EX-4.4 2 s807ex44.htm CULLEN/FROST BANKERS, INC. 2007 OUTSIDE DIRECTORS INCENTIVE PLAN 2005 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

EXHIBIT 4.4

 

Cullen /Frost Bankers, Inc.

2007 Outside Directors Incentive Plan

 
 
 

Article 1. Establishment, Purpose, and Duration

 
 

1.1

Establishment. Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), establishes an incentive compensation plan to be known as the 2007 Outside Directors Incentive Plan (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), as set forth in this document.

     
   

This Plan permits the grant of Nonqualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.

     
   

This Plan shall become effective upon stockholder approval (the "Effective Date") and shall remain in effect as provided in Section 1.3 hereof.

     
 

1.2

Purpose of this Plan. The objectives of the Plan are to link the interests of Outside Directors to those of the Company's stockholders by providing for the ability to pay some or all of the Outside Director's compensation through stock options, restricted stock and restricted stock units and to optimize the profitability and growth of the Company through incentives which are consistent with the Company's goals.

     
   

The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of Outside Directors who make significant contributions to the Company's success and to allow Outside Directors to share in the success of the Company.

     
 

1.3

Duration of this Plan. Unless sooner terminated as provided herein, this Plan shall terminate ten (10) years from the Effective Date. After this Plan is terminated, no new Awards may be granted but Awards previously granted shall remain outstanding in accordance with their applicable terms and conditions and this Plan's terms and conditions.

     

Article 2. Definitions

 

Whenever used in this Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below, and when the meaning is intended, the initial letter of the word shall be capitalized.

 
 

2.1

"Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Exchange Act. The Committee shall not designate the Company as an Affiliate if in doing so it results in noncompliance with Code Section 409A.

     
 

2.2

"Award" means, individually or collectively, a grant under this Plan of Nonqualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.

     
 

2.3

"Award Agreement" means either (i) a written agreement entered into by the Company and a Participant setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to an Award granted under this Plan, or (ii) a written or electronic statement issued by the Company to a Participant describing the terms and provisions of such Award.

     
 

2.4

"Board" or "Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

     
 

2.5

"Change of Control" means any of the following events:

       
   

(a)

Any "person" (as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and as used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes a "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of the Board (the "Company Voting Securities"); provided, however, that the event described in this paragraph shall not be deemed to be a Change of Control by virtue of any of the following acquisitions: (i) by the Company or any Subsidiary, (ii) by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary, (iii) by any underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (iv) a transaction (other than one described in (b) below) in which Company Voting Securities are acquired from the Company, if a majority of the incumbent Directors approve a resolution providing expressly that the acquisition pursuant to this clause (iv) does not constitute a Change of Control under this paragraph (a);

       
   

(b)

The consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that requires the approval of the Company's stockholders, whether for such transaction or the issuance of securities in the transaction (a "Business Combination"), unless immediately following such Business Combination: (i) more than 60% of the total voting power of (x) the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (the "Surviving Corporation"), or (y) if applicable, the ultimate parent corporation that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of 100% of the voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Corporation (the "Parent Corporation"), is represented by Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which such Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combination), and such voting power among (and only among) the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of such Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination, (ii) no person (other than any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Corporation or the Parent Corporation) is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 20% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) and (iii) at least 50% of the members of the board of directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) following the consummation of the Business Combination were incumbent Directors at the time of the Board's approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such business combination; or

       
   

(c)

During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section) whose election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company's stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or

       
   

(d)

The stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or a sale of all or substantially all of the Company's assets.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change of Control of the Company shall not be deemed to occur solely because any person acquires beneficial ownership of more than 20% of the Company Voting Securities as a result of the acquisition of Company Voting Securities by the Company which reduces the number of Company Voting Securities outstanding; provided, that if after such acquisition by the Company such person becomes the beneficial owner of additional Company Voting Securities that increases the percentage of outstanding Company Voting Securities beneficially owned by such person, a Change of Control of the Company shall then occur.

     

 

 

2.6

"Code" means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

     
 

2.7

"Committee" means the Compensation and Benefits Committee of the Board or a subcommittee thereof, or any other committee designated by the Board to administer this Plan; provided that the Committee shall consist entirely of Outside Directors.

