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EXHIBIT 99
BAYCORP HOLDINGS, LTD.
1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN, AS AMENDED
APRIL 16, 1996
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this plan (the "Plan") is to secure for BayCorp
Holdings, Ltd. (the "Company") and its shareholders the benefits arising from
capital stock ownership by employees, officers and directors of, and consultants
or advisors to, the Company and its parent and subsidiary corporations who are
expected to contribute to the Company's future growth and success. Except where
the context otherwise requires, the term "Company" shall include the parent and
all present and future subsidiaries of the Company as defined in Sections 424(e)
and 424(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended or replaced from
time to time (the "Code"). Those provisions of the Plan which make express
reference to Section 422 shall apply only to Incentive Stock Options (as that
term is defined in the Plan).
2. TYPE OF OPTIONS AND ADMINISTRATION
(a) TYPES OF OPTIONS. Options granted pursuant to the Plan may be either
incentive stock options ("Incentive Stock Options") meeting the requirements of
Section 422 of the Code or Non-Statutory Options which are not intended to meet
the requirements of Section 422 of the Code ("Non-Statutory Options").
(b) ADMINISTRATION.
(i) The Plan will be administered by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose construction and interpretation of the terms and provisions of
the Plan shall be final and conclusive. The Board of Directors may in its sole
discretion grant options to purchase shares of the Company's Common Stock
("Common Stock") and issue shares upon exercise of such options as provided in
the Plan. The Board shall have authority, subject to the express provisions of
the Plan, to construe the respective option agreements and the Plan, to
prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, to
determine the terms and provisions of the respective option agreements, which
need not be identical, and to make all other determinations which are, in the
judgment of the Board of Directors, necessary or desirable for the
administration of the Plan. The Board of Directors may correct any defect,
supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any option
agreement in the manner and to the extent it shall deem expedient to carry the
Plan into effect and it shall be the sole and final judge of such expediency. No
director or person acting pursuant to authority delegated by the Board of
Directors shall be liable for any action or determination under the Plan made in
good faith.
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(ii) The Board of Directors may, to the full extent permitted
by or consistent with applicable laws or regulations and Section 3(b) of this
Plan delegate any or all of its powers under the Plan to a committee (the
"Committee") appointed by the Board of Directors, and if the Committee is so
appointed all references to the Board of Directors in the Plan shall mean and
relate to such Committee.
(c) APPLICABILITY OF RULE 16b-3. Those provisions of the Plan which
make express reference to Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), or any successor rule ("Rule 16b-3"), or which
are required in order for certain option transactions to qualify for exemption
under Rule 16b-3, shall apply only to such persons as are required to file
reports under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act (a "Reporting Person").
3. ELIGIBILITY
(a) GENERAL. Options may be granted to persons who are, at the time of
grant, employees, officers or directors of, or consultants or advisors to, the
Company; provided, that the class of employees to whom Incentive Stock Options
may be granted shall be limited to all employees of the Company and that options
to directors shall only be granted pursuant to Section 3(c), below. A person who
has been granted an option may, if he or she is otherwise eligible, be granted
additional options if the Board of Directors shall so determine. Subject to
adjustment as provided in Section 15 below, the maximum number of shares with
respect to which options may be granted to any employee under the Plan shall not
exceed 400,000 shares of common stock during the ten-year term of the Plan. For
the purpose of calculating such maximum number, (a) an option shall continue to
be treated as outstanding notwithstanding its repricing, cancellation or
expiration and (b) the repricing of an outstanding option or the issuance of a
new option in substitution for a cancelled option shall be deemed to constitute
the grant of a new additional option separate from the original grant of the
option that is repriced or cancelled.
(b) GRANT OF OPTIONS TO OFFICERS. From and after the registration of
the Common Stock of the Company under the Exchange Act, the selection of an
officer (as the term "officer" is defined for purposes of Rule 16b-3) as a
recipient of an option, the timing of the option grant, the exercise price of
the option and the number of shares subject to the option shall be determined
either (i) by the Board of Directors, of which all members shall be
"disinterested persons" (as hereinafter defined), or (ii) by two or more
directors having full authority to act in the matter, each of whom shall be a
"disinterested person." For the purposes of the Plan, a director shall be deemed
to be a "disinterested person" only if such person qualifies as a "disinterested
person" within the meaning of Rule 16b-3, as such term is interpreted from time
to time and also qualifies as an "outside director" within the meaning of
Section 162(m) of the Code, as such term is interpreted from time to time.
