S-8

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Bon Natural Life Limited (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Cayman Islands (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	Not applicable (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
C601, Gazelle Valley, No.69 Jinye Road. Xi’an Hi-tech Zone, Xi’an China (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Bon Natural Life Limited 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (Full title of the plan)
Sertus Incorporations Limited, Sertus Chambers, Governors Square, Suite #5-204, 23 Lime Tree Gay Avenue, PO Box 2547, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands (Name and address of agent for service)
0086-29-88318908 x805 (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.

☐ Large accelerated filer ☐ Accelerated filer

☐ Non-accelerated filer ☒ Smaller reporting company

☒ Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). ☐ Yes ☒ No

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1. Plan Information.*

Item 2.	Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.*
*	Information required by Part I to be contained in Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from the Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, and Note to Part I of Form S-8.

PART II

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:

1. Current Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on November 5, 2021

2. Current Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on January 31, 2022

3. Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Commission on January 31, 2022

4. Current Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on February 3, 2022

5. Current Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on June 22, 2022

6. Current Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on June 30, 2022

7. Current Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on August 1, 2022

8. Current Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on October 18, 2022

9. Current Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on November 8, 2022

10. Current Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on November 30, 2022

All reports and other documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which de-registers all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part of this Registration Statement from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.

Any statement contained in an Incorporated Document shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed Incorporated Document modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not Applicable

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

No expert or counsel named in this prospectus as having prepared or certified any part of it or as having given an opinion upon the validity of the securities being registered or upon other legal matters in connection with the registration or offering of the capital stock was employed on a contingency basis, or had, or is to receive, in connection with the offering, a substantial interest, direct or indirect, in the Company or any of its parents or subsidiaries. Nor was any such person connected with the Company or any of its parents or subsidiaries as a promoter, managing or principal underwriter, voting trustee, director, officer, or employee.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Companies Law of the Cayman Islands does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our memorandum and articles of association permit indemnification of officers and directors for losses, damages, costs, expenses, actions, proceedings, charges or liabilities incurred in their capacities as such unless such losses or damages arise from dishonesty, willful default or fraud of such directors or officers in or about the conduct of our company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such director or officer in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning our company or our affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation.

In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our memorandum and articles of association.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

Exhibit Number	Description
4.1	Bon Natural Life 2022 equity Incentive Plan
5.1	Opinion of Ogier regarding validity of securities with consent to use
23.1	Consent of Friedman LLP, independent registered public accounting firm
107	Filing Fee Table

Item 9. Undertakings.

A. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; or

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

B. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the Nevada Revised Statutes, the Articles of Incorporation of the registrant, the Bylaws of the registrant, indemnification agreements entered into between the registrant and its officers and directors or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant in successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered hereunder, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and authorized this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, in Xi’an, China, on December 23, 2022.

Bon Natural Life

By:	/s/ Yongwei Hu
	Yongwei Hu Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
By:	/s/ Zhenchao Li
	Zhenchao Li
	Chief Financial Officer, Director
	(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Yongwei Hu as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or any of them, or of their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities stated on December 23, 2022.

By:	/s/ Yongwei Hu
	Yongwei Hu Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
By:	/s/ Zhenchao Li
	Zhenchao Li Chief Financial Officer, Director (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
By:	/s/ James Edward Burns
	James Edward Burns Director
By:	/s/ Jeffrey J. Guzy
	Jeffrey J. Guzy Director
By:	/s/ Lawrence W. Leighton
	Lawrence W. Leighton Director

EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

BON NATURAL LIFE Limited

2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

		Page
I.	ESTABLISHMENT, OBJECTIVES AND DURATION	3
II.	DEFINITIONS	3
III.	ADMINISTRATION	7
IV.	SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN AND MAXIMUM AWARDS	7
V.	ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION	9
VI.	STOCK OPTIONS	9
VII.	STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS	11
VIII.	RESTRICTED STOCK	12
IX.	RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS	15
X.	PERFORMANCE UNITS AND PERFORMANCE SHARES	16
XI.	PERFORMANCE MEASURES	17
XII.	BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION	17
XIII.	DEFERRALS	18
XIV.	RIGHTS OF PARTICIPANTS	18
XV.	AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, TERMINATION AND ADJUSTMENTS	18
XVI.	PAYMENT OF PLAN AWARDS AND CONDITIONS THEREON	19
XVII.	CHANGE IN CONTROL	19
XVIII.	TAX PROVISIONS	20
XIX.	INDEMNIFICATION	20
XX.	SUCCESSORS	20
XXI.	LEGAL CONSTRUCTION	21

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BON NATURAL LIFE LIMITED
2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

I. ESTABLISHMENT, OBJECTIVES AND DURATION

A. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PLAN. Bon Natural Life Limited, a corporation established in the Cayman Islands (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”), hereby adopts an incentive compensation plan known as the “Bon Natural Life Limited 2022 Equity Incentive Plan” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”), as set forth in this document. The Plan permits the grant of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares and Performance Units.

The Plan shall become effective upon adoption hereof by the Board of Directors and the stockholders of the Company (the “Effective Date”). The Plan shall remain in effect as provided in Section I.C hereof.

B. OBJECTIVES OF THE PLAN. The objectives of the Plan are to optimize the profitability and growth of the Company through incentives which are consistent with the Company’s goals and which link the personal interests of Participants to those of the Company’s stockholders; to provide Participants with an incentive for excellence in individual performance; and to promote teamwork among Participants.

It is also intended with respect to the Non-Employee Directors of the Company that the Committee be able to choose from among Awards of Non-Qualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock and RSUs which will (a) permit Non-Employee Directors to increase their ownership and proprietary interest in the Company and enhance their identification with the interests of the Company’s stockholders, (b) provide a means of compensating Non-Employee Directors that will help attract qualified candidates to serve as Non-Employee Directors, and (c) induce incumbent Non-Employee Directors to continue to serve if the Board desires that they remain on the Board.

C. DURATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall commence on the Effective Date and shall remain in effect, subject to the right of the Board of Directors to amend or terminate the Plan at any time pursuant to Article XV hereof, until all Shares subject to it shall have been purchased or acquired according to the Plan’s provisions.

II. DEFINITIONS

Whenever used in the 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:

A. “AFFILIATE” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Exchange Act.

B. “AWARD” means, individually or collectively, a grant under this Plan of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares or Performance Units.

C. “AWARD AGREEMENT” means an agreement entered into by the Company and each Participant setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to Awards granted under this Plan.

D. “BENEFICIAL OWNER” or “BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

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E. “BOARD” or “BOARD OF DIRECTORS” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

F. “CHANGE IN CONTROL” shall mean the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

(i) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Shares to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or a “person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or

(ii) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Section II.F(i) or II.F(iii) whose election by the Board 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 two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or

(iii) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (a) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (b) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (c) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:

(1) which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the “SUCCESSOR ENTITY”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and

(2) after which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this Section 2.9(c)(ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; or

(iv) The Company’s stockholders approve a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any portion of an Award that provides for the deferral of compensation and is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the transaction or event described in subsection (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) must also constitute a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) to the extent required by Section 409A.

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The Committee shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control of the Company has occurred pursuant to the above definition, and the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority is in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.

G. “CODE” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

H. “COMMITTEE” means the Compensation Committee of the Board (or a successor committee with similar authority) or if no such committee is named by the Board, then it shall mean the Board.

I. “COMPANY” means Bon Natural Life Limited including any and all Subsidiaries, and any successor thereto as provided in Article XX herein.

J. “COVERED EMPLOYEE” means a Participant who, as of the date of vesting and/or payout of an Award, as applicable, is one of the group of “covered employees,” as defined in Code Section 162(m) and the regulations promulgated under Code Section 162(m), or any successor statute.

K. “DIRECTOR” means any individual who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Company or any Subsidiary; provided, however, that any Director who is employed by the Company shall be considered an Employee under the Plan.

L. “DISABILITY” with respect to any Award, a Participant shall be considered Disabled if the Participant is considered “disabled” under the Company’s long-term disability plan then in effect, or if none, then if the Participant qualifies to receive disability payments under the federal Social Security Act.

M. “EFFECTIVE DATE” shall mean that date on which the Plan has been adopted and approved by both the Board of Directors and a majority of the stockholders of the Company.

N. “EMPLOYEE” means any full-time, active employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries. Directors who are not employed by the Company shall not be considered Employees under this Plan.

O. “EXCHANGE ACT” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor act thereto.

P. “FAIR MARKET VALUE” shall be determined on the basis of the closing sale price at which Shares have been sold on the principal securities exchange on which the Shares are traded or, if there is no such sale on the relevant date, then on the last previous day on which there was such a sale.

Q. “FREESTANDING SAR” means an SAR that is granted independently of any Options, as described in Article VII herein.

R. “INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION” or “ISO” means an option to purchase Shares granted under Article VI herein and which is designated as an Incentive Stock Option and which is intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422.

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S. “INSIDER” shall mean an individual who is, on the relevant date, an officer, director or more than ten percent (10%) Beneficial Owner of any class of the Company’s equity securities that is registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, all as defined under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

T. “NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR” shall mean a Director who is not also an Employee.

U. “NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION” or “NQSO” means an option to purchase Shares granted under Article VI herein and which is not intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422.

V. “OPTION” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option, as described in Article VI herein.

W. “OPTION PRICE” means the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to an Option.

X. “PARTICIPANT” means: (1) an Employee or consultant who has been selected to receive an Award or who has an outstanding Award granted under the Plan; or (2) a Non-Employee Director who has been selected to receive an Award other than an Incentive Stock Option, Performance Share or Performance Unit or who has an outstanding Award other than an Incentive Stock Option, Performance Share or Performance Unit granted under the Plan.

Y. “PERFORMANCE-BASED EXCEPTION” means the performance-based exception from the tax deductibility limitations of Code Section 162(m).

Z. “PERFORMANCE SHARE” means an Award granted to a Participant (other than a Non-Employee Director), as described in Article X herein, that shall have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.

AA. “PERFORMANCE UNIT” means an Award granted to a Participant (other than a Non-Employee Director), as described in Article X herein, that shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee on the date of grant.

BB. “PERIOD OF RESTRICTION” means the period during which the transfer of Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units is limited in some way (based on the passage of time, the achievement of performance goals or upon the occurrence of other events as determined by the Committee, at its discretion, as specified in the Award Agreement), and the Shares are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, as provided in Article VIII and Article IX herein.

CC. “PERSON” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) thereof.

DD. “RESTRICTED STOCK” means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Article VIII herein.

EE. “RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT” or “RSU” means an award granted to a Participant pursuant to Article IX herein.

FF. “SEPARATION FROM SERVICE” means a termination of employment or other separation from service as described in Code Section 409A and the regulations thereunder.

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GG. “SHARES” means the shares of common stock of the Company.

HH. “SPECIFIED EMPLOYEE” means, with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and determined as of the date of an individual’s separation from service from the Company (1) any officer during the prior twelve (12) month period with annual compensation in excess of $170,000 (as adjusted from time to time under the Code), (2) a 5-percent owner of the Company’s outstanding equity stock during the prior twelve (12) month period or (3) a 1-percent owner of the Company’s outstanding equity stock during the prior (12) month period with annual compensation in excess of $150,000 (as adjusted from time under Code), provided that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is publicly-traded within the meaning of Code Section 409A on the date of determination.

