EX-10.10 3 a2073652zex-10_10.txt EXHIBIT 10.10 EXHIBIT 10-10 DEPARTMENT 56, INC. 1993 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN (AS AMENDED) 1. PURPOSE. The purpose of this Plan is to strengthen Department 56, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), by providing an incentive to its officers, employees, consultants, directors and advisors and thereby encouraging them to devote their abilities and industry to the success of the Company's business enterprise. It is intended that this purpose be achieved by extending to officers, employees, consultants and directors of the Company and its subsidiaries an added long-term incentive for high levels of performance and unusual efforts through the grant of Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Performance Units and Performance Shares (as each term is hereinafter defined). 2. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of the Plan: 2.1 "Adjusted Fair Market Value" means, in the event of a Change in Control, the greater of (i) the highest price per Share paid to holders of the Shares in any transaction (or series of transactions) constituting or resulting in a Change in Control or (ii) the highest Fair Market Value of a Share during the ninety (90) day period ending on the date of a Change in Control. 2.2 "Agreement" means the written agreement between the Company and an Optionee or Grantee evidencing the grant of an Option or Award and setting forth the terms and conditions thereof. 2.3 "Award" means a grant of Restricted Stock, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Performance Award or any or all of them. 2.4 "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company. 2.5 "Cause" means the commission of an act of fraud or intentional misrepresentation or an act of embezzlement, misappropriation or conversion of assets or opportunities of the Company or any Subsidiary. 2.6 "Change in Capitalization" means any increase or reduction in the number of Shares, or any change (including, but not limited to, a change in value) in the Shares or exchange of Shares for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of the Company, by reason of a reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization, spin-off, split-up, issuance of warrants or rights or debentures, stock dividend, stock split or reverse stock split, cash dividend, property dividend, combination or exchange of shares, repurchase of shares, change in corporate structure or otherwise. 2.7 A "Change in Control" shall mean the occurrence during the term of the Plan of: (a) An acquisition (other than directly from the Company) of any voting securities of the Company (the "Voting Securities") by any 'Person' (as the term person is used for purposes of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), other than Department 56 Partners, L.P. or Forstmann Little & Co. Subordinated Debt and Equity Management Buyout Partnership IV or any of their affiliates (individually or in the aggregate), immediately after which such Person has 'Beneficial Ownership' (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding Voting Securities; provided, however, in determining whether a Change in Control has occurred, Voting Securities which are acquired in a 'Non-Control Acquisition' (as hereinafter defined) shall not constitute an acquisition which would cause a Change in Control. A 'Non-Control Acquisition' shall mean an acquisition by (i) an employee benefit plan (or a trust forming a part thereof) maintained by (A) the Company or (B) any corporation or other Person of which a majority of its voting power or its voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company (for purposes of this definition, a 'Subsidiary'), (ii) the Company or its Subsidiaries, or (iii) any Person in connection with a 'Non-Control Transaction' (as hereinafter defined); (b) The individuals who, as of June 1, 1993, are members of the Board (the "Incumbent Board"), cease for any reason to constitute at least two-thirds of the members of the Board; provided, however, that if the election, or nomination for election by the Company's common stockholders, of any new director was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Board, such new director shall, for purposes of this Plan, be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board; provided further, however, that no individual shall be considered a member of the Incumbent Board if such individual initially assumed office as a result of either an actual or threatened 'Election Contest' (as described in Rule 14a-11 promulgated under the Exchange Act) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board (a "Proxy Contest") including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any Election Contest or Proxy Contest; or (c) Approval by stockholders of the Company of: (i) A merger, consolidation or reorganization involving the Company, unless (A) the stockholders of the Company, immediately before such merger, consolidation or reorganization, own, directly or indirectly immediately following such merger, consolidation or reorganization, at least sixty percent (60%) of the combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the corporation resulting from such merger or consolidation or reorganization (the "Surviving Corporation") in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the Voting Securities immediately before such merger, consolidation or reorganization, (B) the individuals who were members of the Incumbent Board immediately prior to the execution of the agreement providing for such merger, consolidation or reorganization constitute at least two-thirds of the members of the board of directors of the Surviving Corporation, (C) no Person other than the Company, any Subsidiary, any employee benefit plan (or any trust forming a part thereof) maintained by the Company, the Surviving Corporation, or any Subsidiary, or any Person who, immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or reorganization had Beneficial Ownership of fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the then outstanding Voting Securities has Benefical Ownership of fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the combined voting power of the Surviving Corporation's then outstanding voting securities, and (D) a transaction described in clauses (A) through (C) shall herein be referred to as a 'Non-Control Transaction'; (ii) A complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or (iii) An agreement for the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any Person (other than a transfer to a Subsidiary). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur solely because any Person (the "Subject Person") acquired Beneficial Ownership of more than the permitted amount of the outstanding Voting Securities as a result of the acquisition of Voting Securities by the Company which, by reducing the number of Voting Securities outstanding, increases the proportional number of shares Beneficially Owned by the Subject Persons, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of Voting Securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition by the Company, the Subject Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional Voting Securities which increases the percentage of the then outstanding Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by the Subject Person, then a Change in Control shall occur. 2.8 "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. 2.9 "Committee" means a committee consisting of one or more Directors appointed by the Board to administer the Plan and to perform the functions set forth herein. 2.10 "Company" means Department 56, Inc. 2.11 "Director Option" means an Option granted pursuant to Section 6. 2.12 "Disability" means a physical or mental infirmity which impairs the Optionee's ability to perform substantially his or her duties for a period of one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days. 2.13 "Disinterested Director" means a director of the Company who is a "non-employee director" within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. 2.14 "Division" means any of the operating units or divisions of the Company designated as a Division by the Committee. 2.15 "Eligible Individual" means any officer, employee, consultant or advisor of the Company or a Subsidiary designated by the Committee as eligible to receive Options or Awards subject to the conditions set forth herein. 2.16 "Employee Option" means an Option granted pursuant to Section 5. 