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(c) GRANTS OF OPTIONS TO OUTSIDE DIRECTORS. Every outside director
(i.e., a director who is not employed by the Company) who is first elected as a
director after the date that Great Bay Power Corporation becomes a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company shall receive a grant of an option for 20,000 shares
upon his election. In addition, every outside director shall receive a grant of
an option for 20,000 shares upon such outside director's first reelection to the
Board and an additional grant of an option for 20,000 shares upon such outside
director's second reelection to the Board. If a Change in Control (as defined in
Section 12(d) below) occurs there shall be granted to each outside director then
serving an option for a number of shares equal to 60,000 reduced by the number
of shares for which options were previously granted to such director; the
exercise price for such option shall be the exercise price for the last option
granted to the director prior to the Change in Control. No other awards of any
kind shall be made to any outside director. Except as otherwise provided in the
event of a Change in Control, the exercise price for an option granted under
this Section 3(c) shall be 100% of the fair market value of such stock, as
determined by the Board of Directors, at the time of grant of such option.
4. STOCK SUBJECT TO PLAN
Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 15 below, the maximum
number of shares of Common Stock which may be issued and sold under the Plan is
900,000 shares (which reflects an amendment of the Plan adopted by the Board of
Directors on April 4, 2000 and by the Stockholders on May 25, 2000). If an
option granted under the Plan shall expire or terminate for any reason without
having been exercised in full, the unpurchased shares subject to such option
shall again be available for subsequent option grants under the Plan. If shares
issued upon exercise of an option under the Plan are tendered to the Company in
payment of the exercise price of an option granted under the Plan, such tendered
shares shall again be available for subsequent option grants under the Plan;
provided, that in no event shall such shares be made available for issuance
pursuant to exercise of Incentive Stock Options.
5. FORMS OF OPTION AGREEMENTS
As a condition to the grant of an option under the Plan, each recipient
of an option shall execute an option agreement in such form not inconsistent
with the Plan as may be approved by the Board of Directors. Such option
agreements may differ among recipients.
6. PURCHASE PRICE
(a) GENERAL. Subject to Section 3(b) and 3(c), the purchase price per
share of stock deliverable upon the exercise of an option shall be determined by
the Board of Directors, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the case of an Incentive
Stock Option, the exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the fair market
value of such stock,
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as determined by the Board of Directors, at the time of grant of such option, or
less than 110% of such fair market value in the case of options described in
Section 11(b).
(b) PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE. Options granted under the Plan may
provide for the payment of the exercise price by delivery of cash or a check to
the order of the Company in an amount equal to the exercise price of such
options, or, to the extent provided in the applicable option agreement, (i) by
delivery to the Company of shares of Common Stock of the Company already owned
by the optionee having a fair market value equal in amount to the exercise price
of the options being exercised or (ii) by any other means (including, without
limitation, by delivery of a promissory note of the optionee payable on such
terms as are specified by the Board of Directors) which the Board of Directors
determines are consistent with the purpose of the Plan and with applicable laws
and regulations (including, without limitation, the provisions of Regulation T
promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board). The fair market value of any shares
of the Company's Common Stock or other non-cash consideration which may be
delivered upon exercise of an option shall be determined by the Board of
Directors.
7. OPTION PERIOD
Each option and all rights thereunder shall expire on such date as
shall be set forth in the applicable option agreement, except that, in the case
of an Incentive Stock Option, such date shall not be later than ten years after
the date on which the option is granted and, in all cases, options shall be
subject to earlier termination as provided in the Plan.
8. EXERCISE OF OPTIONS
Each option granted under the Plan shall be exercisable either in full
or in installments at such time or times and during such period as shall be set
forth in the agreement evidencing such option, subject to the provisions of the
Plan.
9. NONTRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS
Options shall not be assignable or transferable by the person to whom
they are granted, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or
the laws of descent and distribution, and, during the life of the optionee,
shall be exercisable only by the optionee; provided, however, that Non-Statutory
Options may be transferred pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order (as
defined in Rule 16b-3).
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10. EFFECT OF TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR OTHER RELATIONSHIP
Except as provided in Section 11(d) with respect to Incentive Stock
Options, and subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board of Directors shall
determine the period of time during which an optionee may exercise an option
following (i) the termination of the optionee's employment or other relationship
with the Company or (ii) the death or disability of the optionee. Such periods
shall be set forth in the agreement evidencing such option.
11. INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS
Options granted under the Plan which are intended to be Incentive Stock
Options shall be subject to the following additional terms and conditions:
(a) EXPRESS DESIGNATION. All Incentive Stock Options granted under the
Plan shall, at the time of grant, be specifically designated as such in the
option agreement covering such Incentive Stock Options.
(b) 10% SHAREHOLDER. If any employee to whom an Incentive Stock Option
is to be granted under the Plan is, at the time of the grant of such option, the
owner of stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of
all classes of stock of the Company (after taking into account the attribution
of stock ownership rules of Section 424(d) of the Code), then the following
special provisions shall be applicable to the Incentive Stock Option granted to
such individual:
(i) The purchase price per share of the Common Stock subject to
such Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than 110% of the fair market value
of one share of Common Stock at the time of grant; and
(ii) the option exercise period shall not exceed five years from
the date of grant.
(c) DOLLAR LIMITATION. For so long as the Code shall so provide,
options granted to any employee under the Plan (and any other incentive stock
option plans of the Company) which are intended to constitute Incentive Stock
Options shall not constitute Incentive Stock Options to the extent that such
options, in the aggregate, become exercisable for the first time in any one
calendar year for shares of Common Stock with an aggregate fair market value
(determined as of the respective date or dates of grant) of more than $100,000.
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(d) TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT, DEATH OR DISABILITY. No Incentive Stock
Option may be exercised unless, at the time of such exercise, the optionee is,
and has been continuously since the date of grant of his or her option, employed
by the Company, except that:
(i) an Incentive Stock Option may be exercised within the period of
three months after the date the optionee ceases to be an employee of the Company
(or within such lesser period as may be specified in the applicable option
agreement), provided, that the agreement with respect to such option may
designate a longer exercise period and that the exercise after such three-month
period shall be treated as the exercise of a non-statutory option under the
Plan;
(ii) if the optionee dies while in the employ of the Company, or
within three months after the optionee ceases to be such an employee, the
Incentive Stock Option may be exercised by the person to whom it is transferred
by will or the laws of descent and distribution within the period of one year
after the date of death (or within such lesser period as may be specified in the
applicable option agreement); and
(iii) if the optionee becomes disabled (within the meaning of
Section 22(e)(3) of the Code or any successor provision thereto) while in the
employ of the Company, the Incentive Stock Option may be exercised within the
period of one year after the date the optionee ceases to be such an employee
because of such disability (or within such lesser period as may be specified in
the applicable option agreement).
For all purposes of the Plan and any option granted hereunder, "employment"
shall be defined in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.421-7(h) of the
Income Tax Regulations (or any successor regulations). Notwithstanding the
foregoing provisions, no Incentive Stock Option may be exercised after its
expiration date.
12. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
(a) ADDITIONAL OPTION PROVISIONS. The Board of Directors may, in its
sole discretion, include additional provisions in option agreements covering
options granted under the Plan, including without limitation restrictions on
transfer, repurchase rights, commitments to pay cash bonuses, to make, arrange
for or guaranty loans or to transfer other property to optionees upon exercise
of options, or such other provisions as shall be determined by the Board of
Directors; provided that such additional provisions shall not be inconsistent
with any other term or condition of the Plan and such additional provisions
shall not cause any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan to fail to
qualify as an Incentive Stock Option within the meaning of Section 422 of the
Code.