     
 

2.8

"Company" means Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. and any successor thereto as provided in Article 15 herein.

     
 

2.9

"Effective Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

     
 

2.10

"Employee" means any person designated as an employee of the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries on the payroll records thereof. An Employee shall not include any individual during any period he or she is classified or treated by the Company, Affiliate, and/or Subsidiary as an independent contractor, a consultant, or any employee of an employment, consulting, or temporary agency or any other entity other than the Company, Affiliate, and/or Subsidiary, without regard to whether such individual is subsequently determined to have been, or is subsequently retroactively reclassified as a common-law employee of the Company, Affiliate, and/or Subsidiary during such period.

     
 

2.11

"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor act thereto.

     
 

2.12

"Fair Market Value" or "FMV" means a price that is based on the opening, closing, actual, high, low, or average selling prices of a Share reported on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") or other established stock exchange (or exchanges) on the applicable date, the preceding trading day, the next succeeding trading day, or an average of trading days, as determined by the Committee in its discretion. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, Fair Market Value shall be deemed to be equal to the reported closing price of a Share on the most recent date on which Shares were publicly traded. In the event Shares are not publicly traded at the time a determination of their value is required to be made hereunder, the determination of their Fair Market Value shall be made by the Committee in such manner as it deems appropriate, however, such determination shall be made in compliance with Code Section 409A, as appropriate. Such definition(s) of FMV shall be specified in each Award Agreement and may differ depending on whether FMV is in reference to the grant, exercise, vesting, settlement, or payout of an Award. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee's determination of FMV for the exercise price for stock options shall be consistent with the meaning of "fair market value" under Section 409A of the Code.

     
 

2.13

"Full Value Award" means an Award other than in the form of a NQSO and which is settled by the issuance of Shares.

     
 

2.14

"Nonqualified Stock Option" "NQSO" means an Option that is not intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422, or that otherwise does not meet such requirements.

     
 

2.15

"Option" means a Nonqualified Stock Option, as described in Article 6.

     
 

2.16

"Option Price" means the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to an Option.

     
 

2.17

"Other Stock-Based Award" means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8.

     
 

2.18

"Outside Director" means an individual who is a member of the Board of Directors, but is not an Employee of the Company.

     
 

2.19

"Participant" means any eligible individual as set forth in Article 5 to whom an Award is granted.

     
 

2.20

"Plan" means the Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. 2007 Outside Directors Incentive Plan.

     
 

2.21

"Plan Year" means the calendar year.

     
 

2.22

"Restricted Stock" means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 7.

     
 

2.23

"Restricted Stock Unit" means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 7, except no Shares are actually awarded to the Participant on the date of grant.

     
 

2.24

"Share" means a share of common stock of the Company, $.01 par value per share.

     
 

2.25

"Subsidiary" means any corporation or other entity, whether domestic or foreign, in which the Company has or obtains, directly or indirectly, a proprietary interest of more than fifty percent (50%) by reason of stock ownership or otherwise.

 

Article 3. Administration

 
 

3.1

General. The Committee shall be responsible for administering this Plan, subject to this Article 3 and the other provisions of this Plan. The Committee may employ attorneys, consultants, accountants, agents, and other individuals, any of whom may be an Employee, and the Committee, the Company, and its officers and Directors shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions, or valuations of any such individuals. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee shall be final and binding upon the Participants, the Company, and all other interested individuals.

     
 

3.2

Authority of the Committee. The Committee shall have full and exclusive discretionary power to interpret the terms and the intent of this Plan and any Award Agreement or other agreement or document ancillary to or in connection with this Plan, to determine eligibility for Awards and to adopt such rules, regulations, forms, instruments, and guidelines for administering this Plan as the Committee may deem necessary or proper. Such authority shall include, but not be limited to, selecting Award recipients, establishing all Award terms and conditions, including the terms and conditions set forth in Award Agreements determining whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended, construing any ambiguous provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement and, subject to Article 13, adopting modifications and amendments to this Plan or any Award Agreement, including without limitation, any that are necessary to comply with the laws of the countries and other jurisdictions in which the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries operate.

