RECKSON SERVICES INDUSTRIES INC
S-8, 1999-04-30
REAL ESTATE AGENTS & MANAGERS (FOR OTHERS)
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    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 1999

                                            Registration No. 333-___________
==============================================================================

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549
                           ------------------------
                                   FORM S-8
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     under
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           ------------------------

                       RECKSON SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


        Delaware                                          11-3383642   
(State or other jurisdiction of            (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)


                             225 Broadhollow Road
                           Melville, New York 11747
                                (516) 719-7400
      (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area
              code, of registrant's principal executive offices)
                           ------------------------

            Reckson Service Industries, Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan
                           (Full title of the plan)
                            -----------------------

                               SCOTT H. RECHLER
                President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
                       Reckson Service Industries, Inc.
                             225 Broadhollow Road
                           Melville, New York 11747
                                (516) 719-7400
      (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
                       area code, of agent for service)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 Title of Securities               Amount to            Proposed maximum         Proposed maximum      Amount of registration fee
  to be registered              be registered      offering price per unit     aggregate offering
                                                                                      price
   <S>                              <C>                      <C>                       <C>                        <C>    

   Common Stock, par value 
   $.01 per share............       3,700,376 (1)            $10.16  (2)               $37,595,820 (3)            $10,452  (4)


</TABLE>

(1)      Plus such additional  number of shares as may be required pursuant to
         the 1998  Stock  Option  Plan  with  respect  to which no  additional
         consideration  will be paid  (i) in the  event  of a stock  dividend,
         reverse   stock  split,   split  up,   recapitalization   or  capital
         adjustments   and  (ii)  that  are  issuable   pursuant  to  dividend
         equivalent  rights  relating to stock  options  issued under the 1998
         Stock Option Plan.
(2)      Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, 
         as amended (the "Securities Act").
(3)      Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) under the Securities Act
         based on the average of the high and low prices for the Common Stock 
         reported in the  consolidated  reporting system for last reported 
         over-the-counter securities on April 27, 1999. 
(4)      In accordance with Rule 457(h), the filing fee is based on the 
         maximum number of the registrant's securities issuable under the 1998 
         Stock Option Plan that are covered by this Registration Statement.


=============================================================================
<PAGE>


                                    PART I

             INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

         The  document(s)  containing the  information  specified in Part I of
Form S-8 will be sent or given to participating employees as specified by Rule
428(b)(1) of the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act").
Such documents and the documents  incorporated by reference herein pursuant to
Item 3 of Part II hereof,  taken together,  constitute a prospectus that meets
the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

                                    PART II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         Reckson Service Industries, Inc. (the "Company") hereby incorporates
by reference the documents listed in (a), (b) and (c) below which have
previously been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

         (a)   The Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
               December 31, 1998.

         (b)   The current reports on Form 8-K (including Form 8-KA) and filed 
               on January 19, 1999, January 25, 1999, March 24, 1999 and
               April 16, 1999, respectively.

         (c)   The  description of the Company's  Common Stock contained in
               the section  entitled  "Description of RSI Capital Stock" in
               the  Company's   registration  statement  on  Form  S-1,  as
               amended,   filed  on  January  16,  1998   pursuant  to  the
               Securities Act.

         In addition,  all documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections
13(a),  13(c),  14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act  subsequent to the date hereof
and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities  offered  have  been  sold  or  which  deregisters  all  securities
remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to
be part  hereof  from the date of  filing  of such  documents.  Any  statement
contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes hereof to the
extent that a statement  contained herein or in any other  subsequently  filed
document  which also is or is deemed to be  incorporated  by reference  herein
modifies or  supersedes  such  statement.  Any such  statement  so modified or
superseded  shall not be  deemed,  except as so  modified  or  superseded,  to
constitute a part hereof.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

         Not Applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

         None.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         The Delaware  General  Corporation  Law (the "Delaware Law") provides
that a corporation may limit the liability of each director to the corporation
or its  stockholders  for monetary  damages  except for  liability (i) for any
breach  of  the  director's   duty  of  loyalty  to  the  corporation  or  its
stockholders;  (ii) for acts or  omissions  not in good faith or that  involve
intentional  misconduct  or a knowing  violation  of law;  (iii) in respect of
certain unlawful dividend  payments or stock  redemptions or repurchases,  and
(iv) for any transaction from which the director derives an improper  personal
benefit.  The First  Amended and Restated  Certificate  of  Incorporation  and
Bylaws of the Company (the "Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation"
and "Bylaws",  respectively) provide for the elimination and limitation of the
personal  liability of  directors  of the Company for monetary  damages to the
fullest  extent  permitted by the Delaware  Law. In addition,  the Amended and
Restated  Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that if the Delaware
Law is amended to  authorize  the further  elimination  or  limitation  of the
liability  of a  director,  then  the  liability  of the  directors  shall  be
eliminated or limited to the fullest extent  permitted by the Delaware Law, as
so amended.  The effect of this  provision is to  eliminate  the rights of the
Company or any stockholder to seek  non-monetary  relief such as an injunction
or  rescission  in the  event of a breach  of a  director's  duty of care.  In
addition,  the Bylaws  provide that the Company  shall,  to the fullest extent
permitted by the Delaware  Law, as amended  from time to time,  indemnify  and
advance  expenses  to each  of its  currently  acting  and  former  directors,
officers, members of the management advisory committee, employees and agents.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

         Not Applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

3(a)*    Certificate of Incorporation of the Company.

3(b)*    Bylaws of the Company.

3(c)**   Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company.

4(a)*    Specimen Share Certificate of Common Stock.

4(b)     Reckson Service Industries, Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan.

5(a)     Opinion of Brown & Wood LLP.

23(a)    Consent of Brown & Wood LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5(a)).

23(b)    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

23(c)    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

24       Power of Attorney (included on page 5).

*        Previously filed as an exhibit to Registration Statement on Form S-1 
(No. 333-44419) and incorporated herein by reference.

**       Previously filed as an exhibit to Annual Report on Form 10-K 
(No. 001-14183) and incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 9.           UNDERTAKINGS

         The undersigned registrants hereby undertake:

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

                  (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
                  of the Securities Act of 1933;

                  (ii)  To  reflect  in the  prospectus  any  facts  or  events
                  arising  after  the  effective  date  of  the   registration
                  statement  (or  the  most  recent  post-effective  amendment
                  thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,  represent
                  a  fundamental  change in the  information  set forth in the
                  registration statement;

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

provided, however that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
information  required to be included in a  post-effective  amendment  by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic  reports filed by the registrant  pursuant
to  Section  13 or  15(d)  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

         (2) That,  for the purpose of  determining  any  liability  under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to
be a new registration  statement  relating to the securities  offered therein,
and the  offering  of such  securities  at the time  shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof.