II. “STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHT” or “SAR” means an Award, granted alone or, in connection with a related Option, designated as an SAR, pursuant to the terms of Article VII herein.

JJ. “SUBSIDIARY” means any corporation, partnership, joint venture or other entity in which the Company has a majority voting interest (including all divisions, affiliates and related entities).

KK. “TANDEM SAR” means an SAR that is granted in connection with a related Option pursuant to Article VII herein, the exercise of which shall require forfeiture of the right to purchase a Share under the related Option (and when a Share is purchased under the Option, the Tandem SAR shall similarly be canceled).

III. ADMINISTRATION

A. THE COMMITTEE. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee.

B. AUTHORITY OF THE COMMITTEE. Except as limited by law or by the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company, and subject to the provisions herein, the Committee shall have full power to select Employees and Non-Employee Directors who shall participate in the Plan; determine the sizes and types of Awards; determine the terms and conditions of Awards in a manner consistent with the Plan; construe and interpret the Plan and any agreement or instrument entered into under the Plan; establish or amend rules and regulations for the Plan’s administration; and (subject to the provisions of Article XV herein) amend the terms and conditions of any outstanding Award to the extent such terms and conditions are within the discretion of the Committee as provided in the Plan. Further, the Committee is empowered hereby to make all other determinations which may be necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. As permitted by law, the Committee may delegate its authority as identified herein.

C. DECISIONS BINDING. All determinations and decisions made by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan and all related orders and resolutions of the Board shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its stockholders, Directors, Employees, Participants and their estates and beneficiaries.

IV. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN AND MAXIMUM AWARDS

A. NUMBER OF SHARES AVAILABLE FOR GRANTS. Subject to adjustment as set forth in Sections IV.B and IV.C herein, the maximum number of Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted to Participants under the Plan may not exceed, at any given time, fifteen percent (15%) of the total of: (a) the issued and outstanding shares of the Corporation’s Common Stock, and (b) all shares common stock issuable upon conversion or exercise of any outstanding securities of the Corporation which are convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock under the terms thereof . Shares issued under the Plan may be either authorized but unissued Shares, treasury Shares or any combination thereof.

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B. ADJUSTMENTS FOR AWARDS AND PAYOUTS. Unless determined otherwise by the Committee, the following Awards and payouts will reduce, on a one-for-one basis, the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan:

1. An Award of an Option;

2. An Award of a SAR;

3. An Award of Restricted Stock;

4. A payout of a Performance Share Award in Shares; and

5. A payout of a Performance Units Award in Shares.

Unless determined otherwise by the Committee, unless a Participant has received a benefit of ownership such as dividend or voting rights with respect to the Award, the following transactions will restore, on a one-for-one basis, the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan:

1. A payout of a SAR or a Tandem SAR in cash;

2. A cancellation, termination, expiration, forfeiture or lapse for any reason (with the exception of the termination of a Tandem SAR upon exercise of the related Options, or the termination of a related Option upon exercise of the corresponding Tandem SAR) of any Award payable in Shares;

3. Shares tendered in payment of the exercise price of an Option;

4. Shares withheld for payment of federal, state or local taxes;

5. Shares repurchased by the Company with proceeds collected in connection with the exercise of outstanding Options; and

6. The net Shares issued in connection with the exercise of SARs (as opposed to the full number of Shares underlying the exercised portion of the SAR).

C. ADJUSTMENTS IN AUTHORIZED SHARES. In the event of any change in corporate capitalization such as a stock split or stock dividend, or a corporate transaction such as any merger, consolidation, separation, including a spin-off, or other distribution of stock or property of the Company, any reorganization (whether or not such reorganization comes within the definition of such term in Code Section 368) or any partial or complete liquidation of the Company, such adjustment shall be made in the number and class of Shares which are reserved and may be delivered under Section IV.A, and in the number and class of and/or price of Shares subject to outstanding Awards granted under the Plan, as may be determined to be appropriate and equitable by the Committee, in its sole discretion, to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights; provided, however, that the number of Shares subject to any Award shall always be a whole number.

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V. ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

A. ELIGIBILITY. Persons eligible to participate in this Plan include officers and certain key salaried Employees of the Company with potential to contribute to the success of the Company or its Subsidiaries, including Employees who are members of the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Non-Employee Directors of the Company or consultants shall be eligible to participate in the Plan with respect to Awards of Non-Qualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock and RSUs, as specified in Article VI, Article VII, Article VIII and Article IX. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Plan, the Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of any such Awards to Non-Employee Directors, including the terms and conditions which shall apply upon a termination of the Non-Employee Director’s service as a member of the Board, and shall have full power and authority in its discretion to administer such Awards, subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law.

B. ACTUAL PARTICIPATION. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select in its sole and broad discretion, upon or without the recommendation of officers of the Company, from all eligible Employees those to whom Awards shall be granted, and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award.

VI. STOCK OPTIONS

A. GRANT OF OPTIONS. Subject to the terms and provisions of the 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. For purposes of this Article VI, with respect to NQSOs only, the term “Participant” shall include Non-Employee Directors and consultants of the Company.

B. AWARD AGREEMENT. Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Option Price, the duration of the Option, the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. The Award Agreement also shall specify whether the Option is intended to be an ISO within the meaning of Code Section 422, or an NQSO, whose grant is intended not to fall under the provisions of Code Section 422.

C. OPTION PRICE. The Option Price for each grant of an Option under this Plan shall be at least equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no ISO shall be granted to any person who, immediately prior to the grant, owns stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, unless the Option Price is at least one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of the Option.

