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EXHIBIT 10.1
CUIDAO HOLDING CORP.
1997 DIRECTORS' STOCK OPTION PLAN
1. Purposes of the Plan. The purposes of this Directors' Stock Option
Plan are to attract and retain the best available personnel for service as
Directors of the Company, to provide additional incentive to the Outside
Directors of the Company to serve as Directors, and to encourage their continued
service on the Board.
All options granted hereunder shall be "nonstatutory stock options".
2. Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(c) "Common Stock" means the Common Stock of the Company.
(d) "Company" means Cuidao Holding Corp., a Florida corporation.
(e) "Continuous Status as a Director" means the absence of any
interruption or termination of service as a Director.
(f) "Director" means a member of the Board.
(g) "Employee" means any person, including officers and directors,
employed by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. The payment
of a director's fee by the Company shall not be sufficient to constitute
"employment" by the Company.
(h) "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(i) "Option" means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.
All options shall be nonstatutory stock options (i.e., options that are not
intended to qualify as incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Code).
(j) "Optioned Stock" means the Common Stock subject to an Option.
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(k) "Optionee" means an Outside Director who receives an Option.
(l) "Outside Director" means a Director who is not an Employee.
(m) "Parent" means a "parent corporation", whether now or
hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(n) "Plan" means this 1997 Directors' Stock Option Plan.
(o) "Share" means a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in
accordance with Section 11 of the Plan.
(p) "Subsidiary" means a "subsidiary corporation", whether now or
hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.
3. Stock Subject to the Plan. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
of the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of shares which may be optioned and
sold under the Plan is 250,000 shares (the "Pool") of Common Stock.
If an Option should expire or become unexercisable for any reason
without having been exercised in full, the unpurchased Shares which were subject
thereto shall, unless the Plan shall have been terminated, become available for
future grant under the Plan. If Shares which were acquired upon exercise of an
Option are subsequently repurchased by the Company, such Shares shall not in any
event be returned to the Plan and shall not become available for future grant
under the Plan.
4. Administration of and Grants of Options under the Plan.
(a) Administrator. Except as otherwise required herein, the Plan
shall be administered by the Board.
(b) Procedure for Grants. All grants of Options hereunder shall be
automatic and nondiscretionary and shall be made strictly in accordance with the
following provisions:
(i) No person shall have any discretion to select which
Outside Directors shall be granted Options or to determine the number of Shares
to be covered by Options granted to Outside Directors.
(ii) Each Outside Director shall be automatically granted an
Option to purchase Shares (the "First Option") as follows: (A) with respect to
persons who are Outside Directors on the effective date of this Plan, as
determined in accordance with Section 6 hereof, 1,000 shares on such effective
date, and (B) with respect to any other person, 500 shares on the date on which
such person first becomes an Outside Director,
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whether through election by the shareholders of the Company or appointment by
the Board of Directors to fill a vacancy.
(iii) After the First Option has been granted to an Outside
Director, such Outside Director shall thereafter be automatically granted an
Option to purchase 500 Shares (a "Subsequent Option") on January 1 of each year,
with the first such grant being made on January 1, 1998, provided that, on such
date, he or she shall have served on the Board for at least six (6) months prior
to the grant of such Subsequent Option.
(iv) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (ii) and
(iii) hereof, in the event that a grant would cause the number of Shares subject
to outstanding Options plus the number of Shares previously purchased upon
exercise of Options to exceed the Pool, then each such automatic grant shall be
for that number of Shares determined by dividing the total number of Shares
remaining available for grant by the number of Outside Directors receiving an
Option on such date on the automatic grant date. Any further grants shall then
be deferred until such time, if any, as additional Shares become available for
grant under the Plan through action of the shareholders to increase the number
of Shares which may be issued under the Plan or through cancellation or
expiration of Options previously granted hereunder.
(v) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (ii) and
(iii) hereof, any grant of an Option made before the Company has obtained
shareholder approval of the Plan in accordance with Section 17 hereof shall be
conditioned upon obtaining such shareholder approval of the Plan in accordance
with Section 17 hereof.
