EXHIBIT 99.1
SBE, INC.
1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS JULY 21, 1987,
AMENDED MARCH 23, 1993, AUGUST 23, 1994 AND JANUARY 17, 1995
APPROVED BY SHAREHOLDERS MARCH 9, 1989 AND MARCH 21, 1995
AMENDED AND RESTATED JANUARY 18, 1996
APPROVED BY THE SHAREHOLDERS ON APRIL 16, 1996
AMENDED DECEMBER 9, 1997
APPROVED BY THE STOCKHOLDERS ON APRIL 14, 1998
AMENDED JANUARY 27, 1999
APPROVED BY THE STOCKHOLDERS ON MARCH 23, 1999
1. PURPOSES.
(a) The purpose of the Plan is to provide a means by which selected
Employees and Directors of and Consultants to the Company, and its Affiliates,
may be given an opportunity to purchase stock of the Company.
(b) The Company, by means of the Plan, seeks to retain the services
of persons who are now Employees or Directors of or Consultants to the
Company or its Affiliates, to secure and retain the services of new
Employees, Directors and Consultants, and to provide incentives for such persons
to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company and its Affiliates.
(c) The Company intends that the Options issued under the Plan shall,
in the discretion of the Board or any Committee to which responsibility for
administration of the Plan has been delegated pursuant to subsection 3(c), be
either Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options. All Options shall
be separately designated Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options
at the time of grant, and in such form as issued pursuant to Section 6, and a
separate certificate or certificates will be issued for shares purchased on
exercise of each type of Option.
2. DEFINITIONS.
(a) "Affiliate" means any parent corporation or subsidiary
corporation, whether now or hereafter existing, as those terms are defined in
Sections 424(e) and (f) respectively, of the Code.
(b) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(d) "Committee" means a Committee appointed by the Board in
accordance with subsection 3(c) of the Plan.
(e) "Company" means SBE, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(f) "Consultant" means any person, including an advisor, engaged by
the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting services and who is
compensated for such services, provided that the term "Consultant" shall not
include Directors who are paid only a director's fee by the Company or who are
not compensated by the Company for their services as Directors.
(g) "Continuous Status as an Employee, Director or Consultant"
means that the service of an individual to the Company, whether as an Employee,
Director or Consultant, is not interrupted or terminated. The Board, in its
sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous Status as an Employee,
Director or Consultant shall be considered interrupted in the case of: (i) any
leave of absence approved by the Board, including sick leave, military leave,
or any other personal leave; or (ii) transfers between the Company, Affiliates
or their successors.
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(h) "Covered Employee" means the chief executive officer and the
four (4) other highest compensated officers of the Company for whom total
compensation is required to be reported to stockholders under the Exchange
Act, as determined for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(i) "Director" means a member of the Board.
(j) "Disinterested Person" means a Director who either (i) was not
during the one year prior to service as an administrator of the Plan granted or
awarded equity securities pursuant to the Plan or any other plan of the
Company or any affiliate entitling the participants therein to acquire equity
securities of the Company or any affiliate except as permitted by Rule 16b-3(c)
(2)(i); or (ii) is otherwise considered to be a "disinterested person" in
accordance with Rule 16b-3(c)(2)(i), or any other applicable rules, regulations
or interpretations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(k) "Employee" means any person, including Officers and Directors,
employed by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company. Neither service as
a Director nor payment of a director's fee by the Company shall be sufficient
to constitute "employment" by the Company.
(l) "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(m) "Fair Market Value" means, as of any date, the value of the
common stock of the Company determined as follows
(1) If the common stock is listed on any established stock
exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the National
Market System of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Automated Quotation ("NASDAQ") System, the Fair Market Value of a share of
common stock shall be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing
bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such system or exchange (or
the exchange with the greatest volume of trading in common stock) on the last
market trading day prior to the day of determination, as reported in the Wall
Street Journal or such other source as the Board deems reliable;
(2) If the common stock is quoted on the NASDAQ System (but
not on the National Market System thereof) or is regularly quoted by a
recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the Fair
Market Value of a share of common stock shall be the mean between the bid and
asked prices for the common stock on the last market trading day prior to the
day of determination, as reported in the Wall Street Journal or such other
source as the Board deems reliable;
(3) In the absence of an established market for the common
stock, the Fair Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Board.
