EX-10 2 ex10-20.txt EX-10.20 EXHIBIT 10.20 TALON INTERNATIONAL, INC. 2007 STOCK PLAN 1. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN. The purpose of this 2007 Stock Plan (the "PLAN") is to provide incentives and rewards to selected eligible directors, officers, employees and consultants of Talon International, Inc. (the "COMPANY") or its subsidiaries in order to assist the Company and its subsidiaries in attracting, retaining and motivating those persons by providing for or increasing the proprietary interests of those persons in the Company, and by associating their interests in the Company with those of the Company's stockholders. 2. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors of the Company (the "BOARD"), or a committee of the Board (the "COMMITTEE") whose members shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. If administration is delegated to the Committee, the Committee shall have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board (and references in this Plan to the Board shall thereafter be to the Committee), subject, however, to such resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as may be adopted from time to time by the Board. The Board shall have all the powers vested in it by the terms of the Plan, including exclusive authority (i) to select from among eligible directors, officers, employees and consultants, those persons to be granted "AWARDS" (as defined below) under the Plan; (ii) to determine the type, size and terms of individual Awards (which need not be identical) to be made to each person selected; (iii) to determine the time when Awards will be granted and to establish objectives and conditions (including, without limitation, vesting and performance conditions), if any, for earning Awards; (iv) to amend the terms or conditions of any outstanding Award, subject to applicable legal restrictions and to the consent of the other party to such Award; (v) to determine the duration and purpose of leaves of absences which may be granted to holders of Awards without constituting termination of their employment for purposes of their Awards; (vi) to authorize any person to execute, on behalf of the Company, any instrument required to carry out the purposes of the Plan; (vii) by resolution adopted by the Board, to authorize one or more officers of the Company to do one or both of the following: (a) designate eligible officers and employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to be recipients of Awards and (b) determine the number of such Awards to be received by such officers and employees, provided that the resolution so authorizing such officer or officers shall specify the total number of Awards such officer or officers may award; and (viii) to make any and all other determinations which it determines to be necessary or advisable in the administration of the Plan. The Board shall have full power and authority to administer and interpret the Plan and to adopt, amend and revoke such rules, regulations, agreements, guidelines and instruments for the administration of the Plan and for the conduct of its business as the Board deems necessary or advisable. The Board's interpretation of the Plan, and all actions taken and determinations made by the Board pursuant to the powers vested in it hereunder, shall be conclusive and binding on all parties concerned, including the Company, its stockholders, any participants in the Plan and any other employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. 3. PERSONS ELIGIBLE UNDER THE PLAN. Any person who is a director, officer, employee or consultant of the Company, or any of its subsidiaries (a "PARTICIPANT"), shall be eligible to be considered for the grant of Awards under the Plan. 4. AWARDS. (a) COMMON STOCK AND DERIVATIVE SECURITY AWARDS. Awards authorized under the Plan shall consist of any type of arrangement with a Participant that is not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan and that, by its terms, involves or might involve or be made with reference to the issuance of (i) shares of the Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company (the "COMMON STOCk") or (ii) a "derivative security" (as that term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) of the Rules and Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as the same may be amended from time to time) with an exercise or conversion price related to the Common Stock or with a value derived from the value of the Common Stock. (b) TYPES OF AWARDS. Awards are not restricted to any specified form or structure and may include, but need not be limited to, sales, bonuses and other transfers of stock, restricted stock, stock options, reload stock options, stock purchase warrants, other rights to acquire stock or securities convertible into or redeemable for stock, stock appreciation rights, phantom stock, dividend equivalents, performance units or performance shares, or any other type of Award which the Board shall determine is consistent with the objectives and limitations of the Plan. An Award may consist of one such security or benefit, or two or more of them in tandem or in the alternative. (c) CONSIDERATION. Common Stock may be issued pursuant to an Award for any lawful consideration as determined by the Board, including, without limitation, a cash payment, services rendered, or the cancellation of indebtedness. (d) GUIDELINES. The Board may adopt, amend or revoke from time to time written policies implementing the Plan. Such policies may include, but need not be limited to, the type, size and term of Awards to be made to participants and the conditions for payment of such Awards. (e) TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall determine all of the terms and conditions of each Award granted pursuant to the Plan, which terms and conditions may include, among other things: (i) any provision necessary for such Award