<PAGE>
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON MARCH 27, 2000
REGISTRATION NO. 333-
===============================================================================
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
-------------
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Under
The Securities Act of 1933
-------------
CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
DELAWARE 77-0148231
(State or Other Jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
Incorporation or Organization)
2655 SEELY AVENUE, BUILDING 5
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95134
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
------------------------
CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.
2000 NONSTATUTORY EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
(Full titles of the Plans)
----------------------
R.L. SMITH MCKEITHEN
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY
CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.
2655 SEELY AVENUE, BUILDING 5, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95134
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
(408) 943-1234
(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
-----------------------
COPIES TO:
GREGORY J. CONKLIN, ESQ.
GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP
ONE MONTGOMERY STREET, 26TH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94104
(415) 393-8200
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===================================================================================================================================
Title of Securities Proposed Maximum Proposed Maximum Amount of
to be Registered Amount to be Registered (1) Offering Price per Share(2) Aggregate Offering Price(2) Registration Fee(2)
---------------- ----------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------ ----------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Common Stock, par 10,000,000 shares $19.438 - $21.969 $218,339,921.48 $57,641.74
value $0.01 per share
===================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
(1) This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of
Common Stock which become issuable under 2000 Stock Option Plan (the
"Plan") by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or
other similar transaction effected without the receipt of consideration
which results in an increase in the number of the outstanding shares of
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. Common Stock.
(2) Calculated solely for purposes of calculating the amount of the
registration fee under Rules 457(h) and 457(c) The price per share
and aggregate offering price are based upon (i) $19.438 - $21.656,
the exercise prices of 1,020,467 outstanding options to purchase
Common Stock pursuant to Registrant's 2000 Nonstatutory Equity
Incentive Plan and (ii) $21.969, the average of the high and low
sales price of Registrant's Common Stock on March 21, 2000 as
reported on the New York Stock Exchange.
===============================================================================
<PAGE>
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The Registrant hereby incorporates by reference into this Registration
Statement the following documents previously filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission"):
(a) The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended January 1, 2000, including all material
incorporated by reference therein;
(b) The Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the
Commission on March 15, 2000;
(c) The description of the Registrant's Common Stock to be
offered hereby contained in the Registrant's Registration
Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on August
29, 1990;
(d) The description of the Registrant's Preferred Share
Purchase Rights set forth in Exhibit 1A, 1B and 1C to the
Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-A filed with the
Commission on February 16, 1996.
All documents filed pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act") after the
date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold
shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.
Any document, and 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 of this Registration Statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein, or in any other subsequently filed
document that also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein, modifies or supersedes such document or statement. Any such document
or statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so
modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
Subject to the foregoing, all information appearing in this Registration
Statement is qualified in its entirety by the information appearing in the
documents incorporated by reference.
Item 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
Not Applicable.
Item 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL
Not Applicable.
Item 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a
corporation to indemnify any of its directors or officers who was or is a
party or is threatened to be made a party to any third party proceeding by
reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the
corporation against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines
and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such
person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if such person
acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in
or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to
any criminal
II-1
<PAGE>
action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that such person's
conduct was unlawful. In a derivative action, i.e., one by or in the right
of a corporation, the corporation is permitted to indemnify any of its
directors or officers against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually
and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or
settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a
manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made if
such person shall have been adjudged liable to the corporation, unless and
only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought
shall determine upon application that such person is fairly and reasonably
entitled to indemnity for such expenses despite such adjudication of
liability.
Article VII of the Registrant's currently effective Certificate of
Incorporation eliminates the personal liability of its directors for monetary
damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, 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 which involve
intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174
of the Delaware General Corporation Law or (iv) for any transaction from
which the director derived an improper personal benefit. In addition, as
permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Bylaws
of the Registrant provide that: (a) the Registrant is required to indemnify
its directors and officers and persons serving in such capacities in other
business entities (including, for example, subsidiaries of the Registrant) at
the Registrant's request (such directors, officers and other persons are
collectively, "Covered Persons"), to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware
law, including those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise
be discretionary; (b) the Registrant is required to advance expenses, as
incurred to such Covered Persons in connection with defending a proceeding;
(c) the indemnitee(s) of the Registrant have the right to bring suit, and to
be paid the expenses of prosecuting such suit if successful, to enforce the
rights to indemnification under the Bylaws or to advancement of expenses
under the Bylaws; (d) the rights conferred in the Bylaws are not exclusive
and the Registrant is authorized to enter into indemnification agreements
with such directors, officers and employees; (e) the Registrant is required
to maintain director and officer liability insurance to the extent reasonably
available; and (f) the Registrant may not retroactively amend the Bylaws
indemnification provision in a way that is adverse to such Covered Persons.
The Registrant has entered into indemnity agreements with each of its
executive officers and directors that provide the maximum indemnity allowed
to officers and directors by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation
Law and the Bylaws, as well as certain additional procedural protections.
