EX-99 5 a16-17485_2ex99.htm EX-99

Exhibit 99

 

AMERICAN CHARTERED BANCORP, INC.

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED
2005 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1.                                      Restatement, Purpose, and Types of Awards.

 

American Chartered Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby amends and restates the American Chartered Bancorp, Inc. Year 2001 Incentive Stock Option Plan and the American Chartered Bancorp, Inc. 2003 Stock Incentive Plan as the “American Chartered Bancorp, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”). The purpose of the Plan is to provide incentives and awards to select key employees and directors of the Company and its Affiliates.

 

The Plan permits the granting of the following types of awards (“Awards”), according to the Sections of the Plan listed here:

 

Section 6

Options

Section 7

Share Appreciation Rights

Section 8

Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units

Section 9

Deferred Share Units

 

The Plan is not intended to affect and shall not affect any stock options, equity-based compensation, or other benefits that the Company or its Affiliates may have provided, or may separately provide in the future pursuant to any agreement, plan, or program that is independent of this Plan.

 

2.                                      Defined Terms.

 

Terms in the Plan that begin with an initial capital letter have the defined meaning set forth in Appendix A, unless defined elsewhere in this Plan or the context of their use clearly indicates a different meaning.

 

3.                                      Shares Subject to the Plan.

 

Subject to the provisions of Section 14 of the Plan, the maximum number of Shares that the Company may issue for all Awards is 600,000 Shares. For all Awards, the Shares issued pursuant to the Plan may be authorized but unissued Shares, or Shares that the Company has reacquired or otherwise holds in treasury.

 

Shares that are subject to an Award that for any reason expires, is forfeited, is cancelled, or becomes unexercisable, and Shares that are for any other reason not paid or delivered under the Plan shall again, except to the extent prohibited by Applicable Law, be available for subsequent Awards under the Plan. In addition, the Committee may make future Awards with respect to Shares that the Company retains from otherwise delivering pursuant to an Award either (i) as payment of the exercise price of an Award, or (ii) in order to satisfy the withholding or employment taxes due upon the grant, exercise, vesting, or distribution of an Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to adjustments pursuant to Section 14 below, the

 



 

number of Shares that are available for ISO Awards shall be determined, to the extent required under applicable tax laws, by reducing the number of Shares designated in the preceding paragraph by the number of Shares granted pursuant to Awards (whether or not Shares are issued pursuant to such Awards); provided that any Shares that are either purchased under the Plan and forfeited back to the Plan, or surrendered in payment of the Exercise Price for an Award shall be available for issuance pursuant to ISO Awards.

 

4.                                      Administration.

 

(a)                                 General.  The Committee shall administer the Plan in accordance with its terms, provided that the Board may act in lieu of the Committee on any matter. The Committee shall hold meetings at such times and places as it may determine and shall make such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as it deems advisable. In the absence of a duly appointed Committee or if the Board otherwise chooses to act in lieu of the Committee, the Board shall function as the Committee for all purposes of the Plan.

 

(b)                                 Committee Composition. The Board shall appoint the members of the Committee. If and to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Committee may authorize one or more Reporting Persons (or other officers) to make Awards to Eligible Persons who are not Reporting Persons (or other officers whom the Committee has specifically authorized to make Awards). The Board may at any time appoint additional members to the Committee, remove and replace members of the Committee with or without Cause, and fill vacancies on the Committee however caused.

 

(c)                                  Powers of the Committee. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority, in its sole discretion:

 

(i)                                     to grant Awards in accordance with the terms of the Plan as set forth herein;

 

(ii)                                  to determine Eligible Persons to whom Awards shall be granted from time to time and the number of Shares, units, or SARs to be covered by each Award;

 

(iii)                               to determine, from time to time, the Fair Market Value of Shares;

 

(iv)                              to determine, and to set forth in Award Agreements, the terms and conditions of all Awards, including any applicable exercise or purchase price, the installments and conditions under which an Award shall become vested (which may be based on performance), terminated, expired, cancelled, or replaced, and the circumstances for vesting acceleration or waiver of forfeiture restrictions, and other restrictions and limitations;

 

(v)                                 to approve the forms of Award Agreements and all other documents, notices and certificates in connection therewith which need not be identical either as to type of Award or among Participants;

 

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(vi)                              to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and any Award Agreement, to determine the meaning of their terms, and to prescribe, amend, and rescind rules and procedures relating to the Plan and its administration;

 

(vii)                           in order to fulfill the purposes of the Plan and without amending the Plan, modify, cancel, or waive the Company’s rights with respect to any Awards, to adjust or to modify Award Agreements for changes in Applicable Law or otherwise (with the consent of Participants as appropriate);

 

(viii)                        to recognize differences in foreign law, tax policies, or customs; and to determine the duration and purposes of leaves of absence that may be granted to Participants without constituting termination of their employment for the purpose of the Plan or any Grant; and

 

(ix)                              to make all other determinations and interpretations and to take all other actions that the Committee may consider necessary or advisable to administer the Plan or to effectuate its purposes.

 

Subject to Applicable Law and the restrictions set forth in the Plan, the Committee may delegate administrative functions to individuals who are Reporting Persons, officers, or Employees of the Company or its Affiliates.

 

(d)                                 Deference to Committee Determinations. The Committee shall have the discretion to interpret or construe ambiguous, unclear, or implied (but omitted) terms in any fashion it deems to be appropriate in its sole discretion, and to make any findings of fact needed in the administration of the Plan or Award Agreements. The Committee’s prior exercise of its discretionary authority shall not obligate it to exercise its authority in a like fashion thereafter. The Committee’s interpretation and construction of any provision of the Plan, or of any Award or Award Agreement, shall be final, binding, and conclusive. The validity of any such interpretation, construction, decision or finding of fact shall not be given de novo review if challenged in court, by arbitration, or in any other forum, and shall be upheld unless clearly arbitrary or capricious.

 

(e)                                  No Liability; Indemnification. Neither the Board nor any Committee member, nor any Person acting at the direction of the Board or the Committee, shall be liable for any act, omission, interpretation, construction or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement. The Company and its Affiliates shall pay or reimburse any member of the Committee, as well as any Director, Employee, or Consultant who takes action in connection with the Plan, for all expenses incurred with respect to the Plan, and to the full extent allowable under Applicable Law shall indemnify each and every one of them for any claims, liabilities, and costs (including reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of their good faith performance of duties under the Plan. The Company and its Affiliates may obtain liability insurance for this purpose.

 

5.                                      Eligibility.

 

(a)                                 General Rule. The Committee may grant ISOs only to Employees (including officers who are Employees) of the Company or an Affiliate that is a “parent corporation” or

 

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“subsidiary corporation” within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code, and may grant all other Awards to any Eligible Person. A Participant who has been granted an Award may be granted an additional Award or Awards if the Committee shall so determine, if such person is otherwise an Eligible Person and if otherwise in accordance with the terms of the Plan.

