Exhibit 10.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED AMSURG CORP. 2014 EQUITY AND INCENTIVE PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AMENDED AND RESTATED AMSURG CORP.
2014 EQUITY AND INCENTIVE PLAN
Section 1. Purpose.
This plan shall be known as the “AmSurg Corp. 2014 Equity and Incentive Plan” (the “Plan”). The purpose of the Plan is to promote the interests of AmSurg Corp. (the “Company”) and its shareholders by (i) attracting and retaining key officers, employees and directors of, and consultants to, the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates; (ii) motivating such individuals by means of performance-related incentives to achieve long-range performance goals; (iii) enabling such individuals to participate in the long-term growth and financial success of the Company; (iv) encouraging ownership of stock in the Company by such individuals; and (v) linking their compensation to the long-term interests of the Company and its shareholders. With respect to any awards granted under the Plan that are intended to comply with the requirements of “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Plan and any such awards shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with such requirements.
Section 2. Definitions.
As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
(a) “Affiliate” shall mean (i) any entity that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Company, (ii) any entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest, (iii) an affiliate of the Company, as defined in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and (iv) any entity in which the Company has at least twenty percent (20%) of the combined voting power of the entity’s outstanding voting securities, in each case as designated by the Board as being a participating employer in the Plan.
(b) “Award” shall mean any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Share Award, Restricted Share Unit, Performance Award, Other Stock-Based Award or any other right, interest or option relating to Shares or other property (including cash) granted pursuant to the provisions of the Plan.
(c) “Award Agreement” shall mean any agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing or referencing any Award hereunder, which evidence may be in writing or via an electronic mail transmission as provided in Section 15.7 hereof. For avoidance of doubt, Award Agreements include any employment agreement or change of control agreement between the Company and any Participant that refers to Awards and any letter or electronic mail notifying a Participant that he or she has received an Award.
(d) “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(e) “Cause” shall mean, unless otherwise defined in the applicable Award Agreement, (i) a felony conviction of a participant or the failure of a participant to contest prosecution for a felony, (ii) the engaging by the Participant in willful misconduct that is injurious to the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, or (iii) the embezzlement or misappropriation of funds or property of the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates by the Participant. For purposes of this paragraph, no act, or failure to act, on the Participant’s part shall be considered “willful” unless done, or omitted to be done, by the Participant not in good faith and without reasonable belief that the Participant’s action or omission was in the best interest of the Company. Any determination of Cause for purposes of the Plan or any Award shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion. Any such determination shall be final and binding on a Participant.
(f) “Change in Control” shall mean, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the happening of one of the following:
| (i) | any person or entity, including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, other than the Company or a wholly-owned Subsidiary thereof or any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, becomes the beneficial owner of the Company’s securities having 50% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company that may be cast for the election of directors of the Company (other than as a result of an issuance of securities initiated by the Company in the ordinary course of business); or |
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| (ii) | as the result of, or in connection with, any cash tender or exchange offer, merger or other business combination, sales of assets or contested election, or any combination of the foregoing transactions, less than a majority of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company or any successor corporation or entity entitled to vote generally in the election of the directors of the Company or such other corporation or entity after such transaction are held in the aggregate by the holders of the Company’s securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the Company immediately prior to such transaction; or |
| (iii) | during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of any such period constitute the Board cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof, unless the election, or the nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, of each director of the Company first elected during such period was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors of the Company then still in office who were directors of the Company at the beginning of any such period. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) unless otherwise provided in an applicable Award Agreement, with respect to Awards constituting a “deferral of compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code, a Change in Control shall mean a “change in the ownership of the corporation,” a “change in the effective control of the corporation,” or a “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the corporation” as such terms are defined in Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) of the U.S. Treasury Regulations, and (ii) no Award Agreement shall define a Change in Control in such a manner that a Change in Control would be deemed to occur prior to the actual consummation of the event or transaction that results in a Change in Control of the Company (e.g., upon the announcement, commencement, or stockholder approval of any event or transaction that, if completed, would result in a change in control of the Company).
(g) “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
(h) “Committee” shall mean a committee of the Board composed of not less than two Non-Employee Directors, each of whom shall be (i) a “non-employee director” for purposes of Exchange Act Section 16 and Rule 16b-3 thereunder, (ii) an “outside director” for purposes of Section 162(m) and the regulations promulgated under the Code, and (iii) “independent” within the meaning of the listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market.
(i) “Consultant” shall mean any consultant to the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates.
(j) “Covered Officer” shall mean at any date (i) any individual who, with respect to the previous taxable year of the Company, was a “covered employee” of the Company within the meaning of Section 162(m); provided, however, that the term “Covered Officer” shall not include any such individual who is designated by the Committee, in its discretion, at the time of any Award or at any subsequent time, as reasonably expected not to be such a “covered employee” with respect to the taxable year of the Company in which the relevant compensation otherwise would be deductible, and (ii) any individual who is designated by the Committee, in its discretion, at the time of any Award or at any subsequent time, as reasonably expected to be such a “covered employee” with respect to the current taxable year of the Company or with respect to the taxable year of the Company in which the relevant compensation otherwise would be deductible.
(k) “Director” shall mean a member of the Board.
(l) “Disability” shall mean, unless otherwise defined in the applicable Award Agreement, a disability that would qualify as a total and permanent disability under the Company’s then current long-term disability plan.