(vi) The terms of each First Option granted hereunder shall
be as follows:
(1) the First Option shall be exercisable only while
the Outside Directors remains a Director of the Company, except as set forth in
Section 9 hereof.
(2) the exercise price per Share shall be 100% of the
fair market value per Share on the date of grant of the First Option, determined
in accordance with Section 8 hereof.
(3) the First Option shall become exercisable in
installments cumulatively as to 25% of the Shares subject to the First Option on
each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the date of grant
of the Option.
(vii) The terms of each Subsequent Option granted hereunder
shall be as follows:
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(1) the Subsequent Option shall be exercisable only
while the Outside Director remains a Director of the Company, except as set
forth in Section 9 hereof.
(2) the exercise price per Share shall be 100% of the
fair market value per Share on the date of grant of the Subsequent Option on the
first anniversary of the date of grant of the Subsequent Option.
(c) Powers of the Board. Subject to the provisions and
restrictions of the Plan, the Board shall have the authority in its discretion:
(i) to determine, upon review of relevant information and in accordance with
Section 8(b) of the Plan, the fair market value of the Common Stock;(ii) to
determine the exercise price per share of Options to be granted, which exercise
price shall be determined in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Plan; (iii) to
interpret the Plan; (iv) to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations
relating to the Plan; (v) to authorize any person to execute on behalf of the
Company any instrument required to effectuate the grant of an Option previously
granted hereunder; and (vi) to make all other determinations deemed necessary or
advisable for the administration of the Plan.
(d) Effect of Board's Decision. All decisions, determinations and
interpretations of the Board shall be final and binding on all Optionees and any
other holders of any Options granted under the Plan.
(e) Suspension or Termination of Option. If the President or his
or her designee reasonably believes that an Optionee has committed an act of
misconduct, the President may suspend the Optionee's right to exercise any
option pending a determination by the Board of Directors (excluding the Outside
Director accused of such misconduct). If the Board of Directors (excluding the
Outside Director accused of such misconduct) determines an Optionee has
committed an act of embezzlement, fraud, dishonesty, nonpayment of an obligation
owed to the Company, breach of fiduciary duty or deliberate disregard of the
Company rules resulting in loss, damage or injury to the Company, or if an
Optionee makes an unauthorized disclosure of any Company trade secret or
confidential information, engages in any conduct constituting unfair
competition, induces any Company customer to breach a contract with the Company
or induces any principal for whom the Company acts as agent to terminate such
agency relationship, neither the Optionee nor his or her estate shall be
entitled to exercise any option whatsoever. In making such determination, the
Board of Directors (excluding the Outside Director accused of such misconduct)
shall act fairly and shall give the Optionee an opportunity to appear and
present evidence on Optionee's behalf at a hearing before the Board or a
committee of the Board.
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5. Eligibility. Options may be granted only to Outside Directors. All
Options shall be automatically granted in accordance with the terms set forth in
Section 4(b) hereof. An Outside Director who has been granted an Option may, if
he or she is otherwise eligible, be granted an additional Option in accordance
with such provisions.
The Plan shall not confer upon any Optionee any right with respect
to continuation of service as a Director or nomination to serve as a Director,
nor shall it interfere in any way with any rights which the Director or the
Company may have to terminate his or her directorship any time.
6. Term of Plan; Effective Date. The Plan shall become effective upon
the earlier to occur of its adoption by the Board of Directors or its approval
by the shareholders of the Company as described in Section 17 of the Plan. It
shall continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years unless sooner terminated
under Section 13 of the Plan.
7. Term of Options. The term of each Option shall be ten (10) years
from the date of grant thereof.
8. Exercise Price and Consideration.
(a) Exercise Price. The per Share exercise price for the Shares to
be issued pursuant to exercise of an Option shall be 100% of the fair market
value per Share on the date of grant of the Option.