D. DURATION 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, that no Option shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10^th) anniversary following the date of its grant and provided further that no Option that is an ISO shall be exercisable later than the fifth (5^th) anniversary following the date of its grant to a Participant, who at the time of such grant owns stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company.

E. EXERCISE OF OPTIONS. Options granted under this Article VI shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall in each instance approve, which need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant.

F. PAYMENT. Options granted under this Article VI 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 Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares.

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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 months prior to their tender to satisfy the Option Price); or (c) by a combination of (a) and (b).

The Committee, in its discretion, may also (a) allow cashless exercise as permitted under Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation T, subject to applicable securities law restrictions, (b) cashless exercise by the Participant by the Company’s withholding of Shares issuable upon exercise of an Option, or (c) 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(s).

G. RESTRICTIONS ON SHARE TRANSFERABILITY. The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option granted under this Article VI as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, restrictions under applicable federal securities laws, under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed and/or traded, and under any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Shares.

H. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT BY A PARTICIPANT WHO IS AN EMPLOYEE. With respect to a Participant who is an Employee, each Option 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 employment with the Company, with the exception of a termination of employment after a Change in Control, which is controlled by Article XVII. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee but shall conform to the limitations established in Section VI.D, shall be included in the Award Agreement entered into with each Participant, need not be uniform among all Options issued pursuant to this Article VI, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of employment.

I. NONTRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS.

1. INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. No ISO granted under the Plan may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, all ISOs granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or the Participant’s legal representative (to the extent permitted under Code Section 422).

2. NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTIONS. No NQSO granted under this Article VI may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, all NQSOs granted to a Participant under this Article VI shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or the Participant’s legal representative.

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VII. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

A. GRANT OF SARS. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, SARs may be granted to Participants at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee. The Committee may grant Freestanding SARs, Tandem SARs or any combination of these forms of SAR. For purposes of this Article VII, the term “Participant” shall include Non-Employee Directors of the Company and consultants; provided, however, that a Tandem SAR may not be granted to a Non-Employee Director or consultant unless the related Option is a NQSO.

The Committee shall have complete discretion in determining the number of SARs granted to each Participant (subject to Article IV herein) and, consistent with the provisions of the Plan, in determining the terms and conditions pertaining to such SARs.

The grant price of a Freestanding SAR shall equal the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of the SAR. The grant price of Tandem SARs shall equal the Option Price of the related Option.

B. EXERCISE OF TANDEM SARS. Tandem SARs may be exercised for all or part of the Shares subject to the related Option upon the surrender of the right to exercise the equivalent portion of the related Option. A Tandem SAR may be exercised only with respect to the Shares for which its related Option is then exercisable.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, with respect to a Tandem SAR granted to an Employee in connection with an ISO: (i) the Tandem SAR will expire no later than the expiration of the underlying ISO; (ii) the value of the payout with respect to the Tandem SAR may be for no more than one hundred percent (100%) of the difference between the Option Price of the underlying ISO and the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the underlying ISO at the time the Tandem SAR is exercised; and (iii) the Tandem SAR may be exercised only when the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the ISO exceeds the Option Price of the ISO.

C. EXERCISE OF FREESTANDING SARS. Freestanding SARs may be exercised upon whatever terms and conditions the Committee, in its sole discretion, imposes upon them.

D. SAR AGREEMENT. Each SAR grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the grant price, the term of the SAR, and such other provisions as the Committee may determine.

E. TERM OF SARS. The term of an SAR granted under the Plan shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion; provided, however, that such term shall not exceed ten (10) years.

F. PAYMENT OF SAR AMOUNT. Upon exercise of an SAR, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:

1. the difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the grant price; by

2. the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.

At the discretion of the Committee, the payment upon SAR exercise may be in cash, in Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof. The Committee’s determination regarding the form of SAR payout shall be set forth in the Award Agreement pertaining to the grant of the SAR.

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G. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT BY A PARTICIPANT WHO IS AN EMPLOYEE. With respect to a Participant who is an Employee, each SAR Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to exercise the SAR following termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company and/or its Subsidiaries, with the exception of a termination of employment that occurs after a Change in Control, which is controlled by Article XVII. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be included in the Award Agreement entered into with Participants, need not be uniform among all SARs issued pursuant to the Plan and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of employment.

H. NONTRANSFERABILITY OF SARS. No SAR granted under the Plan may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, all SARs granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or the Participant’s legal representative.

VIII. RESTRICTED STOCK

A. GRANT OF RESTRICTED STOCK. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Shares of Restricted Stock to Participants in such amounts as the Committee shall determine. For purposes of this Article VIII, the term “Participant” shall include Non-Employee Directors of the Company and consultants.

B. RESTRICTED STOCK AGREEMENT. Each Restricted Stock grant shall be evidenced by a Restricted Stock Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s) of Restriction, the number of Shares of Restricted Stock granted and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

C. NONTRANSFERABILITY. Except as provided in this Article VIII and subject to federal securities laws, the Shares of Restricted Stock granted under the Plan may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated until the end of the applicable Period of Restriction established by the Committee and specified in the Restricted Stock Award Agreement, or upon earlier satisfaction of any other conditions, as specified by the Committee in its sole discretion and as set forth in the Restricted Stock Award Agreement. All rights with respect to the Restricted Stock granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be available during his or her lifetime only to such Participant or the Participant’s legal representative for the Period of Restriction.

D. OTHER RESTRICTIONS. Subject to Article XI herein, the Committee may impose such other conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable including, without limitation, a requirement that Participants pay a stipulated purchase price for each Share of Restricted Stock, restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance goals (Company-wide, divisional and/or individual), time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of the performance goals and/or restrictions under applicable federal or state securities laws.

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.