(n) "Incentive Stock Option" means an Option intended to qualify
as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and
the regulations promulgated thereunder.
(o) "Nonstatutory Stock Option" means an Option not intended to
qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
(p) "Officer" means a person who is an officer of the Company within
the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
(q) "Option" means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.
(r) "Option Agreement" means a written agreement between the Company
and an Optionee evidencing the terms and conditions of an individual Option
grant. Each Option Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions
of the Plan.
(s) "Optionee" means a person who holds an outstanding Option.
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(t) "Outside Director" means a Director who either (i) is not a
current employee of the Company or an "affiliated corporation" (within the
meaning of the Treasury regulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of the
Code), is not a former employee of the Company or an "affiliated corporation"
receiving compensation for prior services (other than benefits under a tax
qualified pension plan), was not an officer of the Company or an "affiliated
corporation" at any time, and is not currently receiving direct or indirect
remuneration from the Company or an "affiliated corporation" for services in
any capacity other than as a Director, or (ii) is otherwise considered an
"outside director" for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(u) "Plan" means this SBE, Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan.
(v) "Rule 16b-3" means Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any
successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect when discretion is being exercised with
respect to the Plan.
3. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) The Plan shall be administered by the Board unless and until
the Board delegates administration to a Committee, as provided in subsection
3(c).
(b) The Board shall have the power, subject to, and within the
limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:
(1) To determine from time to time which of the persons
eligible under the Plan shall be granted Options; when and how each Option
shall be granted; whether an Option will be an Incentive Stock Option or a
Nonstatutory Stock Option; the provisions of each Option granted (which need
not be identical), including the time or times such Option may be exercised in
whole or in part; and the number of shares for which an Option shall be
granted to each such person.
(2) To construe and interpret the Plan and Options granted
under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its
administration. The Board, in the exercise of this power, may correct any
defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Option Agreement, in a
manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan
fully effective.
(3) To amend the Plan or an Option as provided in Section 11.
(4) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such
acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of
the Company.
(c) The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to a committee
composed of not fewer than two (2) members (the "Committee"), all of the members
of which Committee shall be Disinterested Persons and may also be, in the
discretion of the Board, Outside Directors. If administration is delegated to a
Committee, the Committee shall have, in connection with the administration of
the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board (and references in this
Plan to the Board shall thereafter be to the Committee), subject, however, to
such resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be
adopted from time to time by the Board. The Board may abolish the Committee at
any time and revest in the Board the administration of the Plan.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3 to the contrary, the Board or the
Committee may delegate to a committee of one or more persons the authority to
grant Options to eligible persons who (1) are not then subject to Section 16 of
the Exchange Act and/or (2) are either (i) not then Covered Employees and are
not expected to be Covered Employees at the time of recognition of income
resulting from such Option, or (ii) not persons with respect to whom the Company
wishes to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code.
(d) Any requirement that an administrator of the Plan be a
Disinterested Person shall not apply if the Board or the Committee expressly
declares that such requirement shall not apply. Any Disinterested Person shall
otherwise comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3.
4. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
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(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 10 relating to adjustments
upon changes in stock, the stock that may be sold pursuant to Options shall
not exceed in the aggregate one million four three hundred thirty thousand
(1,430,000) shares of the Company's common stock. If any Option shall for any
reason expire or otherwise terminate, in whole or in part, without having been
exercised in full, the stock not purchased under such Option shall revert to and
again become available for issuance under the Plan.
(b) The stock subject to the Plan may be unissued shares or
reacquired shares, bought on the market or otherwise.
5. ELIGIBILITY.
(a) Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees.
Nonstatutory Stock Options may be granted only to Employees, Directors or
Consultants.