The Registrant also maintains a limited amount of director and officer
insurance. The indemnification provision in the Bylaws, and the indemnity
agreements entered into between the Registrant and its officers or directors,
may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of the Registrant's
officers and directors for liability arising under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "1933 Act").
Item 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED
Not Applicable.
Item 8. EXHIBITS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit Number Exhibit
- -------------- -------
<S> <C>
4.1(a) The description of the Registrant's Common Stock. Reference is
made to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed
with the Commission on August 29, 1990 incorporated by reference
pursuant to Item 3(g);
4.1(b) The description of the Registrant's Preferred Share Purchase
Rights. Reference is made to Exhibit 1A, 1B and 1C to the
Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-A filed with the Commission
on February 16, 1996 incorporated by reference pursuant to Item
3(h).
4.2 Specimen Certificate of the Registrant's Common Stock
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.01 of the Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (33-43400)).
II-2
<PAGE>
4.3 Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of February 1,
2000, between the Registrant and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services
LLC which includes as exhibits thereto the Certificate of
Designation for the Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, the form of Rights Certificate, and the Summary of Rights
to Purchase Preferred Shares (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.02 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed
on March 27, 2000).
5.1 Opinion and consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
23.1 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Public Accountants.
23.2 Consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (contained in
Exhibit 5.1).
24.1 Power of Attorney (included on the signature pages to this
Registration Statement on Form S-8).
99.1 2000 Nonstatutory Equity Incentive Plan.
</TABLE>
Item 9. UNDERTAKING
A. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: (1) to file,
during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to this Registration Statement (i) to include any prospectus
required by Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act; (ii) to reflect in the
prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this
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 this Registration Statement; and (iii) to
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to
such information in this Registration Statement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
clauses (1)(i) and (l)(ii) shall 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 Section
15(d) of the 1934 Act that are incorporated by reference into this
Registration Statement; (2) that for the purpose of determining any liability
under the 1933 Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof, and (3) to remove from registration by
means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered
which remain unsold upon the termination of the offering under the Assumed
Option Plans.
B. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes
of determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
1934 Act that is incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof.
C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
1933 Act may be permitted to directors, officers or controlling persons of
the Registrant pursuant to the indemnity provisions incorporated by reference
in Item 6, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion
of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the 1933 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 1933
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
II-3
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, the Registrant certifies that it 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 City of San Jose, State of
California, on this 24th day of March, 2000.
CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.
By: /s/ H. Raymond Bingham
----------------------
H. Raymond Bingham
President, Chief Executive Officer and
Director
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints H. Raymond Bingham and R.L. Smith
McKeithen, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent,
with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name,
place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be
done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitutes or
substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, 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/ H. Raymond Bingham President, Chief Executive March 24, 2000
- ---------------------------- Officer and Director
H. Raymond Bingham (Principal Executive
Officer)
/s/ William Porter
- ----------------------------- Senior Vice President, March 24 , 2000
William Porter Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial
Officer and Principal
Accounting Officer)
Director March ___, 2000
- ----------------------------
Carol A. Bartz
/s/Dr. Leonard Y.W. Liu Director March 24, 2000
- ----------------------------
Dr. Leonard Y.W. Liu
/s/ Donald L. Lucas Director March 24, 2000
- ----------------------------
Donald L. Lucas
/s/ Dr. Alberto Sangiovanni- Director March 24, 2000
- ----------------------------
Vincentelli
- ------------------------------------
Dr. Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli
II-4
<PAGE>
/s/ George M. Scalise Director March 21, 2000
- ----------------------------
George M. Scalise
/s/ Dr. John B. Shoven Director March 27, 2000
- ----------------------------
Dr. John B. Shoven
/s/ Roger S. Siboni Director March 22, 2000
- ----------------------------
Roger S. Siboni
</TABLE>
II-5
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT INDEX
-------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit Number Exhibit
- -------------- -------
<S> <C>
4.1(a) The description of the Registrant's Common Stock. Reference is
made to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed
with the Commission on August 29, 1990 incorporated by reference
pursuant to Item 3(g).
(b) The description of the Registrant's Preferred Share Purchase
Rights. Reference is made to Exhibit 1A, 1B and 1C to the
Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-A filed with the Commission
on February 16, 1996 incorporated by reference pursuant to Item
3(h).
4.2 Specimen Certificate of the Registrant's Common Stock
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.01 of the Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (33-43400)).
4.3 Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of February 1,
2000, between the Registrant and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services
LLC which includes as exhibits thereto the Certificate of
Designation for the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
the form of Rights Certificate, and the Summary of Rights to
Purchase Preferred Shares (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
4.02 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March
27, 2000).
5.1 Opinion and consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
23.1 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Public Accountants.