Except as otherwise provided in this Article VIII and subject to Federal securities laws, Shares of Restricted Stock covered by each Restricted Stock grant made under the Plan shall become freely transferable by the Participant after the last day of the applicable Period of Restriction.

E. VOTING RIGHTS. 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.

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F. DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS. During the Period of Restriction, Participants holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder shall be credited with regular cash dividends paid with respect to the underlying Shares while they are so held. The Committee may apply any restrictions to the dividends that the Committee deems appropriate. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, if the grant or vesting of Restricted Stock granted to a Covered Employee is designed to comply with the requirements of the Performance-Based Exception, the Committee may apply any restrictions it deems appropriate to the payment of dividends declared with respect to such Restricted Stock, such that the dividends and/or the Restricted Stock maintain eligibility for the Performance-Based Exception. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) dividends accrued on Restricted Stock will only be paid if the Restricted Stock vests; and (ii) for any Award that is governed by Code Section 409A regarding non-qualified deferred compensation, the Committee shall establish the schedule of any payments of dividends in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A or any guidance promulgated thereunder.

G. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT BY A PARTICIPANT WHO IS AN EMPLOYEE. With respect to a Participant who is an Employee, each Restricted Stock Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to receive nonvested Restricted Shares following termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company. 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 issued pursuant to the Plan and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of employment.

H. VESTING OF RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS. Unless otherwise provided in the Plan or under an Award Agreement: (1) all Awards of Restricted Stock that vest based on the passage of time which are granted to a Participant shall vest no more rapidly than pro-rata over a three (3) year period from the date of grant (the “Time-Based Restricted Stock”); and (2) all Awards of Restricted Stock that vest based on the achievement of specific measures designed to satisfy the Performance-Based Exception or other performance measures which are granted to a Participant shall vest no more rapidly than one (1) year from the date of grant (the “Performance-Based Restricted Stock”); provided, however: (1) up to ten percent (10%) of the Time-Based Restricted Stock Awards, Performance-Based Restricted Stock Awards, or both, may by designation of the Committee (as reflected in the Restricted Stock Award Agreement), be subject to a more accelerated time-based vesting schedule or performance-based vesting schedule, as the case may be; and (2) Restricted Stock Awards which fully vest upon certain termination events as determined by the Committee and specified in the Employee’s Restricted Stock Award Agreement (or as a result of termination from the Board as a Non-Employee Director pursuant to Section VIII.I.3.f.) or a Change in Control shall not count as part of this ten percent (10%) pool.

I. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS RELATED TO RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS TO NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS.

1. AWARD DATES. Effective as of the date specified by the Committee in its sole discretion, each Non-Employee Director will be awarded such number of Shares of Restricted Stock as determined by the Board, after consideration of the recommendation of the Committee. Non-Employee Directors may, but need not, be awarded the same number of Shares of Restricted Stock. A Non-Employee Director who is first elected to the Board on a date subsequent to the date specified by the Committee in its sole discretion will be awarded such number of Shares of Restricted Stock as of such date of election as determined by the Board, after consideration of the recommendation of the Committee.

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2. DIVIDEND RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF RESTRICTED STOCK. Notwithstanding Section VIII.F., upon issuance of a Restricted Stock Agreement, the Non-Employee Director in whose name the Restricted Stock Agreement is registered will, subject to the provisions of the Plan have the right to receive cash dividends and other cash distributions thereon.

3. PERIOD OF RESTRICTION. Restricted Stock will be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section VIII.I.4. and the other provisions of the Plan during the Period of Restriction commencing on the date as of which the Restricted Stock is awarded (the “Award Date”) and ending on the earliest of the first to occur of the following:

a. the retirement of the Non-Employee Director from the Board in compliance with the Board’s retirement policy as then in effect;

b. the termination of the Non-Employee Director’s service on the Board as a result of the Non-Employee Director’s not being nominated for reelection by the Board;

c. the termination of the Non-Employee Director’s service on the Board because of the Non-Employee Director’s resignation or failure to stand for reelection with the consent of the Company’s Board (which means approval by at least 80% of the Directors voting, with the affected Non-Employee Director abstaining);

d. the termination of the Non-Employee Director’s service on the Board because the Non-Employee Director, although nominated for reelection by the Board, is not reelected by the stockholders;

e. the termination of the Non-Employee Director’s service on the Board because of (i) the Non-Employee’s Director’s resignation at the request of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board (or successor committee), (ii) the Non-Employee Director’s removal by action of the stockholders or by the Board, or (iii) a Change in Control of the Company;

f. the termination of the Non-Employee Director’s service on the Board because of Disability or death; or

g. the vesting of the Restricted Stock.

Section VIII.I.3.a. through g. above are subject to the further restrictions that a removal or resignation for “Cause” will be deemed to not constitute completion of the Period of Restriction and will result in a forfeiture of Restricted Stock not previously vested under Section VIII.I.4. For purposes of this Plan, “Cause” will be a good faith determination by the Board that the Non-Employee Director (i) failed to substantially perform his or her duties (other than a failure resulting from his or her incapacity due to physical or mental illness) after a written demand for substantial performance has been delivered to him or her by the Board, which demand specifically identifies the manner in which the Board believes such Non-Employee Director has not substantially performed his or her duties; (ii) has engaged in conduct the consequences of which are materially adverse to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; or (iii) has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to or been convicted of a felony. The Non-Employee Director will not be deemed to have been terminated for Cause unless there will have been delivered to the Non-Employee Director a letter from the Board setting forth the reasons for the Company’s termination of the Non-Employee Director for Cause and, with respect to (i) or (ii), stating that the Non-Employee Director has failed to cure such reason for termination within thirty (30) days after the Non-Employee Director’s receipt of such notice.