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

         (b)  That,  for  purposes  of  determining  any  liability  under the
Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant
to  Section  13(a) or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  that is
incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be
a new registration  statement  relating to the securities  offered herein, and
the offering of such  securities at the time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant  pursuant to the provisions referred to in Item 6 of
this  registration  statement,  or otherwise,  the registrant has been advised
that  in  the  opinion  of  the  Securities  and  Exchange   Commission   such
indemnification  is  against  public  policy as  expressed  in the Act and is,
therefore,  unenforceable.  In the  event  that a  claim  for  indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred  or  paid  by a  director,  officer  or  controlling  person  of  the
registrant in the  successful  defense of any action,  suit or  proceeding) is
asserted by such director,  officer or controlling  person in connection  with
the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of
its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,  submit to a
court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by
it is against  public  policy as  expressed in the Act and will be governed by
the final adjudication of such issue.



<PAGE>


                                  SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,  Reckson
Service  Industries,  Inc. certifies that is has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets  all of the  requirements  for  filing  on Form S-8 and has duly
caused  this  registration  statement  to be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the
undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized, in The Township of Huntington,  State
of New York, on April 28, 1999.

                               RECKSON SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.

                               By: /s/ SCOTT H. RECHLER
                                   --------------------------------------
                                   (Scott H. Rechler)
                                   President, Chief Executive Officer and
                                   Director

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOWN ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that we, the  undersigned  officers
and directors of Reckson Service Industries,  Inc. hereby severally constitute
Scott H. Rechler,  Mitchell D. Rechler,  and Michael Maturo,  and each of them
singly,  our true and lawful  attorneys  with full power to them,  and each of
them  singly,  to sign  for us and in our  names in the  capacities  indicated
below, the Registration Statement filed herewith and any and all amendments to
said Registration Statement,  and generally to do all such things in our names
and in our  capacities  as officers and  directors to enable  Reckson  Service
Industries,  Inc. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933,
and  all  requirements  of the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  hereby
ratifying  and  confirming  our  signatures  as they may be signed by our said
attorneys,  or any of them,  to said  Registration  Statement  and any and all
amendments thereto.

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933,  this
Registration  Statement has been signed below by the following  persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


         Signature                                        Title                                                 Date
         ---------                                        -----                                                 -----

<S>                                 <C>                                                                         <C>

/s/ SCOTT H. RECHLER                President, Chief Executive Officer and Director                             April 28, 1999
- ---------------------------
(Scott H. Rechler)

/s/ MICHAEL MATURO                  Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director              April 28, 1999
- ---------------------------         (Financial Officer and Accounting Officer)
(Michael Maturo)                    

/s/ DONALD J. RECHLER               Chairman of the Board and Director                                          April 28, 1999
- ---------------------
(Donald J. Rechler)

/s/ ROGER M. RECHLER                Member of Management Advisory Committee and Director                        April 28, 1999
- ---------------------------
(Roger M. Rechler)

/s/ MITCHELL D. RECHLER             Secretary, Member of Management Advisory Committee and                      April 28, 1999
- -----------------------             Director
(Mitchell D. Rechler)               

/s/ GREGG M. RECHLER                Member of Management Advisory Committee and Director                        April 28, 1999
- --------------------
(Gregg M. Rechler))

/s/ PAUL AMORUSO                    Director                                                                    April 28, 1999
- --------------------
(Paul Amoruso)

/s/ RONALD COOPER                   Director                                                                    April 28, 1999
- --------------------
(Ronald Cooper)

</TABLE>

<PAGE>


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX





Exhibit No.                Description                                     Page
- -----------                -----------                                     ----

3(a)*                      Certificate of Incorporation of the Company.

3(b)*                      Bylaws of the Company.

3(c)**                     Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation 
                           of the Company.

4(a)*                      Specimen Share Certificate of Common Stock.

4(b)                       Reckson Service Industries, Inc. 1998 Stock 
                           Option Plan.                                      7

5(a)                       Opinion of Brown & Wood LLP.                     19

23(a)                      Consent of Brown & Wood LLP (included as part of
                           Exhibit 5(a)).

23(b)                      Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.                    20

23(c)                      Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.           21

24                         Power of Attorney (included on page 5).



*        Previously filed as an exhibit to Registration Statement on Form
S-11 (No. 333-44419) and incorporated herein by reference.

**       Previously filed as an exhibit to Annual Report on Form 10-K 
(No. 001-14183) and incorporated herein by reference.




                                                                 EXHIBIT 4(b)


                       RECKSON SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.
                            1998 STOCK OPTION PLAN


ARTICLE 1.  GENERAL

         1.1.  Purpose.  The purpose of the Reckson Service  Industries,  Inc.
1998  Stock  Option  Plan  (the  "Plan")  is to  provide  for a broad  base of
officers,  directors and key employees,  as defined in Section 1.3, of Reckson
Service  Industries,  Inc. (the  "Company")  and certain of its Affiliates (as
defined  below)  an  equity-based   incentive  to  maintain  and  enhance  the
performance  and  profitability  of the Company.  It is the further purpose of
this  Plan  to  permit   the   granting   of  awards   that  will   constitute
performance-based compensation for certain executive officers, as described in
Section 162(m) of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),
and regulations promulgated thereunder.

         1.2.     Administration.

         (a) The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee (the
"Committee")  of the Board of Directors of the Company  (the  "Board"),  which
Committee  shall  consist of two or more  directors,  or by the  Board.  It is
intended that from and after the initial public offering of Common Stock,  the
directors   appointed  to  serve  on  the  Committee  shall  be  "non-employee
directors"  (within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act")) and "outside  directors" (within the meaning
of Code Section 162(m));  however, the mere fact that a Committee member shall
fail to qualify under either of these  requirements  shall not  invalidate any
award made by the  Committee  which award is otherwise  validly made under the
Plan.  The members of the Committee  shall be appointed by, and may be changed
at any time and from time to time in the discretion of, the Board.

         (b) The Committee shall have the authority (i) to exercise all of the
powers granted to it under the Plan, (ii) to construe, interpret and implement
the Plan and any Plan  agreements  executed  pursuant  to the  Plan,  (iii) to
prescribe,  amend and rescind  rules  relating  to the Plan,  (iv) to make any
determination  necessary or advisable in  administering  the Plan,  and (v) to
correct any defect, supply any omission and reconcile any inconsistency in the
Plan. The Committee shall have no authority to interpret or administer Article
5 of the Plan or to take any action with respect to any awards thereunder.

         (c) The determination of the Committee on all matters relating to the
Plan or any Plan agreement shall be conclusive.