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(b) ACCELERATION, EXTENSION, ETC. The Board of Directors may, in its
sole discretion, (i) accelerate the date or dates on which all or any particular
option or options granted under the Plan may be exercised or (ii) extend the
dates during which all, or any particular, option or options granted under the
Plan may be exercised.
(c) VESTING UPON DISABILITY OR DEATH. Upon the death or disability
(within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code) of an optionee, all
unvested options shall immediately vest.
(d) CHANGE IN CONTROL. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan
and except as otherwise provided in the relevant option agreement, in the event
of a "Change in Control of the Company" (as defined below), the exercise dates
of all options then outstanding shall be accelerated in full and any
restrictions on exercising outstanding options issued pursuant to the Plan prior
to any given date shall terminate. For purposes of the Plan, a "Change in
Control of the Company" shall occur or be deemed to have occurred only if (i)
any "person", as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange
Act (other than the Company, any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities
under an employee benefit plan of the Company, or any corporation owned directly
or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same
proportion as their ownership of stock of the Company), is or becomes the
"beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly
or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 30% or more of the
combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities; (ii) during
any period of two consecutive years ending during the term of the Plan (not
including any period prior to the adoption of the Plan), individuals who at the
beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the Company, and
any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered
into an agreement with the Company to effect any transaction described in clause
(i), (iii) or (iv) of this Section 12(d) whose election by the Board of
Directors 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 were
either directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or whose
nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the
"Disinterested Directors"), cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the
Board of Directors; (iii) the stockholders of the Company approve a merger or
consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, other than (A) a merger
or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company
outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by
remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the
surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting
securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after
such merger or consolidation or (B) a merger or consolidation effected to
implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no
"person" (as hereinabove defined) acquires more than 30% of the combined voting
power of the Company's then outstanding securities or (C) a merger or
consolidation which has been approved by a majority of the Disinterested
Directors; or (iv) the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of
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complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition
by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets which, in
either case, has not previously been approved by a majority of the Disinterested
Directors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company
may, in its sole discretion, by a resolution adopted by two-thirds of the
Disinterested Directors prior to the occurrence of any of the events otherwise
constituting a Change in Control of the Company, declare that such event will
not constitute a Change in Control of the Company for the purposes of the Plan.
If such resolution is adopted, such event shall not constitute a Change in
Control of the Company for any purpose of the Plan.
13. GENERAL RESTRICTIONS
(a) INVESTMENT REPRESENTATIONS. The Company may require any person to
whom an option is granted, as a condition of exercising such option, to give
written assurances in substance and form satisfactory to the Company to the
effect that such person is acquiring the Common Stock subject to the option for
his or her own account for investment and not with any present intention of
selling or otherwise distributing the same, and to such other effects as the
Company deems necessary or appropriate in order to comply with federal and
applicable state securities laws, or with covenants or representations made by
the Company in connection with any public offering of its Common Stock.
(b) COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAWS. Each option shall be subject to
the requirement that if, at any time, counsel to the Company shall determine
that the listing, registration or qualification of the shares subject to such
option upon any securities exchange or under any state or federal law, or the
consent or approval of any governmental or regulatory body, or that the
disclosure of non-public information or the satisfaction of any other condition
is necessary as a condition of, or in connection with, the issuance or purchase
of shares thereunder, such option may not be exercised, in whole or in part,
unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval, or
satisfaction of such condition shall have been effected or obtained on
conditions acceptable to the Board of Directors. Nothing herein shall be deemed
to require the Company to apply for or to obtain such listing, registration or
qualification, or to satisfy such condition.
14. RIGHTS AS A SHAREHOLDER
The holder of an option shall have no rights as a shareholder with
respect to any shares covered by the option (including, without limitation, any
rights to receive dividends or non-cash distributions with respect to such
shares) until the date of issue of a stock certificate to him or her for such
shares. No adjustment shall be made for dividends or other rights for which the
record date is prior to the date such stock certificate is issued.
