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Registrant's 1994 Employee Stock Option Plan
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AQUAGENIX, INC.
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1994 EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTION PLAN
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1. PURPOSE. The purpose of this Plan is to advance the interests of
AQUAGENIX INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), by providing an
additional incentive to attract and retain qualified and competent persons who
are key employees of the Company, and upon whose efforts and judgment the
success of the Company is largely dependent, through the encouragement of stock
ownership in the Company by such persons.
2. DEFINITIONS. As used herein, the following terms shall have the
meaning indicated:
(a) "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) "Committee" shall mean the stock option committee appointed by
the Board pursuant to Section 13 hereof or, if not appointed, the Board.
(c) "Common Stock" shall mean the Company's Common Stock, par
value $0.01 per share.
(d) "Director" shall mean a member of the Board.
(e) "Disinterested Person" shall mean a Director who is not,
during the one year prior to his or her service as an administrator of this
Plan, or during such service, granted or awarded equity securities pursuant to
this Plan or any other plan of the Company or any of its affiliates, except
that:
(i) participation in a formula plan meeting the conditions
in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange
Act shall not disqualify a Director from being a Disinterested Person;
(ii) participation in an ongoing securities acquisition plan
meeting the conditions in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under
the Securities Exchange Act shall not disqualify a Director from being a
Disinterested Person; and
(iii) an election to receive an annual retainer fee in either
cash or an equivalent amount of securities, or partly in cash and partly in
securities, shall not disqualify a Director from being a Disinterested Person.
(f) "Fair Market Value" of a Share on any date of reference shall
be the "Closing Price" (as defined below) of the Common Stock on the business
day immediately preceding such date, unless the Committee in its sole discretion
shall determine otherwise in a fair and uniform manner. For the purpose of
determining Fair Market Value, the "Closing Price" of the Common Stock on any
business day shall be (i) if the Common Stock listed or admitted for trading on
any United States national securities exchange, or if actual transactions are
otherwise reported on a consolidated transaction reporting system, the last
reported sale price of Common Stock on such exchange or reporting system, as
reported in any newspaper of general circulation, (ii) if the Common Stock is
quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations
System ("NASDAQ"), or any similar system of automated dissemination of
quotations of securities prices in common use, the mean between the closing high
bid and low asked quotations for such day of Common Stock on such system, or
(iii) if neither clause (i) or (ii) is applicable, the mean between the high bid
and low asked quotations for the Common Stock as reported by the National
Quotation Bureau, Incorporated if at least two securities dealers have inserted
both bid and asked quotations for Common Stock on at least five of the ten
preceding days.
(g) "Incentive Stock Option" shall mean an incentive stock option
as defined in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(h) "Internal Revenue Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended from time to time.
(i) "Non-Statutory Stock Option" shall mean an Option which is not
an Incentive Stock Option.
(j) "Officer" shall mean the Company's president, principal
financial officer, principal accounting officer and any other person who the
Company identifies as an "executive officer" for purposes of reports or proxy
materials filed by the Company pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act.
(k) "Option" (when capitalized) shall mean any option granted
under this Plan.
(l) "Optionee" shall mean a person to whom a stock option is
granted under this Plan or any person who succeeds to the rights of such person
under this Plan by reason of the death of such person.
(m) "Plan" shall mean this Stock Option Plan for the Company.
(n) "Securities Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
(o) "Share(s)" shall mean a share or shares of the Common Stock.
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3. SHARES AND OPTIONS. The Company may grant to Optionees from time to
time Options to purchase an aggregate of up to One Million (1,000,000) Shares
from Shares held in the Company's treasury or from authorized and unissued
Shares. If any Option granted under the Plan shall terminate, expire, or be
canceled or surrendered as to any Shares, new Options may thereafter be granted
covering such Shares. An Option granted hereunder shall be either an Incentive
Stock Option or a Non-Statutory Stock Option as determined by the Committee at
the time of grant of such Option and shall clearly state whether it is an
Incentive Stock Option or Non-Statutory Stock Option. All Incentive Stock
Options shall be granted within ten years from the effective date of this Plan.