         (d) No member of the  Committee  shall be  liable  for any  action or
determination  made  in good  faith  with  respect  to the  Plan or any  award
hereunder.

         (e)  Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary  contained herein, the
Board may, in its sole discretion,  at any time and from time to time, resolve
to administer the Plan, in which case, the term Committee as used herein shall
be deemed to mean the Board.

         1.3. Persons  Eligible for Awards.  Awards under the Plan may be made
to such officers, directors and key employees ("key personnel") of the Company
or its  Affiliates  as the  Committee  shall  from  time to  time in its  sole
discretion select. No member of the Board who is not an officer or employee of
the Company or an Affiliate (an  "Independent  Director") shall be eligible to
receive any Awards  under the Plan,  except for  non-qualified  stock  options
granted automatically under the provisions of Article 5 of the Plan.

         1.4.     Types of Awards Under Plan.

         (a)  Awards  may be made  under  the  Plan in the  form of (i)  stock
options  ("options"),  (ii) restricted  stock awards,  and (iii)  unrestricted
stock  awards  in lieu of cash  compensation,  all as more  fully set forth in
Articles 2 and 3.

         (b) Options  granted under the Plan may be either (i)  "nonqualified"
stock  options  ("NQSOs")  or (ii) options  intended to qualify for  incentive
stock option  treatment  described in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 (the "Code") ("ISOs").  Grants of options made under the Plan may also
be made in lieu of cash fees otherwise  payable to Directors of the Company or
cash bonuses payable to employees of the Company or any Affiliate.

         (c) All options  when  granted are  intended to be NQSOs,  unless the
applicable Plan agreement  explicitly states that the option is intended to be
an ISO.  If an option is  intended  to be an ISO,  and if for any reason  such
option (or any  portion  thereof)  shall not qualify as an ISO,  then,  to the
extent of such nonqualification, such option (or portion) shall be regarded as
a NQSO  appropriately  granted  under the Plan  provided  that such option (or
portion) otherwise meets the Plan's requirements relating to NQSOs.

         1.5.     Shares Available for Awards.

         (a) Subject to Section 4.5 (relating to  adjustments  upon changes in
capitalization),  as of any date the total  number  of shares of Common  Stock
with  respect to which awards may be granted  under the Plan,  shall equal the
excess (if any) of 3,700,376  shares of Common  Stock,  over (i) the number of
shares of Common  Stock  subject  to  outstanding  awards,  (ii) the number of
shares  in  respect  of which  options  have  been  exercised,  or  grants  of
restricted or  unrestricted  Common Stock have been made pursuant to the Plan,
and (iii) the number of shares issued subject to forfeiture restrictions which
have lapsed.  In any year, a person eligible for awards under the Plan may not
be granted  options  under the Plan  covering  a total of more than  1,000,000
shares of Common Stock.

In  accordance  with (and without  limitation  upon) the  preceding  sentence,
awards may be granted in  respect  of the  following  shares of Common  Stock:
shares covered by previously-granted  awards that have expired,  terminated or
been cancelled for any reason  whatsoever (other than by reason of exercise or
vesting).

         (b) Shares of Common Stock that shall be subject to issuance pursuant
to the Plan shall be  authorized  and  unissued or  treasury  shares of Common
Stock,  or  shares  of  Common  Stock  purchased  on the open  market  or from
shareholders of the Company for such purpose.

         (c) Without  limiting the generality of the foregoing,  the Committee
may, with the grantee's  consent,  cancel any award under the Plan and issue a
new award in substitution therefor upon such terms as the Committee may in its
sole discretion  determine,  provided that the substituted award shall satisfy
all applicable Plan requirements as of the date such new award is made.

         1.6.     Definitions of Certain Terms.

         (a) The term  "Affiliate"  as used herein means RSI Fund  Management,
LLC, RSVP Holdings,  LLC and Reckson Strategic Venture Partners,  LLC, and any
person or entity as  subsequently  approved by the Board which, at the time of
reference,  directly,  or  indirectly  through  one  or  more  intermediaries,
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company.

         (b) The term "Cause" shall mean a finding by the  Committee  that the
recipient  of an award under the Plan has (i) acted with gross  negligence  or
willful  misconduct in connection  with the performance of his material duties
to the Company or its  Affiliates;  (ii)  defaulted in the  performance of his
material  duties to the Company or its  Affiliates  and has not corrected such
action within 15 days of receipt of written notice  thereof;  (iii)  willfully
acted against the best interests of the Company or its  Affiliates,  which act
has had a material and adverse impact on the financial  affairs of the Company
or its Affiliates;  or (iv) been convicted of a felony or committed a material
act of common law fraud against the Company, its Affiliates or their employees
and such act or conviction  has, or the Committee  reasonably  determines will
have,  a  material  adverse  effect on the  interests  of the  Company  or its
Affiliates.

         (c) The term "Common Stock" as used herein means the shares of common
stock of the Company as constituted on the effective date of the Plan, and any
other  shares into which such  common  stock  shall  thereafter  be changed by
reason of a recapitalization,  merger, consolidation,  split-up,  combination,
exchange of shares or the like.

         (d) The "fair market  value" (or "FMV") as of any date and in respect
of any share of Common Stock shall be:

                    (i) if the Common  Stock is listed for  trading on the New
                  York Stock Exchange,  the closing price, regular way, of the
                  Common  Stock as  reported  on the New York  Stock  Exchange
                  Composite  Tape,  or if no such  reported sale of the Common
                  Stock  shall  have  occurred  on  such  date,  on  the  next
                  preceding date on which there was such a reported sale; or

                   (ii) the  Common  Stock is not so  listed  but is listed on
                  another  national  securities  exchange  or  authorized  for
                  quotation on the National  Association of Securities Dealers
                  Inc.'s NASDAQ  National  Market System  ("NASDAQ/NMS"),  the
                  closing  price,  regular  way,  of the Common  Stock on such
                  exchange  or  NASDAQ/NMS,  as the case may be,  on which the
                  largest number of shares of Common Stock have been traded in
                  the aggregate on the preceding twenty trading days, or if no
                  such  reported sale of the Stock shall have occurred on such
                  date on such exchange or NASDAQ/NMS,  as the case may be, on
                  the  preceding  date on which there was such a reported sale
                  on such exchange or NASDAQ/NMS, as the case may be; or

                  (iii) if the Common  Stock is not  listed  for  trading on a
                  national  securities exchange or authorized for quotation on
                  NASDAQ/NMS,  the average of the closing bid and asked prices
                  as  reported  by  the  National  Association  of  Securities
                  Dealers Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or, if no such
                  prices  shall have been so  reported  for such date,  on the
                  next  preceding date for which such prices were so reported;
                  or

                   (iv) if the Common  Stock is not  listed  for  trading on a
                  national  securities exchange or authorized for quotation on
                  NASDAQ/NMS or NASDAQ  generally,  the average of the closing
                  bid and asked prices as reported on the OTC  Bulletin  Board
                  or, if no such prices  shall have been so reported  for such
                  date, on the next  preceding date for which such prices were
                  so reported; or

                    (v) prior to the initial  distribution  of Common Stock by
                  Reckson  Operating  Partnership,  L.P. to its unitholders in
                  the  spin-off  transaction,  the book value per share of the
                  Common Stock in such spin-off transaction.