2.17 "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. 2.18 "Fair Market Value" on any date means the average of the high and low sales prices of the Shares on such date on the principal national securities exchange on which such Shares are listed or admitted to trading, or if such Shares are not so listed or admitted to trading, the arithmetic mean of the per Share closing bid price and per Share closing asked price on such date as quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System or such other market in which such prices are regularly quoted, or, if there have been no published bid or asked quotations with respect to Shares on such date, the Fair Market Value shall be the value established by the Board in good faith and, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, in accordance with Section 422 of the Code. 2.19 "Grantee" means a person to whom an Award has been granted under the Plan. 2.20 "Incentive Stock Option" means an Option satisfying the requirements of Section 422 of the Code and designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option. 2.21 "Nonemployee Director" means a director of the Company who is not an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary. 2.22 "Nonqualified Stock Option" means an Option which is not an Incentive Stock Option. 2.23 "Option" means an Employee Option, a Director Option, or either or both of them. 2.24 "Optionee" means a person to whom an Option has been granted under the Plan. 2.25 "Parent" means any corporation which is a parent corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code) with respect to the Company. 2.26 "Performance Awards" means Performance Units, Performance Shares or either or both of them. 2.27 "Performance Cycle" means the time period specified by the Committee at the time a Performance Award is granted during which the performance of the Company, a Subsidiary or a Division will be measured. 2.28 "Performance Shares" means Shares issued or transferred to an Eligible Individual under Section 10.3. 2.29 "Performance Unit" means Performance Units granted to an Eligible Individual under Section 10.2. 2.30 "Plan" means the Department 56, Inc. 1993 Stock Incentive Plan. 2.31 "Restricted Stock" means Shares issued or transferred to an Eligible Individual pursuant to Section 9. 2.32 "Shares" means the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company. 2.33 "Stock Appreciation Right" means a right to receive all or some portion of the increase in the value of the Shares as provided in Section 8 hereof. 2.34 "Stockholders Agreement" means a stockholders agreement governing the rights, duties and obligations of present or future employees or directors, as the case may be, of the Company or its Subsidiaries with respect to Shares granted or sold to such persons, or issued pursuant to options or other awards granted to such persons, in such form as is in use by the Company at the time of exercise of an Option or any part thereof or the issuance of Shares pursuant to an Award and which the Company elects to require an Optionee or Grantee to execute in connection with the issuance of Shares. 2.35 "Subsidiary" means any corporation which is a subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code) with respect to the Company. 2.36 "Successor Corporation" means a corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof within the meaning of Section 424(a) of the Code, which issues or assumes a stock option in a transaction to which Section 424(a) of the Code applies. 2.37 "Ten-Percent Stockholder" means an Eligible Individual, who, at the time an Incentive Stock Option is to be granted to him or her, owns (within the meaning of Section 422(b)(6) of the Code) stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, or of a Parent or a Subsidiary. 3. ADMINISTRATION. 3.1 The Plan shall be administered by the Committee which shall hold meetings at such times as may be necessary for the proper administration of the Plan. The Committee shall keep minutes of its meetings. Except as provided in Section 3.4, a quorum shall consist of not less than two members of the Committee and a majority of a quorum may authorize any action. Any decision or determination reduced to writing and signed by a majority of all of the members shall be as fully effective as if made by a majority vote at a meeting duly called and held. Except as provided in Section 3.4, each member of the Committee shall be a Disinterested Director; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Board may, by resolution, authorize a committee consisting of one or more Directors to make grants of Employee Options to Eligible Individuals who are not officers of the Company, subject to such restrictions and limitations as the Board shall set forth in such resolution and as otherwise provided in the Plan. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any action, failure to act, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to this Plan or any transaction hereunder, except for liability arising from his or her own willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties. The Company hereby agrees to indemnify each member of the Committee for all costs and expenses and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any liability incurred in connection with defending against, responding to, negotiation for the settlement of or otherwise dealing with any claim, cause of action or dispute of any kind arising in connection with any actions in administering this Plan or in authorizing or denying authorization to any transaction hereunder. 3.2 Subject to the express terms and conditions set forth herein, the Committee shall have the power from time to time to: (a) determine those individuals to whom Options shall be granted under the Plan and the number of Incentive Stock Options and/or Nonqualified Stock Options to be granted to each Eligible Individual or Nonemployee Director and to prescribe the terms and conditions (which need not be identical) of each Option, including the purchase price per Share subject to each Option, and make any amendment or modification to any Agreement consistent with the terms of the Plan; and (b) select those Eligible Individuals to whom Awards shall be granted under the Plan and to determine the number of Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Units, Performance Shares, and/or Shares of Restricted Stock to be granted pursuant to each Award, the terms and conditions of each Award, including the restrictions or Performance Objectives relating to such Units or Shares, the maximum value of each Performance Unit and Performance Share and make any amendment or modification to any Agreement consistent with the terms of the Plan. 3.3 Subject to the express terms and conditions set forth herein, the Committee shall have the power from time to time: (a) to construe and interpret the Plan and the Options and Awards granted hereunder and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan, including, but not limited to, correcting any defect or supplying any omission, or reconciling any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Agreement, in the manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or advisable so that the Plan complies with applicable law including Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and the Code to the extent applicable, and otherwise to make the Plan fully effective. All decisions and determinations by the Committee in the exercise of this power shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the Company, its Subsidiaries, the Optionees and Grantees and all other persons having any interest therein; (b) to determine the duration and purposes for leaves of absence which may be granted to an Optionee or Grantee on an individual basis without constituting a termination of employment or service for purposes of the Plan; (c) to exercise its discretion with respect to the powers and rights granted to it as set forth in the Plan; and (d) generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as are deemed necessary or advisable to promote the best interests of the Company with respect to the Plan. 3.4 BOARD RESERVATION AND DELEGATION. (a) The Board may, in its discretion, reserve to itself or delegate to another committee of the Board any or all of the authority and responsibility of the Committee with respect to Options and Awards granted hereunder to Eligible Individuals who are not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or Section 162(m) of the Code at the time any such delegated authority or