EX-10.2 6 exhibit102.htm EX-10.2 exhibit102
Exhibit 10.2
CAL-MAINE FOODS, INC.
SPLIT DOLLAR LIFE INSURANCE PLAN
Economic Benefit Regime – Endorsement Method
THIS
 
SPLIT
 
DOLLAR
 
LIFE
 
INSURANCE
 
PLAN
(the
 
“Plan”)
 
is
 
established
 
by
Cal-Maine
 
Foods,
Inc.
(the “Company”) as of March 1, 2023.
 
The
 
purpose
 
of
 
this
 
Plan
 
is
 
to
 
attract,
 
retain,
 
and
 
motivate
 
certain
 
highly
 
compensated
 
or
 
management
employees of
 
the Company
 
by assisting
 
them in
 
purchasing life
 
insurance on
 
his or
 
her life
 
that provides
 
a death
benefit
 
to
 
the
 
employee’s
 
Beneficiary.
 
The
 
Company
 
has
 
determined
 
that
 
this
 
assistance
 
can
 
best
 
be
 
provided
under a "split-dollar" arrangement
 
as defined in IRS
 
Treasury Regulation §§1.61-22(b)(1)&(2).
 
The Company will
pay the life insurance premiums due under this Plan from its general assets.
ARTICLE 1
“Definitions”
1.1
 
“Beneficiary”
 
or
 
“Beneficiaries”
 
shall
 
mean
 
the
 
person(s),
 
trust(s)
 
or
 
the
 
estate
 
of
 
a
 
deceased
Participant, entitled to benefits, if any, upon
 
the death of the Participant.
1.2
“Beneficiary Designation
 
Form”
shall mean
 
the form
 
established from
 
time to
 
time by
 
the Plan
Administrator that
 
a Participant
 
completes, signs,
 
and returns
 
to the
 
Plan Administrator
 
to designate
 
one or
 
more
Beneficiaries.
1.3
“Code”
shall mean the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
1.4
“Eligible
 
Employee”
 
shall
 
mean
 
an
 
active
 
employee
 
of
 
the
 
Company
 
who
 
the
 
Company
 
has
deemed eligible to participate in this Plan.
1.5
“Insurer”
 
shall
 
mean
 
the
 
insurance
 
company
 
issuing
 
the
 
Policy
 
on
 
the
 
life
 
of
 
a
 
Participant,
 
as
described on the Participation Agreement.
1.6
“Participant”
 
shall mean an Eligible
 
Employee of the Company:
 
(i) who is selected
 
to participate
in the Plan; (ii) who elects
 
to participate in the Plan; and
 
(iii) who completes the requirements of
 
Plan participation
listed in Article 2.
1.7
“Participation
 
Agreement”
 
shall
 
mean
 
the
 
form
 
required
 
by
 
the
 
Plan
 
Administrator
 
of
 
an
Eligible Employee to indicate acceptance of participation in this Plan.
1.8
“Plan Administrator”
 
shall mean the Company or its designee.
 
1.9
“Policy”
shall mean the
 
individual life insurance
 
policy maintained by
 
the Company for
 
purposes
of insuring a Participant’s life under this Plan, as further described in
 
a Participant’s Participation Agreement.
ARTICLE 2
“Participation”
2.1
Selection
 
by
 
Plan
 
Administrator.
Participation
 
in
 
the
 
Plan
 
shall
 
be
 
limited
 
to
 
those
 
Eligible
Employees of the Company selected by the Company in its sole discretion.
 
 
 
 
2.2
Enrollment
 
Requirements.
 
As
 
a
 
condition
 
of
 
participation
 
in
 
the
 
Plan,
 
each
 
selected
 
Eligible
Employee
 
shall
 
complete,
 
execute,
 
and
 
return
 
to
 
the
 
Plan
 
Administrator
 
a
 
Participation
 
Agreement
 
and
 
a
Beneficiary
 
Designation
 
Form
 
within
 
the
 
time
 
specified
 
by
 
the
 
Plan
 
Administrator
 
in
 
accordance
 
with
 
the
 
terms
and
 
conditions
 
of
 
the
 
Plan.
 
The
 
Plan
 
Administrator
 
shall
 
establish
 
such
 
other
 
enrollment
 
requirements
 
as
 
it
determines necessary or advisable.
2.3
Eligibility;
 
Commencement
 
of
 
Participation.
 