4. DOLLAR LIMITATION. Options otherwise qualifying as Incentive Stock
Options hereunder will not be treated as Incentive Stock Options only to the
extent that the I aggregate fair market value (determined at the time the Option
is granted) of the Shares, with respect to which Options meeting the
requirements of Internal Revenue Code Section 422(b) are exercisable for the
first time by any individual during any calendar year (under all plans of the
Company), exceeds $100,000.
5. CONDITIONS FOR GRANT OF OPTIONS.
(a) Each Option shall be evidenced by an option agreement that may
contain any term deemed necessary or desirable by the Committee, provided such
terms are not inconsistent with this Plan or any applicable law. Optionees shall
be those persons selected by the Committee from the class of all regular
employees of the Company, including employees who are also Directors or
Officers. Any person who files with the Committee, in a form satisfactory to the
Committee, a written waiver of eligibility to receive any Option under this Plan
shall not be eligible to receive any Option under this Plan for the duration of
such waiver.
(b) In granting Options, the Committee may take into consideration
the contribution the person has made to the success of the Company and such
other factors as the Committee shall determine. The Committee shall also have
the authority to consult with and receive recommendations from officers and
other personnel of the Company with regard to these matters. The Committee may
from time to time in granting Options under the Plan prescribe such other terms
and conditions concerning such Options as it deems appropriate, including,
without limitation, (i) prescribing the date or dates on which the Option
becomes exercisable, (ii) providing that the Option rights accrue or become
exercisable in installments over a period of years, or upon the attainment of
stated goals or both, or (iii) relating an Option to the continued employment of
the Optionee for a specified period of time, provided that such terms and
conditions are not more favorable to an Optionee than those expressly permitted
herein.
(c) The Options granted to employees under this Plan shall be in
addition to regular salaries, pension, life insurance or other benefits related
to their employment with the Company. Neither the Plan nor any Option granted
under the Plan shall confer upon any person any right to employment or
continuance of employment by the Company.
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(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, and in
addition to any other requirements of this Plan, Options may not be granted to a
Director or Officer unless the grant of such Options is authorized by, and all
of the terms of such Options are determined by, a Committee that is appointed in
accordance with Section 13 of this Plan and all of whose members are
Disinterested Persons.
6. OPTION PRICE. The option price per Share of any Option shall be any
price determined by the Committee but shall not be less than the par value per
Share; provided, however, that in no event shall the option price per Share of
any Incentive Stock Option be less than the Fair Market Value of the Shares
underlying such Option on the date such option is granted.
7. EXERCISE OF OPTIONS. An Option shall be deemed exercised when (i)
the Company has received written notice of such exercise in accordance with the
terms of the Option, (ii) full payment of the aggregate option price of the
Shares as to which the Option is exercised has been made, and (iii) arrangements
that are satisfactory to the Committee in its sole discretion have been made for
the Optionee's payment to the Company of the amount that is necessary for the
Company employing the Optionee to withhold in accordance with applicable Federal
or state tax withholding requirements. Unless further limited by the Committee
in any Option, the option price of any Shares purchased shall be paid in cash,
by certified or official bank check, by money order, with Shares or by a
combination of the above; provided further, however, that the Committee in its
sole discretion may accept a personal check in full or partial payment of any
Shares. If the exercise price is paid in whole or in part with Shares, the value
of the Shares surrendered shall be their Fair Market Value on the date the
Option is exercised. The Company in its sole discretion may, on an individual
basis or pursuant to a general program established by the Committee in
connection with this Plan, lend money to an Optionee to exercise all or a
portion of an Option granted hereunder. If the exercise price is paid in whole
or part with an Optionee's promissory note, such note shall (i) provide for full
recourse to the maker, (ii) be collateralized by the pledge of the Shares that
the Optionee purchases upon exercise of such Option, (iii) bear interest at a
rate no less than the rate of interest payable by the company to its principal
lender, and (iv) contain such other terms as the Committee in its sole
discretion shall require. No Optionee shall be deemed to be a holder of any
Shares subject to an Option unless and until a stock certificate or certificates
for such Shares are issued to such person(s) under the terms of this Plan. No
adjustment shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in
cash, securities or other property) or distributions or other rights for which
the record date is prior to the date such stock certificate is issued, except as
expressly provided in Section 10 hereof.
8. EXERCISEABILITY OF OPTIONS. Any Option shall become exercisable in
such amounts, at such intervals and upon such terms as the Committee shall
provide in such option, except as otherwise provided in this Section 8.