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4. FORFEITURE OF RESTRICTED STOCK. As of the date (“Termination Date”) a Non-Employee Director ceases to be a member of the Board for any reason, including but not limited to removal or resignation for Cause, the Non-Employee Director shall forfeit to the Company all Restricted Stock awarded to the Non-Employee Director for which the Period of Restriction has not ended pursuant to Section VIII.I.3. as of or prior to the Termination Date.

IX. RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

A. GRANT OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS. Subject to the terms of the Plan, RSUs may be granted to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee. For purposes of this Article IX, the term “Participant” shall include Non-Employee Directors of the Company and consultants.

B. RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT. Each RSU grant shall be evidenced by a Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s) of Restriction, the number of RSUs granted, and such other provisions as the Committee may determine.

C. VALUE OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT. Each RSU shall have a value that is equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.

D. FORM AND TIMING OF PAYMENT OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS. Settlement of vested RSUs may be made in the form of (i) cash, (ii) Shares or (iii) any combination of both, as determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of the RSUs, in its sole discretion. Vested RSUs shall be settled in a lump sum as soon as administratively practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than two and one-half (2 ½) months following the vesting date. The amount of such settlement shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the RSUs on the vesting date.

E. DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS. Each RSU shall be credited with an amount equal to the dividends paid on a Share between the date of grant and the date such RSU is paid to the Participant (if at all). Dividend equivalents shall vest, if at all, upon the same terms and conditions governing the vesting of RSUs under the Plan. Payment of the dividend equivalent shall be made at the same time as payment of the RSU and shall be made without interest or other adjustment. If the RSU is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to dividend equivalents.

F. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of RSUs shall have no voting rights.

G. NONTRANSFERABILITY. RSUs may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by laws of descent and distribution.

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X. PERFORMANCE UNITS AND PERFORMANCE SHARES

A. GRANT OF PERFORMANCE UNITS/SHARES. Subject to the terms of the Plan, Performance Units and/or Performance Shares may be granted to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee.

B. PERFORMANCE UNIT/SHARE AGREEMENT. Each Performance Unit or Performance Share grant shall be evidenced by a Performance Unit or Performance Share Award Agreement, as the case may be, that shall specify the number of Performance Units or Performance Shares granted and such other provisions as the Committee may determine.

C. VALUE OF PERFORMANCE UNITS/SHARES. Each Performance Unit shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant. Each Performance Share shall have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant. The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number and/or value of Performance Units/Shares that will be paid out to the Participant. For purposes of this Article X, the time period during which the performance goals must be met shall be called a “Performance Period.”

D. EARNING OF PERFORMANCE UNITS/SHARES. Subject to the terms of this Plan, after the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Units/Shares shall be entitled to receive payout on the number and value of Performance Units/Shares earned by the Participant over the Performance Period, to be determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance goals have been achieved.

E. FORM AND TIMING OF PAYMENT OF PERFORMANCE UNITS/SHARES. Payment of earned Performance Units/Shares shall be made in a single lump sum following the close of the applicable Performance Period. Subject to the terms of this Plan, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Performance Units/Shares in the form of cash or in Shares (or in a combination thereof) which have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the value of the earned Performance Units/Shares at the close of the applicable Performance Period. Such Shares may be granted subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee. The determination of the Committee with respect to the form of payout of such Awards shall be set forth in the Award Agreement pertaining to the grant of the Award. Payment shall be made no later than two and one-half (2 ½) months following the close of the Performance Period.

F. SEPARATION FROM SERVICE DUE TO DEATH OR DISABILITY. In the event the Participant incurs a Separation From Service by reason of death or Disability during a Performance Period, the Participant shall not receive a payout of the Performance Units/Shares, unless determined otherwise by the Committee or set forth in the Participant’s Award Agreement.

Payment of earned Performance Units/Shares shall be made at a time specified by the Committee in its sole discretion and set forth in the Participant’s Award Agreement.

G. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT FOR OTHER REASONS. In the event that a Participant’s employment terminates for any reason other than those reasons set forth in Section X.F. herein, all Performance Units/Shares intended to qualify for the Performance-Based Exception shall be forfeited by the Participant to the Company.

H. NONTRANSFERABILITY. Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, Performance Units/Shares may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, a Participant’s rights under the Plan shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant or the Participant’s legal representative.

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I. NO DIVIDEND AND VOTING RIGHTS. Participants will not be entitled to receive any dividends declared with respect to Shares which have been earned in connection with grants of Performance Units and/or Performance Shares, but not yet distributed to Participants nor shall Participants have voting rights with respect to such Shares.

XI. PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Unless and until the Committee proposes for stockholder vote and the Company’s stockholders approve a change in the general performance measures set forth in this Article XI, the attainment of which may determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to Awards to Covered Employees which measures are designed to qualify for the Performance-Based Exception, the performance measure(s) to be used for purposes of such grants may be measured at the Company level, at a Subsidiary or Affiliate level, or at an operating unit level and shall be chosen from among the following: net income either before or after taxes (including adjusted net income), share price, earnings per share (basic or diluted), total stockholder return, return on assets, return on equity, operating income, return on capital or investment, cash flow or adjusted cash flow from operations, economic value added or adjusted cash flow per Share (net income plus or minus change in operating assets and liabilities), debt level, cost reduction targets, and equity ratios.

The Committee shall have the discretion to adjust the determinations of the degree of attainment of the preestablished performance goals; provided, however, that Awards which are designed to qualify for the Performance-Based Exception, and which are held by Covered Employees, may not be adjusted upward (the Committee shall retain the discretion to adjust such Awards downward).

In the event that applicable tax and/or securities laws or exchange listing standards change to permit Committee discretion to alter the governing performance measures without obtaining stockholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such changes without obtaining stockholder approval. In addition, in the event that the Committee determines that it is advisable to grant Awards which shall not qualify for the Performance-Based Exception, the Committee may make such grants without satisfying the requirements of Code Section 162(m).