Provided
 
an
 
Eligible
 
Employee
 
has
 
met
 
all
enrollment
 
requirements
 
set
 
forth
 
in
 
this
 
Plan
 
and/or
 
required
 
by
 
the
 
Plan
 
Administrator,
 
and
 
provided
 
that
 
the
Policy or Policies
 
on such Eligible
 
Employee have been
 
issued by the
 
Insurer, the
 
Eligible Employee will
 
become
a Participant and thereby will
 
be covered by this Plan
 
and eligible to receive benefits
 
at the time and in
 
the manner
provided herein. A Participant’s participation is limited to
 
only issued Policies where the Participant is the insured.
ARTICLE
 
3
"Purchase of Policy"
3.1
 
The Company
 
and all
 
Participants hereto
 
have taken
 
or will
 
take all
 
necessary action
 
to cause
 
the
Insurer to issue the Policies, and shall take any
 
further action which may be necessary to cause a
 
Policy to conform
to the provisions of
 
this Plan. The parties hereto
 
agree that the Policies
 
shall be subject to
 
the terms and conditions
of this Plan and of the endorsements to the Policies filed with the Insurer.
ARTICLE 4
 
"Policy Title and Ownership"
4.1
 
Title
 
and
 
ownership
 
of
 
a
 
Policy
 
shall
 
reside
 
in
 
the
 
Company
 
for
 
its
 
use
 
and
 
for
 
the
 
use
 
of
 
the
Participants,
 
all
 
in
 
accordance
 
with
 
this
 
Plan. The
 
Company
 
alone
 
may,
 
to
 
the
 
extent
 
of
 
its
 
interest,
 
exercise
 
the
right to borrow or
 
withdraw on the Policy
 
cash value. Where the
 
Company and a
 
Participant (or assignee,
 
with the
consent
 
of
 
the Participant)
 
mutually
 
agree to
 
exercise
 
the
 
right to
 
increase the
 
coverage
 
under the
 
subject
 
Policy
then,
 
in
 
such
 
event,
 
the
 
rights,
 
duties
 
and
 
benefits
 
of
 
the
 
parties
 
to
 
such
 
increased
 
coverage
 
shall
 
continue
 
to
 
be
subject to the terms of this Plan.
ARTICLE 5
“Beneficiary”
5.1
 
Beneficiary
 
Designation.
 
A Participant
 
shall have
 
the right
 
and power
 
to designate
 
a Beneficiary
or Beneficiaries to
 
receive the Participant’s
 
share of the
 
proceeds payable upon
 
the death of the
 
Participant, and to
elect and change
 
a payment option
 
for such Beneficiary,
 
subject to any
 
right or interest
 
the Company may
 
have in
such
 
proceeds,
 
as
 
provided
 
in
 
this
 
Plan.
 
A
 
Participant
 
shall
 
have
 
the
 
right
 
to
 
name
 
such
 
Beneficiary
 
at
 
any
 
time
prior to
 
the Participant’s
 
death and
 
submit it to
 
the Plan Administrator
 
(or Plan
 
Administrator’s representative)
 
on
the written form provided.
 
5.2
 
Beneficiary
 
Acknowledgement.
 
Once received
 
and
 
acknowledged
 
by the
 
Plan Administrator,
 
the
form shall be
 
effective. A Participant
 
may change a
 
Beneficiary designation at
 
any time by
 
submitting a new
 
form
to the Plan
 
Administrator.
 
Any such change
 
shall follow the
 
same rules as
 
for the original
 
Beneficiary designation
and
 
shall
 
automatically
 
supersede
 
the
 
existing
 
Beneficiary
 
form
 
on
 
file
 
with
 
the
 
Plan
 
Administrator.
 
Upon
 
the
acceptance
 
by
 
the
 
Plan
 
Administrator
 
of
 
a
 
new
 
Beneficiary
 
designation
 
form,
 
all
 
previously
 
filed
 
Beneficiary
designation
 
forms
 
shall
 
be
 
cancelled.
 
The
 
Company
 
shall
 
be
 
entitled
 
to
 
rely
 
on
 
the
 
last
 
Beneficiary
 
designation
form filed by a Participant and accepted by the Plan Administrator prior to the Participant’s
 
death.
5.3
 
No Beneficiary Designation. If a Participant
 
dies without a valid Beneficiary Designation
 
Form on
file, or if
 
all designated Beneficiaries
 
predecease a Participant
 
,
 
then the Participant’s
 
surviving spouse
 
shall be the
designated Beneficiary.
 