(b) Fair Market Value. The fair market value shall be determined
by the Board; provided, however, that where there is a public market for the
Common Stock, the fair market value per Share shall be the mean of the bid and
asked prices of the Common Stock in the over-the-counter market on the date of
grant, as reported in The Wall Street Journal (or, if not so reported, or
otherwise reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated
Quotation System ("Nasdaq Stock Market")) or, in the event the Common Stock is
traded on the Nasdaq National Market or listed on a stock exchange, the fair
market value per Share shall be the closing price on such system or exchange on
the date of grant of the Option, as reported in The Wall Street Journal.
(b) Form of Consideration. The consideration to be paid for the
Shares to be issued upon exercise of an Option shall consist entirely of cash,
check, other shares of Common Stock having a fair market value on the date of
surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said
Option shall be exercised (which, if acquired from the Company, shall have been
held for at least six months), or any combination of
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such methods of payment and/or any other consideration or method of payment as
shall be permitted under applicable corporate law.
9. Exercise of Option.
(a) Procedure for Exercise; Rights as a Shareholder. Any Option
granted hereunder shall be exercisable at such times as are set forth in Section
4(b) hereof; provided, however, that no Options shall be exercisable prior to
shareholder approval of the Plan in accordance with Section 17 hereof has been
obtained.
An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.
An Option shall be deemed to be exercised when written notice
of such exercise has been given to the Company in accordance with the terms of
the Option by the person entitled to exercise the Option and full payment for
the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised has been received by
the Company. Full payment may consist of any consideration and method of payment
allowable under Section 8(C) of the Plan. Until the issuance (as evidenced by
the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized
transfer agent of the Company) of the stock certificate evidencing such Shares,
no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder shall
exist with respect to the Optioned Stock, notwithstanding the exercise of the
Option. The Company shall issue (or cause to be issued) such stock certificates
promptly upon exercise of the Option. No adjustment will be made for a dividend
or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the stock
certificate is issued, except as provided in Section 11 of the Plan.
Exercise of an Option in any manner shall result in a decrease
in the number of Shares which thereafter may be available, both for purposes of
the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the
Option is exercised.
(b) Termination of Status as a Director. If an Outside Director
ceases to serve as a Director, he or she may, but only within ninety (90) days
after the date he or she ceases to be a Director of the Company, exercise his or
her Option to the extent that he or she was entitled to exercise it at the date
of such termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may the Option
be exercised after its term set forth in Section 7 has expired. To the extent
that such Outside Director was not entitled to exercise an Option at the date of
such termination, or does not exercise such Option (which he or she was entitled
to exercise) within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.
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(c) Disability of Optionee. Notwithstanding the provisions of
Section 9(b) above, in the event a Director is unable to continue his or her
service as a Director with the Company as a result of his or her total and
permanent disability (as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code), he or she
may, but only within six (6) months (or such other period of time not exceeding
twelve (12) months as is determined by the Board)from the date of such
termination exercise his or her Option to the extent he or she was entitled to
exercise it at the date of such termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in
no event may the Option be exercised after its term set forth in Section 7 has
expired. To the extent that he or she was not entitled to exercise the Option at
the date of termination, or if he or she does not exercise such Option to the
extent so entitled within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.
(d) Death of Optionee. In the event of the death of an Optionee:
(i) the Option may be exercised, at any time within six (6)
months following the date of death (but in no event later than the expiration
date of the term of such Option as set forth in the Option Agreement), by the
Optionees' estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option
by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent the Optionee was entitled to
exercise the Option at the date of death. To the extent that Optionee was not
entitled to exercise the Option at the date of death, or if Optionee does not
exercise such Option to the extent so entitled within the time specified herein,
the Option shall terminate.
(ii) Within three (3) months after the termination of
Continuous Status as a Director, the Option may be exercised, at any time within
six (6) months following the date of death, by the Optionee's estate or by a
person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance,
but only to the extent of the right to exercise that had accrued at the date of
termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may the option be
exercised after its term set forth in Section 7 has expired.
10. Non-Transferability of Options. Options may not be sold, pledged,
assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by
will or by the laws of descent or distribution or pursuant to a qualified
domestic relations order (as defined by the Code or the rules thereunder). The
designation of a beneficiary by an Optionee does not constitute a transfer. An
Option may be exercised during the lifetime of an Optionee only by the Optionee
or a transferee permitted by this Section.