23.2 Consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (contained in Exhibit 5).
24.1 Power of Attorney (included on the signature pages to this
Registration Statement on Form S-8).
99.1 2000 Nonstatutory Equity Incentive Plan.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 5.1
[Letterhead of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP]
March 27,1999
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
2655 Seely Avenue, Building 5
San Jose, CA 95134
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-8
OF CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We refer to the registration statement on Form S-8 ("Registration
Statement"), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
Act") filed by Cadence Design Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), with respect to the proposed offering by the Company of up to
10,000,000 shares (the "Shares") of the common stock of the Company, $0.01
par value per share (the "Common Stock"), subject to issuance by the Company
upon exercise of options granted under the 2000 NonStatutory Equity Incentive
Plan (the "Plan").
We have examined the originals or certified copies of such corporate
records, certificates of officers of the Company and/or public officials and
such other documents and have made such other factual and legal
investigations as we have deemed relevant and necessary as the basis for the
opinions set forth below. In such examination, we have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to
us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents
submitted to us as conformed or photostatic copies and the authenticity of
the originals of such copies.
Based on our examination mentioned above, subject to the assumptions
stated above and relying on the statements of fact contained in the documents
that we have examined, we are of the opinion that (i) the issuance by the
Company of the Shares has been duly authorized and (ii) when issued in
accordance with the terms of the Plan, the Shares will be duly and validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock (except as to
shares issued pursuant to certain deferred payment arrangements, which will
be fully paid and nonassessable when such deferred payments are made in full).
We are admitted to practice in the State of California, and are not
admitted to practice in the State of Delaware. However, for the limited
purposes of our opinion set forth above, we are generally familiar with the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "DGCL") as presently in
effect and have made such inquiries as we consider necessary to render this
opinion with respect to a Delaware corporation. This opinion letter is
limited to the laws of the State of California and, to the limited extent set
forth above, the DGCL, as such laws presently exist and to the facts as they
presently exist. We express no opinion with respect to the effect or
applicability of the laws of any other jurisdiction. We assume no obligation
to revise or supplement this opinion letter should the laws of such
jurisdictions be changed after the date hereof by legislative action,
judicial decision or otherwise.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are
within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of
the Securities Act or the General Rules and Regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
Very truly yours,
/s/GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP, INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation by
reference in this Registration Statement of our report dated January 21, 2000
included in Cadence Design Systems, Inc.'s Form 10-K for the year ended
January 1, 2000.
/s/ Arthur Andersen LLP
-----------------------
Arthur Andersen LLP
San Jose, California
March 27, 2000
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 99.1
CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.
2000 NONSTATUTORY EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2000
STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL NOT REQUIRED
TERMINATION DATE: NONE
1. PURPOSES.
(a) AVAILABLE STOCK AWARDS. The purpose of the Plan is to
provide a means by which eligible recipients of Stock Awards may be given an
opportunity to benefit from increases in value of the Common Stock through
the granting of the following Stock Awards: (i) Options, (ii) stock bonuses
and (iii) rights to acquire restricted stock.
(b) GENERAL PURPOSE. The Company, by means of the Plan,
seeks to retain the services of the group of persons eligible to receive
Stock Awards, to secure and retain the services of new members of this group
and to provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the
success of the Company and its Affiliates.
2. DEFINITIONS.
(a) "AFFILIATE" means any parent corporation or subsidiary
corporation of the Company, whether now or hereafter existing, as those terms
are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f), respectively, of the Code.
(b) "BOARD" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) "CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(d) "COMMITTEE" means a committee of one or more members of
the Board appointed by the Board in accordance with subsection 3(c).
(e) "COMMON STOCK" means the common stock of the Company.
(f) "COMPANY" means Cadence Design Systems, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.
(g) "CONSULTANT" means any person, including an advisor,
engaged by the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory
services and who is compensated for such services. However, the term
"Consultant" shall not include Directors or members of the Board of Directors
of an Affiliate.
(h) "CONTINUOUS SERVICE" means that the Participant's
service with the Company or an Affiliate is not interrupted or terminated.
The Participant's Continuous Service shall not be deemed to have terminated
merely because of a change in the capacity in which the Participant renders
service to the Company or an Affiliate or a change in the entity for which
the Participant renders such service, provided that there is no interruption
or termination of the
<PAGE>
Participant's Continuous Service. For example, a change in status from an
Employee of the Company to a Consultant of an Affiliate will not constitute
an interruption of Continuous Service. The Board or the chief executive
officer of the Company, in that party's sole discretion, may determine
whether Continuous Service shall be considered interrupted in the case of any
leave of absence approved by that party, including sick leave, military leave
or any other personal leave.
(i) "DIRECTOR" means a member of the Board of Directors of
the Company.
(j) "EMPLOYEE" means any person employed by the Company or
an Affiliate.