If a Participant has no
 
surviving spouse, the benefits shall
 
be made payable to the
 
personal
representative of the Participant’s estate.
 
5.4
 
Facility
 
of
 
Payment.
 
If
 
the
 
Plan
 
Administrator
 
determines
 
in
 
its
 
discretion
 
that
 
a
 
benefit
 
is
 
to
 
be
paid to a
 
minor, to
 
a person legally
 
declared incompetent, or
 
to a person
 
legally deemed incapable
 
of handling the
 
 
 
disposition
 
of
 
that
 
person’s
 
property,
 
the
 
Plan
 
Administrator
 
may
 
direct
 
distribution
 
of
 
such
 
benefit
 
to
 
the
guardian, legal representative or person
 
having the care or custody of
 
such minor, incompetent
 
person or incapable
person.
 
The
 
Plan
 
Administrator
 
may
 
require
 
proof
 
of
 
incompetence,
 
minority
 
or
 
guardianship
 
as
 
it
 
may
 
deem
appropriate prior
 
to distribution
 
of the
 
benefit. Any
 
distribution of
 
a benefit
 
shall be
 
a distribution
 
for the
 
account
of the Participant
 
and the Beneficiary,
 
as the case
 
may be, and
 
shall be a
 
complete discharge of
 
any liability under
the Plan for such distribution amount.
 
ARTICLE 6
 
"Premium Payment and Taxable
 
Benefit"
6.1
 
Premium
 
Payment.
 
The
 
Company
 
shall
 
pay
 
an
 
amount
 
equal
 
to
 
the
 
planned
 
premiums
 
and
 
any
other premium payments
 
that might become
 
necessary to keep
 
a Participant’s
 
Policy in force
 
as determined by
 
the
Insurer.
 
Notwithstanding
 
the
 
forgoing,
 
the
 
Company
 
shall
 
have
 
the
 
absolute
 
and
 
sole
 
right
 
to
 
terminate
 
or
surrender the Policy.
6.2
 
Taxable
 
Benefit. The
 
Company shall
 
determine the
 
economic benefit
 
attributable to
 
a Participant
based
 
on
 
the
 
life
 
insurance
 
premium
 
factor
 
for
 
the
 
Participant’s
 
age
 
multiplied
 
by
 
the
 
amount
 
of
 
current
 
life
insurance protection payable
 
to the Participant’s
 
Beneficiary.
 
The “life insurance
 
premium factor” is
 
the minimum
amount
 
required
 
to
 
be
 
imputed
 
under
 
Treasury
 
Regulation
 
§1.61-22(d)(3)(ii)
 
or
 
any
 
subsequent
 
applicable
authority.
6.3
 
Imputed Income.
 
The Company
 
shall impute the
 
economic benefit to
 
the Participant
on an annual
basis, by adding the economic benefit to the Participant’s W-2,
 
or if applicable, Form 1099.
ARTICLE 7
 
"Ownership of the Cash Surrender Value
 
of the Policy"
7.1
 
The Company
 
shall at
 
all times
 
be entitled
 
to one hundred
 
percent
 
(100%)
 
of the Policy
 
cash
value, as
that
 
term
 
is
 
defined
 
in
 
the
 
Policy
 
contract,
 
less
 
any
 
Policy
 
loans
 
and
 
unpaid
interest
 
or
 
cash
 
withdrawals
previously incurred by the Company.
 
Such cash value shall be determined as of the date of surrender
 
or death as the
case may be.
ARTICLE 8
"Rights of Participants or Assignees"
8.1
 
A Participant may
 
not, without the
 
written consent of the
 
Company,
 
assign to any individual,
 
trust
or
 
other organization,
 
any right,
 
title or
 
interest in
 
the subject
 
Policy nor
 
any rights,
 
options, privileges
 
or duties
created under this Plan, other than the right to name a Beneficiary
 
from time
 
to time.
 