     
 

3.3

Delegation. The Committee may delegate to one or more of its members or to one or more officers of the Company, and/or its Subsidiaries and Affiliates or to one or more agents or advisors such administrative duties or powers as it may deem advisable, and the Committee or any individuals to whom it has delegated duties or powers as aforesaid may employ one or more individuals to render advice with respect to any responsibility the Committee or such individuals may have under this Plan.

 

Article 4. Shares Subject to this Plan and Maximum Awards

 
 

4.1

Number of Shares Available for Awards.

     
   

(a)

Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.4, the maximum number of Shares available for grant to Participants under this Plan on or after the Effective Date (the "Share Authorization") shall be five hundred thousand (500,000) Shares.

       
   

(b)

Of the Shares reserved for grant under Section 4.1(a) of this Plan, no more than fifty thousand (50,000) of the reserved Shares may be granted pursuant to Full Value Awards.

 
 

4.2

Share Usage. Shares covered by an Award shall only be counted as used to the extent they are actually issued. Any Shares related to Awards which terminate by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation, or otherwise without the issuance of such Shares, are settled in cash in lieu of Shares, or are exchanged with the Committee's permission, prior to the issuance of Shares, for Awards not involving Shares, shall be available again for grant under this Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Shares subject to an Award under the Plan may not again be made available for issuance under the Plan if such Shares are: (i) Shares delivered to or withheld by the Company to pay the exercise price of an Option or the withholding taxes related to any Award, or (ii) Shares repurchased on the open market with the proceeds of an Option exercise. The Shares available for grant under this Plan may be authorized and unissued Shares or treasury Shares.

     
 

4.3

Annual Award Limits. The following limits (each an "Annual Award Limit" and, collectively, "Annual Award Limits") shall apply to grants of such Awards under this Plan:

     
   

(a)

Options: The maximum aggregate number of Shares subject to Options granted in any one Plan Year to any one Participant shall be fifty thousand (50,000) plus the amount of the Participant's unused applicable Annual Award Limit for Options as of the close of the previous Plan Year.

       
   

(b)

Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units: The maximum aggregate grant with respect to Awards of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units in any one Plan Year to any one Participant shall be fifty thousand (50,000) plus the amount of the Participant's unused applicable Annual Award Limit for Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units as of the close of the previous Plan Year.

       
   

(c)

Other Stock-Based Awards. The maximum aggregate grant with respect to Other Stock-Based Awards pursuant to Article 8 in any one Plan Year to any one Participant shall be fifty thousand (50,000).

     
 

4.4

Adjustments in Authorized Shares. In the event of any corporate event or transaction (including, but not limited to, a change in the Shares of the Company or the capitalization of the Company) such as a merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, partial or complete liquidation, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, split up, spin-off, or other distribution of stock or property of the Company, combination of Shares, exchange of Shares, dividend in kind, or other like change in capital structure, number of outstanding shares or distribution (other than normal cash dividends) to stockholders of the Company, or any similar corporate event or transaction, the Committee, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of Participants' rights under this Plan, shall substitute or adjust, as applicable, the number and kind of Shares that may be issued under this Plan or under particular forms of Awards, the number and kind of Shares subject to outstanding Awards, the Option Price or Grant Price applicable to outstanding Awards, the Annual Award Limits, and other value determinations applicable to outstanding Awards.

     
   

The Committee, in its sole discretion, may also make appropriate adjustments in the terms of any Awards under this Plan to reflect (or related to) such changes or distributions and to modify any other terms of outstanding Awards. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under this Plan.

     
   

Subject to the provisions of Article 12, without affecting the number of Shares reserved or available hereunder, the Committee may authorize the issuance or assumption of benefits under this Plan in connection with any merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, or reorganization upon such terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate.

 

Article 5. Eligibility and Participation

 
 

5.1

Eligibility. Individuals eligible to participate in this Plan include all Outside Directors.

     
 

5.2

Actual Participation. Subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select from all eligible individuals, those individuals to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine, in its sole discretion, the nature of, any and all terms permissible by law, and the amount of each Award.