(m) “Early Retirement” shall mean the Participant’s voluntary retirement from employment with the Company prior to the Participant’s 65 th birthday, but only (i) with the consent of the Committee upon whatever terms and conditions the Committee shall establish in its sole discretion or (ii) in accordance with any applicable early retirement policy of the Company.
(n) “Effective Date” shall have the meaning provided in Section 16.1 of the Plan.
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(o) “Employee” shall mean a current or prospective officer or employee of the Company or of any Subsidiary or Affiliate.
(p) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
(q) “Exercise Price” shall mean the purchase price payable to purchase one Share upon the exercise of an Option or the reference price by which the appreciation in an SAR is measured.
(r) “Fair Market Value” with respect to the Shares, shall mean, for purposes of a grant of an Award as of any date, (i) the reported closing sales price of the Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market, or any other such market or exchange as is the principal trading market for the Shares, on such date, or in the absence of reported sales on such date, the closing sales price on the immediately preceding date on which sales were reported or (ii) in the event there is no public market for the Shares on such date, the fair market value as determined by the Committee in good faith, and for purposes of a sale of a Share as of any date, the actual sales price on that date.
(s) “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an option to purchase Shares from the Company that is granted under Section 6 of the Plan and that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.
(t) “Non-Employee Director” shall mean a member of the Board who is not an officer or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate.
(u) “Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean an option to purchase Shares from the Company that is granted under Sections 6 or 10 of the Plan and is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option, and shall include an option that was intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option but that fails to so qualify for any reason.
(v) “Normal Retirement” shall mean, unless otherwise defined in the applicable Award Agreement, retirement of a Participant from active employment with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates on or after such Participant’s 65th birthday.
(w) “Option” shall mean an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
(x) “Other Stock-Based Award” shall mean any Award granted under Sections 9 or 10 of the Plan.
(y) “Participant” shall mean any Employee, Director, Consultant or other person who receives an Award under the Plan.
(z) “Performance Award” shall mean any Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan.
(aa) “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or political subdivision thereof or other entity.
(bb) “Prior Plan” shall mean the AmSurg Corp. Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Incentive Plan and/or the AmSurg Corp. 2006 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended.
(cc) “Restricted Share” shall mean any Share granted under Sections 7 to 10 of the Plan.
(dd) “Restricted Share Unit” shall mean any unit granted under Sections 7 to 10 of the Plan.
(ee) “Retirement” shall mean Normal or Early Retirement.
(ff) “SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto.
(gg) “Section 16” shall mean Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules promulgated thereunder and any successor provision thereto as in effect from time to time.
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(hh) “Section 162(m)” shall mean Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder and any successor provision thereto as in effect from time to time.
(ii) “Shares” shall mean shares of the common stock, no par value, of the Company.
(jj) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” shall mean a stock appreciation right granted under Sections 6, 8 or 10 of the Plan
that entitles the holder to receive, with respect to each Share encompassed by the exercise of such SAR, the amount determined by the Committee and specified in an Award Agreement. In the absence of such a determination, the holder shall be entitled to receive, with respect to each Share encompassed by the exercise of such SAR, the excess of the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise over the Fair Market Value on the date of grant.
(kk) “Subsidiary” shall mean any Person (other than the Company) of which 50% or more of its voting power or its equity
securities or equity interest is owned directly or indirectly by the Company.
(ll) “Substitute Awards” shall mean Awards granted solely in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by a company acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines.
Section 3. Administration.
3.1 Authority of Committee. The Plan shall be administered by a Committee of not less than two Non-Employee Directors, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board; provided, however, with respect to Awards to Non-Employee Directors, all references in the Plan to the Committee shall be deemed to be references to the Board. The initial Committee shall be the Compensation Committee of the Board. Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, the Committee shall have full power and authority in its discretion to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights or other matters are to be calculated in connection with Awards; (iv) determine the timing, terms, and conditions of any Award; (v) accelerate the time at which all or any part of an Award may be settled or exercised; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited or suspended; (vii) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property, and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or of the Committee; (viii) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award made under, the Plan; (ix) except to the extent prohibited by Section 6.2 , amend or modify the terms of any Award at or after grant with the consent of the holder of the Award; (x) establish, amend, suspend or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and (xi) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan, subject to the exclusive authority of the Board under Section 14 hereunder to amend or terminate the Plan.
3.2 Committee Discretion Binding. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all Persons, including the Company, any Subsidiary or Affiliate, any Participant and any holder or beneficiary of any Award.
3.3 Action by the Committee. The Committee shall hold its meetings at such times and places and in such manner as it may determine. A majority of its members shall constitute a quorum. All determinations of the Committee shall be made by not less than a majority of its members. Any decision or determination reduced to writing and signed by all of the members of the Committee shall be fully effective as if it had been made by a majority vote at a meeting duly called and held. The exercise of an Option or receipt of an Award shall be effective only if an Award Agreement shall have been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company following the grant of the Option or other Award. The Committee may appoint a Secretary and may make such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business, as it shall deem advisable.
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3.4 Delegation. Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee may delegate to one or more officers or managers of the Company or of any Subsidiary or Affiliate, or to a Committee of such officers or managers, the authority, subject to such terms and limitations as the Committee shall determine, to grant Awards to or to cancel, modify or waive rights with respect to, or to alter, discontinue, suspend or terminate Awards held by Participants who are not officers or directors of the Company for purposes of Section 16 or who are otherwise not subject to such Section.
3.5 No Liability. No member of the Board or Committee shall be liable for any action taken or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award granted hereunder.