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15. ADJUSTMENT PROVISIONS FOR RECAPITALIZATIONS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
(a) GENERAL. If, through or as a result of any merger, consolidation,
sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, reorganization,
recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock
split or other similar transaction, (i) the outstanding shares of Common Stock
are increased, decreased or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares
or other securities of the Company, or (ii) additional shares or new or
different shares or other securities of the Company or other non-cash assets are
distributed with respect to such shares of Common Stock or other securities, an
appropriate and proportionate adjustment may be made in (x) the maximum number
and kind of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan, (y) the number and kind
of shares or other securities subject to any then outstanding options under the
Plan, and (z) the price for each share subject to any then outstanding options
under the Plan, without changing the aggregate purchase price as to which such
options remain exercisable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no adjustment shall
be made pursuant to this Section 15 if such adjustment would cause the Plan to
fail to comply with Section 422 of the Code.
(b) BOARD AUTHORITY TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. Any adjustments under this
Section 15 will be made by the Board of Directors, whose determination as to
what adjustments, if any, will be made and the extent thereof will be final,
binding and conclusive. No fractional shares will be issued under the Plan on
account of any such adjustments.
16. MERGER, CONSOLIDATION, ASSET SALE, LIQUIDATION, ETC.
(a) GENERAL. In the event of a consolidation or merger or sale of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Company in which outstanding shares of
Common Stock are exchanged for securities, cash or other property of any other
corporation or business entity or in the event of a liquidation of the Company,
the Board of Directors of the Company, or the board of directors of any
corporation assuming the obligations of the Company, may, in its discretion,
take any one or more of the following actions, as to outstanding options: (i)
provide that such options shall be assumed, or equivalent options shall be
substituted, by the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate
thereof), provided that any such options substituted for Incentive Stock Options
shall meet the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code, (ii) upon written
notice to the optionees, provide that all unexercised options will terminate
immediately prior to the consummation of such transaction unless exercised by
the optionee within a specified period following the date of such notice, (iii)
in the event of a merger under the terms of which holders of the Common Stock of
the Company will receive upon consummation thereof a cash payment for each share
surrendered in the merger (the "Merger Price"), make or provide for a cash
payment to the optionees equal to the difference between (A) the Merger Price
times the number of shares of Common Stock subject to such outstanding options
(to the extent then exercisable at prices not in excess of the Merger Price) and
(B) the aggregate exercise price of all such outstanding options in exchange for
the termination of such options,
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and (iv) provide that all or any outstanding options shall become exercisable in
full immediately prior to such event.
(b) SUBSTITUTE OPTIONS. The Company may grant options under the Plan in
substitution for options held by employees of another corporation who become
employees of the Company, or a subsidiary of the Company, as the result of a
merger or consolidation of the employing corporation with the Company or a
subsidiary of the Company, or as a result of the acquisition by the Company, or
one of its subsidiaries, of property or stock of the employing corporation. The
Company may direct that substitute options be granted on such terms and
conditions as the Board of Directors considers appropriate in the circumstances.
17. NO SPECIAL EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS
Nothing contained in the Plan or in any option shall confer upon any optionee
any right with respect to the continuation of his or her employment by the
Company or interfere in any way with the right of the Company at any time to
terminate such employment or to increase or decrease the compensation of the
optionee.
18. OTHER EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Except as to plans which by their terms include such amounts as
compensation, the amount of any compensation deemed to be received by an
employee as a result of the exercise of an option or the sale of shares received
upon such exercise will not constitute compensation with respect to which any
other employee benefits of such employee are determined, including, without
limitation, benefits under any bonus, pension, profit-sharing, life insurance or
salary continuation plan, except as otherwise specifically determined by the
Board of Directors.
19. AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN
(a) The Board of Directors may at any time, and from time to time,
modify or amend the Plan in any respect, except that if at any time the approval
of the shareholders of the Company is required under Section 422 of the Code or
any successor provision with respect to Incentive Stock Options, or under Rule
16b-3, the Board of Directors may not effect such modification or amendment
without such approval.