 

Article 6. Stock Options

 
 

6.1

Grant of Options. Subject to the terms and provisions of this Plan, Options may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. However, a Participant who provides services to an Affiliate and/or Subsidiary may only be granted Options to the extent the Affiliate and/or Subsidiary is part of: (i) the Company's controlled group of corporations, or (ii) a trade or business under common control, as of the date of grant as determined within the meaning of Code Section 414(b) or 414(c), and substituting for this purpose ownership of at least fifty percent (50%) of the Affiliate and/or Subsidiary to determine the members of the controlled group of corporations and the entities under common control.

     
 

6.2

Award Agreement. Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Option Price, the maximum duration of the Option, the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, the conditions upon which an Option shall become vested and exercisable, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine which are not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan.

     
 

6.3

Option Price. The Option Price for each grant of an Option under this Plan shall be as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and shall be specified in the Award Agreement; provided, however, the Option Price on the date of grant must be at least equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the FMV of the Shares on the date of grant.

     
 

6.4

Term of Options. Each Option granted to a Participant shall expire at such time as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant; provided, however, no Option shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary date of its grant.

     
 

6.5

Exercise of Options. Options granted under this Article 6 shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall in each instance approve.

     
 

6.6

Payment. Options granted under this Article 6 shall be exercised by the delivery of a written notice of exercise to the Company, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Options is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares.

     
   

The Option Price upon exercise of any Option shall be payable to the Company in full either:
(a) in cash or its equivalent, or (b) by tendering previously acquired Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the total Option Price (provided that the Shares which are tendered must have been held by the Participant for at least six (6) months prior to their tender to satisfy the Option Price), or (c) by a combination of (a) and (b).

     
   

The Committee also may allow cashless exercise as permitted under Federal Reserve Board's Regulation T, subject to applicable securities law restrictions, or by any other means which the Committee determines to be consistent with the Plan's purpose and applicable law.

     
   

Subject to any governing rules or regulations, as soon as practicable after receipt of a written notification of exercise and full payment, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, in the Participant's name, Share certificates in an appropriate amount based upon the number of Shares purchased under the Option.

     
   

Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, all payments under all of the methods indicated above shall be paid in United States dollars.

     
 

6.7

Termination of Provision of Services. Each Participant's Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to exercise the Option following termination of the Participant's provision of services to the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be included in the Award Agreement entered into with each Participant, need not be uniform among all Options issued pursuant to this Article 6, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination.

     
 

6.8

No Other Feature of Deferral. No Option granted pursuant to this Plan shall provide for any feature for the deferral of compensation other than the deferral of recognition of income until the later of the exercise or disposition of the Option, or the time the stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of the Option first becomes substantially vested.

 

Article 7. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

 
 

7.1

Grant of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units. Subject to the terms and provisions of this Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Shares of Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units to Participants in such amounts as the Committee shall determine. Restricted Stock Units shall be similar to Restricted Stock except that no Shares are actually awarded to the Participant on the date of grant.

     
 

7.2

Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. Each Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Unit grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s) of Restriction, the number of Shares of Restricted Stock or the number of Restricted Stock Units granted, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

     
 

7.3

Other Restrictions. The Committee shall impose such other conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Plan as it may deem advisable including, without limitation, a requirement that Participants pay a stipulated purchase price for each Share of Restricted Stock or each Restricted Stock Unit, restrictions based upon time-based restrictions, and/or restrictions under applicable laws or under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are listed or traded, or holding requirements or sale restrictions placed on the Shares by the Company upon vesting of such Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.

     
   

To the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee, the Company may retain the certificates representing Shares of Restricted Stock in the Company's possession until such time as all conditions and/or restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied or lapse.

     
   

Except as otherwise provided in this Article 7, Shares of Restricted Stock covered by each Restricted Stock Award shall become freely transferable by the Participant after all conditions and restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied or lapse (including satisfaction of any applicable tax withholding obligations), and Restricted Stock Units shall be paid in cash, Shares, or a combination of cash and Shares as the Committee, in its sole discretion shall determine.