Section 4. Shares Available For Awards.
4.1 Shares Available.
| (a) | Subject to the provisions of Section 4.2 hereof, a total of 3,200,000 Shares shall be authorized for grant under the Plan, less one (1) Share for every one (1) Share that was subject to an Award granted after March 26, 2014 under a Prior Plan. After the effective date of the Plan (as provided in Section 16.1 ), no awards may be granted under any Prior Plan. Of such Shares authorized, Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options may be granted shall be no more than 700,000. |
| (b) | If (i) any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited, an Award expires or an Award is settled for cash (in whole or in part), or (ii) after March 26, 2014 any Shares subject to an award under a Prior Plan are forfeited, an Award expires or an award under the Prior Plan is settled for cash (in whole or in part), the Shares subject to such Award or award under a Prior Plan shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement, again be available for Awards under the Plan. In the event that withholding tax liabilities arising from an Award other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or, after March 26, 2014, an award other than an option or stock appreciation right under a Prior Plan, are satisfied by the tendering of Shares (either actually or by attestation) or by the withholding of Shares by the Company, the Shares so tendered or withheld shall be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following Shares shall not be added to the Shares authorized for grant under paragraph (a) of this Section: (1) Shares tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company in payment of the purchase price of an Option, or after March 26, 2014 an option under a Prior Plan, or to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or after March 26, 2014, an option or stock appreciation right under a Prior Plan, and (2) 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, or after March 26, 2014, a stock appreciation right under a Prior Plan, and (3) Shares reacquired by the Company on the open market or otherwise using cash proceeds from the exercise of Options or, after March 26, 2014, options granted under a Prior Plan. |
| (c) | Notwithstanding the foregoing and subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.2 hereof, no Participant may receive Options or SARs under the Plan in any calendar year that, taken together, relate to more than 500,000 Shares. |
4.2 Adjustments. In the event that any dividend (other than a normal, recurring dividend) or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Shares, then the Committee shall in an equitable and proportionate manner (and, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, in such equitable and proportionate manner as is consistent with Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder and with respect to Awards to Covered Officers, in such equitable and proportionate manner as is consistent with Section 162(m) of the Code): (i) adjust any or all of (1) the aggregate number of Shares or other securities of the Company or its successor (or number and kind of other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan; (2) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company or its successor (or number and kind of other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards under the Plan, provided that the number of Shares subject to any Award shall always be a whole number; (3) the grant or Exercise Price with respect to any
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Award under the Plan; and (4) the limits on the number of Shares that may be subject to Awards granted to Participants under the Plan in any calendar year; (ii) subject to Section 13, provide for an equivalent award in respect of securities of the surviving entity of any merger, consolidation or other transaction or event having a similar effect; or (iii) make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award.
4.3 Substitute Awards. Any Shares issued by the Company as Substitute Awards in connection with the assumption or substitution of outstanding grants from any acquired corporation shall not reduce the Shares available for Awards under the Plan.
4.4 Sources of Shares Deliverable Under Awards. Any Shares delivered pursuant to an Award shall consist of authorized and unissued Shares.
Section 5. Eligibility.
Any Employee, Director or Consultant shall be eligible to be designated a Participant; provided, however, that Non-Employee Directors shall only be eligible to receive Awards granted consistent with Section 10.
Section 6. Stock Options And Stock Appreciation Rights.
6.1 Grant. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have sole and complete authority to determine the Participants to whom Options and SARs shall be granted, the number of Shares subject to each Award, the Exercise Price and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of each Option and SAR. An Option may be granted with or without a related SAR. An SAR may be granted with or without a related Option. The Committee shall have the authority to grant Incentive Stock Options, or to grant Non-Qualified Stock Options, or to grant both types of Options. In the case of Incentive Stock Options, the terms and conditions of such grants shall be subject to and comply with such rules as may be prescribed by Section 422 of the Code, as from time to time amended, and any regulations implementing such statute.
6.2 Price. The Committee in its sole discretion shall establish the Exercise Price at the time each Option is granted. Except in the case of Substitute Awards, the Exercise Price of an Option may not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such Option. Except with respect to Substitute Awards, SARs may not be granted at a price less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant. Notwithstanding the foregoing and except as permitted by the provisions of Section 4.2 hereof, the Committee shall not, without the prior approval of the Company’s shareholders, (i) amend the terms of previously granted Options or SARs to reduce the Exercise Price of such Options or SARs, (ii) cancel such Options or SARs and grant substitute Options or SARs with a lower Exercise Price than the cancelled Options or SARs, or (iii) cancel such Options or SARs in exchange for other Awards, cash or property at a time when the Fair Market Value of a Share is less than the Exercise Price of the Option or the grant price of the SAR.
6.3 Term. Subject to the Committee’s authority under Section 3.1 and the provisions of Section 6.6, each Option and SAR and all rights and obligations thereunder shall expire on the date determined by the Committee and specified in the Award Agreement. The Committee shall be under no duty to provide terms of like duration for Options or SARs granted under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Option or SAR shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date such Option or SAR was granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Award Agreement may provide, or be amended to provide, that the period of time over which an Option, other than an Incentive Stock Option, may be exercised shall be automatically extended if on the scheduled expiration of such Award, the Participant’s exercise of such Award would violate applicable securities law or Company policy; provided, that during the extended exercise period, the Option may be exercised only to the extent such Award was exercisable in accordance with its terms immediately prior to such scheduled expiration date, and such extended exercise period shall end not later than thirty (30) days after the exercise of such Option first would no longer violate such laws or policies.
