CELADON GROUP INC
S-8, 2000-02-25
ARRANGEMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OF FREIGHT & CARGO
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    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 2000

                                                         Registration No. 33-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                             ----------------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                             ----------------------

                               CELADON GROUP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


             Delaware                                     13-3361050
(State or other jurisdiction of
 incorporation or organization)             (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                                One Celadon Drive
                        Indianapolis, Indiana 46236-4207
                                 (317) 972-7000
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

               ---------------------------------------------------

                   CELADON GROUP, INC. 1994 STOCK OPTION PLAN

               ---------------------------------------------------

 Corporation Service Corp.                              Copies to:
     1013 Centre Road                             Arnold S. Jacobs, Esq.
Wilmington, Delaware 19805                          Proskauer Rose LLP
     (302) 636-5454                                    1585 Broadway
(Name, address, including zip code,            New York, New York 10036-8299
and telephone number, including                      (212) 969-3000
area code, of agent for service)

                          -----------------------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>                          <C>                   <C>                <C>                 <C>
                                           Proposed maximum     Proposed maximum       Amount of
Title of securities      Amount to be       offering price     aggregate offering     registration
to be registered         registered(1)        per share               price                fee
- ---------------------- ------------------ ------------------  --------------------  ---------------
Common Stock, par
value $.033 per share    150,000 shares         $10.000(2)         $1,500,000           $396.00
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL                                                                                   $396.00
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1)      Represents  the  maximum  number of shares of common  stock,  par value
         $.033 per share  ("Common  Stock"),  issuable  upon exercise of options
         which may be or have been  granted  under the 1994 Stock  Option  Plan.
         Pursuant to Rule 416, there are also being  registered  such additional
         indeterminate  number of shares as may be  required  to cover  possible
         adjustments  in the number of shares  issuable under the Plans pursuant
         to the antidilution provisions thereof.

(2)      Calculated  solely for purposes of this  offering  under Rule 457(h) of
         the  Securities Act of 1933 on the basis of the average of the high and
         low selling  prices per share of Common  Stock on February  15, 2000 as
         reported on the NASDAQ National Market.



<PAGE>

                                     PART II

                  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

         ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The  following   documents  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission by Celadon Group,  Inc. a Delaware  corporation (the "Company" or the
"Registrant"), are incorporated herein by reference:

                  (1)   The description of the Company's Common Stock, par value
$.033 per share, contained in the Company's Registration Statement filed on Form
8-A pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

                  (2)   The Company's  Current  Report on Form 8-K, dated August
25, 1999, as amended  October 25, 1999,  filed pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;

                  (3)   The  Company's   Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K,   dated
September 28, 1999,  filed  pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934;

                  (4)   The  Company's  Quarterly  Report  on Form  10-Q,  dated
November 15,  1999,  filed  pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.

                  (5)   The  Company's  Quarterly  Report  on Form  10-Q,  dated
February 14,  2000,  filed  pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.

         All  documents  subsequently  filed by the Company  pursuant to Section
13(a),  13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold,  shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration  Statement and to
be part  hereof  from the date of filing  such  documents.  Any  statement  in a
document  incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be
deemed to be  modified  or  superseded  for the  purposes  of this  Registration
Statement  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  statement  so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

         ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

         Not applicable.

         ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

         Not applicable.

         ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         Article TENTH of the Company's  Certificate of  Incorporation  provides
that the Corporation  shall  indemnify and hold harmless,  to the fullest extent
authorized by the Delaware  General  Corporation Law, its officers and directors
against all expenses,  liability and loss  actually and  reasonably  incurred in
connection with any civil,  criminal,  administrative  or investigative  action,
suit or proceeding.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnification provided
for in this Article  Tenth shall not be deemed  exclusive of any other rights to
which those entitled to receive  indemnification or reimbursement  hereunder may
be entitled under any By-Law of the Corporation, agreement, vote of stockholders
or disinterested directors or otherwise.

         In  addition   Article   ELEVENTH  of  the  Company's   Certificate  of
Incorporation  provides  that no director of the Company shall not be personally
liable for any breach of fiduciary duty.  Article  ELEVENTH does not eliminate a
director's  liability  (i) for breach of the  director's  duty of loyalty to the
Company or its stockholders, (ii) for acts of or

                                      II-2

<PAGE>



omissions  of such  director  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.