     
 

7.4

Certificate Legend. In addition to any legends placed on certificates pursuant to Section 7.3, each certificate representing Shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to this Plan may bear a legend such as the following or as otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole discretion:

     
   

The sale or transfer of Shares of stock represented by this certificate, whether voluntary, involuntary, or by operation of law, is subject to certain restrictions on transfer as set forth in the Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. 2007 Outside Directors Incentive Plan, and in the associated Award Agreement. A copy of this Plan and such Award Agreement may be obtained from Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc.

     
 

7.5

Voting Rights. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in a Participant's Award Agreement, to the extent permitted or required by law, as determined by the Committee, Participants holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder may be granted the right to exercise full voting rights with respect to those Shares during the Period of Restriction.

     
 

7.6

Termination of Provision of Services. Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to retain Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units following termination of the Participant's provision of services to the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be included in the Award Agreement entered into with each Participant, need not be uniform among all Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units issued pursuant to this Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination.

     
 

7.7

Section 83(b) Election. The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement that the Award of Restricted Stock is conditioned upon the Participant making or refraining from making an election with respect to the Award under Code Section 83(b). If a Participant makes an election pursuant to Code Section 83(b) concerning a Restricted Stock Award, the Participant shall be required to file promptly a copy of such election with the Company.

 

Article 8. Other Stock Based Awards

 
 

8.1

Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee may grant other types of equity-based or equity-related Awards not otherwise described by the terms of this Plan (including the grant or offer for sale of unrestricted Shares) in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine. Such Awards may involve the transfer of actual Shares to Participants, or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of Shares, and may include, without limitation, Awards designed to comply with or take advantage of the applicable local laws of jurisdictions other than the United States.

     
 

8.2

Value of Other Stock-Based Awards. Each Other Stock-Based Award shall be expressed in terms of Shares or units based on Shares, as determined by the Committee.

     
 

8.3

Payment of Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards. Payment, if any, with respect to Other Stock-Based Award shall be made in accordance with the terms of the Award, in cash or Shares as the Committee determines.

     
 

8.4

Termination of Provision of Services. The Committee shall determine the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to receive Other Stock-Based Awards following termination of the Participant's provision of services to the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, such provisions may be included in an agreement entered into with each Participant, but need not be uniform among all Awards of Other Stock-Based Awards issued pursuant to the Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination.

 

Article 9. Transferability of Awards

 
 

9.1

Transferability. Except as provided in Section 9.2 below, during a Participant's lifetime, his or her Awards shall be exercisable only by the Participant. Awards shall not be transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; no Awards shall be subject, in whole or in part, to attachment, execution, or levy of any kind; and any purported transfer in violation hereof shall be null and void. The Committee may establish such procedures as it deems appropriate for a Participant to designate a beneficiary to whom any amounts payable or Shares deliverable in the event of, or following, the Participant's death.

     
 

9.2

Committee Action. The Committee may, in its discretion, upon written request from a Participant, determine that notwithstanding Section 9.1, any or all of the Participant's Awards shall be transferable to and exercisable by such transferees, and subject to such terms and conditions, as the Committee may deem appropriate; provided, however, no Award may be transferred for value as defined in the General Instructions to Form S-8 and that only the Participant to which the Award had been granted, a "family member" (as defined in Section 9.4 below) of such Participant, or a charity may be a transferee of such Award. Such a request and determination may be made at the time an Award is granted or at any time thereafter.

     
 

9.3

Domestic Relations Orders. Without limiting the generality of Section 9.1, and notwithstanding Section 9.2, no domestic relations order purporting to authorize a transfer of an Award shall be recognized as valid.

     
 

9.4

Family Member. For purposes of Section 9.2, "family member" shall mean a Participant's 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, including adoptive relationships, any person sharing the Participant's household (other than a tenant of the Participant), a trust in which these persons (or the Participant) have more than fifty percent (50%) of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which these persons (or the Participant) control the management of assets, and any other entity in which these persons (or the Participant) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests.

 

Article 10. Dividend Equivalents

 
   

Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted dividend equivalents based on the dividends declared on Shares that are subject to any Award (other than an Option), to be credited as of dividend payment dates, during the period between the date the Award is granted and the date the Award is exercised, vests or expires, as determined by the Committee. Such dividend equivalents may, in the sole discretion of the Committee, accrue interest or be converted to cash or additional Shares by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Committee.