6.4 Exercise.
| (a) | Each Option and SAR shall be exercisable at such times and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may, in its sole discretion, specify in the applicable Award Agreement or thereafter. The Committee shall have full and complete authority to determine whether an Option or SAR will be exercisable in full at |
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any time or from time to time during the term of the Option or SAR, or to provide for the exercise thereof in such installments, upon the occurrence of such events and at such times during the term of the Option or SAR as the Committee may determine.
| (b) | The Committee may impose such conditions with respect to the exercise of Options, including without limitation, any relating to the application of federal, state or foreign securities laws or the Code, as it may deem necessary or advisable. |
| (c) | An Option or SAR may be exercised in whole or in part at any time, with respect to whole Shares only, within the period permitted thereunder for the exercise thereof, and shall be exercised by written notice of intent to exercise the Option or SAR, delivered to the Company at its principal office, and payment in full to the Company at the direction of the Committee of the amount of the Exercise Price for the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is then being exercised. |
| (d) | Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, full payment of such purchase price shall be made at the time of exercise and shall be made (i) in cash or cash equivalents (including certified check or bank check or wire transfer of immediately available funds), (ii) by tendering previously acquired Shares (either actually or by attestation, valued at their then Fair Market Value), (iii) with the consent of the Committee and subject to compliance with applicable legal requirements, by delivery of other consideration (excluding, however, delivery of a promissory note of the Participant) having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the total purchase price, (iv) subject to compliance with applicable legal requirements, through any other method specified in an Award Agreement (including same-day sales through a broker or by withholding from the Participant sufficient Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the total Exercise Price of such underlying Award) at or after grant, or (v) any combination of any of the foregoing. In no event may any Option granted hereunder be exercised for a fraction of a Share. |
| (e) | Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Award Agreement may provide, or be amended to provide, that if on the last day of the term of an Option the Fair Market Value of one Share exceeds the Exercise Price, the Participant has not exercised the Option and the Option has not expired, the Option shall be deemed to have been exercised by the Participant on such day with payment made by withholding Shares otherwise issuable in connection with the exercise of the Option. In such event, the Company shall deliver to the Participant the number of Shares for which the Option was deemed exercised, less the number of Shares required to be withheld for the payment of the total purchase price and required withholding taxes; any fractional Share shall be settled in cash. |
6.5 Ten Percent Stock Rule. Notwithstanding any other provisions in the Plan, if at the time an Option is otherwise to be granted pursuant to the Plan, the optionee or rights holder owns directly or indirectly (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) Shares of the Company possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of Stock of the Company or its parent or Subsidiary or Affiliate corporations (within the meaning of Section 422(b)(6) of the Code), then any Incentive Stock Option to be granted to such optionee or rights holder pursuant to the Plan shall satisfy the requirement of Section 422(c)(5) of the Code, and the Exercise Price shall be not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Shares of the Company, and such Option by its terms shall not be exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years from the date such Option is granted.
Section 7. Restricted Shares And Restricted Share Units.
7.1 Grant.
| (a) | Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have sole and complete authority to determine the Participants to whom Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units shall be granted, the number of Restricted Shares and/or the number of Restricted Share Units to be granted to each Participant, the duration of the period during which, and the conditions under which, the Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units may be forfeited to the Company, and the other terms and conditions of such Awards. The Restricted Share and Restricted Share Unit Awards shall be evidenced by Award Agreements in such form as the Committee shall from time to time approve, which agreements shall comply with and be subject to the terms and conditions provided hereunder and any additional terms and conditions established by the Committee that are consistent with the terms of the Plan. |
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| (b) | Each Restricted Share and Restricted Share Unit Award made under the Plan shall be for such number of Shares as shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement containing the terms of such Restricted Share or Restricted Share Unit Award. Such agreement shall set forth a period of time during which the Participant must remain in the continuous employment of the Company in order for the forfeiture and transfer restrictions to lapse. If the Committee so determines, the restrictions may lapse during such restricted period in installments with respect to specified portions of the Shares covered by the Restricted Share or Restricted Share Unit Award. The Award Agreement may also, in the discretion of the Committee, set forth performance or other conditions that will subject the Shares to forfeiture and transfer restrictions. |
7.2 Delivery of Shares and Transfer Restrictions. Any Restricted Shares granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Board may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration or issuance of a stock certificate or certificates, which certificate or certificates shall be held by the Company. Any such certificate or certificates shall be registered in the name of the Participant and shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the grantee shall have all rights of a shareholder with respect to the Restricted Shares, including the right to receive dividends and the right to vote such Shares, subject to the following restrictions: (i) the grantee shall not be entitled to delivery of the stock certificate until the expiration of the restricted period and the fulfillment of any other restrictive conditions set forth in the Award Agreement with respect to such Shares; (ii) none of the Shares may be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or disposed of during such restricted period or until after the fulfillment of any such other restrictive conditions; (iii) any dividends to which a Participant may become entitled shall be withheld and paid only if and when the underlying Restricted Shares become vested, and (iv) except as otherwise determined by the Committee at or after grant, all of the Shares (and any dividends accrued thereon) shall be forfeited and all rights of the grantee to such Shares and accrued dividends shall terminate, without further obligation on the part of the Company, unless the grantee remains in the continuous employment of the Company for the entire restricted period in relation to which such Shares were granted and unless any other restrictive conditions relating to the Restricted Share Award are met. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, any Shares, any other securities of the Company and any other property distributed with respect to the Shares subject to Restricted Share Awards shall be subject to the same restrictions, terms and conditions as such Restricted Shares.