 

(b)                                 Grant of Awards. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine from the class of Eligible Persons those individuals to whom Awards under the Plan may be granted, the number of Shares subject to each Award, and the price (if any) to be paid for the Shares or the Award. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement signed by the Company and, if required by the Committee, by the Participant. The Award Agreement shall set forth the material terms and conditions of the Award established by the Committee.

 

(c)                                  Limits on Awards. During the term of the Plan, no Participant may receive Options and SARs that relate to more than 150,000 Shares. The Committee will adjust these limitations pursuant to Section 14 below.

 

(d)                                 Replacement Awards. Subject to Applicable Laws (including any associated Shareholder approval requirements), the Committee may, in its sole discretion and upon such terms as it deems appropriate, require as a condition of the grant of an Award to a Participant that the Participant surrender for cancellation some or all of the Awards that have previously been granted to the Participant under this Plan or otherwise. An Award that is conditioned upon such surrender may or may not be the same type of Award, may cover the same (or a lesser or greater) number of Shares as such surrendered Award, may have other terms that are determined without regard to the terms or conditions of such surrendered Award, and may contain any other terms that the Committee deems appropriate. In the case of Options, these other terms may not involve an Exercise Price that is lower than the Exercise Price of the surrendered Option unless the Company’s shareholders approve the grant itself or the program under which the grant is made pursuant to the Plan.

 

6.                                      Option Awards.

 

(a)                                 Types; Documentation. The Committee may in its discretion grant ISOs to any Employee and Non-ISOs to any Eligible Person, and shall evidence any such grants in an Award Agreement that is delivered to the Participant. Each Option shall be designated in the Award Agreement as an ISO or a Non-ISO, and the same Award Agreement may grant both types of Options. At the sole discretion of the Committee, any Option may be exercisable, in whole or in part, immediately upon the grant thereof, or only after the occurrence of a specified event, or only in installments, which installments may vary. Options granted under the Plan may contain such terms and provisions not inconsistent with the Plan that the Committee shall deem advisable in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

(b)                                 ISO $100,000 Limitation. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of Shares with respect to which Options designated as ISOs first become exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year (under this Plan and any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate) exceeds $100,000, such excess Options shall be treated as Non-ISOs. For purposes of determining whether the $100,000 limit is exceeded, the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject

 

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to an ISO shall be determined as of the Grant Date. In reducing the number of Options treated as ISOs to meet the $100,000 limit, the most recently granted Options shall be reduced first. In the event that Section 422 of the Code is amended to alter the limitation set forth therein, the limitation of this Section 6(b) shall be automatically adjusted accordingly.

 

(c)                                  Term of Options. Each Award Agreement shall specify a term at the end of which the Option automatically expires, subject to earlier termination provisions contained in Section 6(h) hereof; provided that the term of any Option may not exceed ten years from the Grant Date. In the case of an ISO granted to an Employee who is a Ten Percent Holder on the Grant Date, the term of the ISO shall not exceed five years from the Grant Date.

 

(d)                                 Exercise Price. The exercise price of an Option shall be determined by the Committee in its discretion and shall be set forth in the Award Agreement, subject to the following special rules:

 

(i)                                     ISOs. If an ISO is granted to an Employee who on the Grant Date is a Ten Percent Holder, the per Share exercise price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on such Grant Date. If an ISO is granted to any other Employee, the per Share exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date.

 

(ii)                                  Non-ISOs. The per Share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to the exercise of a Non-ISO shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date.

 

(iii)                               Named Executives. The per Share exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date of an Option if (A) on such Grant Date, the Participant is subject to the limitations set forth in Section 162(m) of the Code, and (B) the grant is intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

(iv)                              Repricing. The Committee may at any time unilaterally reduce the exercise price for any Option, but shall promptly provide a written notice to any Participant affected by the reduction.

 

(e)                                  Exercise of Option. The Committee shall in its sole discretion determine the times, circumstances, and conditions under which an Option shall be exercisable, and shall set them forth in the Award Agreement. The Committee shall have the discretion to determine whether and to what extent the vesting of Options shall be tolled during any unpaid leave of absence; provided, however, that in the absence of such determination, vesting of Options shall be tolled during any such leave approved by the Company.

 

(f)                                   Minimum Exercise Requirements. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share. The Committee may require in an Award Agreement that an Option be exercised as to a minimum number of Shares, provided that such requirement shall not prevent a Participant from purchasing the full number of Shares as to which the Option is then exercisable.

 

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(g)                                  Methods of Exercise. Prior to its expiration pursuant to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement, each Option may be exercised, in whole or in part (provided that the Company shall not be required to issue fractional shares), by delivery of written notice of exercise to the secretary of the Company accompanied by the full exercise price of the Shares being purchased. In the case of an ISO, the Committee shall determine the acceptable methods of payment on the Grant Date and it shall be included in the applicable Award Agreement. The methods of payment that the Committee may in its discretion accept or commit to accept in an Award Agreement include:

 

(i)                                     cash or certified check payable to the Company (in U.S. dollars);

 

(ii)                                  other Shares that (A) are owned by the Participant who is purchasing Shares pursuant to an Option, (B) have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which the Option is being exercised, (C) were not acquired by such Participant pursuant to the exercise of an Option, unless such Shares have been owned by such Participant for at least six months or such other period as the Committee may determine, (D) are all, at the time of such surrender, free and clear of any and all claims, pledges, liens and encumbrances, or any restrictions which would in any manner restrict the transfer of such shares to or by the Company (other than such restrictions as may have existed prior to an issuance of such Shares by the Company to such Participant), and (E) are duly endorsed for transfer to the Company;

 

(iii)                               a cashless exercise program that the Committee may approve, from time to time in its discretion, pursuant to which a Participant may concurrently provide irrevocable instructions (A) to such Participant’s broker or dealer to effect the immediate sale of the purchased Shares and remit to the Company, out of the sale proceeds available on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the exercise price of the Option plus all applicable taxes required to be withheld by the Company by reason of such exercise, and (B) to the Company to deliver the certificates for the purchased Shares directly to such broker or dealer in order to complete the sale; or

 

(iv)                              any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.

 

The Company shall not be required to deliver Shares pursuant to the exercise of an Option until payment of the full exercise price therefore is received by the Company.

 

(h)                                 Termination of Continuous Service. The Committee may establish and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement the terms and conditions on which an Option shall remain exercisable, if at all, following termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service. The Committee may waive or modify these provisions at any time. To the extent that a Participant is not entitled to exercise an Option at the date of his or her termination of Continuous Service, or if the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Option) does not exercise the Option to the extent so entitled within the time specified in the Award Agreement or below (as applicable), the Option shall terminate and the Shares underlying the unexercised portion of the Option shall revert to the Plan and become available for future Awards. In no event may any Option be exercised after the expiration of the Option term as set forth in the Award Agreement.