(b) A Director shall in no event be eligible for the benefits of the
Plan unless at the time discretion is exercised in the selection of the Director
as a person to whom Options may be granted, or in the determination of the
number of shares which may be covered by Options granted to the Director: (i)
the Board has delegated its discretionary authority over the Plan to a Committee
which consists solely of Disinterested Persons; or (ii) the Plan otherwise
complies with the requirements of Rule 16b-3. The Board shall otherwise comply
with the requirements of Rule 16b-3. This subsection 5(b) shall not apply if
the Board or Committee expressly declares that it shall not apply.
(c) No person shall be eligible for the grant of an Incentive Stock
Option if, at the time of grant, such person owns (or is deemed to own pursuant
to Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of
the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any
of its Affiliates unless the exercise price of such Incentive Stock Option is at
least one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of such stock at
the date of grant and the Incentive Stock Option is not exercisable after the
expiration of five (5) years from the date of grant.
(d) Subject to the provisions of Section 10 relating to adjustments
upon changes in stock, no person shall be eligible to be granted Options
covering more than one hundred fifty thousand (150,000) shares of the Company's
common stock in any calendar year.
6. OPTION PROVISIONS.
Each Option shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. The provisions of separate
Options need not be identical, but each Option shall include (through
incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the Option or otherwise) the
substance of each of the following provisions:
(a) TERM. No Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten
(10) years from the date it was granted.
(b) PRICE. The exercise price of each Incentive Stock Option shall
be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the
stock subject to the Option on the date the Option is granted; the exercise
price of each Nonstatutory Stock Option shall be not less than eighty-five
percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of the stock subject to the Option on the
date the Option is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option (whether
an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option) may be granted with an
exercise price lower than that set forth in the preceding sentence if such
Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another option
in a manner satisfying the provisions of Section 424(a) of the Code.
(c) CONSIDERATION. The purchase price of stock acquired pursuant to
an Option shall be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable statutes and
regulations, either (i) in cash at the time the Option is exercised, or (ii) at
the discretion of the Board or the Committee, at the time of the grant of the
Option, (A) by delivery to the Company of other common stock of the Company, (B)
according to a deferred payment or other arrangement (which may include, without
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limiting the generality of the foregoing, the use of other common stock of the
Company) with the person to whom the Option is granted or to whom the Option is
transferred pursuant to subsection 6(d), or (C) in any other form of legal
consideration that may be acceptable to the Board.
In the case of any deferred payment arrangement, interest shall be payable
at least annually and shall be charged at the minimum rate of interest necessary
to avoid the treatment as interest, under any applicable provisions of the Code,
of any amounts other than amounts stated to be interest under the deferred
payment arrangement.
(d) TRANSFERABILITY. An Incentive Stock Option shall not be
transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution,
and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the person to whom the Incentive
Stock Option is granted only by such person. A Nonstatutory Stock Option shall
not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution
or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order satisfying the requirements
of Rule 16b-3 and the rules thereunder (a "QDRO"), and shall be exercisable
during the lifetime of the person to whom the Option is granted only by such
person or any transferee pursuant to a QDRO. The person to whom the Option
is granted may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form
satisfactory to the Company, designate a third party who, in the event of the
death of the Optionee, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option.
(e) VESTING. The total number of shares of stock subject to an
Option may, but need not, be allotted in periodic installments (which may, but
need not, be equal). The Option Agreement may provide that from time to time
during each of such installment periods, the Option may become exercisable
("vest") with respect to some or all of the shares allotted to that period, and
may be exercised with respect to some or all of the shares allotted to such
period and/or any prior period as to which the Option became vested but was not
fully exercised. The Option may be subject to such other terms and conditions
on the time or times when it may be exercised (which may be based on performance
or other criteria) as the Board may deem appropriate. The provisions of this
subsection 6(e) are subject to any Option provisions governing the minimum
number of shares as to which an Option may be exercised.