7.3 Termination of Restrictions. At the end of the restricted period and provided that any other restrictive conditions of the Restricted Share Award are met, or at such earlier time as otherwise determined by the Committee, all restrictions set forth in the Award Agreement relating to the Restricted Share Award or in the Plan shall lapse as to the restricted Shares subject thereto, and a stock certificate for the appropriate number of Shares, free of the restrictions and restricted stock legend, shall be delivered to the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary or estate, or proper book entry registration shall be made, as the case may be.
7.4 Payment of Restricted Share Units. Each Restricted Share Unit shall have a value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share. Restricted Share Units shall be paid in cash, Shares, other securities or other property, as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, upon the lapse of the restrictions applicable thereto, or otherwise in accordance with the applicable Award Agreement. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant shall receive dividend rights in respect of any vested Restricted Stock Units at the time of any payment of dividends to shareholders on Shares. The amount of any such dividend right shall equal the amount that would be payable to the Participant as a shareholder in respect of a number of Shares equal to the number of vested Restricted Stock Units then credited to the Participant. Any such dividend right shall be paid in accordance with the Company’s payment practices as may be established from time to time and as of the date on which such dividend would have been payable in respect of outstanding Shares. No dividend equivalents shall be paid currently in respect of Restricted Share Units that are not yet vested; such dividend equivalents shall be paid only if the underlying Restricted Share Units vest. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at or after grant, Restricted Share Units may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or disposed of, and all Restricted Share Units and all rights of the grantee to such Restricted Share Units shall terminate, without further obligation on the part of the Company, unless the grantee remains in continuous employment of the Company for the entire restricted period in relation to which such Restricted Share Units were granted and unless any other restrictive conditions relating to the Restricted Share Unit Award are met.
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Section 8. Performance Awards.
8.1 Grant. The Committee shall have sole and complete authority to determine the Participants who shall receive a Performance Award, which shall consist of a right that is (i) denominated in cash or Shares (including, but not limited to, Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units), (ii) valued, as determined by the Committee, in accordance with the achievement of such performance goals during such performance periods as the Committee shall establish, and (iii) payable at such time and in such form as the Committee shall determine.
8.2 Terms and Conditions. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, the Committee shall determine the performance goals to be achieved during any performance period, the length of any performance period, the amount of any Performance Award and the amount and kind of any payment or transfer to be made pursuant to any Performance Award, and may amend specific provisions of the Performance Award; provided, however, that such amendment may not adversely affect existing Performance Awards made within a performance period commencing prior to implementation of the amendment.
8.3 Payment of Performance Awards. Performance Awards may be paid in a lump sum or in installments following the close of the performance period or, in accordance with the procedures established by the Committee, on a deferred basis. Termination of employment prior to the end of any performance period, other than for reasons of death or Disability, will result in the forfeiture of the Performance Award, and no payments will be made. A Participant’s rights to any Performance Award may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or disposed of in any manner, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and/or except as the Committee may determine at or after grant.
8.4 Forfeiture/Recapture. The Committee may require, in an Award Agreement issued in respect of a Performance Award or as a condition to the payout of a Performance Award, that the Participant remain liable to forfeit some or all of the Performance Award or to pay back some or all of any cash or Shares received in connection with a Performance Award, if the Company or a Subsidiary subsequently corrects or restates the results that formed the basis for the Performance Award to have been paid out or vested or as otherwise required by Company policy or applicable law. The Committee shall have the authority in each instance to determine whether to impose such requirements, the parameters of any such requirements and whether or not to require forfeiture or repayment by any particular Participant.
Section 9. Other Stock-Based Awards.
The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Participants who shall receive an Other Stock-Based Award, which shall consist of any right that is (i) not an Award described in Sections 6 and 7 above and (ii) an Award of Shares or an Award denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, Shares (including, without limitation, securities convertible into Shares), as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, the Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of any such Other Stock-Based Award.
Section 10. Non-Employee Director Awards.
10.1 Non-Employee Director Awards. The Board may provide that all or a portion of a Non-Employee Director’s annual retainer, meeting fees and/or other awards or compensation as determined by the Board, be payable (either automatically or at the election of a Non-Employee Director) in the form of Non-Qualified Stock Options, Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units and/or Other Stock-Based Awards, including unrestricted Shares. The Board shall determine the terms and conditions of any such Awards, including the terms and conditions which shall apply upon a termination of the Non-Employee Director’s service as a member of the Board, and shall have full power and authority in its discretion to administer such Awards, subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law. The Board may also grant Awards to Non-Employee Directors pursuant to the terms of the Plan, including any Award described in Sections 6, 7 and 9 above. With respect to such Awards, all references in the Plan to the Committee shall be deemed references to the Board.
10.2 Equity Limits to Directors. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, the maximum number of Shares subject to Awards granted during any twelve month period to any Non-Employee Director shall not
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exceed $600,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes and excluding, for this purpose, the value of any dividends or dividend equivalents paid in accordance with the Plan on certain Awards) (the “ Director Limit ”). The Board may not, without the approval of the stockholders, increase the Director Limit.
Section 11. Provisions Applicable To Covered Officers And Performance Awards.