         1.7.     Agreements Evidencing Awards.

         (a) Options and restricted  stock awards granted under the Plan shall
be evidenced by written  agreements.  Any such  written  agreements  shall (i)
contain such  provisions  not  inconsistent  with the terms of the Plan as the
Committee may in its sole  discretion  deem necessary or desirable and (ii) be
referred to herein as "Plan Agreements."

         (b) Each Plan  agreement  shall  set  forth  the  number of shares of
Common Stock subject to the award granted thereby.

         (c) Each Plan  agreement  with  respect to the  granting of an option
shall set forth the  amount  (the  "option  exercise  price")  payable  by the
grantee to the Company in connection with the exercise of the option evidenced
thereby.  The option  exercise  price per share shall not be less than 100% of
the fair  market  value of a share of Common  Stock on the date the  option is
granted.

ARTICLE 2.  STOCK OPTIONS

         2.1.     Option Awards.

         (a)  Grant of Stock  Options.  The  Committee  may grant  options  to
purchase  shares of Common Stock in such amounts and subject to such terms and
conditions  as the  Committee  shall from time to time in its sole  discretion
determine, subject to the terms of the Plan.

         (b) Dividend  Equivalent  Rights. To the extent expressly provided by
the  Committee at the time of the grant,  each NQSO granted under this Section
2.1 shall also  generate  Dividend  Equivalent  Rights  ("DERs"),  which shall
entitle the grantee to receive an  additional  share of Common  Stock for each
DER received upon the exercise of the NQSO, at no  additional  cost,  based on
the formula set forth  herein.  As of the last  business day of each  calendar
quarter,  the amount of dividends  paid by the Company on each share of Common
Stock with  respect to that  quarter  shall be divided by the FMV per share to
determine  the actual  number of DERs  accruing  on each share  subject to the
NQSO.  Such amount of DERs shall be multiplied by the number of shares covered
by the NQSO to determine the number of DERs which accrued during such quarter.
The  provisions  of this  Section  2.1(b)  shall not be amended more than once
every six months other than to comport with changes in the Code,  the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA") or the rules thereunder.

         For  example.  Assume  that a grantee  holds a NQSO to  purchase  600
shares of Common  Stock.  Further  assume that the  dividend per share for the
first  quarter was $0.10,  and that the FMV per share on the last business day
of the quarter was $20.  Therefore,  .005 DER would  accrue per share for that
quarter and such  grantee  would  receive  three DERs for that  quarter (600 X
 .005).  For  purposes of  determining  how many DERs would  accrue  during the
second  quarter,  the NQSO would be  considered to be for 603 shares of Common
Stock.

         2.2.     Exercisability of Options.  Subject to the other provisions
of the Plan:

         (a) Exercisability  Determined by Plan Agreement. Each Plan agreement
shall set forth the period  during which and the  conditions  subject to which
the option shall be exercisable (including, but not limited to vesting of such
options), as determined by the Committee in its discretion.

         (b) Partial Exercise Permitted.  Unless the applicable Plan agreement
otherwise  provides,  an option  granted under the Plan may be exercised  from
time to time as to all or part of the full  number  of shares  for which  such
option is then exercisable, in which event the DERs relating to the portion of
the option being exercised shall also be exercised.

         (c) Notice of Exercise; Exercise Date.

                  (i) An  option  shall  be  exercisable  by the  filing  of a
                  written  notice of exercise  with the Company,  on such form
                  and in  such  manner  as the  Committee  shall  in its  sole
                  discretion  prescribe,  and by  payment in  accordance  with
                  Section 2.4.

                  (ii)  Unless  the  applicable   Plan   agreement   otherwise
                  provides,  or the Committee in its sole discretion otherwise
                  determines,  the date of exercise of an option  shall be the
                  date the Company  receives  such written  notice of exercise
                  and payment.

         2.3.  Limitation on Exercise.  Notwithstanding any other provision of
the Plan, no Plan agreement shall permit an ISO to be exercisable more than 10
years after the date of grant.

         2.4.     Payment of Option Price.

         (a) Tender Due Upon Notice of Exercise.  Unless the  applicable  Plan
agreement otherwise provides or the Committee in its sole discretion otherwise
determines,  any written  notice of exercise of an option shall be accompanied
by payment of the full purchase price for the shares being purchased.

         (b) Manner of Payment.  Payment of the option exercise price shall be
made in any combination of the following:

                    (i) by  certified  or official  bank check  payable to the
                  Company  (or  the  equivalent   thereof  acceptable  to  the
                  Committee);

                   (ii) by personal check (subject to  collection),  which may
                  in the Committee's discretion be deemed conditional;

                  (iii)  with  the  consent  of  the  Committee  in  its  sole
                  discretion,  by delivery of  previously  acquired  shares of
                  Common  Stock  owned by the  grantee for at least six months
                  having a fair  market  value  (determined  as of the  option
                  exercise  date) equal to the portion of the option  exercise
                  price being paid  thereby,  provided  that the Committee may
                  require  the  grantee  to  furnish  an  opinion  of  counsel
                  acceptable to the Committee to the effect that such delivery
                  would not  result in the  grantee  incurring  any  liability
                  under  Section  16(b) of the Act and does  not  require  any
                  Consent (as defined in Section 4.2); and

                   (iv)  with  the  consent  of  the  Committee  in  its  sole
                  discretion,   by  the  full  recourse  promissory  note  and
                  agreement of the grantee providing for payment with interest
                  on the unpaid balance  accruing at a rate not less than that
                  needed to avoid the  imputation of income under Code Section
                  7872 and upon  such  terms  and  conditions  (including  the
                  security,  if any, therefor) as the Committee may determine;
                  and

                    (v) by withholding  shares of Common Stock from the shares
                  otherwise issuable pursuant to the exercise.

         (c) Cashless Exercise.  Payment in accordance with Section 2.4(b) may
be deemed to be  satisfied,  if and to the extent  provided in the  applicable
Plan  agreement,  by delivery to the Company of an  assignment of a sufficient
amount of the proceeds from the sale of Common Stock acquired upon exercise to
pay for all of the Common Stock acquired upon exercise and an authorization to
the  broker or selling  agent to pay that  amount to the  Company,  which sale
shall be made at the  grantee's  direction at the time of  exercise,  provided
that the  Committee  may  require the grantee to furnish an opinion of counsel
acceptable to the Committee to the effect that such delivery  would not result
in the grantee  incurring any  liability  under Section 16 of the Act and does
not require any Consent (as defined in Section 4.2).