 

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The following provisions shall apply to the extent an Award Agreement does not specify the terms and conditions upon which an Option shall terminate when there is a termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service:

 

(i)                                     Termination other than Upon Disability or Death. In the event of termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service for a reason other than Disability or death, the Participant shall immediately forfeit the right to exercise any Option, whether vested or unvested, and it shall be considered immediately null and void. Nothing contained herein or in any Option granted pursuant hereto shall be construed to affect or restrict in any way the right of the Company to terminate the employment or services of a Participant with or without cause.

 

(ii)                                  Disability. In the event of termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service as a result of his or her being Disabled, the Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option at any time within one year following such termination to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option at the date of such termination.

 

(iii)                               Death. In the event of the death of a Participant during the period of Continuous Service since the Grant Date of an Option, the Option may be exercised, at any time within one year following the date of the Participant’s death, by the Participant’s estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent the right to exercise the Option had vested at the date of death or, if earlier, the date the Participant’s Continuous Service terminated.

 

(i)                                     Reverse Vesting. The Committee in its sole and absolute discretion may allow a Participant to exercise unvested Options, in which case the Shares then issued shall be Restricted Shares having analogous vesting restrictions to the unvested Options.

 

(j)                                    Buyout Provisions. The Committee may at any time offer to buy out an Option, in exchange for a payment in cash or Shares, based on such terms and conditions as the Committee shall establish and communicate to the Participant at the time that such offer is made. In addition, if the Fair Market Value for Shares subject to an Option is more than 33% below their exercise price for more than 30 consecutive business days, the Committee may unilaterally terminate and cancel the Option either (i) by paying the Participant, in cash or Shares, an amount not less than the value of the vested portion of the Option (as determined using the Black-Scholes, binomial, or any other reasonable valuation method), or by irrevocably committing to grant a new Option, on a designated date more than six months after such termination and cancellation of such Option (but only if the Participant’s Continuous Service has not terminated prior to such designated date), on substantially the same terms as the cancelled Option, provided that the per Share exercise price for the new Option shall equal the per Share Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the new grant occurs.

 

7.                                      Share Appreciate Rights (SARs).

 

(a)                                 Grants. The Committee may in its discretion grant Share Appreciation Rights to any Eligible Person, in any of the following forms:

 

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(i)                                     SARs related to Options. The Committee may grant SARs either concurrently with the grant of an Option or with respect to an outstanding Option, in which case the SAR shall extend to all or a portion of the Shares covered by the related Option. An SAR shall entitle the Participant who holds the related Option, upon exercise of the SAR and surrender of the related Option, or portion thereof, to the extent the SAR and related Option each were previously unexercised, to receive payment of an amount determined pursuant to Section 7(e) below. Any SAR granted in connection with an ISO will contain such terms as may be required to comply with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(ii)                                  SARs Independent of Options. The Committee may grant SARs which are independent of any Option subject to such conditions as the Committee may in its discretion determine, which conditions will be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(iii)                               Limited SARs. The Committee may grant SARs exercisable only upon or in respect of a Change in Control or any other specified event, and such limited SARs may relate to or operate in tandem or combination with or substitution for Options or other SARs, or on a stand-alone basis, and may be payable in cash or Shares based on the spread between the exercise price of the SAR, and (A) a price based upon or equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares during a specified period, at a specified time within a specified period before, after or including the date of such event, or (B) a price related to consideration payable to Company’s shareholders generally in connection with the event.

 

(b)                                 Exercise Price. The per Share exercise price of an SAR shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, and shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of one Share. The exercise price of an SAR related to an Option shall be the same as the exercise price of the related Option. The exercise price of an SAR shall be subject to the special rules on pricing contained in Sections 6(d) and 6(j) hereof.

 

(c)                                  Exercise of SARs. Unless the Award Agreement otherwise provides, an SAR related to an Option will be exercisable at such time or times, and to the extent, that the related Option will be exercisable. An SAR may not have a term exceeding ten years from its Grant Date. An SAR granted independently of any other Award will be exercisable pursuant to the terms of the Award Agreement. Whether an SAR is related to an Option or is granted independently, the SAR may only be exercised when the Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the SAR exceeds the exercise price of the SAR.

 

(d)                                 Effect on Available Shares. To the extent that an SAR is exercised, only the actual number of delivered Shares (if any) will be charged against the maximum number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Awards under this Plan. The number of Shares subject to the SAR and the related Option of the Participant will, however, be reduced by the number of underlying Shares as to which the exercise relates, unless the Award Agreement otherwise provides.

 

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(e)                                  Payment. Upon exercise of an SAR related to an Option and the attendant surrender of an exercisable portion of any related Award, the Participant will be entitled to receive payment of an amount determined by multiplying —

 

(i)                                     the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise of the SAR over the exercise price per Share of the SAR, by

 

(ii)                                  the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR has been exercised.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, an SAR granted independently of an Option (i) may limit the amount payable to the Participant to a percentage, specified in the Award Agreement but not exceeding one-hundred percent (100%), of the amount determined pursuant to the preceding sentence, and (ii) shall be subject to any payment or other restrictions that the Committee may at any time impose in order to conform with Section 409A of the Code.

 

(f)                                   Form and Terms of Payment. Subject to Applicable Law, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, settle the amount determined under Section 7(e) above solely in cash, solely in Shares (valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the SAR), or partly in cash and partly in Shares. In any event, cash shall be paid in lieu of fractional Shares. Absent a contrary determination by the Committee, all SARs shall be settled in cash as soon as practicable after exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in an Award Agreement, determine the maximum amount of cash or Shares or combination thereof that may be delivered upon exercise of an SAR.

 

(g)                                  Termination of Employment or Consulting Relationship. The Committee shall establish and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement the terms and conditions on which an SAR shall remain exercisable, if at all, following termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service. The provisions of Section 6(h) above shall apply to the extent an Award Agreement does not specify the terms and conditions upon which an SAR shall terminate when there is a termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service.

 

(h)                                 Repricing and Buy-out. The Committee has the same discretion to reprice and to buy-out SARs as it has to take such actions pursuant to Section 6(j) above with respect to Options.

 

8.                                      Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units.

 

(a)                                 Grants. The Committee may in its discretion grant restricted shares (“Restricted Shares”) to any Eligible Person and shall evidence such grant in an Award Agreement that is delivered to the Participant which sets forth the number of Restricted Shares, the purchase price for such Restricted Shares (if any) and the terms upon which the Restricted Shares may become vested. In addition, the Company may in its discretion grant the right to receive Shares after certain vesting requirements are met (“Restricted Share Units”) to any Eligible Person and shall evidence such grant in an Award Agreement that is delivered to the Participant which sets forth the number of Shares (or formula, that may be based on future performance or conditions, for determining the number of Shares) that the Participant shall be entitled to receive upon vesting and the terms upon which the Shares subject to a Restricted Share Unit may become vested. The Committee may condition any Award of Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units to a

 

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Participant on receiving from the Participant such further assurances and documents as the Committee may require to enforce the restrictions.