         Section  145 of the  General  Corporation  Law of the State of Delaware
permits a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers  against  expenses
(including  attorney's fees),  judgments,  fines and amounts paid in settlements
actually and reasonably  incurred by them in connection with any action, suit or
proceeding brought by third parties, if such directors or officers acted in good
faith and in a manner  they  reasonably  believed to be in or not opposed to the
best interests of the  corporation  and, with respect to any criminal  action or
proceeding, had no reason to believe their conduct was unlawful. In a derivative
action, i.e., one by or in the right of the corporation,  indemnification may be
made only for  expenses  actually  and  reasonably  incurred  by  directors  and
officers in connection  with the defense or settlement of an action or suit, and
only with  respect  to a matter as to which  they shall have acted in good faith
and in a manner  they  reasonably  believed  to be in or not opposed to the best
interest 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 the  action  or suit was  brought  shall
determine  upon  application  that  the  defendant  officers  or  directors  are
reasonably  entitled to indemnity for such expenses despite such adjudication of
liability.

         Section  102(b)(7)  of the  General  Corporation  Law of the  State  of
Delaware  provides  that a  corporation  may  eliminate  or limit  the  personal
liability  of a director to the  corporation  or its  stockholders  for monetary
damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provision
shall not  eliminate or limit the  liability of a director (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 General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware,  or (iv) for any  transaction  from which the director
derived an improper personal benefit. No such provision shall eliminate or limit
the liability of a director for any act or omission  occurring prior to the date
when such provision becomes effective.

         Pursuant to Section 145 of the General  Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware,  the Company maintains  directors' and officers'  liability  insurance
coverage.

         ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

         Not applicable.

         ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

         5.1      Opinion of Proskauer Rose LLP

         23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP

         23.2     Consent of Proskauer Rose LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

         24.1     Power of Attorney (see signature page)

         ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

         (a)      The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

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

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


                                      II-3

<PAGE>



                  in  the  aggregate,  represent  a  fundamental  change  in the
                  information   set   forth  in  the   registration   statement.
                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the
                  volume of  securities  offered (if the total  dollar  value of
                  securities offered would not exceed that which was registered)
                  and any  deviation  from the low or high end of the  estimated
                  maximum  offering  range  may  be  reflected  in the  form  of
                  prospectus  filed with the Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(b)
                  if,  in  the  aggregate,  the  changes  in  volume  and  price
                  represent  no  more  than 20  percent  change  in the  maximum
                  aggregate  offering  price  set forth in the  "Calculation  of
                  Registration   Fee"  table  in  the   effective   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
registration  statement  is on  Form  S-3,  Form  S-8,  or  Form  F-3,  and  the
information  required  to be  included in a  post-effective  amendment  by those
paragraphs  is  contained  in periodic  reports  filed with or  furnished to the
Commission 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.

                  (4)   If the registrant is a foreign private issuer, to file a
post-effective  amendment to the registration statement to include any financial
statements  required  by Rule 3-19 of this  chapter at the start of any  delayed
offering  or  throughout  a  continuous   offering.   Financial  statements  and
information  otherwise  required  by  Section  10(a)(3)  of the Act  need not be
furnished,  provided that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of
a  post-effective  amendment,  financial  statements  required  pursuant to this
paragraph  (a)(4)  and other  information  necessary  to  ensure  that all other
information  in the  prospectus  is at  least  as  current  as the date of those
financial   statements.   Notwithstanding   the   foregoing,   with  respect  to
registration  statements  on Form F-3, a  post-effective  amendment  need not be
filed to  include  financial  statements  and  information  required  by Section
10(a)(3) of the Act or Rule 3-19 of this  chapter if such  financial  statements
and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission  by the  registrant  pursuant  to Section 13 or Section  15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 that are  incorporated by reference in the Form
F-3.

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

         (c)      Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities  arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers, and controlling
persons of the registrant  pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,
theregistrant  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.


                                      II-4

<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 New York,  State of New York,  on February 25,
2000.

                               CELADON GROUP, INC.