         (d) Issuance of Shares.  As soon as practicable after receipt of full
payment,  the Company shall, subject to the provisions of Section 4.2, deliver
to the  grantee  one or more  certificates  for the shares of Common  Stock so
purchased,  which  certificates  may bear such legends as the Company may deem
appropriate  concerning  restrictions  on the  disposition  of the  shares  in
accordance  with  applicable   securities   laws,  rules  and  regulations  or
otherwise.

         2.5. Default Rules Concerning Termination of Employment.

Subject to the other  provisions  of the Plan and unless the  applicable  Plan
agreement otherwise provides:

         (a) General Rule.  All options  granted to a grantee shall  terminate
upon the  grantee's  termination  of  employment  for any reason except to the
extent post-employment  exercise of the option is permitted in accordance with
this Section 2.5.

         (b)  Termination  for Cause.  All  unexercised  or  unvested  options
granted  to a  grantee  shall  terminate  and  expire  on the day a  grantee's
employment is terminated for Cause.

         (c)  Regular   Termination;   Leave  of  Absence.  If  the  grantee's
employment terminates for any reason other than as provided in subsection (b),
(d) or (f) of this Section 2.5, any awards  granted to such grantee which were
exercisable  immediately  prior  to  such  termination  of  employment  may be
exercised,  and any awards subject to vesting may continue to vest,  until the
earlier of either:  (i) 90 days after the grantee's  termination of employment
and (ii) the date on which such options terminate or expire in accordance with
the  provisions  of the  Plan  (other  than  this  Section  2.5)  and the Plan
agreement; provided that the Committee may, in its sole discretion,  determine
such  other  period for  exercise  in the case of a grantee  whose  employment
terminates solely because the grantee's  employer ceases to be an Affiliate or
the grantee transfers  employment with the Company's consent to a purchaser of
a  business  disposed  of by the  Company.  The  Committee  may,  in its  sole
discretion,  determine (i) whether any leave of absence (including  short-term
or long-term  disability or medical  leave) shall  constitute a termination of
employment  for purposes of the Plan and (ii) the effect,  if any, of any such
leave on outstanding awards under the Plan.

         (d)  Retirement.  If a grantee's  employment  terminates by reason of
retirement  (i.e.,  the voluntary  termination  of employee by a grantee after
attaining the age of 55), the options  exercisable by the grantee  immediately
prior to the grantee's  retirement  shall be  exercisable by the grantee until
the earlier of (i) 12 months after the grantee's  retirement and (ii) the date
on which such options terminate or expire in accordance with the provisions of
the Plan (other than this Section 2.5) and the Plan agreement.

         (e) Death After Termination.  If a grantee's employment terminates in
the manner  described  in  subsections  (c) or (d) of this Section 2.5 and the
grantee dies within the period for exercise provided for therein,  the options
exercisable by the grantee  immediately  prior to the grantee's death shall be
exercisable by the personal  representative  of the grantee's estate or by the
person to whom such options pass under the grantee's  will (or, if applicable,
pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution)  until the earlier of (i) 12
months  after  the  grantee's  death and (ii) the date on which  such  options
terminate or expire in accordance  with the provisions of  subsections  (c) or
(d) of this Section 2.5.

         (f) Death Before Termination. If a grantee dies while employed by the
Company or any Affiliate, all options granted to the grantee but not exercised
before the death of the  grantee,  whether or not  exercisable  by the grantee
before the grantee's death, shall immediately become and be exercisable by the
personal  representative of the grantee's estate or by the person to whom such
options pass under the grantee's will (or, if applicable, pursuant to the laws
of descent  and  distribution)  until the  earlier of (i) 12 months  after the
grantee's death and (ii) the date on which such options terminate or expire in
accordance  with the  provisions of the Plan (other than this Section 2.5) and
the Plan agreement.

         2.6.  Special  ISO  Requirements.  In order for a grantee  to receive
special tax treatment with respect to stock acquired under an option  intended
to be an ISO, (i) the Plan must be approved by the Company's  shareholders  in
accordance  with the  requirements of Code Section 422(b) and (ii) the grantee
of such option must be, at all times  during the period  beginning on the date
of grant and ending on the day three  months  before the date of  exercise  of
such  option,  an employee of the  Company or any of the  Company's  parent or
subsidiary  corporations  (within the meaning of Code  Section  424),  or of a
corporation or a parent or subsidiary  corporation of such corporation issuing
or  assuming a stock  option in a  transaction  to which Code  Section  424(a)
applies.  If an option granted under the Plan is intended to be an ISO, and if
the grantee,  at the time of grant, owns stock possessing more than 10% of the
total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the grantee's  employer
corporation  or of its parent or subsidiary  corporation,  then (i) the option
exercise  price  per  share  shall in no event be less  than  110% of the fair
market  value of the  Common  Stock on the date of such  grant  and (ii)  such
option shall not be  exercisable  after the expiration of five years after the
date such option is granted.

ARTICLE 3.  RESTRICTED STOCK AND UNRESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS

         3.1.  Restricted Stock Awards.

         (a) Grant of Awards. The Committee may grant restricted stock awards,
alone or in tandem  with  other  awards,  under the Plan in such  amounts  and
subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee  shall from time to time
in its sole discretion  determine;  provided,  however,  that the grant of any
such restricted stock awards may be made only in lieu of cash compensation and
bonuses. The vesting of a restricted stock award granted under the Plan may be
conditioned  upon the completion of a specified  period of employment with the
Company or any Affiliate,  upon the attainment of specified performance goals,
and/or upon such other  criteria as the  Committee  may  determine in its sole
discretion.

         (b) Payment.  Each Plan agreement with respect to a restricted  stock
award  shall set  forth the  amount  (if any) to be paid by the  grantee  with
respect to such award.  If a grantee makes any payment for a restricted  stock
award  which does not vest,  appropriate  payment  may be made to the  grantee
following  the  forfeiture  of such award on such terms and  conditions as the
Committee may  determine.  The  Committee  shall have the authority to make or
authorize loans to finance, or to otherwise  accommodate the financing of, the
acquisition or exercise of a restricted stock award.

         (c) Forfeiture upon Termination of Employment.  Unless the applicable
Plan agreement otherwise provides or the Committee otherwise  determines,  (i)
if a grantee's  employment  terminates for any reason (including death) before
all of his restricted  stock awards have vested,  such awards shall  terminate
and expire  upon such  termination  of  employment,  and (ii) in the event any
condition to the vesting of restricted  stock awards is not  satisfied  within
the period of time permitted therefor,  such unvested shares shall be returned
to the Company.