to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "CODE") (an "INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION"); 2 (ii) a provision permitting the recipient of such Award to pay the purchase price of the Common Stock or other property issuable pursuant to such Award, or to pay such recipient's tax withholding obligation with respect to such issuance, in whole or in part, by delivering previously owned shares of capital stock of the Company or other property, or by reducing the number of shares of Common Stock or the amount of other property otherwise issuable pursuant to such Award; or (iii) a provision conditioning or accelerating the receipt of benefits pursuant to the Award, or terminating the Award, either automatically or in the discretion of the Board, upon the occurrence of specified events, including, without limitation, a change of control of the Company, an acquisition of a specified percentage of the voting power of the Company, the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, a sale of substantially all of the property and assets of the Company or an event of the type described in SECTION 7 of the Plan; PROVIDED, that, in each case, to the extent any amount constituting "nonqualified deferred compensation" subject to Section 409A of the Code would become payable under an Award by reason of a change of control, it shall become payable only if the event or circumstances constituting the change of control would also constitute a change in the ownership or effective control of the Company, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company's assets, within the meaning of subsection (a)(2)(A)(v) of Section 409A of the Code. (f) SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF AWARDS. If the Company believes that a Participant has committed an act of misconduct as described below, the Company may suspend the Participant's rights under any then outstanding Award pending a determination by the Board. If the Board determines that a Participant has committed an act of embezzlement, fraud, nonpayment of any obligation owed to the Company or any subsidiary, breach of fiduciary duty or deliberate disregard of the Company's rules resulting in loss, damage or injury to the Company, or if a Participant makes an unauthorized disclosure of trade secret or confidential information of the Company, engages in any conduct constituting unfair competition, or induces any customer of the Company to breach a contract with the Company, neither the Participant nor his or her estate shall be entitled to exercise any rights whatsoever with respect to such Award. In making such determination, the Board shall act fairly and shall give the Participant a reasonable opportunity to appear and present evidence on his or her behalf to the Board. (g) MAXIMUM GRANT OF AWARDS TO ANY PARTICIPANT. No Participant shall receive Awards representing more than 50% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to all Awards under the Plan as set forth in SECTION 5 hereof. 5. SHARES OF COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN. 3 The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued or issuable pursuant to all Awards under the Plan (including Awards in the form of Incentive Stock Options and Non-Statutory Stock Options) shall not exceed an aggregate of 2,600,000 shares of Common Stock, subject to adjustment as provided in SECTION 7 of the Plan. Shares of Common Stock subject to the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares. Any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award which for any reason expires or is terminated unexercised as to such shares shall again be available for issuance under the Plan. For purposes of this SECTION 5, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued at any time pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall be reduced by: i) the number of shares of Common Stock previously issued pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan, other than shares of Common Stock subsequently reacquired by the Company pursuant to the terms and conditions of such Awards and with respect to which the holder thereof received no benefits of ownership, such as dividends; and ii) the number of shares of Common Stock which were otherwise issuable pursuant to Awards granted under this Plan but which were withheld by the Company as payment of the purchase price of the Common Stock issued pursuant to such Awards or as payment of the recipient's tax withholding obligation with respect to such issuance. 6. PAYMENT OF AWARDS. The Board shall determine the extent to which Awards shall be payable in cash, shares of Common Stock or any combination thereof. The Board may, upon request of a Participant, determine that all or a portion of a payment to that Participant under the Plan, whether it is to be made in cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination thereof, shall be deferred. Deferrals shall be for such periods and upon such terms as the Board may determine in its sole discretion. 7. DILUTION AND OTHER ADJUSTMENT. In the event of any change in the outstanding shares of the Common Stock or other securities then subject to the Plan by reason of any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, combination or exchange of shares or other similar corporate change, or if the outstanding securities of the class then subject to the Plan are exchanged for or converted into cash, property or a different kind of securities, or if cash, property or securities are distributed in respect of such outstanding securities as a class (other than cash dividends), then the Board may, but it shall not be required to, make such equitable adjustments to the Plan and the Awards thereunder (including, without limitation, appropriate and proportionate adjustments in (i) the number and type of shares or other securities or cash or other property that may be acquired pursuant to Incentive Stock Options and other Awards theretofore granted under the Plan, (ii) the maximum number and type of shares or other securities that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options and other Awards thereafter granted under the Plan; and (iii) the maximum number of securities with respect to which Awards may thereafter be granted to any Participant in any fiscal year) as the Board in its sole discretion determines appropriate, including any adjustments in the maximum number of shares referred to in SECTION 5 of the Plan. Such adjustments shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes of the Plan. Unless the Board or Committee determines otherwise, any adjustments hereunder shall be done on terms and conditions consistent with Section 409A of the Code. 8. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. (a) DEFINITIONS. As used herein, "SUBSIDIARY" means any current or future corporation which would be a "subsidiary corporation," as that term is defined in Section 424(f) of the Code, of the Company. (b) CONDITIONS ON ISSUANCE. Securities shall not be issued pursuant to Awards unless the grant and issuance thereof shall comply with all relevant provisions of law and the requirements of any securities exchange or quotation system upon which any securities of the Company are listed, and shall be further subject to approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. Inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is determined by Company counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any security or Award, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the nonissuance or sale of such securities as to which requisite authority shall not have been obtained. 4 (c) RIGHTS AS STOCKHOLDER. A participant under the Plan shall have no rights as a holder of Common Stock with respect to Awards hereunder, unless and until certificates for shares of such stock are issued to the participant. (d) ASSIGNMENT OR TRANSFER. Subject to the discretion of the Board, and except with respect to Incentive Stock Options which are not transferable except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, Awards under the Plan or any rights or interests therein shall be assignable or transferable. (e) AGREEMENTS. All Awards granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by written agreements in such form and containing such terms and conditions (not inconsistent with the Plan) as the Board shall from time to time adopt. (f) WITHHOLDING TAXES. The Company shall have the right to deduct from all Awards hereunder paid in cash any federal, state, local or foreign taxes required by law to be withheld with respect to such awards and, with respect to awards paid in stock, to require the payment (through withholding from the participant's salary or otherwise) of any such taxes. The obligation of the Company to make delivery of Awards in cash or Common Stock shall be subject to the restrictions imposed by any and all governmental authorities. (g) NO RIGHTS TO AWARD. No Participant or other person shall have any right to be granted an Award under the Plan. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the employ of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which are hereby reserved, to discharge a Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without good cause. (h) COSTS AND EXPENSES. The costs and expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and not charged to any Award nor to any Participant receiving an Award. (i) FUNDING OF PLAN. The Plan shall be unfunded. The Company shall not be required to establish any special or separate fund or to make any other segregation of assets to assure the payment of any Award under the Plan. (a) SECTION 409A. Awards under the Plan are intended either to be exempt from the rules of Section 409A of the Code or to satisfy those rules, and the Plan and such awards shall be construed accordingly. Granted rights may be modified at any time, in the Board's or the Committee's discretion, so as to increase the likelihood of exemption from or compliance with the rules of Section 409A of the Code. 9. AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION. (a) AMENDMENTS. The Board may at any time terminate or from time to time amend the Plan in whole or in part, but no such action shall adversely affect any rights or obligations with respect to any Awards theretofore made under the Plan. However, with the consent of the Participant affected, the Board may amend outstanding agreements evidencing Awards under the Plan in a manner not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan. 5 (b) STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL. To the extent that Section 422 of the Code, other applicable law, or the rules, regulations, procedures or listing agreement of any national securities exchange or quotation system, requires that any amendment of the Plan be approved by the stockholders of the Company, no such amendment shall be effective unless and until it is approved by the stockholders in such a manner and to such a degree as is required. (c) TERMINATION. Unless the Plan shall theretofore have been terminated as above provided, the Plan (but not the awards theretofore granted under the Plan) shall terminate on and no awards shall be granted after October 1, 2017. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE. The Plan is effective on October 1, 2007, the date on which it was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company and the holders of the majority of the Common Stock of the Company. 11. GOVERNING LAW. The Plan and any agreements entered into thereunder shall be construed and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made within, and to be performed wholly within, such state, without regard to the application of conflict of laws rules thereof. 6