ARTICLE 9
"Limitations on Company’s Rights in Policy"
9.1
 
Notwithstanding any
 
provision hereof
 
to the
 
contrary, the
 
Company shall
 
have the
 
right to
 
sell or
surrender a Policy
 
without terminating this Plan,
 
provided: (i) the Company
 
replaces the Policy with
 
a comparable
life insurance
 
policy or
 
arrangement that
 
provides the
 
benefit provided
 
under this
 
Plan; and
 
(ii) the
 
Company and
the
 
Participant
 
(who
 
will
 
not
 
unreasonably
 
withhold
 
his
 
or
 
her
 
signature)
 
execute
 
a
 
new
 
Policy
 
endorsement
 
for
said
 
comparable
 
coverage
 
arrangement,
 
at
 
which
 
time
 
all
 
references
 
to
 
“Policy”
 
hereunder
 
shall
 
refer
 
to
 
such
replacement coverage arrangement. Without limitation, the Policy at all times
 
shall be the exclusive property of the
Company and shall be subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors.
ARTICLE 10
 
"Policy Loans"
10.1
 
The Company
 
may pledge
 
or assign
 
a Policy,
 
subject to
 
the terms
 
and conditions
 
of this
 
Plan, for
the sole
 
purpose of
 
securing
 
a loan
 
from the
 
Insurer
 
or from
 
a third
 
party. Interest
 
charges
 
on such
 
loan shall
 
be
 
 
 
 
paid by
 
the Company.
 
If the
 
Company so
 
encumbers a
 
Policy, other
 
than by
 
a Policy
 
loan from
 
the Insurer,
 
then,
upon
 
the
 
death
 
of
 
the
 
Participant,
 
the
 
Company
 
shall
 
promptly
 
take
 
all
 
action
 
necessary
 
to
 
secure
 
the
 
release
 
or
discharge of such encumbrance.
ARTICLE 11
 
"Division of Death Proceeds"
11.1
 
Participant’s
 
Benefit.
 
Upon
 
the
 
death
 
of
 
a
 
Participant
 
while
 
this
 
Agreement
 
is
 
in
 
force,
 
the
Participant’s Beneficiary
 
shall be entitled to
 
receive Policy death proceeds in
 
the amount stated in the
 
Participant’s
Participation
 
Agreement.
 
The
 
receipt
 
of
 
this
 
amount
 
by
 
the
 
Beneficiary
 
shall
 
constitute
 
satisfaction
 
of
 
the
Participant’s rights under this Agreement.
 
11.2
 
Company’s
 
Benefit.
 
Upon
 
the
 
death
 
of
 
the
 
Participant
 
while
 
this
 
Agreement
 
is
 
in
 
force,
 
the
Company
 
shall be
 
entitled
 
to
 
receive the
 
remainder of
 
the
 
Policy
 
death proceeds
 
not
 
payable under
 
Section
 
11.1
above.
11.3
 
Benefit Paid
 
by Insurer.
 
The benefit
 
payable to
 
a Participant’s
 
Beneficiary shall
 
be paid
 
solely by
the
 
Insurer
 
from
 
the
 
proceeds
 
of
 
the
 
Policy
 
on
 
the
 
life
 
of
 
the
 
Participant.
 
In
 
no
 
event
 
shall
 
the
 
Company
 
be
obligated to pay a death benefit under this Plan from its general funds. Should an Insurer refuse or be unable to
 
pay
death proceeds endorsed to Participant under the express terms of this Plan, or should the Company cancel a Policy
for any reason, neither a Participants nor his or her Beneficiary shall be entitled to a death benefit.
 
11.4
 
Suicide or Misstatement.
 
The amount of
 
the benefit payable
 
to a Participant’s
 
Beneficiary may
 
be
reduced
 
or
 
eliminated
 
if
 
Participant
 
fails
 
or
 
refuses
 
to
 
take
 
a
 
physical
 
examination,
 
to
 
truthfully
 
and
 
completely
supply such
 
information or
 
complete any
 
forms as
 
may be
 
required by
 
the Company
 
or Insurer,
 
or otherwise
 
fails
to cooperate
 
with the
 
requests of
 
the Company
 
or the
 
Insurer,
 
or if
 
the Participant
 
dies under
 
circumstances such
that the
 
Policy does
 
not pay
 
a full
 
death benefit
 
(e.g., in
 
the case
 
of suicide
 
within the
 
exclusionary period
 
of the
Policy); provided, however the
 
Company shall evaluate the
 
reason for the denial,
 
and upon advice of
 
legal counsel
and in its sole discretion, consider judicially challenging any denial.
 