responsibility is exercised. Such other committee may consist of one or more directors who may, but need not be, officers or employees of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries. To the extent that the Board has reserved to itself or delegated the authority and responsibility of the Committee to such other committee, all references to the Committee in the Plan shall be to the Board or to such other committee. (b) The Board may, by resolution, authorize a committee (the "Director Option Grant Committee") consisting of one or more directors of the Company to make grants of Director Options which are intended to satisfy the conditions for exemption from Section 16b of the Exchange Act pursuant to Rule 16b-3(d)(3). The authority of the Director Option Grant Committee shall be subject to such restrictions and limitations as the Board shall set forth in such resolution and as otherwise provided in the Plan. References to the term Committee in Section 6 shall be deemed to include the Director Option Grant Committee wherever it is used insofar as it relates to the Committee's authority and responsibility to make grants and establish the terms of Director Options but only to the extent the Director Option Grant Committee is acting within the scope of its authority as established by the Board. 4. STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN. 4.1 The maximum number of Shares that may be made the subject of Options and Awards granted under the Plan is 775,000; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, in the aggregate, not more than one-third of the number of allotted shares may be made the subject of Restricted Stock Awards under the Plan. Upon a Change in Capitalization the maximum number of Shares shall be adjusted in number and kind pursuant to Section 12. The Company shall reserve for the purposes of the Plan, out of its authorized but unissued Shares or out of Shares held in the Company's treasury, or partly out of each, such number of Shares as shall be determined by the Board. 4.2 Upon the granting of an Option or an Award, the number of Shares available under Section 4.1 for the granting of further Options and Awards shall be reduced as follows: (a) In connection with the granting of an Option or an Award (other than the granting of a Performance Unit denominated in dollars), the number of Shares shall be reduced by the number of Shares in respect of which the Option or Award is granted or denominated. (b) In connection with the granting of a Performance Unit denominated in dollars, the number of Shares shall be reduced by an amount equal to the quotient of (i) the dollar amount in which the Performance Unit is denominated, divided by (ii) the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Performance Unit is granted. 4.3 Whenever any outstanding Option or Award or portion thereof expires, is cancelled or is otherwise terminated for any reason without having been exercised or payment having been made in respect of the entire Option or Award, the Shares allocable to the expired, cancelled or otherwise terminated portion of the Option or Award may again be the subject of Options or Awards granted hereunder. 4.4 Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 4, the number of Shares available for Options and Awards at any time under the Plan shall be reduced to such lesser amount as may be required pursuant to the methods of calculation necessary so that the exemptions provided pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act will continue to be available for transactions involving all current and future Options and Awards. In addition, during the period that any Options and Awards remain outstanding under the Plan, the Committee may make good faith adjustments with respect to the number of Shares attributable to such Options and Awards for purposes of calculating the maximum number of Shares available for the granting of future Options and Awards under the Plan, provided that following such adjustments the exemptions provided pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act will continue to be available for transactions involving all current and future Options and Awards. 5. OPTION GRANTS FOR ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS. 5.1 AUTHORITY OF COMMITTEE. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and to Section 4.1 above, the Committee shall have full and final authority to select those Eligible Individuals who will receive Options (each, an "Employee Option"), the terms and conditions of which shall be set forth in an Agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no person shall receive any Incentive Stock Options unless he or she is an employee of the Company, a Parent or a Subsidiary at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted. 5.2 PURCHASE PRICE. The purchase price or the manner in which the purchase price is to be determined for Shares under each Employee Option shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the purchase price per Share under each Employee Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Employee Option is granted (110% in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten-Percent Stockholder). 5.3 MAXIMUM DURATION. Employee Options granted hereunder shall be for such term as the Committee shall determine, provided that an Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date it is granted (five (5) years in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten-Percent Stockholder) and a Nonqualified Stock Option shall not be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date it is granted. The Committee may, subsequent to the granting of any Employee Option, extend the term thereof but in no event shall the term as so extended exceed the maximum term provided for in the preceding sentence. 5.4 VESTING. Subject to Section 7.4 hereof, each Employee Option shall become exercisable in such installments (which need not be equal) and at such times as may be designated by the Committee and set forth in the Agreement. To the extent not exercised, installments shall accumulate and be exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time after becoming exercisable, but not later than the date the Employee Option expires. The Committee may accelerate the exercisability of any Option or portion thereof at any time. 5.5 MODIFICATION OR SUBSTITUTION. The Committee may, in its discretion, modify outstanding Employee Options or accept the surrender of outstanding Employee Options (to the extent not exercised) and grant new Employee Options in substitution for them; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, no modification or substitution may reduce or have the effect of reducing the per share purchase price of any outstanding Employee Option. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no modification of an Employee Option shall adversely alter or impair any rights or obligations under the Employee Option without the Optionee's consent. 6. NONEMPLOYEE DIRECTOR PROVISIONS. 6.1 OPTION GRANTS FOR NONEMPLOYEE DIRECTORS. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and to Section 4.1, the Committee may grant Director Options to any Nonemployee Director on such terms and conditions, including option price, exercisability and duration, as the Committee in its discretion shall determine. The Committee shall determine the number of Shares subject to each Director Option. 