In June 2017, the Company's Board of Directors adopted, and the Company's stockholder approved, the 2017 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the "Omnibus Plan"). The Omnibus Plan provides for the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, dividend equivalent rights and other equity-based, equity-related or cash-based awards. A total of 2,600,000 shares of our common stock have been reserved for issuance under the Omnibus Plan. As of December 31, 2023, there were 1,181,493 shares available for future grants under the Omnibus Plan.

The Company primarily grants time-based restricted share awards that vest over a one to four year period, subject to continued employment. The Company also grants performance-based restricted share awards. The number of shares which may be earned under the award is dependent upon the Company’s return on average assets, weighted equally, over a three-year period, measured against a peer group consisting of publicly-traded bank holding companies. The value associated with the grant of restricted stock awards is determined by multiplying the fair market value of the Company's common stock on the grant date by the number of shares awarded.

During 2023, the Company granted 305,117 shares of restricted common stock, par value $0.01 per share. Of this total, 6,113 restricted shares will vest in one year, 209,772 restricted shares will vest ratably over three years on each anniversary of the grant date, and 37,850 restricted shares will cliff vest on the third anniversary of the grant date, all subject to continued employment. In addition, 51,382 performance based shares were granted during 2023. The number of performance-based shares which may be earned under the award is dependent upon the Company’s return on average assets, weighted equally, over a three-year period ending December 31, 2025, measured against the KBW Regional Bank Index. Results will be measured cumulatively at the end of the three years and any earned shares will vest on the third anniversary of the grant date.

The following table discloses the changes in all unvested restricted shares for the year ended December 31, 2023:


	Omnibus Plan
	Number of Shares			Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Beginning balance, January 1, 2023		581,337		$	22.93
Granted		305,117			24.34
Incremental performance shares vested and issued		1,826
Vested		(238,638	)		21.18
Forfeited		(22,371	)		23.48
Ending balance outstanding at December 31, 2023		627,271			24.24

A total of 238,638, 234,603 and 148,577 restricted shares vested during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively. The fair value of restricted shares that vested during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 were $5.7 million, $5.9 million and $3.4 million, respectively.

The Company recognizes share-based compensation based on the estimated fair value of the restricted stock at the grant date. The fair value of the total stock return performance-based awards granted in 2023 were calculated based on a Monte Carlo simulation, using expected volatilities between 38.11% and 39.80%, a risk-free rate of 4.42%, and a simulation term of 2.85 years. Based on the equal weighing of total stock return and return on average assets, the grant date fair value of the performance based awards was $25.20 per share. Share-based compensation expense is included in non-interest expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The following table summarizes restricted stock compensation expense for the years ended:


	Years Ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2021
Total share-based compensation - restricted stock	$	6,715	$	5,334	$	4,018
Income tax benefit		1,806		1,474		1,108
Unrecognized compensation expense - restricted stock		9,371		9,151		6,991
Weighted-average amortization period remaining	1.9 years		2.3 years		2.2 years

The fair value of the unvested restricted stock awards at December 31, 2023 was $14.8 million.

During February 2024, the Company granted 347,492 shares of restricted common stock, par value $0.01 per share. Of this total, 268,595 restricted shares will vest ratably over three years on each anniversary of the grant date and 12,861 restricted shares will cliff vest on the third anniversary of the grant date, all subject to continued employment. In addition, 66,036 performance-based restricted shares were included in the February 2024 grant. The number of performance-based shares which may be earned under the award is dependent upon the Company’s total stockholder return and return on average assets, weighted equally, over a three-year period ending December 31, 2026, measured against the KBW Regional Bank Index. Results will be measured cumulatively at the end of the three years and any earned shares will vest on the third anniversary of the grant date.

In October 2014, the Company adopted the Byline Bancorp, Inc. Equity Incentive Plan ("BYB Plan"). The maximum number of shares available for grants under this plan was 2,476,122 shares. The Company granted 1,846,968 options to purchase shares under this plan. In June 2017, the Board of Directors terminated the BYB Plan and no future grants can be made under this plan. Options to purchase a total of 768,564 shares remain outstanding under the BYB Plan as of December 31, 2023.

The types of stock options granted under the BYB Plan were Time Options and Performance Options. The exercise price of each option is equal to the fair value of the stock as of the date of grant. These option awards had vesting periods ranging from one to five years and have 10-year contractual terms. Stock volatility was computed as the average of the volatilities of peer group companies. All outstanding stock options were fully vested and exercisable at December 31, 2023.

The fair values of the stock options were determined using the Black-Scholes-Merton model for Time Options and a Monte Carlo simulation model for Performance Options.

The following table discloses the activity in shares subject to options and the weighted average exercise prices, in actual dollars, for the year ended December 31, 2023:


	BYB Plan
	Number of Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Intrinsic Value		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (in Years)
Beginning balance, January 1, 2023		768,564	$	11.31	$	8,960		2.5
Expired		—
Exercised		—
Forfeited		—
Ending balance outstanding at December 31, 2023		768,564	$	11.31	$	9,413		1.5
Exercisable at December 31, 2023		768,564	$	11.31	$	9,413		1.5

No stock options were exercised during the year ended December 31, 2023, and a total of 568,484, and 53,531 stock options were exercised during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Proceeds from the exercise of stock options were $470,000 and $751,000 with a related tax benefit of $2.3 million and $121,000, for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. No stock options vested during the year ended December 31, 2023. No stock option compensation expense was recognized for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021.

Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger with First Evanston and its subsidiaries, dated as of November 27, 2017 (the "First Evanston Merger Agreement"), each outstanding First Evanston option held by a participant in the First Evanston Bancorp, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan (the "FEB Plan") ceased to represent a right to acquire shares of First Evanston common stock and was assumed and converted automatically into a fully vested and exercisable adjusted option to purchase shares of Byline common stock (each an "Adjusted Option"). In accordance with the First Evanston Merger Agreement, the number of shares of Byline common stock to which each such Adjusted Option relates is equal to the product (rounded down to the nearest whole share of Byline common stock) of: (a) the number of shares of First Evanston common stock subject to the First Evanston option immediately prior to May 31, 2018, multiplied by (b) 4.725. Each Adjusted Option has an exercise price per share of Byline common stock equal to the quotient (rounded up to the nearest whole cent) of (x) the per share exercise price of such First Evanston option immediately prior to May 31, 2018, divided by (y) 4.725. The description of the conversion process is based on, and qualified by, the First Evanston Merger Agreement.

The following table discloses the activity in shares subject to options under the FEB Plan and the weighted average exercise prices, in actual dollars, for the year ended December 31, 2023:


	FEB Plan
	Number of Shares			Weighted Average Exercise Price		Intrinsic Value		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (in Years)
Beginning balance, January 1, 2023		162,288		$	11.66	$	1,836		2.5
Exercised		(59,153	)	$	11.14	$	590
Forfeited		—
Expired		—
Ending balance outstanding at December 31, 2023		103,135		$	11.95	$	1,197		1.9
Exercisable at December 31, 2023		103,135		$	11.95	$	1,197		1.9

A total of 59,153, 7,559, and 62,366 stock options were exercised during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Proceeds from the exercise of stock options were $659,000, $80,000 and $705,000 with a related tax benefit of $158,000, $25,000 and $153,000, for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.