ARTICLE 12
"Termination
 
of the Plan”
12.1
 
This Plan shall terminate upon the occurrence of any one of the following:
 
(1)
 
The total cessation of the business of the Company;
 
(2)
 
The bankruptcy, receivership or dissolution
 
of the Company;
 
(3)
 
The termination of the Insured’s employment;
 
(4) The Participant’s
 
“Disability,”
 
as that term is defined
 
in the Company’s
 
separate Supplemental
Executive Retirement Plan;
 
(5)
 
The
 
Company’s
 
“Change
 
in
 
Control,”
 
as
 
that
 
term
 
is
 
defined
 
in
 
the
 
Company’s
 
separate
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan;
 
(6)
 
While
 
the
 
Participant
 
is
 
living
 
by
 
written
 
notice
 
thereof
 
by
 
either
 
the
 
Company
 
or
 
the
Participant to the other;
 
(7)
 
Surrender, lapse, or other termination of the Policy by the Company; or
(8)
 
Upon distribution of the death benefit proceeds in accordance with Article X.
Upon the termination
 
of this Plan,
 
the Company may
 
make such disposition
 
of the Policy
 
as it determines
to be appropriate. Participants will have no
 
rights in such Policies or the death
 
benefit proceeds thereof, if this Plan
is terminated.
 
 
 
 
 
 
ARTICLE 13
"Insurer Not a Party”
13.1
 
The
 
Insurer
 
shall
 
be
 
fully
 
discharged
 
from
 
its
 
obligations
 
under
 
a
 
Policy
 
by
 
payment
 
of
 
the
Policy’s death
 
benefit to
 
the Beneficiary
 
or Beneficiaries
 
named in
 
the Policy,
 
subject to
 
the terms
 
and conditions
of the
 
Policy. In
 
no event
 
shall the
 
Insurer be
 
considered a
 
party to
 
this Plan,
 
or any
 
modification or
 
amendment
hereof, and
 
none of
 
the provisions
 
herein shall
 
in any
 
way be
 
construed as
 
enlarging, changing,
 
varying or
 
in any
other
 
way
 
affecting
 
the
 
obligations
 
of
 
the
 
Insurer
 
as
 
expressly
 
provided
 
in
 
the
 
Policy,
 
except
 
insofar
 
as
 
the
provisions hereof are
 
made a part
 
of the Policy
 
by the Beneficiary
 
designation executed by
 
the Company and
 
filed
with the Insurer in connection herewith.
ARTICLE 14
 
"Administration”
14.1
 
Plan
 
Administrator.
 
For
 
purposes
 
of
 
the
 
Employee
 
Retirement
 
Income
 
Security
 
Act
 
of
1974 (“ERISA”), as amended,
 
the Company or its designee
 
will be the "Named Fiduciary"
 
and Plan Administrator
of
 
the
 
split-dollar
 
life
 
insurance
 
plan
 
for
 
which
 
this
 
agreement
 
is
 
hereby
 
designated
 
the
 
written
 
plan
 
instrument.
The
 
Named
 
Fiduciary
 
or
 
the
 
Plan
 
Administrator
 
may
 
employ
 
others
 
to
 
render
 
advice
 
with
 
regard
 
to
 
its
responsibilities
 
under
 
this
 
Plan.
 
The
 
Named
 
Fiduciary
 
may
 
also
 
allocate
 
fiduciary
 
responsibilities
 
to
 
others
 
and
may exercise any other powers necessary for the discharge of its duties to the extent not in conflict with ERISA.
14.2
 
Plan Administrator
 
Duties. The
 
Plan Administrator
 
shall
 
have
 
the
 
discretion
 
and
 
authority
 
to:
 