         (d) Issuance of Shares.  The  Committee  may provide that one or more
certificates  representing  restricted stock awards shall be registered in the
grantee's name and bear an appropriate  legend specifying that such shares are
not  transferable  and are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and
the applicable Plan agreement,  or that such certificate or certificates shall
be held in escrow by the  Company on behalf of the  grantee  until such shares
vest or are  forfeited,  all on such terms and conditions as the Committee may
determine.  Unless the applicable Plan agreement otherwise provides,  no share
of  restricted  stock may be assigned,  transferred,  otherwise  encumbered or
disposed of by the grantee until such share has vested in accordance  with the
terms of such  award.  Subject to the  provisions  of Section  4.2, as soon as
practicable  after any  restricted  stock award shall vest,  the Company shall
issue or reissue to the grantee (or to the grantee's designated beneficiary in
the event of the  grantee's  death)  one or more  certificates  for the Common
Stock represented by such restricted stock award.

         (e)  Grantees'  Rights  Regarding   Restricted   Stock.   Unless  the
applicable  Plan  agreement  otherwise  provides:  (i) a grantee  may vote and
receive  dividends on restricted  stock  awarded under the Plan;  and (ii) any
stock  received as a  distribution  with respect to a  restricted  stock award
shall be subject to the same restrictions as such restricted stock.

         3.2.  Unrestricted  Shares.  The  Committee may issue stock under the
Plan,  alone or in tandem with other  awards,  in such  amounts and subject to
such terms and conditions as the Committee shall from time to time in its sole
discretion  determine;   provided,   however,  that  the  grant  of  any  such
unrestricted  stock awards may be made only in lieu of cash  compensation  and
bonuses.

ARTICLE 4.  MISCELLANEOUS

         4.1.     Amendment of the Plan; Modification of Awards.

         (a) Plan Amendments.  The Board may, without stockholder approval, at
any time and from time to time suspend,  discontinue  or amend the Plan in any
respect whatsoever,  except that (i) no such amendment shall impair any rights
under any award  theretofore  made under the Plan  without  the consent of the
grantee of such award and (ii) except as and to the extent otherwise permitted
by Section  4.5 or 4.11,  no such  amendment  shall  cause the Plan to fail to
satisfy  any  applicable  requirement  under  Rule 16b-3  without  stockholder
approval.

         (b) Award  Modifications.  Subject to the terms and conditions of the
Plan (including  Section  4.1(a)),  the Committee may amend  outstanding  Plan
agreements with such grantee,  including,  without  limitation,  any amendment
which  would  (i)  accelerate  the time or times at which an award may vest or
become exercisable and/or (ii) extend the scheduled  termination or expiration
date of the award,  provided,  however, that no modification having a material
adverse  effect  upon the  interest  of a  grantee  in an award  shall be made
without the consent of such grantee.

         4.2.     Restrictions.

         (a)  Consent  Requirements.  If  the  Committee  shall  at  any  time
determine that any Consent (as hereinafter  defined) is necessary or desirable
as a condition of, or in connection  with, the granting of any award under the
Plan,  the  acquisition,  issuance  or  purchase  of  shares  or other  rights
hereunder or the taking of any other action  hereunder (each such action being
hereinafter  referred to as a "Plan Action"),  then such Plan Action shall not
be taken,  in whole or in part,  unless and until such Consent shall have been
effected  or  obtained  to the full  satisfaction  of the  Committee.  Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing,  the Committee  shall be entitled to
determine not to make any payment  whatsoever  until Consent has been given if
(i) the Committee may make any payment under the Plan in cash, Common Stock or
both, and (ii) the Committee determines that Consent is necessary or desirable
as a condition of, or in connection  with,  payment in any one or more of such
forms.

         (b) Consent  Defined.  The term "Consent" as used herein with respect
to  any  Plan  Action  means  (i)  any  and  all  listings,  registrations  or
qualifications  in  respect  thereof  upon any  securities  exchange  or other
self-regulatory organization or under any federal, state or local law, rule or
regulation,   (ii)  the   expiration,   elimination  or  satisfaction  of  any
prohibitions,  restrictions or limitations  under any federal,  state or local
law,  rule or  regulation  or the rules of any  securities  exchange  or other
self-regulatory  organization,  (iii)  any  and  all  written  agreements  and
representations  by the grantee with respect to the disposition of shares,  or
with respect to any other matter,  which the Committee shall deem necessary or
desirable  to  comply  with the  terms of any such  listing,  registration  or
qualification  or to obtain an exemption  from the  requirement  that any such
listing, qualification or registration be made, and (iv) any and all consents,
clearances  and approvals in respect of a Plan Action by any  governmental  or
other  regulatory  bodies  or any  parties  to any  loan  agreements  or other
contractual obligations of the Company or any Affiliate.

         4.3.  Nontransferability.  Except as set forth in any Plan Agreement,
no award  granted to any  grantee  under the Plan or under any Plan  agreement
shall be  assignable or  transferable  by the grantee other than by will or by
the laws of descent and distribution.  During the lifetime of the grantee, all
rights  with  respect to any award  granted to the  grantee  under the Plan or
under any Plan agreement shall be exercisable only by the grantee.

         4.4.     Withholding Taxes.

         (a)  Whenever  under  the  Plan  shares  of  Common  Stock  are to be
delivered  pursuant to an award,  the  Committee may require as a condition of
delivery that the grantee  remit an amount  sufficient to satisfy all federal,
state and other  governmental  withholding tax  requirements  related thereto.
Whenever cash is to be paid under the Plan, the Company may, as a condition of
its payment, deduct therefrom, or from any salary or other payments due to the
grantee,  an  amount  sufficient  to  satisfy  all  federal,  state  and other
governmental  withholding tax requirements  related thereto or to the delivery
of any shares of Common Stock under the Plan.

         (b) Without  limiting the generality of the foregoing,  (i) a grantee
may elect to satisfy all or part of the foregoing withholding  requirements by
delivery of  unrestricted  shares of Common  Stock owned by the grantee for at
least six months (or such other period as the Committee may determine)  having
a fair  market  value  (determined  as of the  date  of such  delivery  by the
grantee)  equal to all or part of the amount to be so withheld,  provided that
the Committee may require, as a condition of accepting any such delivery,  the
grantee to furnish an opinion of counsel  acceptable  to the  Committee to the
effect  that such  delivery  would not  result in the  grantee  incurring  any
liability under Section 16(b) of the Act and (ii) the Committee may permit any
such delivery to be made by withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares
otherwise  issuable  pursuant to the award giving rise to the tax  withholding
obligation  (in which event the date of delivery shall be deemed the date such
award was exercised).

