STANDARD REGISTER CO
S-8, 1996-11-08
MANIFOLD BUSINESS FORMS
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As filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  on  November  8, 1996

                                                           Registration No. 333-

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

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

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

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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

   Incorporated          THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY         I.R.S. Employer
  Under the Laws               600 ALBANY STREET              Identification No.
   of Ohio                    DAYTON, OHIO 45401                  31-0455440
                                (513) 443-1000

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

                             1995 STOCK OPTION PLAN

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

                              Gary P. Kreider, Esq.
                           Keating, Muething & Klekamp
                             One East Fourth Street
                             Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
                                 (513) 579-6411
                         (Agent for Service of Process)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Proposed       Proposed     
                                     Maximum        Maximum
    Title of          Amount        Offering       Aggregate      Amount of
   Securities          To Be          Price        Offering     Registration
To Be Registered   Registered(1)   Per Share(2)     Price(2)        Fee(3)
- ----------------   -------------   ------------  --------------  ------------

  Common Stock,      2,000,000       $26.375     $52,750,000.00   $15,984.85
 $1.00 par value      Shares

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

     (1)  This  Registration  Statement  is  filed  for up to  2,000,000  shares
issuable upon exercise options granted pursuant to the 1995 Stock Option Plan.

     (2)  Estimated solely for purposes of calculating registration fees.

     (3) Registration  fee has been calculated  pursuant to Rule 457(h) based on
the  average of the high and low prices of the Common  Stock as  reported on the
New York Stock Exchange on November 7, 1996 of $26.375 per share.



<PAGE>

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

        Item 3.       Incorporation of Documents by Reference

     The  following  documents  filed  by The  Standard  Register  Company  (the
"Company") with the Securities and Exchange  Commission are incorporated  herein
by reference and made a part hereof:

          1.   The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K dated March 22,1996;

          2.   The Company's  Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q dated May 15, 1996
               and August 14, 1996; and

          3.   The  description  of the Common Stock  contained on the Company's
               Form 8-A Registration Statement under the Securities Exchange Act
               of 1934 effective May 13, 1996.

     All reports and other documents  filed by the Company  pursuant to Sections
13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the
filing of a  post-effective  amendment  which  indicates  that all Common  Stock
offered  has been sold or which  deregisters  all Common  Stock  then  remaining
unsold,  shall be deemed to be  incorporated  by reference in this  Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing such documents.


Item 4.        Description of Securities

        Not applicable.


Item 5.        Interests of Named Experts and Counsel

     The legality of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the
Company by Keating,  Muething & Klekamp,  1800 Provident  Tower, One East Fourth
Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.


Item 6.        Indemnification of Directors and Officers

     Section   1701.13(E)   of  the  Ohio   General   Corporation   Law   allows
indemnification  by the Registrant to any person made or threatened to be made a
party to any  proceedings,  other  than a  proceeding  by or in the right of the
Registrant, by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of the Registrant,  against expenses,  including judgments and
fines, if the person acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to

<PAGE>


     be in or not opposed to the best  interests  of the  Registrant  and,  with
respect to  criminal  actions,  in which the person had no  reasonable  cause to
believe that the person's  conduct was  unlawful.  Similar  provisions  apply to
actions  brought  by or in the  right of the  Registrant,  except  that,  unless
otherwise  determined  by the court,  no  indemnification  shall be made in such
cases when the person shall have been  adjudged to be liable for  negligence  or
misconduct to the Registrant.  The right to  indemnification is mandatory in the
case of a director or officer who is  successful  on the merits or  otherwise in
defense  of any  action,  suit or  proceeding  or any claim or issue,  or who is
successful  on the  merits  or  otherwise  in  defense  of any  action,  suit or
proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein.  Permissive indemnification is
to be made by a court of competent  jurisdiction,  the majority vote of a quorum
of disinterested directors, the written opinion of independent counsel or by the
shareholders.