11.1 Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, unless the Committee determines that a Performance Award to be granted to a Covered Officer should not qualify as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Section 162(m), Performance Awards granted to Covered Officers shall be subject to the terms and provisions of this Section 11.
11.2 The Committee may grant Performance Awards to Covered Officers based solely upon the attainment of performance targets related to one or more performance goals selected by the Committee from among the goals specified below. For the purposes of this Section 11, performance goals shall be limited to one or more of the following Company, Subsidiary, operating unit, business segment or division financial performance measures:
| (a) | earnings or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and/or amortization; |
| (b) | operating income or profit; |
| (c) | operating efficiencies; |
| (d) | return on equity, assets, capital, capital employed or investment; |
| (e) | after tax operating income; |
| (f) | net income; |
| (g) | earnings or book value per Share; |
| (h) | cash flow(s); |
| (i) | revenues; |
| (j) | production (separate work units or SWUs); |
| (k) | stock price or total shareholder return; |
| (l) | dividends; |
| (m) | debt reduction; |
| (n) | strategic business objectives, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified cost targets, business expansion goals and goals relating to acquisitions, divestitures or development activities; or |
| (o) | any combination thereof. |
Each goal may be expressed on an absolute and/or relative basis, may be based on or otherwise employ comparisons based on internal targets, the past performance of the Company, any Subsidiary, operating unit, business segment or division of the Company, or any combination of the foregoing, and/or the past or current performance of other companies, in the case of earnings-based measures, may use or employ comparisons relating to capital, shareholders’ equity and/or Shares outstanding, or to assets or net assets, and may be determined in accordance with GAAP or a non-GAAP or adjusted GAAP basis, all as the Committee shall determine. The Committee may appropriately adjust any evaluation of performance under criteria set forth in this Section 11.2 to exclude any of the following events that occurs during a performance period: (i) asset write-downs, (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements, (iii) the effect of changes in tax law, accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results, (iv) impairment charges, (v) gains or losses on deconsolidation, (vi) accruals for reorganization and restructuring programs or discontinued operations, (vii) any extraordinary non-recurring items as described in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 and/or in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report to shareholders for the applicable year, and (viii) any other event either not directly related to the operations of the Company or not within the reasonable control of the Company’s management; provided, that the Committee must commit to make any such adjustments, and shall specify such adjustments, within the time for prescribing performance targets generally as described in Section 11.4.
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11.3 With respect to any Covered Officer, the maximum annual number of Shares in respect of which all Performance Awards may be granted under Section 8 of the Plan is 500,000 and the maximum amount of all Performance Awards that are settled in cash and that may be granted under Section 8 of the Plan in any year is $5,000,000.
11.4 To the extent necessary to comply with Section 162(m), with respect to grants of Performance Awards, no later than 90 days following the commencement of each performance period (or such other time as may be required or permitted by Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall, in writing, (1) select the performance goal or goals applicable to the performance period, (2) establish the various targets and bonus amounts that may be earned for such performance period, and (3) specify the relationship between performance goals and targets and the amounts to be earned by each Covered Officer for such performance period. Following the completion of each performance period, the Committee shall certify in writing whether the applicable performance targets have been achieved and the amounts, if any, payable to Covered Officers for such performance period. In determining the amount earned by a Covered Officer for a given performance period, subject to any applicable Award Agreement, the Committee shall have the right to reduce (but not increase) the amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the Committee may deem relevant in its sole discretion to the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the performance period.
11.5 Unless otherwise expressly stated in the relevant Award Agreement, each Award granted to a Covered Officer under the Plan is intended to be performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m). Accordingly, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, if any provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement relating to such an Award does not comply or is inconsistent with Section 162(m), such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements, and no provision shall be deemed to confer upon the Committee discretion to increase the amount of compensation otherwise payable to a Covered Officer in connection with any such Award upon the attainment of the performance criteria established by the Committee.
Section 12. Termination Of Employment.
Except as otherwise specifically set forth in the Plan, the Committee shall have the full power and authority to determine the terms and conditions that shall apply to any Award upon a termination of employment with the Company, its Subsidiaries and Affiliates, including a termination by the Company with or without Cause, by a Participant voluntarily, or by reason of death, Disability, Early Retirement or Retirement, and may provide such terms and conditions in the Award Agreement or in such rules and regulations as it may prescribe.
Section 13. Change In Control.
13.1 Impact on Certain Awards. Unless otherwise provided in an applicable Award Agreement at or after grant, in the event of a Change in Control of the Company, Options and Stock Appreciation Rights outstanding as of the date of the Change in Control shall be cancelled and terminated without payment if the Fair Market Value of one Share as of the date of the Change in Control is less than the Exercise Price of such Award. Award Agreements may provide (at or after grant) that, in the event of a Change in Control, all Performance Awards shall be considered to be earned and payable (pro rata, but not in full, based on the target value of the Award and the portion of Performance Period completed as of the date of the Change in Control), and any limitations or other restrictions shall lapse and such Performance Awards shall be immediately settled or distributed.