6.2 ELECTION TO RECEIVE SHARES IN LIEU OF DIRECTORS' FEES. (a) ELECTION. Each Nonemployee Director may elect, on a form provided for such purpose by the Committee, to have all or any part (but only in 25% increments) of his or her Directors' Fees converted into, and transferred to him or her, in the form of Shares (an "Election"). For purposes of this Section 6.2, "Directors' Fees" means all cash annual retainer and meeting fees payable by the Company to an Nonemployee Director with respect to services rendered by such Nonemployee Director. (b) TIME OF ELECTION; EFFECTIVE DATE OF ELECTION. An Nonemployee Director may make an Election at any time during any particular year during his or her directorship. An Election made on or prior to June 10 shall be effective with respect to Directors' Fees payable on or after July 1 of such year. An Election made on or prior to December 10 shall be effective with respect to Directors' Fees payable on or after January 1 of the following year. (c) SHARES RECEIVED IN LIEU OF FEES. On each date following the effective date of an Election on which Directors' Fees would otherwise be paid (a "Director Payment Date"), the Directors' Fees that an Nonemployee Director would have received but for his or her Election shall be converted into the right to receive a number of Shares with a Fair Market Value (determined as of the Director Payment Date) equal to 110% of such Directors' Fees. Shares shall be issued by the Company to an Nonemployee Director who has made an Election as promptly as practicable following each Director Payment Date. (d) ELECTION EFFECTIVE UNTIL REVOKED. An Nonemployee Director's Election shall remain effective until revoked. An Nonemployee Director may revoke his or her Election (a "Revocation") on a form provided for such purpose by the Committee at any time during any particular year during his or her directorship. A Revocation made on or prior to June 10 shall be effective with respect to Directors' Fees payable on or after July 1 of such year. A Revocation made on or prior to December 10 shall be effective with respect to Directors' Fees payable on or after January 1 of the following year. 6.3 LIMITATIONS ON AMENDMENT; MODIFICATION. The provisions in this Section 6 shall not be amended more than once every six months, other than to comport with changes in the Code or the rules and regulations thereunder. No modification of a Director Option shall adversely alter or impair any rights or obligations under such Director Option without the Optionee's consent nor shall any modification reduce or have the effect of reducing the per share purchase price of any outstanding Director Option. 7. TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL OPTIONS. 7.1 NON-TRANSFERABILITY. No Option granted hereunder shall be transferable by the Optionee to whom granted otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and an Option may be exercised during the lifetime of such Optionee only by the Optionee or his or her guardian or legal representative. The terms of such Option shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the beneficiaries, executors, administrators, heirs and successors of the Optionee. 7.2 METHOD OF EXERCISE. The exercise of an Option shall be made only by a written notice delivered in person or by mail to the Secretary of the Company at the Company's principal executive office, specifying the number of Shares to be purchased and accompanied by payment therefor and otherwise in accordance with the Agreement pursuant to which the Option was granted and, if the Committee then requires, a fully executed Stockholders Agreement. The purchase price for any Shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option shall be paid in full upon such exercise by any one or a combination of the following: (i) cash or (ii) transferring Shares to the Company upon such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee shall have discretion to determine at the time of grant of each Employee Option or at any later date (up to and including the date of exercise) the form of payment acceptable in respect of the exercise of such Employee Option and Options may be exercised pursuant to such cashless exercise procedures which are, from time to time, deemed acceptable by the Committee. The written notice pursuant to this Section 7.2 may also provide instructions from the Optionee to the Company that upon receipt of the purchase price in cash from the Optionee's broker or dealer, designated as such on the written notice, in payment for any Shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option, the Company shall issue such Shares directly to the designated broker or dealer. Any Shares transferred to the Company as payment of the purchase price under an Option shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on the day preceding the date of exercise of such Option. If requested by the Committee, the Optionee shall deliver the Agreement evidencing the Option to the Secretary of the Company who shall endorse thereon a notation of such exercise and return such Agreement to the Optionee. No fractional Shares (or cash in lieu thereof) shall be issued upon exercise of an Option and the number of Shares that may be purchased upon exercise shall be rounded to the nearest number of whole Shares. 7.3 RIGHTS OF OPTIONEES. No Optionee shall be deemed for any purpose to be the owner of any Shares subject to any Option unless and until (i) the Option shall have been exercised pursuant to the terms thereof, (ii) the Company shall have issued and delivered the Shares to the Optionee and (iii) the Optionee's name shall have been entered as a stockholder of record on the books of the Company. Thereupon, the Optionee shall have full voting, dividend and other ownership rights with respect to such Shares. 7.4 EFFECT OF CHANGE IN CONTROL. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan or an Agreement to the contrary, in the event of a Change in Control, all Options outstanding on the date of such Change in Control shall become immediately and fully exercisable. In addition, to the extent set forth in an Agreement evidencing the grant of an Option, an Optionee will be permitted to surrender for cancellation within sixty (60) days after such Change in Control, any Option or portion of an Option to the extent not yet exercised and the Optionee will be entitled to receive a cash payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (x) (A) in the case of a Nonqualified Stock Option, the greater of (1) the Fair Market Value, on the date preceding the date of surrender, of the Shares subject to the Option or portion thereof surrendered or (2) the Adjusted Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the Option or portion thereof surrendered or (B) in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the Fair Market Value, on the date preceding the date of surrender, of the Shares subject to the Option or portion thereof surrendered, over (y) the aggregate purchase price for such Shares under the Option or portion thereof surrendered; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the case of an Option granted within six (6) months prior to the Change in Control to any Optionee who may be subject to liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, such Optionee shall be entitled to surrender for cancellation his or her Option during the sixty (60) day period commencing upon the expiration of six (6) months from the date of grant of any such Option. 8. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. The Committee may, in its discretion, either alone or in connection with the grant of an Employee Option, grant Stock Appreciation Rights in accordance with the Plan and the terms and conditions of which shall be set forth in an Agreement. If granted in connection with an Employee Option, a Stock Appreciation Right shall cover the same Shares covered by the Employee Option (or such lesser number of Shares as the Committee may determine) and shall, except as provided in this Section 8, be subject to the same terms and conditions as the related Employee Option. 8.1 TIME OF GRANT. A Stock Appreciation Right may be granted (i) at any time if unrelated to an Option, or (ii) if related to an Employee Option, either at the time of grant, or at any time thereafter during the term of the Option. 8.2 STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHT RELATED TO AN EMPLOYEE OPTION. (a) EXERCISE. Subject to Section 8.6, a Stock Appreciation Right granted in connection with an Employee Option shall be exercisable at such time or times and only to the extent that the related Employee Option is exercisable, and will not be transferable except to the extent the related Employee Option is transferable. A Stock Appreciation Right granted in connection with an Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable only if the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise exceeds the purchase price specified in the related Incentive Stock Option Agreement. (b) AMOUNT PAYABLE. Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right related to an Employee Option, the Grantee shall be entitled to receive an amount determined by multiplying (A) the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date preceding the date of exercise of such Stock Appreciation Right over the per Share purchase price under the related Employee Option, by (B) the number of Shares as to which such Stock Appreciation Right is being exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may limit in any manner the amount payable with respect to any Stock Appreciation Right by including such a limit in the Agreement evidencing the Stock Appreciation Right at the time it is granted. (c) TREATMENT OF RELATED OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS UPON EXERCISE. Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right granted in connection with an Employee Option, the Employee Option shall be cancelled to the extent of the number of Shares as to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised, and upon the exercise of an Employee Option granted in connection with a Stock Appreciation Right or the surrender of such Employee Option pursuant to Section 7.4, the Stock Appreciation Right shall be cancelled to the extent of the number of Shares as to which the Employee Option is exercised or surrendered. 8.3 STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHT UNRELATED TO AN OPTION. The Committee may grant to Eligible Individuals Stock Appreciation Rights unrelated to Options. Stock Appreciation Rights unrelated to Options shall contain such terms and conditions as to exercisability (subject to Section 8.6), vesting and duration as the Committee shall determine, but in no event shall they have a term of greater than ten (10) years. Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right unrelated to an Option, the Grantee shall be entitled to receive an amount determined by multiplying (A) the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date preceding the date of exercise of such Stock Appreciation Right over the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Stock Appreciation Right was granted, by (B) the number of Shares as to which the Stock Appreciation Right is being exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may limit in any manner the amount payable with respect to any Stock Appreciation Right by including such a limit in the Agreement evidencing the Stock Appreciation Right at the time it is granted. 8.4 METHOD OF EXERCISE. Stock Appreciation Rights shall be exercised by a Grantee only by a written notice delivered in person or by mail to the Secretary of the Company at the Company's principal executive office, specifying the number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is being exercised. If requested by the Committee, the Grantee shall deliver the Agreement evidencing the Stock Appreciation Right being exercised and the Agreement evidencing any related Employee Option to the Secretary of the Company who shall endorse thereon a notation of such exercise and return such Agreement to the Grantee. 8.5 FORM OF PAYMENT. Payment of the amount determined under Sections 8.2(b) or 8.3 may be made in the discretion of the Committee, solely in whole Shares in a number determined at their Fair Market Value on the date preceding the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right, or solely in cash, or in a combination of cash and Shares. If the Committee decides to make full payment in Shares and the amount payable results in a fractional Share, payment for the fractional Share will be made in cash. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no payment in the form of cash may be made upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right pursuant to Sections 8.2(b) or 8.3 to a Grantee who is an officer of the Company or a Subsidiary who is subject to liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, unless the exercise of such Stock Appreciation Right is made either (i) during the period beginning on the third business day and ending on the twelfth business day following the date of release for publication of the Company's quarterly or annual statements of earnings or (ii) pursuant to an irrevocable election to receive cash made at least six months prior to the exercise of such Stock Appreciation Right. 8.6 RESTRICTIONS. No Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised before the date six (6) months after the date it is granted. 8.7 MODIFICATION OR SUBSTITUTION. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may modify outstanding Awards of Stock Appreciation Rights or accept the surrender of outstanding Awards of Stock Appreciation Rights (to the extent not exercised) and grant new Awards in substitution for them. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no modification of an Award shall adversely alter or impair any rights or obligations under the Agreement without the Grantee's consent. 8.8 EFFECT OF CHANGE IN CONTROL. In the event of a Change in Control, subject to Section 8.6, all Stock Appreciation Rights shall become immediately and fully exercisable. Notwithstanding Sections 8.3 and 8.5, to the extent set forth in an Agreement evidencing the grant of a Stock Appreciation Right unrelated to an Option, upon the exercise of such a Stock Appreciation Right or any portion thereof during the sixty (60) day period following a Change in Control, the amount payable shall be in cash and shall be an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the greater of (x) the Fair Market Value, on the date preceding the date of exercise, of the Shares subject to Stock Appreciation Right or portion thereof exercised and (y) the Adjusted Fair Market Value, on the date preceding the date of exercise, of the Shares over (B) the aggregate Fair Market Value, on the date the Stock Appreciation Right was granted, of the Shares subject to the Stock Appreciation Right or portion thereof exercised; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the case of a Stock Appreciation Right granted within six (6) months prior to the Change in Control to any Grantee who may be subject to liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, such Grantee shall be entitled to exercise his Stock Appreciation Right during the sixty (60) day period commencing upon the expiration of six (6) months from the date of grant of any such Stock Appreciation Right. 9. RESTRICTED STOCK. 9.1 GRANT. The Committee may grant to Eligible Individuals Awards of Restricted Stock, and may issue Shares of Restricted Stock in payment in respect of vested Performance Units (as hereinafter provided in Section 10.2), which shall be evidenced by an Agreement between the Company and the Grantee. Each Agreement shall contain such restrictions, terms and conditions as the Committee may, in its discretion, determine and (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) such Agreements may require that an appropriate legend be placed on Share certificates. Awards of Restricted Stock shall be subject to the terms and provisions set forth below in this Section 9. 9.2 RIGHTS OF GRANTEE. Shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to an Award hereunder shall be issued in the name of the Grantee as soon as reasonably practicable after the Award is granted provided that the Grantee has executed an Agreement evidencing the Award, the appropriate blank stock powers and, in the discretion of the Committee, an escrow agreement and any other documents which the Committee may require as a condition to the issuance of such Shares. If a Grantee shall fail to execute the Agreement evidencing a Restricted Stock Award, the appropriate blank stock powers and, in the discretion of the Committee, an escrow agreement and any other documents which the Committee may require within the time period prescribed by the Committee at the time the Award is granted, the Award shall be null and void. At the discretion of the Committee, Shares issued in connection with a Restricted Stock Award shall be deposited together with the stock powers with an escrow agent (which may be the Company) designated by the Committee. Unless the Committee determines otherwise and as set forth in the Agreement, upon delivery of the Shares to the escrow agent, the Grantee shall have all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to such Shares, including the right to vote the Shares and to receive all dividends or other distributions paid or made with respect to the Shares. 9.3 NON-TRANSFERABILITY. Until any restrictions upon the Shares of Restricted Stock awarded to a Grantee shall have lapsed in the manner set forth in Section 9.4, such Shares shall not be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of and shall not be pledged or otherwise hypothecated, nor shall they be delivered to the Grantee. 9.4 LAPSE OF RESTRICTIONS. (a) GENERALLY. Restrictions upon Shares of Restricted Stock awarded hereunder shall lapse at such time or times and on such terms and conditions as the Committee may determine, which restrictions shall be set forth in the Agreement evidencing the Award. (b) EFFECT OF CHANGE IN CONTROL. The Committee shall determine at the time of the grant of an Award of Restricted Stock the extent to which, if any, the restrictions upon Shares of Restricted Stock shall lapse upon a Change in Control. The Agreement evidencing the Award shall set forth such provisions. 