2. |
Definitions. The following terms shall be defined for purposes of the Plan as set forth below:
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(c) |
Cash and Equity Retainer Payments. Cash Retainer Payments will be made pursuant to Section 4 and Equity Retainer Payments will be made pursuant to Section 5. For partial years of service as a Participant,
the Board will apply the terms of the Plan on a pro rata basis to the extent reasonably practicable, in its discretion. All Equity Retainer Payments will be issued under, and subject to the terms and limitations of, the Plan pursuant to a
grant hereunder and an Award Agreement whose terms are consistent with the terms of this Plan.
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5. |
Initial Award; Equity Retainer Payments
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(a) |
Shares Available for Issuance.
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(i) |
Maximum Number of Shares Available; Restrictions. Subject to adjustment as provided in this
Section 5, the maximum number of Shares that will be available for issuance under the Plan will be 500,000.
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(ii) |
Accounting for Awards. Shares that are issued under the Plan or that are subject to
outstanding Awards will be applied to reduce the maximum number of Shares remaining available for issuance under the Plan; provided, however, that Shares forfeited under an Award will automatically again become available for issuance
under the Plan.
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(d) |
Vesting of Awards.
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(i) |
Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in an applicable Award Agreement, the Restricted Stock granted pursuant to Section 5(b) or 5(c) will vest on the first anniversary of the Grant Date if the recipient remains a
Participant under the Plan through such date.
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(ii) |
Accelerated Vesting.
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(A) |
If the recipient ceases to be a Participant under this Plan before the scheduled vesting date due to the recipient’s death or Disability or for “good
reason” as determined by the Board in its discretion, then the unvested portion of the recipient’s Award shall immediately vest on the date the recipient ceases to be a Participant under this Plan.
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(B) |
Without limiting the authority of the Board under Section 5(a)(iii), if a Change in Control occurs, then, if approved by the Board in its sole
discretion either in an applicable Award Agreement at the time of grant or at any time after the grant of an Award, the unvested portion (if any) of all outstanding Awards shall immediately vest and become nonforfeitable. All other Awards
will terminate and be forfeited upon the Change in Control.
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(iii) |
Forfeiture. An individual who ceases to be a Participant under this Plan for any reason other than for good reason as determined by the Board in its discretion automatically forfeits all Shares of Restricted Stock
granted pursuant to this Section 5(b) or 5(c) that remain unvested at such time (subject to any accelerated vesting under Section 5(d)(ii) or an applicable Award Agreement), and such forfeited shares shall automatically be re-conveyed to
the Company. Any rights or interest of such former Participants in such forfeited Restricted Stock shall be automatically cancelled and terminated and be of no further force and effect.
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(iv) |
Clawback/Recovery. Restricted Stock granted pursuant to Section 5(b) or 5(c) (and any compensation paid or Shares issued under this Plan) will be subject to recoupment in accordance with any clawback policy
that the Company may be required to adopt if Shares are listed on an established stock exchange or a national market system or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable
law. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to resign for “good reason” or “constructive termination” (or similar term) under any agreement with the Company.
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(e) |
Shareholder Rights. Except as provided in Sections 5(f), 5(g) and 5(i), or in an applicable Award Agreement, a Participant will have full voting and dividend rights as a shareholder with respect to the
Restricted Stock granted pursuant to Section 5(b) or 5(c).
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(h) |
Settlement of Awards. If and when the Shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to Section 5(b) or 5(c) vest in accordance with Section 5(d), the Company will deliver a Share free of restriction to the
Participant by (i) delivering to the Participant evidence of book entry Shares credited to the account of the Participant, or (ii) delivering such Shares to the Participant in certificate form.
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(i) |
Restrictions on Transfer.
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(i) |
Except pursuant to testamentary will or the laws of descent and distribution, as otherwise expressly permitted by Section 5(i)(ii), as otherwise
provided in any applicable Award Agreement or as otherwise approved by the Board or the Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, no right or interest of any Participant in Shares of Restricted Stock prior to vesting of such
Restricted Stock will be assignable or transferable, or subjected to any lien, during the lifetime of the Participant, either voluntarily or involuntarily, directly or indirectly, by operation of law or otherwise.