(k) "EXCHANGE ACT" means the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
(l) "FAIR MARKET VALUE" means, as of any date, the average
of the high and low prices of the Common Stock, as reported on the New York
Stock Exchange. In the absence of such market for the Common Stock, the Fair
Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Board.
(m) "OPTION" means a nonstatutory stock option granted
pursuant to the Plan not intended to qualify as an incentive stock option
within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated
thereunder.
(n) "OPTION AGREEMENT" means a written agreement between the
Company and an Optionholder evidencing the terms and conditions of an
individual Option grant. Each Option Agreement shall be subject to the terms
and conditions of the Plan.
(o) "OPTIONHOLDER" means a person to whom an Option is
granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds
an outstanding Option.
(p) "PARTICIPANT" means a person to whom a Stock Award is
granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds
an outstanding Stock Award.
(q) "PLAN" means this Cadence Design Systems, Inc. 2000
Nonstatutory Equity Incentive Plan.
(r) "SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
(s) "STOCK AWARD" means any right granted under the Plan,
including an Option, a stock bonus and a right to acquire restricted stock.
(t) "STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT" means a written agreement
between the Company and a holder of a Stock Award evidencing the terms and
conditions of an individual Stock Award grant. Each Stock Award Agreement
shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
3. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) ADMINISTRATION BY BOARD. The Board shall administer the
Plan unless and until the Board delegates administration to a Committee, as
provided in subsection 3(c).
(b) POWERS OF BOARD. The Board shall have the power,
subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:
<PAGE>
(i) To determine from time to time which of the
persons eligible under the Plan shall be granted Stock Awards; when and how
each Stock Award shall be granted; what type or combination of types of Stock
Award shall be granted; the provisions of each Stock Award granted (which
need not be identical), including the time or times when a person shall be
permitted to receive Common Stock pursuant to a Stock Award; and the number
of shares of Common Stock with respect to which a Stock Award shall be
granted to each such person.
(ii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Stock
Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and
regulations for its administration. The Board, in the exercise of this
power, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in
any Stock Award Agreement, in a manner and to the extent it shall deem
necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effective.
(iii) To amend the Plan or a Stock Award as provided in
Section 12.
(iv) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform
such acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best
interests of the Company that are not in conflict with the provisions of the
Plan.
(c) DELEGATION TO COMMITTEE.
(i) GENERAL. The Board may delegate administration
of the Plan to a Committee or Committees of one (1) or more members of the
Board, and the term "Committee" shall apply to any person or persons to whom
such authority has been delegated. If administration is delegated to a
Committee, the Committee shall have, in connection with the administration of
the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board, including the power
to delegate to a subcommittee any of the administrative powers the Committee
is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board shall
thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee), subject, however, to such
resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be
adopted from time to time by the Board. The Board may abolish the Committee
at any time and revest in the Board the administration of the Plan.
(d) EFFECT OF BOARD'S DECISION. All determinations,
interpretations and constructions made by the Board in good faith shall not
be subject to review by any person and shall be final, binding and conclusive
on all persons.
4. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
(a) SHARE RESERVE. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
relating to adjustments upon changes in Common Stock, the Common Stock that
may be issued pursuant to Stock Awards shall not exceed in the aggregate Ten
Million (10,000,000) shares of Common Stock.
(b) REVERSION OF SHARES TO THE SHARE RESERVE. If any Stock
Award shall for any reason expire or otherwise terminate, in whole or in
part, without having been exercised in full, the shares of Common Stock not
acquired under such Stock Award shall revert to and again become available
for issuance under the Plan. If the Company repurchases any unvested shares
of Common Stock acquired pursuant to an Award, such repurchased shares of
Common Stock shall revert to and again become available for issuance under
the Plan.
<PAGE>
(c) SOURCE OF SHARES. The shares of Common Stock subject to
the Plan may be unissued shares or reacquired shares, bought on the market or
otherwise.
5. ELIGIBILITY.
(a) ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIFIC STOCK AWARDS. The Board may
grant Stock Awards only to Employees or Consultants as defined in Section 2
hereof. The Board may grant an additional Stock Award or Stock Awards to an
Employee or a Consultant who has been granted a Stock Award if he or she is
otherwise eligible. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may not grant a
Stock Award to an Employee or Consultant who is an executive officer of the
Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, who is a
Director or who beneficially owns ten percent (10%) or more of the Company's
Common Stock other unless the Stock Award will be granted to a person not
previously employed by the Company as a material inducement to such person's
entering into an employment contract with the Company.
(b) CONSULTANTS.
(i) A Consultant shall not be eligible for the grant
of a Stock Award if, at the time of grant, a Form S-8 Registration Statement
under the Securities Act ("Form S-8") is not available to register either the
offer or the sale of the Company's securities to such Consultant because of
the nature of the services that the Consultant is providing to the Company,
or because the Consultant is not a natural person, or as otherwise provided
by the rules governing the use of Form S-8, unless the Company determines
both (i) that such grant (A) shall be registered in another manner under the
Securities Act (E.G., on a Form S-3 Registration Statement) or (B) does not
require registration under the Securities Act in order to comply with the
requirements of the Securities Act, if applicable, and (ii) that such grant
complies with the securities laws of all other relevant jurisdictions.