(a) The expiration date of an Option shall be determined by the
Committee at the time of grant, but in no event shall an Option be exercisable
after the expiration of ten years from the date of grant of the Option.
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(b) Unless otherwise provided in any Option, each outstanding
Option shall become immediately fully exercisable:
(i) if there occurs any transaction (which shall include a
series of transactions occurring within 60 days or occurring pursuant to a
plan), that has the result that shareholders of the Company immediately before
such transaction cease to own at least 51 percent of the voting stock of the
Company or of any entity that results from the participation of the Company in a
reorganization, consolidation, merger, liquidation or any other form of
corporate transaction;
(ii) if the shareholders of the Company shall approve a plan
of merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or dissolution in which
the Company does not survive (unless the approved merger, consolidation,
reorganization, liquidation or dissolution is subsequently abandoned); or
(iii) if the shareholders of the Company shall approve a plan
for the sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all
the property and assets of the Company (unless such plan is subsequently
abandoned).
(c) The Committee may in its sole discretion accelerate the date
on which any Option may be exercised and may accelerate the vesting of any
Shares subject to any option or previously acquired by the exercise of any
Option or previously acquired by the exercise of any Option.
(d) Options granted to Officers and Directors shall not be
exercisable until the expiration of a period of at least six months following
the date of grant.
9. TERMINATION OF OPTION PERIOD.
(a) Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole
discretion upon the grant of any Non-Statutory Stock Option, the unexercised
portion of any Option shall automatically and without notice terminate and
become null and void at the time of the earliest to occur of the following:
(i) three months after the date on which the Optionee's
employment is terminated or, in the case of a Non-Statutory Stock Option, and
unless the Committee shall otherwise determine in writing in its sole
discretion, the date on which the Optionee's employment is terminated, in either
case for any reason other than by reason of (A) Cause, which, solely for
purposes of this Plan, shall mean the termination of the Optionee's employment
by reason of the Optionee's wilful misconduct or gross negligence, (B) a mental
or physical disability as determined by a medical doctor satisfactory to the
Committee, or (c) death;
(ii) immediately upon the termination of the Optionee's
employment for Cause;
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(iii) one year after the date on which the Optionee's
employment is terminated by reason of a mental or physical disability (within
the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 22(e)) as determined by a medical
doctor satisfactory to the Committee; or
(iv) (A) twelve months after the date of termination of the
Optionee's employment by reason of death of the employee, or (B) three months
after the date on which the Optionee shall die if such death shall occur during
the one year period specified in Subsection 9(a)(iii) hereof.
(b) The Committee in its sole discretion may by giving written
notice ("cancellation notice") cancel, effective upon the date of the
consummation of any corporate transaction described in Subsections 8(b)(ii) or
(iii) hereof, any Option that remains unexercised on such date. Such
cancellation notice shall be given a reasonable period of time prior to the
proposed date of such cancellation and may be given either before or after
approval of such corporate transaction.
10. ADJUSTMENT OF SHARES.
(a) If at any time while the Plan is in effect or unexercised
Options are outstanding, there shall be any increase or decrease in the number
of issued and outstanding shares through the declaration of a stock dividend or
through any recapitalization resulting in a stock split-up, combination or
exchange of Shares, then and in such event:
(i) appropriate adjustment shall be made in the maximum
number of Shares available for grant under the Plan, so that the same percentage
of the Company's issued and outstanding Shares shall continue to be subject to
being so optioned; and
(ii) appropriate adjustment shall be made in the number of
Shares and the exercise price per Share thereof then subject to any outstanding
Option, so that the same percentage of the Company's issued and outstanding
Shares shall remain subject to purchase at the same aggregate exercise price.
(b) Subject to the specific terms of any Option, the Committee may
change the terms of Options outstanding under this Plan, with respect to the
option price or the number of Shares subject to the Options, or both, when, in
the Committee's sole discretion, such adjustments become appropriate by reason
of a corporate transaction described in Subsections 8(b)(ii) or (iii) hereof.
(c) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the issuance by
the Company of shares of its capital stock of any class, or securities
convertible into shares of capital stock of any class, either in connection with
direct sale or upon the exercise of rights or warrants to subscribe therefor, or
upon conversion of shares or obligations of the Company convertible into such
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shares or other securities, shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason
thereof shall be made with respect to the number of or exercise price of Shares
then subject to outstanding Options granted under the Plan.