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(j) |
Securities Laws and Other Restrictions. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement, a Participant may not sell, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of Shares issued pursuant to
Awards granted under the Plan, unless (i) there is in effect with respect to such Shares a registration statement under the Securities Act and any applicable securities laws of a state or foreign jurisdiction or an exemption from such
registration under the Securities Act and applicable state or foreign securities laws, and (ii) there has been obtained any other consent, approval or permit from any other regulatory body which the Board, in its sole discretion, deems
necessary or advisable. The Company may condition such issuance, sale, or transfer upon the receipt of any representations or agreements from the parties involved, and the placement of any legends on certificates representing Shares, as
may be deemed necessary or advisable by the Company in order to comply with such securities laws or other restrictions.
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6. |
Expense Reimbursement. The Company will reimburse Participants for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses they incur to attend meetings or other Company functions in connection with their service on the Board. To the
extent such reimbursements are subject to Section 409A, (a) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement during any one calendar year shall not affect the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement in any other calendar year; (b)
reimbursements will be made no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense is incurred; and (c) no right to reimbursement hereunder shall be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.
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7. |
Meeting Fees. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, Participants will not be entitled to any additional remuneration in the form of fees for attending a meeting of the Board or a committee of the Board.
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8. |
Administration of the Plan. The Board shall have full authority to administer the Plan and to interpret and construe the Plan in accordance with its terms. The Board is authorized to adopt such
rules, regulations, forms and guidelines for administering the Plan, and delegate such Plan administrative responsibilities, in each case, as it deems necessary or appropriate. Without limiting the foregoing, all Participant elections
under the Plan must be submitted in such form and are subject to such procedures as may be authorized by the Board, from time to time, which procedures and forms may incorporate limitations, restrictions, and conditions the Board deems to
be necessary or appropriate. All actions of the Board shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all persons to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law. The Board may rely upon any information furnished by the Company, its
accountants and other advisors in its administration of the Plan. No individual serving on the Board will have personal liability by reason of any actions or omissions made in good faith and in furtherance of the Board’s administration of
the Plan.
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9. |
Amendment and Termination. The Board may at any time amend, suspend or discontinue the Plan at any time; provided that (a) no such amendment, suspension or termination shall impair the right of a Participant with
respect to earned and vested benefits under the Plan without his or her written consent, and (b) to the extent that approval by the Company’s shareholders is required for any modification, no such modification shall be effective without
such approval. Nothing in this Section serves to restrict or impair the Board’s ability at any time to exercise its discretionary authority in the administration of the Plan.
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11. |
Miscellaneous Provisions.
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(a) |
Transferability. No right under the Plan may be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution.
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(b) |
No Right to Continued Service. Nothing contained in the Plan confers to any Participant any right to continue a service relationship with the Company or its affiliates or interferes in any way with the
right of the Company or its affiliates at any time to terminate such service relationship in accordance with applicable law.
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(c) |
Section 409A. It is intended that this Plan and all payments made hereunder will be exempt from Section 409A, and the Plan shall be administered accordingly, and interpreted and construed on a basis consistent with
such intent. To the extent that any provision of the Plan or payment arrangement hereunder is not exempt from, and would fail to comply with the applicable requirements of, Section 409A, the Board may, in its sole discretion and without
requiring any Participant’s consent, make such modifications to the extent it determines necessary or advisable to comply with the requirements of Section 409A; provided that the Company shall in no event be obligated to pay any interest,
compensation, or penalties in respect of any such modifications. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as a guarantee of any particular tax effect for the payments made hereunder, and the Company does not guarantee that any
compensation provided under this Plan will be exempt from or satisfy the provisions of Section 409A.
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(d) |
Governing Law. The Plan and the rights of all persons under the Plan shall be construed and administered in accordance with the laws of Maryland without regard to its conflict of law principles.
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Position
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Supplemental Retainer Amount
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Audit Committee Chair
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$10,000
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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Chair
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$5,000
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Affiliate Transaction Committee Chair
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$5,000
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