 

Article 11 Benefits Upon Death

 
   

Awards remaining unpaid or rights remaining unexercised at the Participant's death shall be paid to the Participant's estate and may be exercised by the Participant's executor, administrator, or authorized legal representative.

 

Article 12 Rights of Participants

 
 

12.1

Employment. Nothing in this Plan or an Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries, to terminate any Participant's employment at any time or for any reason not prohibited by law, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue his employment for any specified period of time.

     
   

Neither an Award nor any benefits arising under this Plan shall constitute an employment contract with the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries and, accordingly, subject to Articles 3 and 12, this Plan and the benefits hereunder may be terminated at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Committee without giving rise to any liability on the part of the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries.

     
 

12.2

Participation. No individual shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award under this Plan, or, having been so selected, to be selected to receive a future Award.

     
 

12.3

Rights as a Shareholder. Except as otherwise provided herein, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record holder of such Shares.

 

Article 13 Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination

     
 

13.1

Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination. Subject to Section 13.3, the Committee may, at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, modify, suspend, or terminate this Plan and any Award Agreement in whole or in part; provided, however, that, without the prior approval of the Company's stockholders and except as provided in Section 4.4, Options issued under this Plan will not be repriced, replaced by any other Awards, or regranted through cancellation, or by lowering the Option Price of a previously granted Option, and no material amendment of this Plan shall be made without stockholder approval if stockholder approval is required by law, regulation, or stock exchange rule, including, but not limited to, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and, if applicable, the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual issuer rules.

     
 

13.2

Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. The Committee shall make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 4.4 hereof) affecting the Company or the financial statements of the Company or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent unintended dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under this Plan. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under this Plan.

     
 

13.3

Awards Previously Granted. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary (other than Section 13.4), no termination, amendment, suspension, or modification of this Plan or an Award Agreement shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under this Plan, without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award.

     
 

13.4

Amendment to Conform to Law. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, the Board of Directors may amend the Plan or an Award Agreement, to take effect retroactively or otherwise, as deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of conforming the Plan or an Award Agreement to any present or future law relating to plans of this or similar nature (including, but not limited to, Code Section 409A), and to the administrative regulations and rulings promulgated thereunder.

 

Article 14 Withholding

     
 

14.1

Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, the minimum statutory amount to satisfy federal, state, and local taxes, domestic or foreign, required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of this Plan.

     
 

14.2

Share Withholding. With respect to withholding required upon the exercise of Options, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, Participants may elect to satisfy the withholding requirement, in whole or in part, by having the Company withhold Shares having a Fair Market Value on the date the tax is to be determined equal to the minimum statutory total tax that could be imposed on the transaction. All such elections shall be irrevocable, made in writing, and signed by the Participant, and shall be subject to any restrictions or limitations that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.

 

Article 15 Successors

     
   

All obligations of the Company under this Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

 

Article 16 General Provisions

     
 

16.1

Forfeiture Events.

       
   

(a)

The Committee may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant's rights, payments, and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events may include, but shall not be limited to, termination of provision of services for cause, termination of the Participant's provision of services to the Company, Affiliate, and/or Subsidiary, violation of material Company, Affiliate, and/or Subsidiary policies, breach of non-competition, confidentiality, or other restrictive covenants that may apply to the Participant, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries.

       
   

(b)

If the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the Company, as a result of misconduct, with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, if the Participant knowingly or grossly negligently engaged in the misconduct, or knowingly or grossly negligently failed to prevent the misconduct, or if the Participant is one of the individuals subject to automatic forfeiture under Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Participant shall reimburse the Company the amount of any payment in settlement of an Award earned or accrued during the twelve- (12-) month period following the first public issuance or filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (whichever just occurred) of the financial document embodying such financial reporting requirement.

     
 

16.2

Legend. The certificates for Shares may include any legend which the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer of such Shares.

     
 

16.3

Gender and Number. Except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also shall include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the singular shall include the plural.

     
 

16.4

Severability. In the event any provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of this Plan, and this Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

     
 

16.5

Requirements of Law. The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under this Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required.