(d) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
existence of outstanding Options granted under the Plan shall not affect in any
manner the right or power of the Company to make, authorize or consummate (i)
any or all adjustments, recapitalizations, reorganizations or other changes in
the Company's capital structure or its business; (ii) any merger or
consolidation of the Company; (iii) any issue by the Company of debt securities,
or preferred or preference stock that would rank above the Shares subject to
outstanding Options; (iv) the dissolution or liquidation of the Company; (v) any
sale, transfer or assignment of all or any part of the assets or business of the
Company; or (vi) any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar
character or otherwise.
11. TRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS. Each Option shall provide that such
Option shall be transferable by the Optionee otherwise than by will or the laws
of descent and distribution, and each Option shall be exercisable during the
Optionee's lifetime only by the Optionee.
12. ISSUANCE OF SHARES. As a condition of any sale or issuance of Shares
upon exercise of any Option, the Committee may require such agreements or
undertakings, if any, as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to assure
compliance with any such law or regulation including, but not limited to, the
following:
(i) a representation and warranty by the Optionee to the
Company, at the time any Option is exercised, that he is acquiring the Shares to
be issued to him for investment and not with a view to, or for sale in
connection with, the distribution of any such Shares; and
(ii) a representation, warranty and/or agreement to be bound
by any legends that are, in the opinion of the Committee, necessary or
appropriate to comply with the provisions of any securities law deemed by the
Committee to be applicable to the issuance of the Shares and are endorsed upon
the Share certificates.
13. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN.
(a) The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which shall
consist of not less than two Directors, each of whom shall be Disinterested
Persons to the extent required by Section 5(d) hereof. The Committee shall have
all of the powers of the Board with respect to the Plan. Any member of the
Committee may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by resolution of
the Board and any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Committee may be
filled by appointment by the Board.
(b) The Committee, from time to time, may adopt rules and
regulations for carrying out the purposes of the Plan. The Committee's
determinations and its interpretation and construction of any provision of the
Plan shall be final and conclusive.
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(c) Any and all decisions or determinations of the Committee shall
be made either (i) by a majority vote of the members of the Committee at a
meeting or (ii) without a meeting by the unanimous written approval of the
members of the Committee.
14. INCENTIVE OPTIONS FOR 10% SHAREHOLDERS. Notwithstanding any other
provisions of the Plan to the contrary, an Incentive Stock Option shall not be
granted to any person owning directly or indirectly (through attribution under
Section 424(d) of the Internal Revenue Code) at the date of grant, stock
possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of
stock of the Company (or of its subsidiary [as defined in Section 424 of the
Internal Revenue Code] at the date of grant) unless the option price of each
Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to such
Option on the date the Option is granted, and such Option by its terms is not
exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date such Option is
granted.
15. INTERPRETATION.
(a) The Plan shall be administered and interpreted so that all
Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan will qualify as Incentive Stock
Options under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code. If any provision of the
Plan should be held invalid for the granting of Incentive Stock Options or
illegal for any reason, such determination shall not affect the remaining
provisions hereof, but instead the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if
such provision had never been included in the Plan.
(b) This Plan shall be governed by the laws of the State of
Delaware.
(c) Headings contained in this Plan are for convenience only and
shall in no manner be construed as part of this Plan.
(d) Any reference to the masculine, feminine, or neuter gender
shall be a reference to such other gender as is appropriate.
16. AMENDMENT AND DISCONTINUATION OF THE PLAN. Either the Board or the
Committee may from time to time amend the Plan or any Option; provided, however,
that, except to the extent provided in Section 10, no such amendment may,
without approval by the shareholders of the Company, (a) materially increase the
benefits accruing to participants under the Plan, (b) materially increase the
number of securities which may be issued under the Plan, or (c) materially
modify the requirements as to eligibility for participation in the Plan; and
provided further, that, except to the extent provided in Section 9,1 no
amendment or suspension of the Plan or any Option issued hereunder shall
substantially impair any Option previously granted to any Optionee without the
consent of such Optionee.
17. EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERMINATION DATE. The effective date of the Plan
is the date on which the Board adopts this Plan, and the Plan shall terminate on
the 10th anniversary of the effective date.
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