(b) The termination or any modification or amendment of the Plan shall
not, without the consent of an optionee, affect his or her rights under an
option previously granted to him or her. With the consent of the optionee
affected, the Board of Directors may amend outstanding option agreements in a
manner not inconsistent with the Plan. The Board of Directors shall have the
right to amend or modify (i) the terms and provisions of the Plan and of any
outstanding Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan to the
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extent necessary to qualify any or all such options for such favorable federal
income tax treatment (including deferral of taxation upon exercise) as may be
afforded incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Code and (ii) the
terms and provisions of the Plan and of any outstanding option to the extent
necessary to ensure the qualification of the Plan under Rule 16b-3. The
provisions of Section 3(c), above, which relate to formula grants to outside
directors may not be amended more than once every six months, other than to
comport with changes in the Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, or the rules thereunder.
20. WITHHOLDING
(a) The Company shall have the right to deduct from payments of any
kind otherwise due to the optionee any federal, state or local taxes of any kind
required by law to be withheld with respect to any shares issued upon exercise
of options under the Plan. Subject to the prior approval of the Company, which
may be withheld by the Company in its sole discretion, the optionee may elect to
satisfy such obligations, in whole or in part, (i) by causing the Company to
withhold shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable pursuant to the exercise of
an option or (ii) by delivering to the Company shares of Common Stock already
owned by the optionee. The shares so delivered or withheld shall have a fair
market value equal to such withholding obligation. The fair market value of the
shares used to satisfy such withholding obligation shall be determined by the
Company as of the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be
determined. An optionee who has made an election pursuant to this Section 20(a)
may only satisfy his or her withholding obligation with shares of Common Stock
which are not subject to any repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting or
other similar requirements.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Reporting Person,
no election to use shares for the payment of withholding taxes shall be
effective unless made in compliance with any applicable requirements of Rule
16b-3 (unless it is intended that the transaction not qualify for exemption
under Rule 16b-3).
21. CANCELLATION AND NEW GRANT OF OPTIONS, ETC.
The Board of Directors shall have the authority to effect, at any time
and from time to time, with the consent of the affected optionees, (i) the
cancellation of any or all outstanding options under the Plan and the grant in
substitution therefor of new options under the Plan covering the same or
different numbers of shares of Common Stock and having an option exercise price
per share which may be lower or higher than the exercise price per share of the
cancelled options or (ii) the amendment of the terms of any and all outstanding
options under the Plan to provide an option exercise price per share which is
higher or lower than the then-current exercise price per share of such
outstanding options.
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22. EFFECTIVE DATE AND DURATION OF THE PLAN
(a) EFFECTIVE DATE. The Plan shall become effective when adopted by the
Board of Directors, but no option granted under the Plan shall become
exercisable unless and until the Plan shall have been approved by the Company's
shareholders. If such shareholder approval is not obtained within twelve months
after the date of the Board's adoption of the Plan, options previously granted
under the Plan shall not vest and shall terminate and no options shall be
granted thereafter. Amendments to the Plan not requiring shareholder approval
shall become effective when adopted by the Board of Directors; amendments
requiring shareholder approval (as provided in Section 19) shall become
effective when adopted by the Board of Directors, but no option granted after
the date of such amendment shall become exercisable (to the extent that such
amendment to the Plan was required to enable the Company to grant such option to
a particular person) unless and until such amendment shall have been approved by
the Company's shareholders. If such shareholder approval is not obtained within
twelve months of the Board's adoption of such amendment, any options granted on
or after the date of such amendment shall terminate to the extent that such
amendment was required to enable the Company to grant such option to a
particular optionee. Subject to this limitation, options may be granted under
the Plan at any time after the effective date and before the date fixed for
termination of the Plan.
(b) TERMINATION. Unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section
16, the Plan shall terminate upon the close of business on the day next
preceding the tenth anniversary of the date of its adoption by the Board of
Directors. Options outstanding on such date shall continue to have force and
effect in accordance with the provisions of the instruments evidencing such
options.
23. PROVISION FOR FOREIGN PARTICIPANTS
The Board of Directors may, without amending the Plan, modify awards or
options granted to participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside
the United States to recognize differences in laws, rules, regulations or
customs of such foreign jurisdictions with respect to tax, securities, currency,
employee benefit or other matters.
Adopted by the Board of
Directors on April 16, 1996.
Approved by the Sole
Stockholder on April 16, 1996.
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