 

(b)                                 Vesting and Forfeiture. The Committee shall set forth in an Award Agreement granting Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units, the terms and conditions under which the Participant’s interest in the Restricted Shares or the Shares subject to Restricted Share Units will become vested and non-forfeitable. Except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement or the Committee otherwise determines, upon termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service for any other reason, the Participant shall forfeit his or her Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units; provided that if a Participant purchases the Restricted Shares and forfeits them for any reason, the Company shall return the purchase price to the Participant only if and to the extent set forth in an Award Agreement.

 

(c)                                  Issuance of Restricted Shares Prior to Vesting. The Company shall issue stock certificates that evidence Restricted Shares pending the lapse of applicable restrictions, and that bear a legend making appropriate reference to such restrictions. In the event the Company has a book-entry system for the ownership of its Shares, the Company shall make the appropriate entry in the book-entry system to evidence Restricted Shares pending the lapse of applicable restrictions, and that bear a legend making appropriate reference to such restrictions. Except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement or the Committee otherwise determines, the Company or a third party that the Company designates shall hold such Restricted Shares and any dividends that accrue with respect to Restricted Shares pursuant to Section 8(e) below.

 

(d)                                 Issuance of Shares upon Vesting. As soon as practicable after vesting of a Participant’s Restricted Shares (or Shares underlying Restricted Share Units) and the Participant’s satisfaction of applicable tax withholding requirements, the Company shall release to the Participant, free from the vesting restrictions, one Share for each vested Restricted Share (or issue one Share free of the vesting restriction for each vested Restricted Share Unit), unless an Award Agreement provides otherwise. No fractional shares shall be distributed, and cash shall be paid in lieu thereof.

 

(e)                                  Dividends Payable on Vesting. Whenever Shares are released to a Participant under Section 8(d) above pursuant to the vesting of Restricted Shares or the Shares underlying Restricted Share Units are issued to a Participant pursuant to Section 8(d) above, such Participant may receive, in the sole discretion of the Committee, with respect to each Share released or issued, an amount equal to any cash dividends (plus, in the discretion of the Committee, simple interest at a rate as the Committee may determine) and a number of Shares equal to any stock dividends, which were declared and paid to the holders of Shares between the Grant Date and the date such Share is released or issued.

 

(f)                                   Section 83(b) Elections. If a Participant who has received Restricted Share Units provides the Committee with written notice of his or her intention to make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to the Shares subject to such Restricted Share Units (the “Section 83(b) Election”), the Committee may in its discretion convert the Participant’s Restricted Share Units into Restricted Shares, on a one-for-one basis, in full satisfaction of the Participant’s Restricted Share Unit Award. Shares with respect to which a Participant makes a Section 83(b) Election shall not be eligible for deferral pursuant to Section 9 below.

 

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(g)                                  Deferral Elections. At any time within the thirty-day period (or other shorter or longer period that the Committee selects) within which a Participant who is a member of a select group of management or highly compensated employees (within the meaning of the Code) receives an Award of either Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units, the Committee may permit the Participant to irrevocably elect, on a form provided by and acceptable to the Committee, to defer the receipt of all or a percentage of the Shares that would otherwise be transferred to the Participant upon the vesting of such Award. If the Participant makes this election, the Shares subject to the election, and any associated dividends and interest, shall be credited to an account established pursuant to Section 9 hereof on the date such Shares would otherwise have been released or issued to the Participant pursuant to Section 8(d) above.

 

9.                                      Deferred Share Units.

 

(a)                                 Elections to Defer. The Committee may permit any Eligible Person who is a Director, Consultant or member of a select group of management or highly compensated employees (within the meaning of the Code) to irrevocably elect, on a form provided by and acceptable to the Committee (the “Election Form”), to forego the receipt of cash or other compensation (including the Shares deliverable pursuant to any Award other than Restricted Shares for which a Section 83(b) Election has been made, and in lieu thereof to have the Company credit to an internal Plan account (the “Account”) a number of deferred share units (“Deferred Share Units”) having a Fair Market Value equal to the Shares and other compensation deferred. These credits will be made at the end of each calendar month during which compensation is deferred. Each Election Form shall take effect on the first day of the next calendar year (or on the first day of the next calendar month in the case of an initial election by a Participant who is first eligible to defer hereunder) after its delivery to the Company, subject to Section 8(g) regarding deferral of Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units, unless during such five business day period the Company sends the Participant a written notice explaining why the Election Form is invalid. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence: (i) Election Forms shall be ineffective with respect to any compensation that a Participant earns before the date on which the Company receives the Election Form, and (ii) the Committee may unilaterally make awards in the form of Deferred Share Units, regardless of whether or not the Participant foregoes other compensation.

 

(b)                                 Vesting. Unless an Award Agreement expressly provides otherwise, each Participant shall be 100% vested at all times in any Shares subject to Deferred Share Units.

 

(c)                                  Issuances of Shares. The Company shall provide a Participant with one Share for each Deferred Share Unit in five substantially equal annual installments that are issued before the last day of each of the five calendar years that end after the date on which the Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, unless —

 

(i)                                     the Participant has properly elected a different form of distribution, on a form approved by the Committee, that permits the Participant to select any combination of a lump sum and annual installments that are completed within ten years following termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service, and

 

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(ii)                                  the Company received the Participant’s distribution election form at the time the Participant first elects to defer the receipt of cash or other compensation pursuant to Section 9(a), provided that such election may be changed through any subsequent election that (i) is delivered to the Administrator at least one year before the date on which distributions are otherwise scheduled to commence pursuant to the Participant’s election, and (ii) defers the commencement of distributions by at least five years from the originally scheduled commencement date.

 

Fractional shares shall not be issued, and instead shall be paid out in cash.

 

(d)                                 Crediting of Dividends. Whenever Shares are issued to a Participant pursuant to Section 9(c) above, such Participant shall also be entitled to receive, with respect to each Share issued, a cash amount equal to any cash dividends (plus simple interest at a rate of five percent per annum, or such other reasonable rate as the Committee may determine), and a number of Shares equal to any stock dividends which were declared and paid to the holders of Shares between the Grant Date and the date such Share is issued.