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11. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization; Corporate Transactions.
(a) Changes in Capitalization. Subject to any required action by
the shareholders of the Company, the number of shares of Common Stock covered by
each outstanding Option, and the number of shares of Common Stock which have
been authorized for issuance under the Plan but as to which no Options have yet
been granted or which have been returned to the Plan upon cancellation or
expiration of an Option, as well as the price per share of Common Stock covered
by each such outstanding Option, shall be proportionately adjusted for any
increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock resulting
from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or
reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other increase or decrease in the
number of issued shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of
consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any
convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been "effected
without receipt of consideration." Such adjustment shall be made by the Board,
whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive.
Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of
stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class,
shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to,
the number or price of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option.
(b) Corporate Transactions. In the event of (i) a dissolution or
liquidation of the Company, (ii) a sale of all or substantially all of the
Company's assets, (iii) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not
the surviving corporation or (iv) any other capital reorganization in which more
than fifty percent (50%) of the shares of the Company entitled to vote are
exchanged, the Company shall give to the Eligible Director, at the time of
adoption of the plan for liquidation, dissolution, sale, merger, consolidation
or reorganization, either a reasonable time thereafter within which to exercise
the Option, including Shares as to which the Option would not be otherwise
exercisable, prior to the effectiveness of such liquidation, dissolution, sale,
merger, consolidation or reorganization, at the end of which time the Option
shall terminate, or the right to exercise the Option, including Shares as to
which the Option would not be otherwise exercisable (or receive a substitute
option with comparable terms), as to an equivalent number of shares of stock of
the corporation succeeding the Company acquiring its business by reason of such
liquidation, dissolution, sale, merger, consolidation or reorganization.
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12. Time of Granting Options. The date of grant of an Option shall, for
all purposes, be the date determined in accordance with Section 4(b) hereof.
Notice of the determination shall be given to each Outside Director to whom an
Option is so granted within a reasonable time after the date of such grant.
13. Amendment and Termination of the Plan.
(a) Amendment and Termination. The Board may amend or terminate
the Plan from time to time in such respects as the Board may deem advisable,
provided that, to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with rule 16b-3
under the Exchange Act (or any other applicable law or regulation), the Company
shall obtain approval of the shareholders of the Company to Plan amendments to
the extent and in the manner required by such law or regulation. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the provisions set forth in Section 4 of this Plan (and any other
Sections of this Plan that affect the formula award terms required to be
specified in this Plan by Rule 16b-3) shall not be amended more than once every
six (6) months, other than to comport with changes in the Code, the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules thereunder.
(b) Effect of Amendment or Termination. Any such amendment or
termination of the Plan that would impair the rights of any Optionee shall not
affect Options already granted to such Optionee and such Options shall remain in
full force and effect as if this Plan had not been amended or terminated, unless
mutually agreed otherwise between the Optionee and the Board, which agreement
must be in writing and signed by the Optionee and the Company.
14. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares shall not be issued
pursuant to the exercise of an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the
issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all
relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder, state securities laws, and the requirements of any stock exchange
upon which the Shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the
approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.
As a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Company may
require the person exercising such Option to represent and warrant at the time
of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and
without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the
opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of
the aforementioned relevant provisions of law.
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15. Reservation of Shares. The Company, during the term of this Plan,
will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be
sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan. The inability of the Company
to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which
authority is deemed by the Company's counsel to be necessary to the lawful
issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any
liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which
such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.
16. Option Agreement. Options shall be evidenced by written agreements
in such form as the Board shall approve from time to time.
17. Shareholder Approval. Continuance of the Plan shall be subject to
approval by the shareholders of the Company at or prior to the first annual
meeting of shareholders held subsequent to the granting of an Option hereunder.
If such shareholder approval is obtained at a duly held shareholders' meeting,
it may be obtained by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of the Company present or represented and entitled to vote
thereon. If such shareholder approval is obtained by written consent, it may be
obtained by the written consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
shares of the Company. Options may be granted, but not exercised, before such
shareholder approval.
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