(ii) Form S-8 generally is available to consultants
and advisors only if (i) they are natural persons; (ii) they provide bona
fide services to the issuer, its parents, its majority-owned subsidiaries or
majority-owned subsidiaries of the issuer's parent; and (iii) the services
are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a
capital-raising transaction, and do not directly or indirectly promote or
maintain a market for the issuer's securities.
6. OPTION PROVISIONS.
Each Option shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. The provisions of separate
Options need not be identical, but each Option shall include (through
incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the Option or otherwise)
the substance of each of the following provisions:
(a) TERM. The Board shall determine the term of each Option.
(b) EXERCISE PRICE. The exercise price of each Option shall
be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the
Common Stock subject to the Option on the date the Option is granted.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Nonstatutory Stock Option may be granted
with an exercise price lower than that set forth in the preceding sentence if
such Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another
option in a manner satisfying the provisions of Section 424(a) of the Code.
<PAGE>
(c) CONSIDERATION. The purchase price of Common Stock
acquired pursuant to an Option shall be paid, to the extent permitted by
applicable statutes and regulations, either (i) in cash at the time the
Option is exercised or (ii) at the discretion of the Board at the time of the
grant of the Option or subsequently (1) by delivery to the Company of other
Common Stock, (2) according to a deferred payment or other similar
arrangement with the Optionholder or (3) in any other form of legal
consideration that may be acceptable to the Board. Unless otherwise
specifically provided in the Option, the purchase price of Common Stock
acquired pursuant to an Option that is paid by delivery to the Company of
other Common Stock acquired, directly or indirectly from the Company, shall
be paid only by shares of the Common Stock of the Company that have been held
for more than six (6) months (or such longer or shorter period of time
required to avoid a charge to earnings for financial accounting purposes).
At any time that the Company is incorporated in Delaware, payment of the
Common Stock's "par value," as defined in the Delaware General Corporation
Law, shall not be made by deferred payment. In making its determination as to
the type of consideration to accept, the Board shall consider if acceptance
of such consideration may be reasonably expected to benefit the Company.
In the case of any deferred payment arrangement, interest shall be
compounded at least annually and shall be charged at the minimum rate of
interest necessary to avoid the treatment as interest, under any applicable
provisions of the Code, of any amounts other than amounts stated to be
interest under the deferred payment arrangement.
(d) TRANSFERABILITY. An Option shall be transferable to the
extent provided in the Option Agreement. If the Option does not provide for
transferability, then the Option shall not be transferable except by will or
by the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the
lifetime of the Optionholder only by the Optionholder. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Optionholder may, by delivering written notice to the Company,
in a form satisfactory to the Company, designate a third party who, in the
event of the death of the Optionholder, shall thereafter be entitled to
exercise the Option.
(e) VESTING GENERALLY. The total number of shares of Common
Stock subject to an Option may, but need not, vest and therefore become
exercisable in periodic installments that may, but need not, be equal. The
Option may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the time or times
when it may be exercised (which may be based on performance or other
criteria) as the Board may deem appropriate. The vesting provisions of
individual Options may vary. The provisions of this subsection 6(e) are
subject to any Option provisions governing the minimum number of shares of
Common Stock as to which an Option may be exercised. The vesting schedule
based on Continuous Service for an initial grant under the Plan shall be no
shorter than the following schedule: 1/4th (25%) of the shares of Common
Stock will vest (become exercisable) one (1) year after the date of grant and
1/48th of the shares of Common Stock will then vest (and become exercisable)
each month thereafter until either (i) the Continuous Service of the
Optionholder terminates for any reason, or (ii) the Option becomes fully
vested.
(f) TERMINATION OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE. In the event an
Optionholder's Continuous Service terminates (other than upon the
Optionholder's death or disability), the Optionholder may exercise his or her
Option (to the extent that the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such
Option as of the date of termination) but only within such period of time
ending on the earlier of (i) the date three (3) months following the
termination of the Optionholder's Continuous Service (or such longer or
shorter period specified in the Option Agreement), or (ii) the expiration of
the term of the Option as set forth in the Option Agreement. If, after
<PAGE>
termination, the Optionholder does not exercise his or her Option within the
time specified in the Option Agreement, the Option shall terminate.
(g) EXTENSION OF TERMINATION DATE. An Optionholder's Option
Agreement may also provide that if the exercise of the Option following the
termination of the Optionholder's Continuous Service (other than upon the
Optionholder's death or disability) would be prohibited at any time solely
because the issuance of shares of Common Stock would violate the registration
requirements under the Securities Act, then the Option shall terminate on the
expiration of a period of three (3) months after the termination of the
Optionholder's Continuous Service during which the exercise of the Option
would not be in violation of such registration requirements.