(f) SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. The Company may require any Optionee,
or any person to whom an Option is transferred under subsection 6(d), as a
condition of exercising any such Option, (1) to give written assurances
satisfactory to the Company as to the Optionee's knowledge and experience in
financial and business matters and/or to employ a purchaser representative
reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in
financial and business matters, and that he or she is capable of evaluating,
alone or together with the purchaser representative, the merits and risks of
exercising the Option; and (2) to give written assurances satisfactory to the
Company stating that such person is acquiring the stock subject to the Option
for such person's own account and not with any present intention of selling or
otherwise distributing the stock. The foregoing requirements, and any
assurances given pursuant to such requirements, shall be inoperative if (i) the
issuance of the shares upon the exercise of the Option has been registered under
a then currently effective registration statement under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or (ii) as to any particular
requirement, a determination is made by counsel for the Company that such
requirement need not be met in the circumstances under the then applicable
securities laws. The Company may require the Optionee to provide such other
representations, written assurances or information which the Company shall
determine is necessary, desirable or appropriate to comply with applicable
securities and other laws as a condition of granting an Option to such Optionee
or permitting the Optionee to exercise such Option. The Company may, upon
advice of counsel to the Company, place legends on stock certificates issued
under the Plan as such counsel deems necessary or appropriate in order to comply
with applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to, legends
restricting the transfer of the stock.
(g) TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR RELATIONSHIP AS A DIRECTOR OR
CONSULTANT. In the event an Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee,
Director or Consultant terminates (other than upon the Optionee's death or
disability), the Optionee may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the
Optionee was entitled to exercise it as of the date of termination) but only
within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date three (3)
months after the termination of the Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee,
Director or Consultant, or such longer or shorter period specified in the Option
Agreement, or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the
Option Agreement. If, after termination, the Optionee does not exercise his or
her Option within the time specified in the Option Agreement, the Option shall
terminate, and the shares covered by such Option shall revert to and again
become available for issuance under the Plan.
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(h) DISABILITY OF OPTIONEE. In the event an Optionee's Continuous
Status as an Employee, Director or Consultant terminates as a result of the
Optionee's disability, the Optionee may exercise his or her Option (to the
extent that the Optionee was entitled to exercise it as of the date of
termination), but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i)
the date twelve (12) months following such termination (or such longer or
shorter period specified in the Option Agreement), or (ii) the expiration of the
term of the Option as set forth in the Option Agreement. If, at the date of
termination, the Optionee is not entitled to exercise his or her entire Option,
the shares covered by the unexercisable portion of the Option shall revert to
and again become available for issuance under the Plan. If, after termination,
the Optionee does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified
herein, the Option shall terminate, and the shares covered by such Option shall
revert to and again become available for issuance under the Plan.
(i) DEATH OF OPTIONEE. In the event of the death of an Optionee
during, or within a period specified in the Option Agreement after the
termination of, the Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee, Director or
Consultant, the Option may be exercised (to the extent the Optionee was entitled
to exercise the Option as of the date of death) by the Optionee's estate, by a
person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance
or by a person designated to exercise the option upon the Optionee's death
pursuant to subsection 6(d), but only within the period ending on the earlier of
(i) the date eighteen (18) months following the date of death (or such longer or
shorter period specified in the Option Agreement), or (ii) the expiration of the
term of such Option as set forth in the Option Agreement. If, at the time of
death, the Optionee was not entitled to exercise his or her entire Option, the
shares covered by the unexercisable portion of the Option shall revert to and
again become available for issuance under the Plan. If, after death, the Option
is not exercised within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate,
and the shares covered by such Option shall revert to and again become available
for issuance under the Plan.
(j) EARLY EXERCISE. The Option may, but need not, include a
provision whereby the Optionee may elect at any time while an Employee, Director
or Consultant to exercise the Option as to any part or all of the shares subject
to the Option prior to the full vesting of the Option. Any unvested shares so
purchased may be subject to a repurchase right in favor of the Company or to any
other restriction the Board determines to be appropriate.