     The  Registrant's  Code of Regulations  provides that the Registrant  shall
indemnify such persons to the fullest extent permitted by law.

     The Registrant  maintains  director and officer  liability  insurance which
provides coverage against certain liabilities.


Item 7.        Exemption from Registration Claimed

        Not applicable.


Item 8.        Exhibits

        4.1           1995 Stock Option Plan

        5             Opinion of Keating, Muething & Klekamp.

        23.1          Consent of Keating, Muething & Klekamp (contained on
                      Exhibit-5).

        23.2          Consent of Battelle & Battelle PLL.

        24            Power of Attorney (contained on the signature page).


Item 9         Undertakings

     9.1 The undersigned  Registrant hereby undertakes to file during any period
in which  offers or sales are being made,  a post-  effective  amendment to this
Registration Statement to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the  Securities  Act of 1933, to reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events
arising

<PAGE>


     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 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 (i) and (ii) shall not apply if the  information  required  to be
included in a post-effective amendment is contained in periodic reports filed by
the  Registrant  pursuant  to  Section  13 or  Section  15(d) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that are  incorporated  by  reference in this  Registration
Statement.

     9.2 The undersigned  Registrant  hereby undertakes 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 that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     9.3  The   undersigned   Registrant   hereby   undertakes  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.

     9.4 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  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.

     9.5 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,  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

<PAGE>


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, 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 Dayton, Ohio, on November 7, 1996.

                                               THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY



                                               BY:/s/Peter S. Redding
                                                  ----------------------------
                                                    Peter S. Redding
                                                    President, Chief Executive
                                                    Officer and Director

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities  and on the dates  indicated.  Persons whose names are marked with an
asterisk (*) below hereby  designate Paul H. Granzow,  Peter S. Redding or Craig
J.  Brown  as  their   attorney-in-fact   to  sign  all  amendments,   including
post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement.

                          
        Signature                Capacity                       Date


*/s/Peter S. Redding        President, Chief               November 7, 1996
- -----------------------     Executive Officer
Peter S. Redding            and Director
                            (Principal
                            Executive Officer)
          


*/s/Craig J. Brown          Senior Vice President -        November 7, 1996
- -----------------------     Administration,
Craig J. Brown              Treasurer and Chief
                            Financial Officer
                            (Principal Financial
                            Officer and
                            Principal Accounting
                            Officer)

<PAGE>


        Signature                Capacity                       Date


*/s/Paul H. Granzow         Chairman of the                November 7, 1996
- ----------------------      Board of Directors
Paul H. Granzow             

*/s/Roy W. Begley, Jr.      Director                       November 7, 1996
- ----------------------
Roy W. Begley, Jr.


*/s/F. David Clarke III     Director                       November 7, 1996
- ----------------------
F. David Clarke, III


*/s/Graeme G. Keeping       Director                       November 7, 1996
- ----------------------
Graeme G. Keeping


*/s/Dennis Rediker          Director                       November 7, 1996
- ----------------------
Dennis L. Rediker


*/s/Ann Scavullo            Director                       November 7, 1996
- ----------------------
Ann Scavullo


*/s/John J. Schiff, Jr.     Director                       November 7, 1996
- ----------------------
John J. Schiff, Jr.


*/s/Charles F. Sherman      Director                       November 7, 1996
- ----------------------
Charles F. Sherman


*/s/John Q. Sherman II      Director                       November 7, 1996
- ----------------------
John Q. Sherman, II




                                                                    Exhibit 4.1

                          THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY

                                      1995

                                Stock Option Plan


                                    ARTICLE 1

                                   OBJECTIVES

     The Standard  Register Company,  an Ohio corporation,  has established this
Stock Option Plan  effective  October 19, 1995 as an incentive to the attraction
and  retention  of dedicated  and loyal  employees of  outstanding  ability,  to
stimulate the efforts of such persons in meeting Standard Register's  objectives
and to encourage ownership of Standard Register Common Stock by employees.