(h) DISABILITY OF OPTIONHOLDER. In the event that an
Optionholder's Continuous Service terminates as a result of the
Optionholder's disability, the Optionholder may exercise his or her Option
(to the extent that the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such Option as
of the date of termination), but only within such period of time ending on
the earlier of (i) the date twelve (12) months following such termination (or
such longer or shorter period specified in the Option Agreement) or (ii) the
expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the Option Agreement.
If, after termination, the Optionholder does not exercise his or her Option
within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.
(i) DEATH OF OPTIONHOLDER. In the event (i) an
Optionholder's Continuous Service terminates as a result of the
Optionholder's death or (ii) the Optionholder dies within the period (if any)
specified in the Option Agreement after the termination of the Optionholder's
Continuous Service for a reason other than death, then the Option may be
exercised (to the extent the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such
Option as of the date of death) by the Optionholder's estate, by a person who
acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance or by a
person designated to exercise the Option upon the Optionholder's death
pursuant to subsection 6(e) or 6(f), but only within the period ending on the
earlier of (1) the date twelve (12) months following the date of death (or
such longer or shorter period specified in the Option Agreement) or (2) the
expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Option Agreement.
If, after death, the Option is not exercised within the time specified
herein, the Option shall terminate.
(j) EARLY EXERCISE. The Option may, but need not, include a
provision whereby the Optionholder may elect at any time before the
Optionholder's Continuous Service terminates to exercise the Option as to any
part or all of the shares of Common Stock subject to the Option prior to the
full vesting of the Option. Any unvested shares of Common Stock so purchased
may be subject to a repurchase option in favor of the Company or to any other
restriction the Board determines to be appropriate.
(k) RE-LOAD OPTIONS.
(i) Without in any way limiting the authority of the
Board to make or not to make grants of Options hereunder, the Board shall
have the authority (but not an obligation) to include as part of any Option
Agreement a provision entitling the Optionholder to a further Option (a
"Re-Load Option") in the event the Optionholder exercises the Option
evidenced by the Option Agreement, in whole or in part, by surrendering other
shares of Common Stock in accordance with this Plan and the terms and
conditions of the Option Agreement. Unless otherwise specifically provided in
the Option, the Optionholder shall not surrender shares of Common Stock
acquired, directly or indirectly from the Company, unless
<PAGE>
such shares have been held for more than six (6) months (or such longer or
shorter period of time required to avoid a charge to earnings for financial
accounting purposes).
(ii) Any such Re-Load Option shall (1) provide for a
number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of shares of Common
Stock surrendered as part or all of the exercise price of such Option; (2)
have an expiration date which is the same as the expiration date of the
Option the exercise of which gave rise to such Re-Load Option; and (3) have
an exercise price which is equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair
Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Re-Load Option on the date of
exercise of the original Option. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Re-Load
Option shall be subject to the same exercise price and term provisions
heretofore described for Options under the Plan.
(iii) There shall be no Re-Load Options on a Re-Load
Option. Any such Re-Load Option shall be subject to the availability of
sufficient shares of Common Stock under subsection 4(a) and shall be subject
to such other terms and conditions as the Board may determine which are not
inconsistent with the express provisions of the Plan regarding the terms of
Options.
7. PROVISIONS OF STOCK AWARDS OTHER THAN OPTIONS.
(a) STOCK BONUS AWARDS. Each stock bonus agreement shall be
in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Board shall
deem appropriate. The terms and conditions of stock bonus agreements may
change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate stock
bonus agreements need not be identical, but each stock bonus agreement shall
include (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the
agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:
(i) CONSIDERATION. A stock bonus may be awarded in
consideration for past services actually rendered to the Company or an
Affiliate for its benefit.
(ii) VESTING. Shares of Common Stock awarded under
the stock bonus agreement may, but need not, be subject to a share repurchase
option in favor of the Company in accordance with a vesting schedule to be
determined by the Board.
(iii) TERMINATION OF PARTICIPANT'S CONTINUOUS SERVICE.
In the event a Participant's Continuous Service terminates, the Company may
reacquire any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by the Participant
which have not vested as of the date of termination under the terms of the
stock bonus agreement.
(iv) TRANSFERABILITY. Rights to acquire shares of
Common Stock under the stock bonus agreement shall be transferable by the
Participant only upon such terms and conditions as are set forth in the stock
bonus agreement, as the Board shall determine in its discretion, so long as
Common Stock awarded under the stock bonus agreement remains subject to the
terms of the stock bonus agreement.