                               By: /s/ Stephen Russell
                                  ---------------------------
                                  Stephen Russell
                                  Chairman of the Board,
                                  Chief Executive Officer
                                  and President

                        SIGNATURES AND POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each person whose signature appears
below  constitutes and appoints  Stephen Russell and Robert Goldberg and each of
them,  his true and  lawful  attorney-in-fact  and  agent,  with  full  power of
substitution and  resubstitution,  to act, without the other, for him and in his
name,  place,  and  stead,  in any and all  capacities,  to sign a  Registration
Statement on Form S-8 of Celadon  Group,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  and any or all
amendments  (including  post-effective  amendments)  thereto,  relating  to  the
registration,  under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of shares of Common
Stock of the Company to be issued  pursuant to the  Company's  1994 Stock Option
Plan, with all exhibits  thereto,  and other documents in connection  therewith,
with   the   Securities   and   Exchange   Commission,    granting   unto   said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
every  act and  thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done  in and  about  the
premises, as full 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, their substitute or substitutes 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>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

   SIGNATURES                           TITLE                                                          DATE
<S>                                     <C>                                                       <C>
   /s/ Stephen Russell                  Chairman of the Board                                     February  25, 2000
- ------------------------------
Stephen Russell                         Chief Executive Officer,
                                        President
                                        (principal executive
                                        officer)

   /s/ Robert Goldberg                  Chief Operating Officer                                   February 25 , 2000
- -----------------------------
Robert Goldberg                         Executive Vice President


   /s/ Paul A. Will                     Executive Vice President, Chief                           February 25, 2000
- ------------------------------
Paul A. Will                            Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
                                        (principal accounting officer).

   /s/ Paul L. Biddelman                Director                                                  February 25, 2000
- ------------------------------
Paul L. Biddelman

   /s/ Michael Miller                   Director                                                  February 25, 2000
- ------------------------------
Michael Miller

   /s/ Kilin To                         Director                                                  February 25, 2000
- ------------------------------
Kilin To
</TABLE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

                                      II-5

<PAGE>





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

  EXHIBIT                                DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT                          PAGE NO.


<S>                             <C>                                                      <C>
  5.1                           Opinion of Proskauer Rose LLP


  23.1                          Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP


  23.2                          Consent of Proskauer Rose LLP
                                          (included in Exhibit 5.1)


  24.1                          Power of Attorney (included in
                                          page II-5 hereof)
</TABLE>


                                      II-6

<PAGE>



                                                                    EXHIBIT 5.1

February 25, 2000



Celadon Group, Inc.
9503 E. 33rd Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46235

Dear Sirs:

          We are acting as counsel to Celadon Group, Inc. a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"),  in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the
"Registration  Statement") filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933
relating to 150,000 shares (the  "Shares") of Common Stock,  par value $.033 per
share, of the Company.  The Shares may be issued by the Company  pursuant to the
Company's 1994 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").

          We have participated in the preparation of the Registration  Statement
and have reviewed the corporate  proceedings in connection  with the adoption of
the Plan. We have also examined and relied upon  originals or copies,  certified
or otherwise authenticated to our satisfaction, of all such public officials and
of representatives of the Company,  and have made such investigation of law, and
have discussed with  representatives  of the Company and such other persons such
questions of fact,  as we have deemed  proper and  necessary as a basis for this
opinion.

          Based upon, and subject to, the foregoing,  we are of the opinion that
the Shares are duly  authorized  and,  upon issuance of the Shares in accordance
with the Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

          We hereby  consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the
Registration Statement. In giving the foregoing consent, we do not admit that we
are in the category of persons whose consent is required  under Section 7 of the
Securities  Act of 1933 or the  rules  and  regulations  of the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.

                                             Very truly yours,

                                             /s/ Proskauer Rose LLP



                                      II-7

<PAGE>


                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1



                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


We consent to the  incorporation by reference in the  Registration  Statement on
Form S-8 pertaining to the 1994 Stock Option Plan of Celadon Group,  Inc. of our
report  dated  August  27,  1999,  with  respect to the  consolidated  financial
statements and schedule of Celadon Group,  Inc. included in the Annual Report on
Form  10-K for the year  ended  June 30,  1999  filed  with the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission.

                                          /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Indianapolis, Indiana
February 21, 2000

                                      II-8


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