(k) WITHHOLDING. To the extent provided by the terms of an Option
Agreement, the Optionee may satisfy any federal, state or local tax withholding
obligation relating to the exercise of such Option by any of the following means
or by a combination of such means: (1) tendering a cash payment; (2)
authorizing the Company to withhold shares from the shares of the common stock
otherwise issuable to the Optionee as a result of the exercise of the Option; or
(3) delivering to the Company owned and unencumbered shares of the common stock
of the Company.
7. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
(a) During the terms of the Options, the Company shall keep available
at all times the number of shares of stock required to satisfy such Options.
(b) The Company shall seek to obtain from each regulatory commission
or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required to
issue and sell shares of stock upon exercise of the Options; provided, however,
that this undertaking shall not require the Company to register under the
Securities Act either the Plan, any Option or any stock issued or issuable
pursuant to any such Option. If, after reasonable efforts, the Company is
unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority
which counsel for the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale
of stock under the Plan, the Company shall be relieved from any liability for
failure to issue and sell stock upon exercise of such Options unless and until
such authority is obtained.
8. USE OF PROCEEDS FROM STOCK.
Proceeds from the sale of stock pursuant to Options shall constitute
general funds of the Company.
9. MISCELLANEOUS.
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(a) The Board shall have the power to accelerate the time at which an
Option may first be exercised or the time during which an Option or any part
thereof will vest pursuant to subsection 6(e), notwithstanding the provisions in
the Option stating the time at which it may first be exercised or the time
during which it will vest.
(b) Neither an Optionee nor any person to whom an Option is
transferred under subsection 6(d) shall be deemed to be the holder of, or to
have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares subject to such
Option unless and until such person has satisfied all requirements for exercise
of the Option pursuant to its terms.
(c) Nothing in the Plan or any instrument executed or Option granted
pursuant thereto shall confer upon any Employee, Director, Consultant or
Optionee any right to continue in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate (or
to continue acting as a Director or Consultant) or shall affect the right of the
Company or any Affiliate to terminate the employment of any Employee, with or
without cause, to remove any Director as provided in the Company's By-Laws and
the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or to
terminate the relationship of any Consultant in accordance with the terms of
that Consultant's agreement with the Company or Affiliate to which such
Consultant is providing services.
(d) To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at
the time of grant) of stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are
exercisable for the first time by any Optionee during any calendar year under
all plans of the Company and its Affiliates exceeds one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000), the Options or portions thereof which exceed such limit (according
to the order in which they were granted) shall be treated as Nonstatutory Stock
Options.
(e) (1) The Board or the Committee shall have the authority to
effect, at any time and from time to time (i) the repricing of any outstanding
Options under the Plan and/or (ii) with the consent of the affected holders of
Options, the cancellation of any outstanding Options and the grant in
substitution therefor of new Options under the Plan covering the same or
different numbers of shares of common stock, but having an exercise price per
share not less than eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value (one
hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value in the case of an Incentive
Stock Option or, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a ten
percent (10%) stockholder (as defined in subsection 5(c)), not less than one
hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value) per share of common
stock on the new grant date.
(2) Shares subject to an Option canceled under this
subsection 9(f) shall continue to be counted against the maximum award of
Options permitted to be granted pursuant to subsection 5(d) of the Plan.
The repricing of an Option under this subsection 9(f), resulting in a
reduction of the exercise price, shall be deemed to be a cancellation of the
original Option and the grant of a substitute Option; in the event of such
repricing, both the original and the substituted Options shall be counted
against the maximum awards of Options permitted to be granted pursuant to
subsection 5(d) of the Plan. The provisions of this subsection 9(f) shall be
applicable only to the extent required by Section 162(m) of the Code.
10. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN STOCK.