(b) RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS. Each restricted stock purchase
agreement shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions
as the Board shall deem appropriate. The terms and conditions of the
restricted stock purchase agreements may change from time to time, and the
terms and conditions of separate restricted stock purchase agreements need
not be identical, but each restricted stock purchase agreement shall include
(through
<PAGE>
incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or
otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:
(i) PURCHASE PRICE. The purchase price under each
restricted stock purchase agreement shall be such amount as the Board shall
determine and designate in such restricted stock purchase agreement. The
purchase price shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the
Common Stock's Fair Market Value on the date such award is made or at the
time the purchase is consummated.
(ii) CONSIDERATION. The purchase price of Common
Stock acquired pursuant to the restricted stock purchase agreement shall be
paid either: (i) in cash at the time of purchase; (ii) at the discretion of
the Board, according to a deferred payment or other similar arrangement with
the Participant; or (iii) in any other form of legal consideration that may
be acceptable to the Board in its discretion; provided, however, that at any
time that the Company is incorporated in Delaware, then payment of the Common
Stock's "par value," as defined in the Delaware General Corporation Law,
shall not be made by deferred payment.
(iii) VESTING. Shares of Common Stock acquired under
the restricted stock purchase agreement may, but need not, be subject to a
share repurchase option in favor of the Company in accordance with a vesting
schedule to be determined by the Board.
(iv) TERMINATION OF PARTICIPANT'S CONTINUOUS SERVICE.
In the event a Participant's Continuous Service terminates, the Company may
repurchase or otherwise reacquire any or all of the shares of Common Stock
held by the Participant which have not vested as of the date of termination
under the terms of the restricted stock purchase agreement.
(v) TRANSFERABILITY. Rights to acquire shares of
Common Stock under the restricted stock purchase agreement shall be
transferable by the Participant only upon such terms and conditions as are
set forth in the restricted stock purchase agreement, as the Board shall
determine in its discretion, so long as Common Stock awarded under the
restricted stock purchase agreement remains subject to the terms of the
restricted stock purchase agreement.
8. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
(a) AVAILABILITY OF SHARES. During the terms of the Stock
Awards, the Company shall keep available at all times the number of shares of
Common Stock required to satisfy such Stock Awards.
(b) SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. The Company shall seek to
obtain from each regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the
Plan such authority as may be required to grant Stock Awards and to issue and
sell shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Stock Awards; provided,
however, that this undertaking shall not require the Company to register
under the Securities Act the Plan, any Stock Award or any Common Stock issued
or issuable pursuant to any such Stock Award. If, after reasonable efforts,
the Company is unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency
the authority which counsel for the Company deems necessary for the lawful
issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, the Company shall be
relieved from any liability for failure to issue and sell Common Stock upon
exercise of such Stock Awards unless and until such authority is obtained.
<PAGE>
9. USE OF PROCEEDS FROM STOCK.
Proceeds from the sale of Common Stock pursuant to Stock Awards shall
constitute general funds of the Company.
10. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) ACCELERATION OF EXERCISABILITY AND VESTING. The Board
shall have the power to accelerate the time at which a Stock Award may first
be exercised or the time during which a Stock Award or any part thereof will
vest in accordance with the Plan, notwithstanding the provisions in the Stock
Award stating the time at which it may first be exercised or the time during
which it will vest.
(b) STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS. No Participant shall be deemed to
be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to,
any shares of Common Stock subject to such Stock Award unless and until such
Participant has satisfied all requirements for exercise of the Stock Award
pursuant to its terms.
(c) NO EMPLOYMENT OR OTHER SERVICE RIGHTS. Nothing in the
Plan or any instrument executed or Stock Award granted pursuant thereto shall
confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an
Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the time the Stock Award was granted
or shall affect the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (i) the
employment of an Employee with or without notice and with or without cause,
or (ii) the service of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of such
Consultant's agreement with the Company or an Affiliate.
(d) INVESTMENT ASSURANCES. The Company may require a
Participant, as a condition of exercising or acquiring Common Stock under any
Stock Award, (i) to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company as to
the Participant's knowledge and experience in financial and business matters
and/or to employ a purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the
Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in financial and business
matters and that he or she is capable of evaluating, alone or together with
the purchaser representative, the merits and risks of exercising the Stock
Award; and (ii) to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company
stating that the Participant is acquiring Common Stock subject to the Stock
Award for the Participant's own account and not with any present intention of
selling or otherwise distributing the Common Stock. The foregoing
requirements, and any assurances given pursuant to such requirements, shall
be inoperative if (1) the issuance of the shares of Common Stock upon the
exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under the Stock Award has been
registered under a then currently effective registration statement under the
Securities Act or (2) as to any particular requirement, a determination is
made by counsel for the Company that such requirement need not be met in the
circumstances under the then applicable securities laws. The Company may,
upon advice of counsel to the Company, place legends on stock certificates
issued under the Plan as such counsel deems necessary or appropriate in order
to comply with applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to,
legends restricting the transfer of the Common Stock.