9.5 MODIFICATION OR SUBSTITUTION. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may modify outstanding Awards of Restricted Stock or accept the surrender of outstanding Shares of Restricted Stock (to the extent the restrictions on such Shares have not yet lapsed) and grant new Awards in substitution for them. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no modification of an Award shall adversely alter or impair any rights or obligations under the Agreement without the Grantee's consent. 9.6 TREATMENT OF DIVIDENDS. At the time the Award of Shares of Restricted Stock is granted, the Committee may, in its discretion, determine that the payment to the Grantee of dividends, or a specified portion thereof, declared or paid on such Shares by the Company shall be (i) deferred until the lapsing of the restrictions imposed upon such Shares and (ii) held by the Company for the account of the Grantee until such time. In the event that dividends are to be deferred, the Committee shall determine whether such dividends are to be reinvested in Shares (which shall be held as additional Shares of Restricted Stock) or held in cash. If deferred dividends are to be held in cash, there may be credited at the end of each year (or portion thereof) interest on the amount of the account at the beginning of the year at a rate per annum as the Committee, in its discretion, may determine. Payment of deferred dividends in respect of Shares of Restricted Stock (whether held in cash or as additional Shares of Restricted Stock), together with interest accrued thereon, if any, shall be made upon the lapsing of restrictions imposed on the Shares in respect of which the deferred dividends were paid, and any dividends deferred (together with any interest accrued thereon) in respect of any Shares of Restricted Stock shall be forfeited upon the forfeiture of such Shares. 9.7 DELIVERY OF SHARES. Upon the lapse of the restrictions on Shares of Restricted Stock, the Committee shall cause a stock certificate to be delivered to the Grantee with respect to such Shares, free of all restrictions hereunder. 10. PERFORMANCE AWARDS. 10.1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES. Performance objectives for Performance Awards may be expressed in terms of (i) earnings per Share, (ii) pre-tax profits, (iii) net earnings, (iv) return on equity or assets, (v) revenues or (vi) any combination of the foregoing. Performance objectives may be in respect of the performance of the Company and its Subsidiaries (which may be on a consolidated basis), a Subsidiary or a Division. Performance objectives may be absolute or relative and may be expressed in terms of a progression within a specified range. Prior to the end of a Performance Cycle, the Committee, in its discretion, may adjust the performance objectives to reflect a Change in Capitalization, a change in the tax rate or book tax rate of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any other event which may materially affect the performance of the Company, a Subsidiary or a Division, including, but not limited top, market conditions or a significant acquisition or disposition of assets or other property by the Company, a Subsidiary or a Division. 10.2 PERFORMANCE UNITS. The Committee, in its discretion, may grant Awards of Performance Units to Eligible Individuals, the terms and conditions of which shall be set forth in an Agreement between the Company and the Grantee. Performance Units may be denominated in Shares or a specified dollar amount and, contingent upon the attainment of specified performance objectives within the Performance Cycle, represent the right to receive payment as provided in Section 10.2(b) of (i) in the case of Share-denominated Performance Units, the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Performance Unit was granted, the date the Performance Unit became vested or any other date specified by the Committee, (ii) in the case of dollar-denominated Performance Units, the specified dollar amount or (iii) a percentage (which may be more than 100%) of the amount described in clause (i) or (ii) depending on the level of performance objective attainment; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Committee may at the time a Performance Unit is granted, specify a maximum amount payable in respect of a vested Performance Unit. Each Agreement shall specify the number of the Performance Units to which it relates, the performance objectives which must be satisfied in order for the Performance Units to vest and the Performance Cycle within which such performance objectives must be satisfied. (a) VESTING AND FORFEITURE. A Grantee shall become vested with respect to the Performance Units to the extent that the Performance Objectives set forth in the Agreement are satisfied for the Performance Cycle. (b) PAYMENT OF AWARDS. Payment to Grantees in respect of vested Performance Units shall be made within sixty (60) days after the last day of the Performance Cycle to which such Award relates unless the Agreement evidencing the Award provides for the deferral of payment, in which event the terms and conditions of the deferral shall be set forth in the Agreement. Subject to Section 10.4, such payments may be made entirely in Shares valued at their Fair Market Value as of the last day of the applicable Performance Cycle or such other date specified by the Committee, entirely in cash, or in such combination of Shares and cash as the Committee in its discretion, shall determine at any time prior to such payment; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Committee in its discretion determines to make such payment entirely or partially in Shares of Restricted Stock, the Committee must determine the extent to which such payment will be in Shares of Restricted Stock and the terms of such Restricted Stock at the time the Award is granted. 10.3 PERFORMANCE SHARES. The Committee, in its discretion, may grant Awards of Performance Shares to Eligible Individuals, the terms and conditions of which shall be set forth in an Agreement between the Company and the Grantee. Each Agreement may require that an appropriate legend be placed on Share certificates. Awards of Performance Shares shall be subject to the following terms and provisions: (a) RIGHTS OF GRANTEE. The Committee shall provide at the time an Award of Performance Shares is made, the time or times at which the actual Shares represented by such Award shall be issued in the name of the Grantee; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no Performance Shares shall be issued until the Grantee has executed an Agreement evidencing the Award, the appropriate blank stock powers and, in the discretion of the Committee, an escrow agreement and any other documents which the Committee may require as a condition to the issuance of such Performance Shares. If a Grantee shall fail to execute the Agreement evidencing an Award of Performance Shares, the appropriate blank stock powers and, in the discretion of the Committee, an escrow agreement and any other documents which the Committee may require within the time period prescribed by the Committee at the time the Award is granted, the Award shall be null and void. At the discretion of the Committee, Shares issued in connection with an Award of Performance Shares shall be deposited together with the stock powers with an escrow agent (which may be the Company) designated by the Committee. Except as restricted by the terms of the Agreement, upon delivery of the Shares to the escrow agent, the Grantee shall have, in the discretion of the Committee, all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to such Shares, including the right to vote the Shares and to receive all dividends or other distributions paid or made with respect to the Shares. (b) NON-TRANSFERABILITY. Until any restrictions upon the Performance Shares awarded to a Grantee shall have lapsed in the manner set forth in Sections 10.3(c) or 10.4, such Performance Shares shall not be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of and shall not be pledged or otherwise hypothecated, nor shall they be delivered to the Grantee. The Committee may also impose such other restrictions and conditions on the Performance Shares, if any, as it deems appropriate. (c) LAPSE OF RESTRICTIONS. Subject to