 

(e)                                  Emergency Withdrawals. In the event a Participant suffers an unforeseeable emergency within the contemplation of this Section and Section 409A of the Code, the Participant may apply to the Company for an immediate distribution of all or a portion of the Participant’s Deferred Share Units. The unforeseeable emergency must result from a sudden and unexpected illness or accident of the Participant, the Participant’s spouse, or a dependent (within the meaning of Section 152(a) of the Code) of the Participant, casualty loss of the Participant’s property, or other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable conditions beyond the control of the Participant. Examples of purposes which are not considered unforeseeable emergencies include post-secondary school expenses or the desire to purchase a residence. In no event will a distribution be made to the extent the unforeseeable emergency could be relieved through reimbursement or compensation by insurance or otherwise, or by liquidation of the Participant’s nonessential assets to the extent such liquidation would not itself cause a severe financial hardship. The amount of any distribution hereunder shall be limited to the amount necessary to relieve the Participant’s unforeseeable emergency plus amounts necessary to pay taxes reasonably anticipated as a result of the distribution. The Committee shall determine whether a Participant has a qualifying unforeseeable emergency and the amount which qualifies for distribution, if any. The Committee may require evidence of the purpose and amount of the need, and may establish such application or other procedures as it deems appropriate.

 

(f)                                   Unsecured Rights to Deferred Compensation. A Participant’s right to Deferred Share Units shall at all times constitute an unsecured promise of the Company to pay benefits as they come due. The right of the Participant or the Participant’s duly-authorized transferee to receive benefits hereunder shall be solely an unsecured claim against the general assets of the Company. Neither the Participant nor the Participant’s duly-authorized transferee shall have any claim against or rights in any specific assets, shares, or other funds of the Company.

 

10.                               Repurchase of Plan Shares by Company.

 

Plan Shares shall be subject to an option by the Company to repurchase the Plan Shares as follows:

 

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(a)                                 Repurchase Right. If the Participant’s employment with the Company is terminated for any reason other than Disability or death, then within one hundred and eighty (180) days of the termination date the Company may elect to purchase all or some of a Participant’s Plan Shares at a price per share equal to the per share valuation as contained in the last quarterly appraisal immediately prior to the effective date of the Participant’s termination of employment.

 

(b)                                 Repurchase Procedures. The Company may elect to exercise the right to purchase all or any portion of the Plan Shares, as the case may be, by delivering written notice (the “Repurchase Notice”) to the holder or holders of such Plan Shares within one hundred and eighty (180) days of the termination date. The Repurchase Notice shall set forth the number of Plan Shares to be acquired from such holder or holders, the aggregate consideration to be paid for such shares and the time and place for the closing of the transaction.

 

(c)                                  Closing. The closing of the transactions contemplated by this Section 10 will take place on the date designated by the Company in the Repurchase Notice, which date will not be more than two hundred and ten (210) days after the effective date of the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company. At closing, the Participant shall deliver to the Company lien-free title to the Shares being purchased, and the Company shall pay to the Participant the purchase price in full in immediately available funds.

 

(d)                                 Restrictions on Repurchase. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Plan, all repurchases of Plan Shares by the Company shall be subject to applicable restrictions contained in any State or Federal law and in the Company’s debt and equity financing agreements.

 

11.                               Taxes.

 

(a)                                 General.  As a condition to the issuance or distribution of Shares pursuant to the Plan, the Participant (or in the case of the Participant’s death, the person who succeeds to the Participant’s rights) shall make such arrangements as the Company may require for the satisfaction of any applicable federal, state, local or foreign withholding tax obligations that may arise in connection with the Award and the issuance of Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue any Shares until such obligations are satisfied. If the Committee allows the withholding or surrender of Shares to satisfy a Participant’s tax withholding obligations, the Committee shall not allow Shares to be withheld in an amount that exceeds the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal and state tax purposes, including payroll taxes.

 

(b)                                 Default Rule for Employees. In the absence of any other arrangement, an Employee shall be deemed to have directed the Company to withhold or collect from his or her cash compensation an amount sufficient to satisfy such tax obligations from the next payroll payment otherwise payable after the date of the exercise of an Award.

 

(c)                                  Special Rules. In the case of a Participant other than an Employee (or in the case of an Employee where the next payroll payment is not sufficient to satisfy such tax obligations, with respect to any remaining tax obligations), in the absence of any other arrangement and to the extent permitted under the Applicable Law, the Participant shall be deemed to have elected to

 

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have the Company withhold from the Shares or cash to be issued pursuant to an Award that number of Shares having a Fair Market Value determined as of the applicable Tax Date (as defined below) equal to the amount required to be withheld. For purposes of this Section 11, the Fair Market Value of the Shares to be withheld shall be determined on the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined under the Applicable Law (the “Tax Date”).

 

(d)                                 Surrender of Shares. If permitted by the Committee, in its discretion, a Participant may satisfy the minimum applicable tax withholding and employment tax obligations associated with an Award by surrendering Shares to the Company (including Shares that would otherwise be issued pursuant to the Award) that have a Fair Market Value determined as of the applicable Tax Date equal to the amount required to be withheld. In the case of Shares previously acquired from the Company that are surrendered under this Section 11, such Shares must have been owned by the Participant for more than six months on the date of surrender (or such longer period of time the Company may in its discretion require).

 

(e)                                  No Liability for Taxes. Neither the Company, the Administrator, nor their employees, directors, agents and assigns shall have any obligation whatsoever to grant or to modify any Award in a manner that avoids or minimizes the tax consequences of Awards, including any taxes that may arise under Sections 409A or 4999 of the Code.

 

12.                               Non-Transferability of Awards.

 

(a)                                 General. Except as set forth in this Section 12, or as otherwise approved by the Committee for a select group of management or highly compensated Employees, Awards 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. The designation of a beneficiary by a Participant will not constitute a transfer. An Award may be exercised, during the lifetime of the holder of an Award, only by such holder, the duly-authorized legal representative of a disabled Participant, or a transferee permitted by this Section 12.

 

(b)                                 Limited Transferability Rights. Notwithstanding anything else in this Section 12, the Committee may in its discretion provide that an Award other than an ISO may be transferred, on such terms and conditions as the Committee deems appropriate, either (i) by instrument to the Participant’s “Immediate Family” (as defined below), (ii) by instrument to an inter vivos or testamentary trust (or other entity) in which the Award is to be passed to the Participant’s designated beneficiaries, or (iii) by gift to charitable institutions,. Any transferee of the Participant’s rights shall succeed and be subject to all of the terms of this Award Agreement and the Plan. “Immediate Family” means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, and shall include adoptive relationships.