(a) If any change is made in the stock subject to the Plan, or
subject to any Option (through merger, consolidation, reorganization,
recapitalization, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, stock
split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares,
change in corporate structure or other transaction not involving the receipt of
consideration by the Company), the Plan will be appropriately adjusted in
the class(es) and maximum number of shares subject to the Plan pursuant to
subsection 4(a) and the maximum number of shares subject to award to any person
during any calendar year pursuant to subsection 5(d), and the outstanding
Options will be appropriately adjusted in the class(es) and number of
shares and price per share of stock subject to such outstanding Options.
Such adjustments shall be made by the Board or Committee, the determination
of which shall be final, binding and conclusive. (The conversion of any
convertible securities of the Company shall not be treated as a "transaction
not involving the receipt of consideration by the Company.")
(b) In the event of: (1) a dissolution, liquidation, or sale of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Company; (2) a merger or consolidation
in which the Company is not the surviving corporation; (3) a reverse merger in
which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of the Company's
common stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger are converted by
virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities,
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cash or otherwise; or (4) the acquisition by any person, entity or group within
the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act, or any comparable
successor provisions (excluding any employee benefit plan, or related trust,
sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company) of the
beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the
Exchange Act, or comparable successor rule) of securities of the Company
representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power entitled
to vote in the election of directors, then to the extent permitted by applicable
law: (i) any surviving or acquiring corporation shall assume any Options
outstanding under the Plan or shall substitute similar Options (including an
option to acquire the same consideration paid to the stockholders in the
transaction described in this subsection 10(b)) for those outstanding under the
Plan, or (ii) such Options shall continue in full force and effect. In the
event any surviving or acquiring corporation refuses to assume such Options, or
to substitute similar options for those outstanding under the Plan, then, with
respect to Options held by persons then performing services as Employees,
Directors or Consultants, the time during which such Options may be exercised
shall be accelerated prior to such event and the Options terminated if not
exercised after such acceleration and at or prior to such event.
11. AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN AND OPTIONS.
(a) The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the Plan.
However, except as provided in Section 10 relating to adjustments upon changes
in stock, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the stockholders of
the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the adoption of the
amendment, where the amendment will:
(1) Increase the number of shares reserved for Options under
the Plan;
(2) Modify the requirements as to eligibility for
participation in the Plan (to the extent such modification requires stockholder
approval in order for the Plan to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the
Code); or
(3) Modify the Plan in any other way if such modification
requires stockholder approval in order for the Plan to satisfy the requirements
of Section 422 of the Code or to comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3.
(b) The Board may in its sole discretion submit any other amendment
to the Plan for stockholder approval, including, but not limited to, amendments
to the Plan intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code
and the regulations promulgated thereunder regarding the exclusion of
performance-based compensation from the limit on corporate deductibility of
compensation paid to certain executive officers.
(c) It is expressly contemplated that the Board may amend the Plan in
any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable to provide Optionees with the
maximum benefits provided or to be provided under the provisions of the Code and
the regulations promulgated thereunder relating to Incentive Stock Options
and/or to bring the Plan and/or Incentive Stock Options granted under it into
compliance therewith.
(d) Rights and obligations under any Option granted before amendment
of the Plan shall not be impaired by any amendment of the Plan unless (i) the
Company requests the consent of the person to whom the Option was granted and
(ii) such person consents in writing.
(e) The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms
of any one or more Options; provided, however, that the rights and obligations
under any Option shall not be impaired by any such amendment unless (i) the
Company requests the consent of the person to whom the Option was granted and
(ii) such person consents in writing.
12. TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.
(a) The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Unless
sooner terminated, the Plan shall terminate on January 17, 2006 which shall be
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within ten (10) years from the date the Plan is adopted by the Board or approved
by the stockholders of the Company, whichever is earlier. No Options may be
granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.
(b) Rights and obligations under any Option granted while the Plan is
in effect shall not be impaired by suspension or termination of the Plan, except
with the written consent of the person to whom the Option was granted.
13. EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN.
The Plan shall become effective as determined by the Board, but no Options
granted under the Plan shall be exercised unless and until the Plan has been
approved by the stockholders of the Company, which approval shall be within
twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.
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