Section 10.4, restrictions upon Performance Shares awarded hereunder shall lapse and such Performance Shares shall become vested at such time or times and on such terms, conditions and satisfaction of Performance Objectives as the Committee may, in its discretion, determine at the time an Award is granted. (d) TREATMENT OF DIVIDENDS. At the time the Award of Performance Shares is granted, the Committee may, in its discretion, determine that the payment to the Grantee of dividends, or a specified portion thereof, declared or paid on actual Shares represented by such Award which have been issued by the Company to the Grantee shall be (i) deferred until the lapsing of the restrictions imposed upon such Performance Shares and (ii) held by the Company for the account of the Grantee until such time. In the event that dividends are to be deferred, the Committee shall determine whether such dividends are to be reinvested in shares of Stock (which shall be held as additional Performance Shares) or held in cash. If deferred dividends are to be held in cash, there may be credited at the end of each year (or portion thereof) interest on the amount of the account at the beginning of the year at a rate per annum as the Committee, in its discretion, may determine. Payment of deferred dividends in respect of Performance Shares (whether held in cash or in additional Performance Shares), together with interest accrued thereon, if any, shall be made upon the lapsing of restrictions imposed on the Performance Shares in respect of which the deferred dividends were paid, and any dividends deferred (together with any interest accrued thereon) in respect of any Performance Shares shall be forfeited upon the forfeiture of such Performance Shares. (e) DELIVERY OF SHARES. Upon the lapse of the restrictions on Performance Shares awarded hereunder, the Committee shall cause a stock certificate to be delivered to the Grantee with respect to such Shares, free of all restrictions hereunder. 10.4 EFFECT OF CHANGE IN CONTROL. In the event of a Change in Control: (a) With respect to the Performance Units, the Grantee shall (i) become vested in a percentage of Performance Units as determined by the Committee at the time of the Award of such Performance Units and as set forth in the Agreement and (ii) be entitled to receive in respect of all Performance Units which become vested as a result of a Change in Control, a cash payment within ten (10) days after such Change in Control in an amount as determined by the Committee at the time of the Award of such Performance Unit and as set forth in the Agreement. (b) With respect to the Performance Shares, restrictions shall lapse immediately on all or a portion of the Performance Shares as determined by the Committee at the time of the Award of such Performance Shares and as set forth in the Agreement. (c) The Agreements evidencing Performance Shares and Performance Units shall provide for the treatment of such Awards (or portions thereof) which do not become vested as the result of a Change in Control, including, but not limited to, provisions for the adjustment of applicable performance objectives. 10.5 NON-TRANSFERABILITY.. No Performance Awards shall be transferable by the Grantee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. 10.6 MODIFICATION OR SUBSTITUTION. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may modify outstanding Performance Awards or accept the surrender of outstanding Performance Awards and grant new Performance Awards in substitution for them. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no modification of a Performance Award shall adversely alter or impair any rights or obligations under the Agreement without the Grantee's consent. 11. EFFECT OF A TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. The Agreement evidencing the grant of each Employee Option and each Award shall set forth the terms and conditions applicable to such Employee Option or Award upon a termination of the employment or other change in the status of the employment of the Optionee or Grantee by the Company, a Subsidiary or a Division (including a termination or change by reason of the sale of a Subsidiary or a Division), as the Committee may, in its discretion, determine at the time the Option or Award is granted or thereafter. 12. ADJUSTMENT UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION. (a) In the event of a Change in Capitalization, the Committee shall conclusively determine the appropriate adjustments, if any, to the (i) maximum number and class of Shares or other stock or securities with respect to which Options or Awards may be granted under the Plan, and (ii) the number and class of Shares or other stock or securities which are subject to outstanding Options or Awards granted under the Plan, and the purchase price therefor, if applicable. (b) Any such adjustment in the Shares or other stock or securities subject to outstanding Incentive Stock Options (including any adjustments in the purchase price) shall be made in such manner as not to constitute a modification as defined by Section 424(h)(3) of the Code and only to the extent otherwise permitted by Sections 422 and 424 of the Code. (c) If, by reason of a Change in Capitalization, a Grantee of an Award shall be entitled to, or an Optionee shall be entitled to exercise an Option with respect to, new, additional or different shares of stock or securities, such new additional or different shares shall thereupon be subject to all of the conditions, restrictions and performance criteria which were applicable to the Shares subject to the Award or Option, as the case may be, prior to such Change in Capitalization. 13. EFFECT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS. Subject to Sections 7.4, 8.8, 9.4(b) and 10.4 or as otherwise provided in an Agreement, in the event of (i) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company or (ii) a merger or consolidation of the Company (a "Transaction"), the Plan and the Options and Awards issued hereunder shall continue in effect in accordance with their respective terms and each Optionee and Grantee shall be entitled to receive in respect of each Share subject to any outstanding Options or Awards, as the case may be, upon exercise of any Option or payment or transfer in respect of any Award, the same number and kind of stock, securities, cash, property, or other consideration that each holder of a Share was entitled to receive in the Transaction in respect of a Share. 14. TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall terminate on the day preceding the tenth anniversary of the date of its adoption by the Board and no Option or Award may be granted thereafter. The Board may sooner terminate the Plan and the Board may at any time and from time to time amend, modify or suspend the Plan; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that: (a) No such amendment, modification, suspension or termination shall impair or adversely alter any Options or Awards theretofore granted under the Plan, except with the consent of the Optionee or Grantee, nor shall any amendment, modification, suspension or termination deprive any Optionee or Grantee of any Shares which he or she may have acquired through or as a result of the Plan; and (b) To the extent necessary under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or other applicable law, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the stockholders of the Company in accordance with applicable law and regulations. 15. NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF THE PLAN. The adoption of the Plan by the Board shall not be construed as amending, modifying or rescinding any previously approved incentive arrangement or as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases. 16. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. As illustrative of the limitations of liability of the Company, but not intended to be exhaustive thereof, nothing in the Plan shall be construed to: (i) give any person any right to be granted an Option or Award other than at the sole discretion of the Committee; (ii) give any person any rights whatsoever with respect to Shares except as specifically provided in the Plan; (iii) limit in any way the right of the Company to terminate the employment of any person at any time; or (iv) be evidence of any agreement or understanding, expressed or implied, that the Company will employ any person at any particular rate of compensation or for any particular period of time. 17. REGULATIONS AND OTHER APPROVALS; GOVERNING LAW. 17.1 Except as to matters of federal law, this Plan and the rights of all persons claiming hereunder shall be construed and determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to conflicts of law principles. 