 

13.                               Fiduciary Duty; Non-Solicitation of Customers and Employees.

 

Each Award Agreement granting an Award to a Participant who is an Employee may, in the Committee’s discretion, include any or all of the following terms:

 

(a)                                 During his or her employment with the Company or its Affiliates the Participant shall devote his or her full energies, abilities, attention and business time to the performance of

 

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his or her job responsibilities and shall not engage in any activity which conflicts or interferes with, or in any way compromises, his or her performance of such responsibilities;

 

(b)                                 During or after his or her employment with the Company or its Affiliates, the Participant shall not divulge such confidential information pertaining to the Company, its Affiliates, or any of its customers or prospective customers or make use of it for his or her own purposes or the purposes of any person or entity other than the Company or its Affiliates;

 

(c)                                  During his or her employment with the Company or its Affiliates the Participant will not engage in any conduct which could in any way jeopardize or disturb any of the Company’s or its Affiliates’ customer relationships. For a period of two (2) years (which shall be extended by the full duration of any breach of this subsection by the Participant) after (a) termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company or its Affiliates, regardless of the reason for such termination, or (b) a Change in Control, the Participant shall not, directly or indirectly, without the prior written consent of the Chairman of the Company, market, offer, sell or otherwise furnish any products or services similar to, or otherwise competitive with, those offered by the Company or its Affiliates to any customer of the Company or its Affiliates that the Participant has either (I) come into direct contact with during the course and scope of his or her employment with the Company or any Affiliate of the Company or (II) obtained confidential information regarding any such customer which would, except for his or her employment with the Company or its Affiliates, not have been available to the Participant; and

 

(d)                                 For a period of two (2) years (which shall be extended by the full duration of any breach of this subsection by the Participant) after (a) termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company or its Affiliates, regardless of the reason for such termination, or (b) a Change in Control, the Participant shall not, directly or indirectly, for himself or herself or on behalf of any other person or entity, solicit, offer employment to, hire or otherwise retain the services of any employee of the Company or its Affiliates.

 

(e)                                  The Participant shall acknowledge and agree that the terms and conditions of this Section 13(e) regarding confidentiality and non-solicitation shall survive (a) the termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company or its Affiliates for any reason, (b) the termination of the Plan for any reason, or (c) a Change in Control. The Participant shall acknowledge and agree that the grant of Options in the Award Agreement is just and adequate consideration for the survival of the restrictions set forth therein.

 

(f)                                   The Participant shall acknowledge that his or her obligations to the Company or its Affiliates are of a special, unique and extraordinary character, the loss of which cannot reasonably or adequately be compensated for in damages in any action at law, and as a result that the Company or its Affiliates may be entitled to equitable relief, including but not limited to a temporary restraining order and preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, to prevent a breach or threatened breach of the applicable provisions of the Award Agreement, without the requirement that the Company or its Affiliates post a bond and without prejudice to any other rights or remedies which may be available to the Company or its Affiliates.

 

(g)                                  The Participant shall authorize the Company or its Affiliates to notify any subsequent or prospective employer or business associate of the Participant of the existence of

 

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the terms of this Award Agreement and the covenants contained herein, as the Company or its Affiliates deems appropriate to protect its interest.

 

14.                               Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Merger or Certain Other Transactions.

 

(a)                                 Changes in Capitalization. The Committee shall equitably adjust the number of Shares covered by each outstanding Award, and the number of Shares that have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but as to which no Awards have yet been granted or that have been returned to the Plan upon cancellation, forfeiture, or expiration of an Award, as well as the price per Share covered by each such outstanding Award, to reflect any increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares resulting from a stock-split, reverse stock-split, stock dividend, combination, recapitalization or reclassification of the Shares, or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company. In the event of any such transaction or event, the Committee may provide in substitution for any or all outstanding Options under the Plan such alternative consideration (including securities of any surviving entity) as it may in good faith determine to be equitable under the circumstances and may require in connection therewith the surrender of all Options so replaced. In any case, such substitution of securities shall not require the consent of any person who is granted Options pursuant to the Plan. 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 required to be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to any Award.

 

(b)                                 Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the Company other than as part of a Change of Control, each Award will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such action, subject to the ability of the Committee to exercise any discretion authorized in the case of a Change in Control.

 

(c)                                  Change in Control. In the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may in its sole and absolute discretion and authority, without obtaining the approval or consent of the Company’s shareholders or any Participant with respect to his or her outstanding Awards, take one or more of the following actions:

 

(i)                                     arrange for or otherwise provide that each outstanding Award shall be assumed or a substantially similar award shall be substituted by a successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation (the “Successor Corporation”);

 

(ii)                                  accelerate the vesting of Awards so that Awards shall vest (and, to the extent applicable, become exercisable) as to the Shares that otherwise would have been unvested and provide that repurchase rights of the Company with respect to Shares issued upon exercise of an Award shall lapse as to the Shares subject to such repurchase right;

 

(iii)                               arrange or otherwise provide for the payment of cash or other consideration to Participants in exchange for the satisfaction and cancellation of outstanding Awards; or

 

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(iv)                              make such other modifications, adjustments or amendments to outstanding Awards or this Plan as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate, subject however to the terms of Section 16(a) below.

 

Notwithstanding the above, in the event a Participant holding an Award assumed or substituted by the Successor Corporation in a Change in Control is terminated by the Successor Corporation for any reason other than Cause in connection with, or within 24 months following consummation of, the Change in Control, then any assumed or substituted Award held by the terminated Participant at the time of termination shall accelerate and become fully vested (and exercisable in full in the case of Options and SARs), and any repurchase right applicable to any Shares shall lapse in full, unless an Award Agreement provides for a more restrictive acceleration or vesting schedule or more restrictive limitations on the lapse of repurchase rights or otherwise places additional restrictions, limitations and conditions on an Award. The acceleration of vesting and lapse of repurchase rights provided for in the previous sentence shall occur immediately prior to the effective date of the Participant’s termination, unless an Award Agreement provides otherwise.

 

(d)                                 Certain Distributions. In the event of any distribution to the Company’s shareholders of securities of any other entity or other assets (other than dividends payable in cash or stock of the Company) without receipt of consideration by the Company, the Committee may, in its discretion, appropriately adjust the price per Share covered by each outstanding Award to reflect the effect of such distribution.

 

15.                               Time of Granting Awards.

 

The date of grant (“Grant Date”) of an Award shall be the date on which the Committee makes the determination granting such Award or such other date as is determined by the Committee, provided that in the case of an ISO, the Grant Date shall be the later of the date on which the Committee makes the determination granting such ISO or the date of commencement of the Participant’s employment relationship with the Company.

 

16.                               Modification of Awards and Substitution of Options.

 

(a)                                 Modification, Extension, and Renewal of Awards. Within the limitations of the Plan, the Committee may modify an Award, to accelerate the rate at which an Option or SAR may be exercised (including without limitation permitting an Option or SAR to be exercised in full without regard to the installment or vesting provisions of the applicable Award Agreement or whether the Option or SAR is at the time exercisable, to the extent it has not previously been exercised), to accelerate the vesting of any Award, to extend or renew outstanding Awards, or to accept the cancellation of outstanding Awards to the extent not previously exercised either for the granting of new Awards or for other consideration in substitution or replacement thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provision, no modification of an outstanding Award shall materially and adversely affect such Participant’s rights thereunder, unless either the Participant provides written consent or there is an express Plan provision permitting the Committee to act unilaterally to make the modification.