         4.5. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization. If and to the extent
specified by the Committee,  the number of shares of Common Stock which may be
issued  pursuant to awards under the Plan, the maximum number of options which
may be granted  to any one person in any year,  the number of shares of Common
Stock  subject to awards,  the option  exercise  price of options  theretofore
granted under the Plan,  and the amount  payable by a grantee in respect of an
award,  shall be  appropriately  adjusted (as the Committee may determine) for
any change in the number of issued shares of Common Stock  resulting  from the
subdivision  or  combination  of  shares  of  Common  Stock or  other  capital
adjustments,  or the payment of a stock  dividend  after the effective date of
the Plan,  or other  change in such shares of Common  Stock  effected  without
receipt of  consideration  by the Company;  provided that any awards  covering
fractional  shares of Common Stock resulting from any such adjustment shall be
eliminated  and provided  further,  that each ISO granted under the Plan shall
not be  adjusted  in a manner  that  causes such option to fail to continue to
qualify as an ISO within the meaning of Code  Section 422.  Adjustments  under
this Section shall be made by the Committee,  whose  determination  as to what
adjustments shall be made, and the extent thereof, shall be final, binding and
conclusive.

         4.6. Right of Discharge Reserved.  Nothing in the Plan or in any Plan
agreement shall confer upon any person the right to continue in the employment
of the  Company or an  Affiliate  or affect any right  which the Company or an
Affiliate may have to terminate the employment of such person.

         4.7. No Rights as a  Stockholder.  No grantee or other  person  shall
have any of the rights of a stockholder  of the Company with respect to shares
subject to an award until the issuance of a stock  certificate to him for such
shares.  Except as otherwise  provided in Section 4.5, no adjustment  shall be
made  for  dividends,  distributions  or other  rights  (whether  ordinary  or
extraordinary,  and whether in cash,  securities or other  property) for which
the record date is prior to the date such stock  certificate is issued. In the
case of a grantee of an award which has not yet vested, the grantee shall have
the rights of a stockholder of the Company if and only to the extent  provided
in the applicable Plan agreement.

         4.8.     Nature of Payments.

         (a) Any and all  awards  or  payments  hereunder  shall  be  granted,
issued,  delivered or paid, as the case may be, in  consideration  of services
performed for the Company or for its Affiliates by the grantee.

         (b) No such awards and payments shall be considered special incentive
payments to the grantee or, unless otherwise  determined by the Committee,  be
taken into account in computing the grantee's  salary or compensation  for the
purposes of determining any benefits under (i) any pension,  retirement,  life
insurance or other  benefit  plan of the Company or any  Affiliate or (ii) any
agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the grantee.

         (c) By accepting an award under the Plan,  the grantee  shall thereby
waive any  claim to  continued  exercisability  or  vesting  of an award or to
damages or  severance  entitlement  related to  non-continuation  of the award
beyond  the  period  provided  herein  or in the  applicable  Plan  agreement,
notwithstanding any contrary provision in any written employment contract with
the grantee,  whether any such contract is executed  before or after the grant
date of the award.

         4.9. Non-Uniform Determinations. The Committee's determinations under
the Plan need not be uniform and may be made by it  selectively  among persons
who receive, or are eligible to receive, awards under the Plan (whether or not
such persons are similarly  situated).  Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing,  the  Committee  shall be  entitled,  among other  things,  to make
non-uniform and selective  determinations,  and to enter into  non-uniform and
selective Plan  agreements,  as to (a) the persons to receive awards under the
Plan,  (b) the terms and  provisions  of  awards  under the Plan,  and (c) the
treatment of leaves of absence pursuant to Section 2.7(c).

         4.10. Other Payments or Awards.  Nothing  contained in the Plan shall
be deemed in any way to limit or restrict  the Company,  any  Affiliate or the
Committee from making any award or payment to any person under any other plan,
arrangement or understanding, whether now existing or hereafter in effect.

         4.11.     Reorganization.

         (a) In the event  that the  Company  is merged or  consolidated  with
another  corporation  and,  whether or not the Company  shall be the surviving
corporation, there shall be any change in the shares of Common Stock by reason
of such merger or consolidation, or in the event that all or substantially all
of the assets of the Company are acquired by another  person,  or in the event
of a  reorganization  or  liquidation  of the  Company  (each such event being
hereinafter referred to as a "Reorganization  Event") or in the event that the
Board shall propose that the Company enter into a Reorganization  Event,  then
the Committee may in its discretion,  by written notice to a grantee,  provide
that his options will be terminated  unless  exercised within 30 days (or such
longer period as the Committee shall determine in its sole  discretion)  after
the  date of such  notice;  provided  that if,  and to the  extent  that,  the
Committee  takes such action  with  respect to the  grantee's  options not yet
exercisable,  the Committee  shall also  accelerate  the dates upon which such
options  shall be  exercisable.  The Committee  also may in its  discretion by
written notice to a grantee  provide that all or some of the  restrictions  on
any of the grantee's awards may lapse in the event of a  Reorganization  Event
upon such terms and conditions as the Committee may determine.

         (b)  Whenever  deemed  appropriate  by  the  Committee,  the  actions
referred to in Section 4.11(a) may be made  conditional  upon the consummation
of the applicable Reorganization Event.

         4.12.     Section Headings.  The section headings contained herein are
for the purposes of convenience only and are not intended to define or limit 
the contents of said sections.

         4.13.    Effective Date and Term of Plan.

         (a) The Plan has been  adopted and shall be  effective  as of January
10, 1998.

         (b) The Plan shall  terminate as of December 31, 2008,  and no awards
shall thereafter be made under the Plan.  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  all
awards  made under the Plan  prior to such  termination  date shall  remain in
effect until such awards have been satisfied or terminated in accordance  with
the terms and provisions of the Plan and the applicable Plan agreement.

         4.14.  Governing  Law.  The Plan shall be governed by the laws of the
State of New York applicable to agreements  made and to be performed  entirely
within such state.

ARTICLE 5.  STOCK OPTIONS GRANTED TO INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

         5.1. Automatic Grant of Options.  Each Independent Director appointed
or  elected  for the  first  time  shall  automatically  be  granted a NQSO to
purchase  1,000 shares of Common Stock on his date of appointment or election.
Each  Independent  Director  who is serving as  Director of the Company on the
fifth   business  day  after  each  annual  meeting  of   shareholders   shall
automatically  be granted  on such day NQSOs to  acquire  500 shares of Common
Stock;  provided,  however,  that an Independent  Director who is appointed or
elected for the first time shall not be eligible to receive NQSOs  pursuant to
this  sentence  for the  year of his  initial  appointment  or  election.  The
exercise  price per share  for the  Common  Stock  covered  by a NQSO  granted
pursuant to this  Section 5.1 shall be equal to the FMV of the Common Stock on
the date the NQSO is granted.

