares shall be issued pursuant thereto prior to the time when the Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders, andprovided,further, that if such approval has not been obtained at the end of such twelve (12)-month period, all such Awards previously granted or awarded under the Plan shall thereupon be canceled and become null and void.
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13.4No Stockholders Rights. Except as otherwise provided herein or in an applicable Program or Award Agreement, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record owner of such Shares.
13.5Paperless Administration. In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the documentation, granting or exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless documentation, granting or exercise of Awards by a Participant may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.
13.6Section 83(b) Election. No Participant may make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to any Award under the Plan without the consent of the Administrator, which the Administrator may grant (prospectively or retroactively) or withhold in its sole discretion. If, with the consent of the Administrator, a Participant makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed with respect to the Restricted Stock as of the date of transfer of the Restricted Stock rather than as of the date or dates upon which the Participant would otherwise be taxable under Section 83(a) of the Code, the Participant shall be required to deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service.
13.7Grant of Awards to Certain Employees or Consultants. The Company, the Partnership or any Subsidiary may provide through the establishment of a formal written policy (which shall be deemed a part of this Plan) or otherwise for the method by which Shares or other securities of the Company or the Partnership may be issued and by which such Shares or other securities and/or payment therefor may be exchanged or contributed among such entities, or may be returned upon any forfeiture of Shares or other securities by the Participant.
13.8REIT Status. The Plan shall be interpreted and construed in a manner consistent with the Company’s status as a REIT. No Award shall be granted or awarded, and with respect to any Award granted under the Plan, such Award shall not vest, be exercisable or be settled:
(a) to the extent that the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of such Award could cause the Participant or any other person to be in violation of the Common Stock Ownership Limit or the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit (each as defined in the Company’s charter, as amended from time to time); or
(b) if, in the discretion of the Administrator, the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of such award could impair the Company’s status as a REIT.
13.9Effect of Plan upon Other Compensation Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company or any Affiliate. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company or any Affiliate: (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for Employees, Directors or Consultants of the Company or any Affiliate or (b) to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.
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13.10Compliance with Laws. The Plan, the granting and vesting of Awards under the Plan, the issuance and delivery of Shares and LTIP Units and the payment of money under the Plan or under Awards granted or awarded hereunder are subject to compliance with all Applicable Law and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. Any securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such restrictions, and the person acquiring such securities shall, if requested by the Company, provide such assurances and representations to the Company as the Company may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all Applicable Law. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such Applicable Law.
13.11Titles and Headings, References to Sections of the Code or Exchange Act. The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control. References to sections of the Code or the Exchange Act shall include any amendment or successor thereto.
13.12Governing Law. The Plan and any Programs or Award Agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of Maryland without regard to conflicts of laws thereof.
13.13Section 409A. To the extent that the Administrator determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Plan, any applicable Program and the Award Agreement covering such Award shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that, following the Effective Date, the Administrator determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Administrator may adopt such amendments to the Plan, any applicable Program and the Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate to avoid the imposition of taxes on the Award under Section 409A of the Code, either through compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code or with an available exemption therefrom.
13.14No Rights to Awards. No Eligible Individual or other person shall have any claim to be granted any Award pursuant to the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Administrator is obligated to treat Eligible Individuals, Participants or any other persons uniformly.
13.15Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to be an "unfunded" plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Program or Award Agreement shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Affiliate.
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13.16Indemnification. To the extent allowable pursuant to Applicable Law and the Company’s charter and Bylaws, each member of the Board and any officer or other employee to whom authority to administer any component of the Plan is delegated shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her;provided,however, that he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
13.17Relationship to other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.
13.18Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates.
*****
I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. on ___________________, 2014.
*****
I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was approved by the stockholders of Plymouth Opportunity REIT, Inc. on ____________________, 2014.
Executed on this ____ day of _______________, 2014.
Corporate Secretary |