 

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(b)                                 Substitution of Options. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions or limits under the Plan, in the event the Company or an Affiliate acquires (whether by purchase, merger or otherwise) all or substantially all of outstanding capital stock or assets of another corporation or in the event of any reorganization or other transaction qualifying under Section 424 of the Code, the Committee may, in accordance with the provisions of that Section, substitute Options for options under the plan of the acquired company provided (i) the excess of the aggregate fair market value of the shares subject to an option immediately after the substitution over the aggregate option price of such shares is not more than the similar excess immediately before such substitution and (ii) the new option does not give persons additional benefits, including any extension of the exercise period.

 

17.                               Term of Plan.

 

Subject to Section 18(b) below, the Plan shall expire on December 12, 2010 with respect to 300,000 Shares and shall expire on August 19, 2013 with respect to any remaining Shares; subject in each case to the Plan’s sooner termination under Section 18 below.

 

18.                               Amendment and Termination of the Plan.

 

(a)                                 Authority to Amend or Terminate. Subject to Applicable Laws, the Board may from time to time amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan.

 

(b)                                 Effect of Amendment or Termination. No amendment, suspension, termination, or expiration of the Plan shall materially and adversely affect Awards already granted unless either it relates to an adjustment pursuant to Section 14 above, or it is otherwise mutually agreed between the Participant and the Committee, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant and the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may amend the Plan to eliminate provisions which are no longer necessary as a result of changes in tax or securities laws or regulations, or in the interpretation thereof.

 

19.                               Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any agreement entered into by the Company pursuant to the Plan, the Company shall not be obligated, and shall have no liability for failure, to issue or deliver any Shares under the Plan unless such issuance or delivery would comply with Applicable Law, with such compliance determined by the Company in consultation with its legal counsel.

 

20.                               Reservation of Shares.

 

The Company shall reserve and keep available at all times during the term of this Plan such number of Shares as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan. If, after reasonable efforts, which efforts shall not include the registration of the Plan or Awards under the Securities Act, the Company is unable to obtain authority from any applicable regulatory body, which authorization is deemed necessary by legal counsel for the Company for the lawful issuance of Shares hereunder, the Company shall be relieved of any liability with respect to its failure to issue and sell the Shares for which such requisite authority was deemed necessary unless and until the authority is obtained.

 

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21.                               Effective Date.

 

This amended and restated Plan shall become effective on the date of its approval by the Board. The Plan was originally adopted and approved by the Board with respect to 300,000 Shares on December 12, 2000 and with respect to 300,000 Shares on August 19, 2003. The shareholders of the Company approved the plans being restated into this Plan with respect to 300,000 Shares on February 20, 2001 and with respect to 300,000 Shares on October 21, 2003, which established the effective dates of such plans.

 

22.                               Controlling Law; Venue.

 

All disputes relating to or arising from the Plan shall be governed by the internal substantive laws (and not the laws of conflicts of laws) of the State of Illinois, to the extent not preempted by United States federal law. If any provision of this Plan is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid and unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue to be fully effective. All disputes arising out of or relating to the Plan shall be brought only before a federal or Illinois court sitting in Cook County, Illinois.

 

23.                               Laws And Regulations.

 

(a)                                 U.S. Securities Laws. This Plan, the grant of Awards, and the exercise of Options and SARs under this Plan, and the obligation of the Company to sell or deliver any of its securities (including, without limitation, Options, Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Deferred Share Units, and Shares) under this Plan shall be subject to all Applicable Law. In the event that the Shares are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or any applicable state securities laws prior to the delivery of such Shares, the Company may require, as a condition to the issuance thereof, that the persons to whom Shares are to be issued represent and warrant in writing to the Company that such Shares are being acquired by him or her for investment for his or her own account and not with a view to, for resale in connection with, or with an intent of participating directly or indirectly in, any distribution of such Shares within the meaning of the Act, and a legend to that effect may be placed on the certificates representing the Shares.

 

(b)                                 Other Jurisdictions. To facilitate the making of any grant of an Award under this Plan, the Committee may provide for such special terms for Awards to Participants who are foreign nationals or who are employed by the Company or any Affiliate outside of the United States of America as the Committee may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom. The Company may adopt rules and procedures relating to the operation and administration of this Plan to accommodate the specific requirements of local laws and procedures of particular countries. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures regarding the conversion of local currency, taxes, withholding procedures and handling of stock certificates which vary with the customs and requirements of particular countries. The Company may adopt sub-plans and establish escrow accounts and trusts as may be appropriate or applicable to particular locations and countries.

 

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24.                               No Shareholder Rights.

 

Neither a Participant nor any transferee of a Participant shall have any rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to any Shares underlying any Award until the date of issuance of a share certificate to a Participant or a transferee of a Participant for such Shares in accordance with the Company’s governing instruments and Applicable Law. In the event that the Company has a book-entry system for the registration of the ownership of its Shares, neither a Participant nor any transferee of a Participant shall have any rights as a Shareholder of the Company with respect to any Shares underlying any Award until the date of issuance of the appropriate entry into the book-entry system for the ownership of such Shares in accordance with the Company’s governing instruments and Applicable Law. Prior to the issuance of Shares pursuant to an Award, a Participant shall not have the right to vote or to receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder with respect to the Shares underlying the Award, notwithstanding its exercise in the case of Options and SARs. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right that is determined based on a record date prior to the date the stock certificate is issued, except as otherwise specifically provided for in this Plan.

 

25.                               No Employment Rights.

 

The Plan shall not confer upon any Participant any right to continue an employment, service or consulting relationship with the Company or its Affiliates, nor shall it affect in any way a Participant’s right, the Company’s right, or an Affiliate’s right to terminate the Participant’s employment, service, or consulting relationship at any time, with or without Cause.

 

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AMERICAN CHARTERED BANCORP, INC.

 

2005 Stock Incentive Plan

 


 

Appendix A: Definitions

 


 

As used in the Plan, the following definitions shall apply:

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person (as defined below), any other Person that directly or indirectly controls or is controlled by or under common control with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any Person, means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person or the power to elect directors, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “affiliated,” “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

“Applicable Law” means the legal requirements relating to the administration of options and share-based plans under applicable U.S. federal and state laws, the Code, any applicable stock exchange or automated quotation system rules or regulations, and the applicable laws of any other country or jurisdiction where Awards are granted, as such laws, rules, regulations and requirements shall be in place from time to time.

 

“Award” means any award made pursuant to the Plan, including awards made in the form of an Option, an SAR, a Restricted Share, a Restricted Share Unit, and a Deferred Share Unit, or any combination thereof, whether alternative or cumulative, authorized by and granted under this Plan.

 

“Award Agreement” means any written document setting forth the terms of an Award that has been authorized by the Committee. The Committee shall determine the form or forms of documents to be used, and may change them from time to time for any reason.