         5.2.     Exercise; Termination; Non-Transferability

         (a) All NQSOs  granted  under  this  Article  5 shall be  immediately
exercisable.  No NQSO issued under this Article 5 shall be  exercisable  after
the expiration of ten years from the date upon which such NQSO is granted.

         (b) The rights of an  Independent  Director in a NQSO  granted  under
this Article 5 shall terminate  twelve months after such Director ceases to be
a Director  of the  Company or the  specified  expiration  date,  if  earlier;
provided, however, that such rights shall terminate immediately on the date on
which an Independent Director ceases to be a Director by reason of termination
of his  directorship  on  account  of any  act of  (i)  fraud  or  intentional
misrepresentation  or (ii)  embezzlement,  misappropriation  or  conversion of
assets or opportunities of the Company.

         (c) No NQSO granted under this Article 5 shall be transferable by the
grantee otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and
such grantee shall be  exercisable  during the grantee's  lifetime only by the
grantee.  Any NQSO granted to an Independent  Director and  outstanding on the
date of his death may be exercised by the legal  representative  or legatee of
the  grantee  for the period of twelve  months from the date of death or until
the expiration of the stated term of the option, if earlier.

         (d) NQSOs  granted  under  this  Article 5 may be  exercised  only by
written notice to the Company specifying the number of shares to be purchased.
Payment of the full  purchase  price of the shares to be purchased may be made
by certified or official  bank check  payable to the Company.  A grantee shall
have the rights of a stockholder  only as to shares acquired upon the exercise
of a NQSO and not as to unexercised NQSOs.

         5.3. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization. The number of shares
of Common  Stock  subject  to awards and the  option  exercise  price of NQSOs
theretofore  granted under this Article 5, and the amount payable by a grantee
in respect of an award, shall be appropriately  adjusted for any change in the
number of issued  shares of Common Stock  resulting  from the  subdivision  or
combination  of shares of Common Stock or other  capital  adjustments,  or the
payment of a stock  dividend  after the  effective  date of the Plan, or other
change  in  such  shares  of  Common  Stock   effected   without   receipt  of
consideration  by the Company;  provided that any awards  covering  fractional
shares of Common Stock resulting from any such adjustment shall be eliminated.

         5.4 Limited to Independent Directors.  The provisions of this Article
5 shall apply only to NQSOs granted or to be granted to Independent Directors,
shall be  interpreted  as if this Article 5 constituted a separate plan of the
Company  and shall not be deemed to modify,  limit or  otherwise  apply to any
other  provision  of this  Plan or to any NQSO  issued  under  this  Plan to a
participant who is not an Independent  Director of the Company.  To the extent
inconsistent  with the  provisions  of any other  Section  of this  Plan,  the
provisions  of this Article 5 shall govern the rights and  obligations  of the
Company and Independent Directors respecting NQSOs granted or to be granted to
Independent  Directors.  The provisions of this Article 5 shall not be amended
more than once every six months  other  than to  comport  with  changes in the
Code, ERISA or the rules thereunder.







                                                              EXHIBIT 5(a)



                               Brown & Wood LLP
                            One World Trade Center
                         New York, New York 10048-0057
                            Telephone: 212-839-5300
                            Facsimile: 212-839-5599


                                                       April 29, 1999


Reckson Service Industries, Inc.
225 Broadhollow Road
Melville, New York  11747


Dear Sirs:

         We have acted as counsel  for Reckson  Service  Industries,  Inc.,  a
Delaware  corporation (the "Company"),  in connection with the proposed filing
with the Securities and Exchange  Commission under the Securities Act of 1933,
as  amended,  of a  Registration  Statement  on Form  S-8  (the  "Registration
Statement") for the purpose of registering  3,700,376  shares of Common Stock,
par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock") of Reckson  Service  Industries,
Inc.  In such  capacity,  we have  examined  the First  Amended  and  Restated
Certificate of  Incorporation  and Bylaws of the Company,  the Reckson Service
Industries, Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"), and such other documents
of the Company as we have deemed  necessary or appropriate for the purposes of
the opinion expressed herein.

         Based upon the foregoing, we advise you that, in our opinion when the
shares of Common Stock to be issued  pursuant to the Plan have been issued and
paid  for in  accordance  with the  terms  of the  Plan  and the  Registration
Statement, such shares will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         We  consent  to the  filing  of this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration  Statement and to the use of our name  wherever  appearing in the
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto.

                                               Very truly yours,

                                               /s/ Brown & Wood LLP





                                                               EXHIBIT 23(b)

                      Consent of Independent Accountants


We consent to the  incorporation  by reference in the  Registration  Statement
(Form S-8),  pertaining  to the Reckson  Service  Industries,  Inc. 1998 Stock
Option  Plan of Reckson  Service  Industries,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  for the
registration  of  3,700,376  shares of common  stock of our reports  dated (i)
March 12, 1999, with respect to the consolidated  financial  statements of the
Company  included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December
31, 1998 and for the period July 15, 1997 to December  31, 1997 filed with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission,  (ii) March 12, 1999, with respect to the
consolidated financial statements of the Interoffice Superholdings Corporation
and Subsidiaries for the period November 9, 1998 to December 31, 1998 included
in the Company's Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission
(iii) March 5, 1999, with respect to the consolidated  financial statements of
RSVP  Holdings,  LLC for the period  February  26, 1998 to December  31, 1998,
included in the  Company's  Form 10-K filed with the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission,  (iv)  January 4, 1999,  with  respect to the  combined  financial
statements  of Xebec  Management  Services,  Inc. and  affiliate for the years
ended  December 31, 1997 and 1996,  included in the  Company's  Form 8-K filed
with the Securities and Exchange  Commission on January 19, 1999 (v) September
18, 1998, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of InterOffice
(Holdings) Corporation and Subsidiaries for the years ended December 31, 1997,
1996 and 1995 included in the Company's Form 8-K filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on January 19, 1999.



                                                  /s/ Ernst & Young LLP






New York, New York
April 28, 1999




                                                         Exhibit 23(c)



                      Consent of Independent Accountants


We hereby  consent to the  incorporation  by  reference  in this  registration
statement of Reckson Service Industries,  Inc. on Form S-8 of our report dated
February  26,  1999,  relating to the  consolidated  financial  statements  of
Alliance National  Incorporated,  which appears in Reckson Service Industries,
Inc., Form 8-K/A.





/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers





New York, New York
April 28, 1999




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