(i)
make, amend, interpret and enforce all
 
appropriate rules and regulations for the
 
administration of this Plan; and (ii)
decide or resolve
 
any and all
 
questions, including
 
interpretations of this
 
Plan, as may
 
arise in
 
connection with
 
this
Plan.
14.3
 
Binding Effect
 
of Decisions. Any
 
decision or
 
action of
 
the Plan Administrator
 
with respect
 
to any
question arising out
 
of or in connection
 
with the administration,
 
interpretation, and application of
 
this Plan and the
rules and regulations promulgated hereunder shall
 
be final and conclusive and binding upon
 
all persons having any
interest in this Plan.
14.4
 
Indemnity
 
of Plan
 
Administrator. The
 
Company
 
shall indemnify
 
and
 
hold
 
harmless the
 
members
of
 
the
 
Plan Administrator,
 
and
 
those
 
to
 
whom
 
management
 
and
 
operation
 
responsibilities
 
of
 
the
 
Plan
 
have
 
been
delegated, against
 
any and
 
all claims,
 
losses, damages,
 
expenses or
 
liabilities arising
 
from any
 
action or
 
failure to
act
 
with
 
respect
 
to
 
this
 
Plan,
 
except
 
in
 
the
 
case
 
of
 
willful
 
misconduct
 
by
 
the
 
Plan
 
Administrator
 
or
 
any
 
of
 
its
members.
ARTICLE 15
 
"Claims and Review Procedures”
15.1
 
Written Claim.
 
A person who believes that he or she
 
is being denied a benefit to
 
which he or she
 
is
entitled under
 
this Plan (a “Claimant”)
 
may file a written request
 
for such benefit with the Plan
 
Administrator,
 
setting
forth his
 
or her claim.
 
The request
 
must be
 
addressed
 
to the Company
 
at its
 
then principal
 
place of
 
business.
15.2
 
Timing of Response.
 
Upon receipt
 
of a claim,
 
the Plan
 
Administrator
 
shall advise the
 
Claimant that
 
a
reply will be forthcoming within ninety (90) days and shall, in
 
fact, deliver such reply within such period.
 
The Plan
Administrator may, however, extend the reply period
 
for an
 
additional ninety (90) days for
 
reasonable cause. If the
claim is denied in whole or in part, the Plan
 
Administrator
 
shall adopt a written opinion,
 
using language calculated
 
to
be understood
 
by the Claimant,
 
setting
 
forth:
 
(1) The
 
specific
 
reason or
 
reasons
 
for such
 
denial;
(2) The
 
specific
 
reference
 
to pertinent
 
provisions
 
of this
 
Plan on
 
which such
 
denial is
 
based;
(3)
 
A description
 
of any additional
 
material
 
or information
 
necessary
 
for the Claimant
 
to perfect
 
his or
her claim
 
and an
 
explanation
 
why such
 
material
 
or such
 
information
 
is necessary;
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(4)
 
Appropriate
 
information
 
as to the steps
 
to be taken if the
 
Claimant wishes
 
to submit the claim
 
for
review;
 
and
(5) The
 
time limits
 
for requesting a
 
review under
 
Section 15.3
 
and for
 
review under
 
Section 15.4
hereof.
 
15.3
 
Request for Review. Within sixty (60) days
 
after the receipt by
 
the Claimant of the
 
written opinion
described in Section 15.2,
 
the Claimant may
 
request in
 
writing that the
 
determination of the
 
Plan Administrator be
reviewed.
 
Such request
 
must be addressed
 
to the Company,
 
at its then principal
 
place of business.
 
The Claimant
 
or his
or
 
her
 
duly
 
authorized representative
 
may,
 
but
 
need
 
not,
 
review
 
the
 
pertinent
 
documents and
 
submit
 
issues
 
and
comments
 
in writing
 
for consideration
 
by the Plan
 
Administrator.
 
If the Claimant
 
does not request
 
a review of
 
the Plan
Administrator’s determination
 
within
 
such
 
sixty
 
(60)
 
day
 
period,
 
he
 
or
 
she
 
shall
 
be
 
barred
 
and
 
estopped
 
from
challenging
 
the Plan
 
Administrator’s
 
determination.
15.4
 
Review of Decision.
 
The Plan
 
Administrator
 
will review
 
its determination
 
within sixty
 
(60) days after
receipt of a request for review.
 
After considering
 
all materials presented
 
by the Claimant, the Plan Administrator
 
will
render a written opinion, written in
 
a manner calculated to be
 
understood by the Claimant, setting forth the
 
specific
reasons
 
for
 
the
 
decision and
 
containing specific
 
references to
 
the
 
pertinent provisions
 
of
 
this
 
Plan
 
on
 
which
 
the
decision
 
is
 
based.
 
If
 
special
 
circumstances
 
require
 
that
 
the
 
sixty
 
(60)
 
day
 
time
 
period
 
be
 
extended,
 
the
 
Plan
Administrator will so
 
notify the
 
Claimant and
 
will
 
render the
 
decision as
 
soon
 
as
 
possible, but
 
no
 
later than
 
one
hundred
 
twenty
 
(120) days
 
after receipt
 
of the request
 
for review.
 