13.2 Assumption or Substitution of Certain Awards.
| (a) | In the event of a Change in Control of the Company in which the successor company assumes or substitutes for an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Share Award, Restricted Share Unit Award or Other Share-Based Award (or in which the Company is the ultimate parent corporation and continues the Award), if a Participant’s employment with such successor company (or the Company) or a subsidiary thereof terminates within 12 months following such Change in Control and under any other circumstances specified in the Award Agreement or otherwise by the Committee: (i) Options and Stock Appreciation Rights outstanding as of the date of such termination of employment will immediately vest, become fully exercisable, and may thereafter be exercised for 12 months, (ii) restrictions, limitations and other conditions applicable to Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units outstanding as of the date of such termination of employment shall lapse and the Restricted Share and Restricted Share Units shall become free of all restrictions, limitations and conditions and become fully vested, and (iii) the restrictions, limitations and other conditions applicable to any Other Stock-Based Awards or any other Awards (including Performance Awards) shall lapse, and such Other Stock-Based Awards or such other Awards shall become free of all restrictions, limitations and conditions and become fully vested and transferable to |
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the full extent of the original grant. For the purposes of this Section 13.2, an Award shall be considered assumed or substituted for if following the Change in Control the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash or other securities or property) received in the transaction constituting a Change in Control by holders of Shares for each Share held on the effective date of such transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the transaction constituting a Change in Control is not solely common stock of the successor company, the Committee may, with the consent of the successor company, provide that the consideration to be received upon the exercise or vesting of an Award, for each Share subject thereto, will be solely common stock of the successor company substantially equal in fair market value to the per Share consideration received by holders of Shares in the transaction constituting a Change in Control. The determination of such substantial equality of value of consideration shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion and its determination shall be conclusive and binding.
| (b) | Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control of the Company to the extent the successor company does not assume or substitute for an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award or Other Share-Based Award (or in which the Company is the ultimate parent corporation and does not continue the Award): (i) those Options and Stock Appreciation Rights outstanding as of the date of the Change in Control that are not assumed or substituted for (or continued) shall immediately vest and become fully exercisable, (ii) restrictions, limitations and other conditions applicable to Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units that are not assumed or substituted for (or continued) shall lapse and the Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units shall become free of all restrictions, limitations and conditions and become fully vested, and (iii) the restrictions, other limitations and other conditions applicable to any Other Stock-Based Awards or any other Awards (including Performance Awards) that are not assumed or substituted for (or continued) shall lapse, and such Other Stock-Based Awards or such other Awards shall become free of all restrictions, limitations and conditions and become fully vested and transferable to the full extent of the original grant. |
| (c) | The Committee, in its discretion, may determine that, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Company, each Option and Stock Appreciation Right that is vested and outstanding shall terminate within a specified number of days after notice to the Participant, and/or that each Participant shall receive, with respect to each Share subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, an amount equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of such Share immediately prior to the occurrence of such Change in Control over the Exercise Price of such Option and/or Stock Appreciation Right; such amount to be payable in cash, in one or more kinds of stock or property (including the stock or property, if any, payable in the transaction) or in a combination thereof, as the Committee, in its discretion, shall determine. |
Section 14. Amendment and Termination.
14.1 Amendments to the Plan. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, the Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided that no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without shareholder approval if (i) such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement for which or with which the Board deems it necessary or desirable to comply or (ii) such amendment would materially increase the economic benefits to the participants hereunder.
14.2 Amendments to Awards. Subject to the restrictions of Section 6.2 and except as otherwise specifically set forth in the Plan, the Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively; provided that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary.
14.3 Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. Subject to Section 11.5, the Committee is hereby authorized to make equitable and proportionate adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including,
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without limitation, the events described in Section 4.2 hereof) affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principals in accordance with the Plan.
Section 15. General Provisions.
15.1 Limited Transferability of Awards. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, no Award shall be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution and/or as may be provided by the Committee in its discretion, at or after grant, in the Award Agreement or otherwise. No transfer of an Award by will or by laws of descent and distribution shall be effective to bind the Company unless the Company shall have been furnished with written notice thereof and an authenticated copy of the will and/or such other evidence as the Committee may deem necessary or appropriate to establish the validity of the transfer. None of the Awards shall be transferable for consideration.
15.2 Dividend Equivalents. In the sole and complete discretion of the Committee, an Award may provide the Participant with dividends or dividend equivalents, payable in cash, Shares, other securities or other property on a current or deferred basis; provided, that dividends and dividend equivalents may only be provided with respect to Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units. All dividend or dividend equivalents which are not paid currently may, at the Committee’s discretion, accrue interest, be reinvested into additional Shares, or, in the case of dividends or dividend equivalents credited in connection with Performance Awards, be credited as additional Performance Awards and paid to the Participant if and when, and to the extent that, payment is made pursuant to such Award. The total number of Shares available for grant under Section 4 shall not be reduced to reflect any dividends or dividend equivalents that are reinvested into additional Shares or credited as Performance Awards.
15.3. Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan or any Award Agreements thereunder, it is intended that the provisions of the Plan and such Award Agreements comply with Section 409A of the Code, and that no Award shall be granted, deferred, accelerated, extended, paid out or modified under this Plan, or any Award Agreement interpreted, in a manner that would result in the imposition of an additional tax under Section 409A of the Code upon a Participant. Any provision of this Plan that would cause the grant of an Award or the payment, settlement or deferral thereof to fail to satisfy Section 409A of the Code shall be amended to comply with Section 409A of the Code on a timely basis, which may be made on a retroactive basis, in accordance with regulations and other guidance issued under Section 409A of the Code. In the event that it is reasonably determined by the Board or Committee that, as a result of Section 409A of the Code, payments in respect of any Award under the Plan may not be made at the time contemplated by the terms of the Plan or the relevant Award agreement, as the case may be, without causing the Participant holding such Award to be subject to taxation under Section 409A of the Code, the Corporation will make such payment on the first day that would not result in the Participant incurring any tax liability under Section 409A of the Code; which, if the Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of the Section 409A, shall be the first day following the six-month period beginning on the date of Participant’s termination of employment. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement or other document governing the issuance of such Award, payment of any Performance Award intended to qualify as a “short term deferral” within the meaning of Section 1.409A-1(b)(4)(i) of the U.S. Treasury Regulations shall be made between the first day following the close of the applicable Performance Period and the last day of the “applicable 2 1/2 month period” as defined therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Participant is solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may be imposed on him or her, or in respect of any payment or benefit delivered in connection with the Plan (including any taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code), and the Corporation shall not have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold any Participant harmless from any or all such taxes or penalties.