(e) WITHHOLDING OBLIGATIONS. To the extent provided by the
terms of a Stock Award Agreement, the Participant may satisfy any federal,
state or local tax withholding obligation relating to the exercise or
acquisition of Common Stock under a Stock Award by any of the following means
(in addition to the Company's right to withhold from any compensation paid to
the Participant by the Company) or by a combination of such means: (i)
tendering a cash
<PAGE>
payment; (ii) authorizing the Company to withhold shares of Common Stock from
the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to the Participant as a result
of the exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under the Stock Award,
provided, however, that no shares of Common Stock are withheld with a value
exceeding the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by law; or (iii)
delivering to the Company owned and unencumbered shares of Common Stock.
11. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN STOCK.
(a) CAPITALIZATION ADJUSTMENTS. If any change is made in
the Common Stock subject to the Plan, or subject to any Stock Award, without
the receipt of consideration by the Company (through merger, consolidation,
reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend
in property other than cash, stock split, liquidating dividend, combination
of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure or other
transaction not involving the receipt of consideration by the Company), the
Plan will be appropriately adjusted in the class(es) and maximum number of
securities subject to the Plan pursuant to subsection 4(a), and outstanding
Stock Awards will be appropriately adjusted in the class(es) and number of
securities and price per share of Common Stock subject to such outstanding
Stock Awards. The Board shall make such adjustments, and its determination
shall be final, binding and conclusive. (The conversion of any convertible
securities of the Company shall not be treated as a transaction "without
receipt of consideration" by the Company.)
(b) CHANGE IN CONTROL.
(i) A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to occur
upon the consummation of any one of the following events: (a) a sale of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Company; (b) a merger or
consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other
than a transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the state of
the Company's incorporation or a transaction in which the voting securities
of the Company are exchanged for beneficial ownership of at least fifty
percent (50%) of the voting securities of the controlling acquiring
corporation); (c) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is the
surviving corporation and less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting
securities of the Company that are outstanding immediately after the
consummation of such transaction are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by the persons who owned such voting securities immediately prior
to such transaction; (d) any transaction or series of related transactions
after which any person (as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the
Exchange Act), other than any employee benefit plan (or related trust)
sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Affiliate, becomes the
beneficial owner of voting securities of the Company representing forty
percent (40%) or more of the combined voting power of all of the voting
securities of the Company; (e) during any period of two consecutive years,
individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the membership of
the Company's Board of Directors ("Incumbent Directors") cease for any reason
to have authority to cast at least a majority of the votes which all
Directors are entitled to cast, unless the election, or the nomination for
election by the Company's stockholders, of a new Director was approved by a
vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by the Incumbent
Directors, in which case such director shall also be treated as an Incumbent
Director in the future; or (f) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
(ii) In the event of a Change in Control, then: (a)
any surviving or acquiring corporation shall assume Stock Awards outstanding
under the Plan or shall substitute similar Stock Awards (including an option
to acquire the same consideration paid to stockholders in the transaction
described in this subsection 11(b) for those outstanding under the Plan), or
(b) in the event any surviving or acquiring corporation refuses to assume
such Stock Awards or to
<PAGE>
substitute similar Stock Awards for those outstanding under the Plan, (i)
with respect to Stock Awards held by persons whose Continuous Service has not
terminated, the vesting both of such Stock Awards and of any shares of Common
Stock acquired pursuant to a Stock Award as well as the time during which
such Stock Awards may be exercised shall be accelerated prior to such event
and the Stock Awards terminated if not exercised after such acceleration and
at or prior to such event, and (ii) with respect to any other Stock Awards
outstanding under the Plan, if there is a successor corporation, such Stock
Awards shall be terminated if not exercised prior to such event.
12. AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN AND STOCK AWARDS.
(a) AMENDMENT OF PLAN. The Board at any time, and from time
to time, may amend the Plan.
(b) NO IMPAIRMENT OF RIGHTS. Rights under any Stock Award
granted before amendment of the Plan shall not be impaired by any amendment
of the Plan unless (i) the Company requests the consent of the Participant
and (ii) the Participant consents in writing.
(c) AMENDMENT OF STOCK AWARDS. The Board at any time, and
from time to time, may amend the terms of any one or more Stock Awards;
provided, however, that the rights under any Stock Award shall not be
impaired by any such amendment unless (i) the Company requests the consent of
the Participant and (ii) the Participant consents in writing.
13. TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.
(a) PLAN TERM. The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan
at any time.
(b) NO IMPAIRMENT OF RIGHTS. Suspension or termination of
the Plan shall not impair rights and obligations under any Stock Award
granted while the Plan is in effect except with the written consent of the
Participant.
14. EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN.
The Plan shall become effective upon adoption by the Board.
15. CHOICE OF LAW.
The law of the State of Delaware shall govern all questions concerning
the construction, validity and interpretation of this Plan, without regard to
such state's conflict of laws rules.