In the case of any Award which is granted subject to the condition that a specified performance measure be achieved, no payment under such Award shall be made prior to the time that the Committee certifies in writing that the performance measure has been satisfied, in accordance with Internal Revenue Service requirements. No such certification is required, however, in the case of an Award that is based solely on an increase in the value of a Share from the date such Award was made.

XII. BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION

Each Participant under the Plan may, from time to time, name any beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may be named contingently or successively) to whom any benefit under the Plan is to be paid in case of his or her death before he or she receives any or all of such benefit. Each such designation shall revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the Company, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing with the Company during the Participant’s lifetime. In the absence of any such designated beneficiary, benefits remaining unpaid at the Participant’s death shall be paid to the Participant’s estate.

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XIII. DEFERRALS

The Committee may permit or require a Participant to defer such Participant’s receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of Shares that would otherwise be due to such Participant by virtue of the exercise of an Option or SAR, the lapse or waiver of restrictions with respect to Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, or the satisfaction of any requirements or goals with respect to Performance Units/Shares. If any such deferral election is required or permitted, the Committee shall, in its sole discretion, establish rules and procedures for such payment deferrals, provided, however, all deferrals shall be made in accordance with all applicable requirements of Code Section 409A or any guidance promulgated thereunder.

XIV. RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES

A. EMPLOYMENT. Nothing in the Plan shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company to terminate any Participant’s employment at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company.

B. PARTICIPATION. No Employee 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.

XV. AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, TERMINATION AND ADJUSTMENTS

A. AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Board, upon recommendation of the Committee, may at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan in whole or in part for any purpose which the Committee deems appropriate and that is otherwise consistent with Code Section 409A; provided, however, no amendment shall, without shareholder approval, (i) materially increase the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan; (ii) materially increase the number of securities which may be issued under the Plan; or (iii) materially modify the requirements for participation in the Plan.

Except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, or exchange of shares), the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to reduce the exercise price of outstanding Options or SARs or cancel outstanding Options or SARs in exchange for cash, other awards or Options or SARs with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Options or SARs without shareholder approval.

B. ADJUSTMENT OF AWARDS UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF CERTAIN UNUSUAL OR NONRECURRING EVENTS. The Committee may 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 IV.C. 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 dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan; provided that unless the Committee determines otherwise, no such adjustment shall be authorized to the extent that such authority would be inconsistent with the Plan or Awards meeting the requirements of Code Sections 162(m) and 409A, as from time to time amended.

C. AWARDS PREVIOUSLY GRANTED. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary (but subject to Section XV.B. hereof), no termination, amendment or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award.

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D. COMPLIANCE WITH CODE SECTION 162(m). At all times when Code Section 162(m) is applicable, all Awards granted under this Plan shall comply with the requirements of Code Section 162(m); provided, however, that in the event the Committee determines that such compliance is not desired with respect to any Award or Awards available for grant under the Plan, then compliance with Code Section 162(m) will not be required. In addition, in the event that changes are made to Code Section 162(m) to permit greater flexibility with respect to any Award or Awards available under the Plan, the Committee may, subject to this Article XV, make any adjustments it deems appropriate consistent with the changes made to Code Section 162(m).

XVI. PAYMENT OF PLAN AWARDS AND CONDITIONS THEREON

A. EFFECT OF COMPETITIVE ACTIVITY. Anything contained in the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, unless otherwise covered in an employment agreement by and between the Company and the Participant, with respect to any Participant who is an Employee, if the employment of any Participant shall terminate, for any reason other than death, while any Award to such Participant is outstanding hereunder, and such Participant has not yet received the Shares covered by such Award or otherwise received the full benefit of such Award, such Participant, if otherwise entitled thereto, shall receive such Shares or benefit only if, during the entire period from the date of such Participant’s termination to the date of such receipt, such Participant shall have earned such Award by making himself or herself available, upon request, at reasonable times and upon a reasonable basis, to consult with, supply information to, and otherwise cooperate with the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof with respect to any matter that shall have been handled by him or her or under his or her supervision while he or she was in the employ of the Company or of any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof.

B. NONFULFILLMENT OF COMPETITIVE ACTIVITY CONDITIONS; WAIVERS UNDER THE PLAN. In the event of a Participant’s nonfulfillment of any condition set forth in Section XVI.A. hereof, such Participant’s rights under any Award shall be forfeited and canceled forthwith; provided, however, that the nonfulfillment of such condition may at any time (whether before, at the time of, or subsequent to termination of employment) be waived by the Committee upon its determination that in its sole judgment there shall not have been and will not be any substantial adverse effect upon the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof by reason of the nonfulfillment of such condition.

XVII. CHANGE IN CONTROL

A. TREATMENT OF OUTSTANDING AWARDS. Notwithstanding any provisions in the Participant’s Employment Agreement to the contrary, but subject to Section XVII.B. herein or the Plan governing the particular Award, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control:

1. any and all Options and SARs granted hereunder shall become fully-vested and immediately exercisable;

2. any Periods of Restriction and restrictions imposed on Restricted Stock or RSUs which are not intended to qualify for the Performance-Based Exception shall lapse; and

3. any Award intended to qualify for the Performance-Based Exception shall be earned in accordance with the applicable Award Agreement.

B. TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND MODIFICATIONS OF CHANGE-IN-CONTROL PROVISIONS. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement provision, the provisions of this Article XVII may not be terminated, amended or modified on or after the date of an event, commencing upon material discussions by the Board respecting a possible transaction that would result in a Change in Control, which is likely to give rise to a Change in Control to affect adversely any Award theretofore granted under the Plan without the prior written consent of the Participant with respect to said Participant’s outstanding Awards.