 

“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

“Cause” for termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service or service as a Committee member will exist if the Participant is terminated from employment or other service with the Company, the Board, or an Affiliate for any of the following reasons: (i) the Participant’s willful failure to substantially perform his or her duties and responsibilities to the Company or its Affiliates or deliberate violation of a material policy of the Company or its Affiliates; (ii) the Participant’s commission of any material act or acts of fraud, embezzlement, dishonesty, or other willful misconduct; (iii) the Participant’s material unauthorized use or disclosure of any proprietary information or trade secrets of the Company, its Affiliates, or any other party to whom the Participant owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of his or her relationship with the Company or its Affiliates; or (iv) Participant’s willful and material breach of any of his or her obligations under any written agreement or covenant with the Company or its Affiliates.

 



 

The Committee shall in its discretion determine whether or not a Participant is being terminated for Cause. The Committee’s determination shall, unless arbitrary and capricious, be final and binding on the Participant, the Company, and all other affected persons. The foregoing definition does not in any way limit the Company’s ability to terminate a Participant’s employment or consulting relationship at any time, and the term “Company” will be interpreted herein to include any Affiliate or successor thereto, if appropriate.

 

“Change in Control” means any of the following:

 

(a)                                 the acquisition by any person, entity or group of persons, within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.280G-1, Q/A 27(b), of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of stock of the Company that, together with Company stock held by such person, entity or group, constitutes at least fifty percent (50%) of either the total fair market value or total voting power of the Company’s then outstanding stock, or

 

(b)                                 the acquisition (or series of acquisitions over the twelve (12)-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition) by any person, entity or group of persons, within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.280G-1, Q/A 27(b), of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of stock of the Company that that constitutes thirty-five percent (35%) or more of the total voting power of the stock of the Company, or

 

(c)                                  the replacement during any twelve (12)-month period of a majority of the members of the Board by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the Board prior to their appointment or election, or

 

(d)                                 the acquisition (or series of acquisitions over the twelve (12)-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition) by any person, entity or group of persons, within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.280G-1, Q/A 27(b), of ownership of forty percent (40%) or more of the total gross fair market value of the Company’s assets immediately prior to such acquisition or series of acquisitions.

 

“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

“Committee” means one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board appointed by the Board to administer the Plan in accordance with Section 4 above. With respect to any decision involving an Award intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall consist of two or more Directors of the Company who are “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. With respect to any decision relating to a Reporting Person, the Committee shall consist of two or more Directors who are disinterested within the meaning of Rule 16b-3.

 

“Company” means American Chartered Bancorp, Inc., an Illinois corporation, and its Affiliates; provided, however, that in the event the Company reincorporates to another jurisdiction, all references to the term “Company” shall refer to the Company in such new jurisdiction.

 

“Consultant” means any person, including an advisor, who is engaged by the Company or any Affiliate to render services and is compensated for such services.

 

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“Continuous Service” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an Employee, Director, or Consultant. Continuous Service shall not be considered interrupted in the case of: (i) sick leave; (ii) military leave; (iii) any other leave of absence approved by the Committee, provided that such leave is for a period of not more than 90 days, unless reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute, or unless provided otherwise pursuant to a policy of the Company or its Affiliates adopted from time to time; (iv) changes in status from Director to advisory director or emeritus status; or (iv) in the case of transfers between locations of the Company or between the Company, its Affiliates or their respective successors. Changes in status between service as an Employee, Director, and a Consultant will not constitute an interruption of Continuous Service.

 

“Deferred Share Units” mean Awards pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan.

 

“Director” means a member of the Board, or a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate.

 

“Disabled” means a Participant who

 

(a)                                 is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or

 

(b)                                 is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, received income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident or health plan covering employees of the Company or its Affiliates.

 

“Eligible Person” means any Consultant, Director or Employee and includes non-Employees to whom an offer of employment has been extended.

 

“Employee” means any person whom the Company or any Affiliate classifies as an employee (including an officer) for employment tax purposes. The payment by the Company of a director’s fee to a Director shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” of such Director by the Company.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“Fair Market Value” means, as of any date (the “Determination Date”) means: (i) the closing price of a Share on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange (collectively, the “Exchange”), on the Determination Date, or, if shares were not traded on the Determination Date, then on the nearest preceding trading day during which a sale occurred; or (ii) if such stock is not traded on the Exchange but is quoted on NASDAQ or a successor quotation system, (A) the last sales price (if the stock is then listed as a National Market Issue under The Nasdaq National Market System) or (B) the mean between the closing representative bid and asked prices (in all other cases) for the stock on the Determination Date as reported by NASDAQ or such successor quotation system; or (iii) if such stock is not traded on the Exchange or quoted on NASDAQ but is otherwise traded in the over-the-counter, the mean between the

 

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representative bid and asked prices on the Determination Date; or (iv) if subsections (i)-(iii) do not apply, the fair market value established in good faith by the Board.

 

“Grant Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 15 of the Plan.

 

“Incentive Share Option or ISO” hereinafter means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, as designated in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

“Non-ISO” means an Option not intended to qualify as an ISO, as designated in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

“Option” means any stock option granted pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan.

 

“Participant” means any holder of one or more Awards, or the Shares issuable or issued upon exercise of such Awards, under the Plan.

 

“Person” means any natural person, association, trust, business trust, cooperative, corporation, general partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited partnership, limited liability company, real estate investment trust, regulatory body, governmental agency or instrumentality, unincorporated organization or organizational entity.

 

“Plan” means this American Chartered Bancorp, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan.

 

“Plan Shares” means (i) any Shares that are issued and outstanding from time to time pursuant to the exercise of any Option, the vesting of any Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units under this Plan, or the settlement of Deferred Share Units, and (ii) the Company’s capital stock issued with respect to the securities specified in clause (i) above by way of a stock split, stock dividend or other recapitalization; provided that Plan Shares shall continue to be Plan Shares in the hands of any holder other than the Participant (except for the Company and except for transferees in a public sale), and except as otherwise provided herein, each such other holder of Plan Shares shall succeed to all rights and obligations attributable to the Participant through the applicable Award Agreement as a holder of Plan Shares hereunder.

 

“Reporting Person” means an officer, Director, or greater than ten percent shareholder of the Company within the meaning of Rule 16a-2 under the Exchange Act, who is required to file reports pursuant to Rule 16a-3 under the Exchange Act.

 

“Restricted Shares” mean Shares subject to restrictions imposed pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

 

“Restricted Share Units” mean Awards pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

 

“Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time, or any successor provision.

 

“SAR” or “Share Appreciation Right” means Awards granted pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan.

 

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“Share” means a share of common stock of the Company, as adjusted in accordance with Section 14 of the Plan, regardless of whether such share is represented by a certificate, is uncertificated, or is represented by a book-entry system.

 

“Ten Percent Holder” means a person who owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

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