15.4 Cancellation of Award; Forfeiture of Gain. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, an Award Agreement may provide that the Award shall be canceled if the Participant, without the consent of the Company, while employed by or providing services to the Company or any Subsidiary or after termination of such employment or service, violates a non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disclosure or similar covenant or agreement (including any such covenant in an Award Agreement) or otherwise engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interest of the Company or any Subsidiary (including conduct contributing to any financial restatements or financial irregularities), as determined by the Committee in its discretion. The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement that if within the time period specified in the Agreement the Participant engages in an activity referred to or prohibited in the preceding sentence, the Participant will forfeit all or any portion of any gain realized on the vesting or exercise of the Award and must repay such gain to the Company.
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15.5 Share Certificates. All certificates for Shares or other securities of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the SEC or any state securities commission or regulatory authority, any stock exchange or other market upon which such Shares or other securities are then listed, and any applicable Federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.
15.6 Withholding. The Company shall have the right to make all payments or distributions pursuant to the Plan to a Participant (or a permitted assignee thereof) (any such person, a “ Payee ”) net of any applicable federal, state and local taxes required to be paid or withheld as a result of (a) the grant of any Award, (b) the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, (c) the delivery of Shares or cash, (d) the lapse of any restrictions in connection with any Award or (e) any other event occurring pursuant to the Plan. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the right to withhold from wages or other amounts otherwise payable to such Payee such withholding taxes as may be required by law, or to otherwise require the Payee to pay such withholding taxes. If the Payee shall fail to make such tax payments as are required, the Company or its Subsidiaries shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to such Payee or to take such other action as may be necessary to satisfy such withholding obligations. The Committee shall be authorized to establish procedures for election by Participants to satisfy such obligation for the payment of such taxes by tendering previously acquired Shares (either actually or by attestation, valued at their then Fair Market Value), or by directing the Company to retain Shares (up to the Participant’s minimum required tax withholding rate or such other rate that will not cause an adverse accounting consequence or cost) otherwise deliverable in connection with the Award.
15.7 Award Agreements. Each Award Agreement shall either be (a) in writing in a form approved by the Committee and executed by the Company by an officer duly authorized to act on its behalf, or (b) an electronic notice in a form approved by the Committee and recorded by the Company (or its designee); in each case and if required by the Committee, the Award Agreement shall be executed or otherwise electronically accepted by the recipient of the Award in such form and manner as the Committee may require. The Committee may authorize any officer of the Company to execute any or all Award Agreements on behalf of the Company. The Award Agreement shall set forth the material terms and conditions of the Award as established by the Committee consistent with the provisions of the Plan. In the event of a conflict between the terms of the Plan and any Award Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall prevail. The grant of an Award under this Plan shall not confer any rights upon the Participant holding such Award other than such terms, and subject to such conditions, as are specified in this Plan as being applicable to such type of Award (or to all Awards) or as are expressly set forth in the agreement or other document evidencing such Award.
15.8 No Limit on Other Compensation Arrangements. Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate from adopting or continuing in effect other compensation arrangements, which may, but need not, provide for the grant of Options, Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Other Stock-Based Awards or other types of Awards provided for hereunder.
15.9 No Right to Employment or Other Awards. The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate. Further, the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in an Award Agreement. No Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each Participant.
15.10 No Rights as Shareholder. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, no Participant or holder or beneficiary of any Award shall have any rights as a shareholder with respect to any Shares to be distributed under the Plan until such person has become a holder of such Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with each grant of Restricted Shares hereunder, the applicable Award Agreement shall specify if and to what extent the Participant shall not be entitled to the rights of a shareholder in respect of such Restricted Shares.
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15.11 Governing Law. The validity, construction and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan and any Award Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Tennessee without giving effect to conflicts of laws principles.
15.12 Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award is, or becomes, or is deemed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.
15.13 Other Laws. The Committee may refuse to issue or transfer any Shares or other consideration under an Award if, acting in its sole discretion, it determines that the issuance or transfer of such Shares or such other consideration might violate any applicable law or regulation (including applicable non-U.S. laws or regulations) or entitle the Company to recover the same under Exchange Act Section 16(b), and any payment tendered to the Company by a Participant, other holder or beneficiary in connection with the exercise of such Award shall be promptly refunded to the relevant Participant, holder or beneficiary.
15.14 No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate and a Participant or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate.
15.15 No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash, other securities or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise eliminated.
15.16 Headings. Headings are given to the sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof.
Section 16. Term of the Plan.
16.1 Effective Date. The Plan was effective as of May 20, 2014.
16.2 Expiration Date. No new Awards shall be granted under the Plan after May 20, 2024. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award granted hereunder may, and the authority of the Board or the Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue or terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under any such Award shall, continue after May 20, 2024.
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