ARTICLE 16
 
"Amendment"
16.1
 
This Plan may
 
not be amended,
 
altered, or modified,
 
except by a
 
written instrument signed
 
by the
parties hereto,
 
or their
 
respective successors
 
or assigns,
 
and may
 
not be
 
otherwise terminated
 
except as
 
provided
herein.
ARTICLE 17
"Miscellaneous"
17.1
 
Binding
 
Effect. This
 
Plan
 
shall be
 
binding
 
upon and
 
inure to
 
the benefit
 
of the
 
Company and
 
its
successors and
 
assigns, and
 
upon the
 
death of
 
a Participant,
 
the Participant’s
 
successors, assigns,
 
heirs, executors,
administrators and beneficiaries.
17.2
 
No Guarantee of Employment. This
 
Plan is not an
 
employment policy or contract.
 
It does not give
a Participant
 
the
 
right
 
to
 
remain an
 
employee
 
of
 
the Company,
 
nor does
 
it interfere
 
with
 
the
 
Company’s
 
right
 
to
discharge
 
a
 
Participant.
 
It
 
also
 
does
 
not
 
require
 
a
 
Participant
 
to
 
remain
 
an
 
employee
 
nor
 
interfere
 
with
 
the
Participant’s right to terminate employment at any time.
17.3
 
Notices. Any
 
notice, consent
 
or demand
 
required or
 
permitted to
 
be given
 
under the provisions
 
of
this Plan shall be
 
in writing, and shall
 
be signed by the
 
party giving or making
 
the same. If such
 
notice, consent or
demand is
 
mailed to
 
a party
 
hereto, it
 
shall be
 
sent by
 
United States
 
certified mail,
 
postage prepaid,
 
addressed to
such
 
party’s
 
last
 
known
 
address
 
as
 
shown
 
on
 
the
 
records
 
of
 
the
 
Company.
 
The
 
date
 
of
 
such
 
mailing
 
shall
 
be
deemed the date of notice, consent or demand.
17.4
 
Applicable
 
Law.
 
This
 
Plan
 
and
 
the
 
rights
 
of
 
the
 
parties
 
hereunder,
 
shall
 
be
 
governed
 
by
 
and
construed according to the
 
laws of the State
 
of Nebraska, except to
 
the extent preempted by
 
the laws of the
 
United
States of America.
17.5
 
Gender.
 
Whenever
 
in
 
this
 
Plan
 
words
 
are
 
used
 
in
 
the
 
masculine
 
or
 
neutral
 
gender,
 
they
 
shall
 
be
read and construed as in the masculine, feminine or neutral gender, whenever they should so apply.
 
 
 
17.6
 
No Third Party Beneficiaries. The
 
benefits of this Plan
 
shall not inure to any
 
third party.
 
This Plan
shall not be
 
construed as creating
 
any rights, claims,
 
or cause of
 
action against the
 
Company or any
 
of its officers,
directors, agents, or employees in favor of any person or entity other than the Participant.
 
17.7
 
Severability.
 
If
 
any
 
one
 
or
 
more
 
of
 
the
 
provisions
 
hereof
 
is
 
declared
 
invalid,
 
illegal,
 
or
unenforceable in
 
any jurisdiction,
 
the validity,
 
legality,
 
and enforceability
 
of the
 
remaining provisions
 
shall not
 
in
any
 
way
 
be
 
affected
 
or
 
impaired,
 
and
 
that
 
invalidity,
 
illegality,
 
or
 
unenforceability
 
in
 
one
 
jurisdiction
 
shall
 
not
affect the validity,
 
legality, or enforceability of the remaining
 
provisions hereof.
17.8
 
Entire
 
Agreement.
 
This
 
written
 
plan
 
document,
 
along
 
with
 
a
 
Participant’s
 
Policy
 
endorsement,
Beneficiary
 
Designation
 
Form,
 
and
 
Participation
 
Agreement,
 
constitutes
 
the
 
entire
 
agreement
 
between
 
the
Company and the
 
Participant as to
 
the subject matter
 
hereof. No rights
 
are granted to
 
a Participant under
 
this Plan
other than those specifically set forth herein.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
 
the Company executes this Plan as of the date first written above.