17.2 The obligation of the Company to sell or deliver Shares with respect to Options and Awards granted under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including all applicable federal and state securities laws, and the obtaining of all such approvals by governmental agencies as may be deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee. 17.3 The Plan is intended to comply with Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act and the Committee shall interpret and administer the provisions of the Plan or any Agreement in a manner consistent therewith. Any provisions inconsistent with such Rule shall be inoperative and shall not affect the validity of the Plan. 17.4 The Board may make such changes as may be necessary or appropriate to comply with the rules and regulations of any government authority, or to obtain for Eligible Individuals granted Incentive Stock Options the tax benefits under the applicable provisions of the Code and regulations promulgated thereunder. 17.5 (a) Each Option and Award is subject to the requirement that, if at any time the Committee determines, in its discretion, that the listing, registration or qualification of Shares issuable pursuant to the Plan is required by any securities exchange or under any state or federal law, or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the grant of an Option or Award or the issuance of Shares, no Options or Awards shall be granted or payment made or Shares issued, in whole or in part, unless listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval has been effected or obtained free of any conditions as acceptable to the Committee. (b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Plan or any Agreement, as a prerequisite to the granting, vesting, payment, settlement or lapsing of restrictions with respect to an Option or Award, the Committee may require the Optionee or Grantee, as the case may be, to execute and deliver a Stockholders Agreement in a form acceptable to the Committee. 17.6 Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan or any Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the disposition of Shares acquired pursuant to the Plan is not covered by a then current registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is not otherwise exempt from such registration, such Shares shall be restricted against transfer to the extent required by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 144 or other regulations thereunder. The Committee may require any individual receiving Shares pursuant to an Option or Award granted under the Plan, as a condition precedent to receipt of such Shares, to represent and warrant to the Company in writing that the Shares acquired by such individual are acquired without a view to any distribution thereof and will not be sold or transferred other than pursuant to an effective registration thereof under said Act or pursuant to an exemption applicable under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The certificates evidencing any of such Shares shall be appropriately amended to reflect their status as restricted securities as aforesaid. 18. MISCELLANEOUS. 18.1 MULTIPLE AGREEMENTS. The terms of each Option or Award may differ from other Options or Awards granted under the Plan at the same time, or at some other time. The Committee may also grant more than one Option or Award to a given Eligible Individual during the term of the Plan, either in addition to, or in substitution for, one or more Options or Awards previously granted to that Eligible Individual. 18.2 WITHHOLDING OF TAXES. (a) The Company shall have the right to deduct from any distribution of cash to any Optionee or Grantee, an amount equal to the federal, state and local income taxes and other amounts as may be required by law to be withheld (the "Withholding Taxes") with respect to any Option or Award. If an Optionee or Grantee is to experience a taxable event in connection with the receipt of Shares pursuant to an Option exercise or payment or vesting of an Award (a "Taxable Event"), the Optionee or Grantee shall pay the Withholding Taxes to the Company prior to the issuance, or release from escrow, of such Shares. In satisfaction of the obligation to pay Withholding Taxes to the Company, the Optionee or Grantee may make a written election (the "Tax Election"), which may be accepted or rejected in the discretion of the Committee, to have withheld a portion of the Shares then issuable to him or her having an aggregate Fair Market Value, on the date preceding the date of such issuance, equal to the Withholding Taxes, provided that in respect of an Optionee or Grantee who may be subject to liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act either: (i) in the case of a Taxable Event involving an Option or an Award (A) the Tax Election is made at least six (6) months prior to the date of the Taxable Event and (B) the Tax Election is irrevocable with respect to all Taxable Events of a similar nature occurring prior to the expiration of six (6) months following a revocation of the Tax Election; or (ii) in the case of the exercise of an Option (A) the Optionee makes the Tax Election at least six (6) months after the date the Option was granted, (B) the Option is exercised during the ten (10) day period beginning on the third business day and ending on the twelfth business day following the release for publication of the Company's quarterly or annual statement of sales and earnings (a "Window Period") and (C) the Tax Election is made during the Window Period in which the related Option is exercised or prior to such Window Period and subsequent to the immediately preceding Window Period; or (iii) in the case of a Taxable Event relating to the payment of an Award (A) the Grantee makes the Tax Election at least six (6) months after the date the Award was granted and (B) the Tax Election is made (x) in the case of a Taxable Event occurring within a Window Period, during the Window Period in which the Taxable Event occurs, or (y) in the case of a Taxable Event not occurring within a window period, during the Window Period immediately preceding the Taxable Event relating to the Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, by the adoption of rules or otherwise, (i) modify the provisions of this Section 18.2 or impose such other restrictions or limitations on Tax Elections as may be necessary to ensure that the Tax Elections will be exempt transactions under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, and (ii) permit Tax Elections to be made at such other times and subject to such other conditions as the Committee determines will constitute exempt transactions under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. (b) If an Optionee makes a disposition, within the meaning of Section 424(c) of the Code and regulations promulgated thereunder, of any Share or Shares issued to such Optionee pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option within the two-year period commencing on the day after the date of the grant or within the one-year period commencing on the day after the date of transfer of such Share or Shares to the Optionee pursuant to such exercise, the Optionee shall, within ten (10) days of such disposition, notify the Company thereof, by delivery of written notice to the Company at its principal executive office. (c) The Committee shall have the authority, at the time of grant of an Option or Award under the Plan or at any time thereafter, to award tax bonuses to designated Optionees or Grantees, to be paid upon their exercise of Employee Options or payment in respect of Awards granted hereunder. The amount of any such payments shall be determined by the Committee. The Committee shall have full authority in its absolute discretion to determine the amount of any such tax bonus and the terms and conditions affecting the vesting and payment thereof. 19. EFFECTIVE DATE. The effective date of the Plan shall be as determined by the Board, subject only to the approval by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the securities of the Company present, or represented, and entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders duly held in accordance with the applicable laws of the State of Delaware within twelve (12) months of the adoption of the Plan by the Board.