     
 

16.6

Delivery of Title. The Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver evidence of title for Shares issued under this Plan prior to:

       
   

(a)

Obtaining any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary or advisable; and

       
   

(b)

Completion of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any applicable national or foreign law or ruling of any governmental body that the Company determines to be necessary or advisable.

       
 

16.7

Inability to Obtain Authority. The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company's counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.

     
 

16.8

Investment Representations. The Committee may require any individual receiving Shares pursuant to an Award under this Plan to represent and warrant in writing that the individual is acquiring the Shares for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares.

     
 

16.9

Participants Based Outside of the United States. Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries operate or have Participants, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to:

     
   

(a)

Determine which Affiliates and Subsidiaries shall be covered by this Plan;

       
   

(b)

Determine which Outside Directors outside the United States are eligible to participate in this Plan;

       
   

(c)

Modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Participants outside the United States to comply with applicable foreign laws;

       
   

(d)

Establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable. Any subplans and modifications to Plan terms and procedures established under this Section 16.9 by the Committee shall be attached to this Plan document as appendices; and

       
   

(e)

Take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local government regulatory exemptions or approvals.

     
   

Notwithstanding the above, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate applicable law.

     
 

16.10

Uncertificated Shares. To the extent that this Plan provides for issuance of certificates to reflect the transfer of Shares, the transfer of such Shares may be effected on a noncertificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange.

     
 

16.11

Unfunded Plan. Participants shall have no right, title, or interest whatsoever in or to any investments that the Company, and/or its Subsidiaries, and/or its Affiliates may make to aid it in meeting its obligations under this Plan. Nothing contained in this Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any Participant, beneficiary, legal representative, or any other individual. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company, its Subsidiaries, and/or its Affiliates under this Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company, a Subsidiary, or an Affiliate, as the case may be. All payments to be made hereunder shall be paid from the general funds of the Company, a Subsidiary, or an Affiliate, as the case may be and no special or separate fund shall be established and no segregation of assets shall be made to assure payment of such amounts except as expressly set forth in this Plan.

     
 

16.12

No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to this Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, Awards, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

     
 

16.13

Retirement and Welfare Plans. Neither Awards made under this Plan nor Shares or cash paid pursuant to such Awards may be included as "compensation" for purposes of computing the benefits payable to any Participant under the Company's or any Subsidiary's or Affiliate's retirement plans (both qualified and non-qualified) or welfare benefit plans unless such other plan expressly provides that such compensation shall be taken into account in computing a Participant's benefit.

     
 

16.14

Deferred Compensation. It is intended that any Award made under this Plan that results in the deferral of compensation (as defined under Code Section 409A) complies with the requirements of Code Section 409A.

     
 

16.15

Nonexclusivity of this Plan. The adoption of this Plan shall not be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or Committee to adopt such other compensation arrangements as it may deem desirable for any Participant.

     
 

16.16

No Constraint on Corporate Action. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to: (i) limit, impair, or otherwise affect the Company's or a Subsidiary's or an Affiliate's right or power to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations, or changes of its capital or business structure, or to merge or consolidate, or dissolve, liquidate, sell, or transfer all or any part of its business or assets; or, (ii) limit the right or power of the Company or a Subsidiary or an Affiliate to take any action which such entity deems to be necessary or appropriate.

     
 

16.17

Governing Law. The Plan and each Award Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Texas, excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of this Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, recipients of an Award under this Plan are deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts of Texas, to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to this Plan or any related Award Agreement.

     
 

16.18

Indemnification. Subject to requirements of Texas law, each individual who is or shall have been a member of the Board, or a Committee appointed by the Board, or an employee of the Company to whom authority was delegated in accordance with Article 3, (each, an "Indemnified Person") shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under this Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him in settlement thereof, with the Company's approval, or paid by him in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit, or proceeding against him, provided he shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he undertakes to handle and defend it on his own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to an Indemnified Person to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or other final adjudication, in either case, not subject to further appeal, determines that the acts or omissions of such Indemnified Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Indemnified Person's bad faith, fraud or willful criminal act or omission.

     
   

The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such individuals may be entitled under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.