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XVIII. TAX PROVISIONS

A. TAX WITHHOLDING. The Company shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant who is an Employee to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient 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.

B. SHARE WITHHOLDING. With respect to withholding required upon the exercise of Options or SARs, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock or Restricted RSUs, upon achievement of the performance goals on Performance Shares or Performance Units or upon any other taxable event arising as a result of Awards granted hereunder, Participants who are Employees may elect, subject to the approval of the Committee, 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 at least equal to the minimum, but not more than the maximum, statutory tax which 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.

C. REQUIREMENT OF NOTIFICATION OF CODE SECTION 83(b) ELECTION. If any Participants shall make an election under Code Section 83(b) (to include in gross income in the year of transfer the amounts specified in Code Section 83(b)) or under a similar provisions of the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States, such Participant shall notify the Company of such election within ten (10) days after filing notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service or other government authority, in addition to any filing and notification required pursuant to regulations issued under Code Section 83(b) or other applicable provision.

D. REQUIREMENT OF NOTIFICATION UPON DISQUALIFYING DISPOSITION UNDER CODE SECTION 421(b). If any Participant shall make any disposition of shares of stock delivered pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option under the circumstances described in Code Section 421(b) (relating to certain disqualifying dispositions), such Participant shall notify the Company of such disposition within ten (10) days thereof.

XIX. INDEMNIFICATION

Each person who is or shall have been a member of the Committee, or of the Board, 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 or her in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the Company’s approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against him or her, provided he or she shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Articles 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.

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XX. SUCCESSORS

All obligations of the Company under the 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 or assets of the Company.

XXI. LEGAL CONSTRUCTION

A. 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.

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

C. REQUIREMENTS OF LAW. The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under the 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.

D. SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. With respect to Insiders, transactions under this Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 or its successors under the Exchange Act. To the extent any provision of the Plan or action by the Committee fails to so comply, it shall be deemed null and void, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Committee.

E. CODE SECTION 409A COMPLIANCE. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, all Awards under this Plan that are subject to Code Section 409A shall be designed and administered in a manner that does not result in the imposition of tax or penalties under Code Section 409A. Accordingly, Awards under this Plan that are subject to Code Section 409A shall comply with the following requirements, as applicable.

1. Distribution to Specified Employees Upon Separation from Service. To the extent that payment under an Award which is subject to Code Section 409A is due to a Specified Employee on account of the Specified Employee’s Separation from Service from the Company or its Affiliate or Subsidiary, such payment shall be delayed until the first day of the seventh (7^th) month following such Separation from Service (or as soon as practicable thereafter). The Committee, in its discretion, may provide in the Award document for the payment of interest at a rate set by the Committee for such six-month period. In the event that a payment under an Award is exempt from Code Section 409A, payment shall be made to a Specified Employee without any such six-month delay.

2. No Acceleration of Payment. To the extent that an Award is subject to Code Section 409A, payment under such Award shall not be accelerated from the date(s) specified in the Award documents as of the date of grant.

3. Subsequent Delay in Payment. To the extent that an Award is subject to Code Section 409A, payment under such Award shall not be deferred beyond the dates specified in the Award document as of the date of grant, unless the Committee or Participant, as the case may be, makes the decision to delay payment at least one year prior to the scheduled payment date, and payment is delayed at least five (5) years.

F. GOVERNING LAW. To the extent not preempted by federal law, the Plan, and all agreements hereunder, shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands.

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C E R T I F I C A T I O N S

On behalf of the Company, the undersigned hereby certifies that this Bon Natural Life Limited 2022 Equity Incentive Plan has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company as of October 28, 2022.

BON NATURAL LIFE LIMITED
By:	/s/ Yongwei Hu
Print Name:	Yongwei Hu
Title:	CEO

On behalf of the Company, the undersigned hereby certifies that this Bon Natural Life Limited 2022 Equity Incentive Plan has been approved by a majority of the stockholders of the Company as of November 28, 2022.

BON NATURAL LIFE LIMITED
By:	/s/ Yongwei Hu
Print Name:	Yongwei Hu
Title:	CEO

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EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

 

 

 

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated January 31, 2022, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Bon Natural Life Limited, appearing in its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended September 30, 2021.

/s/ Friedman LLP

New York, New York

December 23, 2022

EX-FILING FEES

Exhibit 107

Calculation of Filing Fee Tables

S-8
(Form Type)

Bon Natural Life Limited

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities

	Security Type	Security Class Title	Fee Calculation or Carry Forward Rule			Amount Registered(2)		Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit(3)		Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(3)		Fee Rate		Amount of Registration Fee		Carry Forward Form Type		Carry Forward File Number		Carry Forward Initial effective date		Filing Fee Previously Paid In Connection with Unsold Securities to be Carried Forward
Newly Registered Securities
Fees to Be Paid	Equity(1)	Ordinary Shares of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share(1)		457	(c)		1,259,434		1.09		1,372,783.06		—		—		—		—		—		—
Fees Previously Paid	—	—		—			—		—		—		—	$	—		—		—		—		—
	Total Offering Amounts									$	1,372,783.06	$	0.00011020	$	151.29
	Total Fees Previously Paid													$	—
	Total Fee Offsets														—
	Net Fee Due													$	151.29

(1) This registration statement covers the ordinary shares issuable pursuant to the Issuer’s 2022 Incentive Plan.

(2) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act, the securities being registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of additional shares of ordinary shares as may be issued after the date hereof as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.

(3) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. Pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act, the proposed maximum offering price per share and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price have been determined on the basis of the average of the bid and asked price as of a specified date within five business days prior to the date of filing the registration statement