                                    ARTICLE 2

                                   DEFINITIONS

     For  purposes of the Plan the  following  terms  shall have the  definition
which is attributed to them, unless another definition is clearly indicated by a
particular usage and context.

               A.   "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

               B.   The "Company"  means The Standard  Register  Company and any
                    subsidiary  of The Standard  Register  Company,  as the term
                    "subsidiary" is defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

               C.   "Date of  Exercise"  means the date on which the Company has
                    received a written notice of exercise of an Option,  in such
                    form as is acceptable to the Committee,  and full payment of
                    the purchase price.

               D.   "Date of Grant" means the date on which the Committee  makes
                    an award of an Option.

               E.   "Eligible   Employee"  means  any  individual  who  performs
                    services  for the Company and is treated as an employee  for
                    federal income tax purposes.

               F.   "Fair Market  Value"  means the last sale price  reported on
                    any stock  exchange or  over-the-counter  trading  system on
                    which  Shares are trading on the last trading day prior to a
                    specified  date or, if no last sales price is reported,  the
                    average of the closing bid and asked prices for a Share on a
                    specified  date.  If no sale has been made on the  specified
                    date,  then  prices on the last  preceding  day on which any
                    such sale shall have been made shall be used in  determining
                    Fair Market  Value under  either  method  prescribed  in the
                    previous  sentence.  

               G.   "Incentive  Stock  Option"  shall  have the same  meaning as
                    given to that term by Section 422 of the Code.

               H.   "Nonqualified  Stock Option" means any Option  granted under
                    the Plan which is not considered an Incentive Stock Option.

               I.   "Option"  means the  right to  purchase  a stated  number of
                    Shares at a specified price. The option may be granted to an
                    Eligible  Employee  subject to the terms of this  Plan,  and
                    such other  conditions  and  restrictions  as the  Committee
                    deems  appropriate.  Each Option shall be  designated by the
                    Committee  to be  either  an  Incentive  Stock  Option  or a
                    Nonqualified Stock Option.

               J.   "Option Price" means the purchase price per Share subject to
                    an Option and shall be fixed by the Committee, but shall not
                    be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the
                    Date of Grant in the case of an Incentive Stock Option.

               K.   "Permanent  and Total  Disability"  shall mean any medically
                    determinable  physical  or mental  impairment  rendering  an
                    individual  unable  to  engage  in any  substantial  gainful
                    activity,  which  disability  can be  expected  to result in
                    death or which has lasted or can be  expected  to last for a
                    continuous period of not less than 12 months.

               L.   "Plan"  means  this  1995  Stock  Option  Plan  as it may be
                    amended from time to time.

               M.   "Share"  means  one  share of the  Common  Stock,  $1.00 par
                    value, of the Company.

                                    ARTICLE 3

                                 ADMINISTRATION

     3.1 The  Plan  shall  be  administered  by a  committee  (the  "Committee")
designated  by the Board of  Directors of the Company.  The  Committee  shall be
comprised  solely  of  three  or more  directors  each of  whom  shall  be (i) a
"disinterested  person"  as  defined  under  Rule  16b-3 of the  Securities  and
Exchange  Act of 1934 (the "Act") and (ii) an "outside  director"  to the extent
required by Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code ("Section 162(m)").

        Actions shall be taken by a majority of the Committee.

     3.2 Except as  specifically  limited  by the  provisions  of the Plan,  the
Committee in its discretion shall have the authority to:

               A.   Determine which Eligible Employees shall be granted Options;

               B.   Determine  the number of Shares which may be subject to each
                    Option;

<PAGE>


               C.   Determine the Option Price;

               D.   Determine the term of each Option;

               E.   Determine  whether each Option is an Incentive  Stock Option
                    or Nonqualified Stock Option;

               F.   Interpret  the   provisions  of  the  Plan  and  decide  all
                    questions of fact arising in its application; and

               G.   Prescribe such rules and procedures for Plan  administration
                    as from time to time it may deem advisable.

     3.3 Any action, decision,  interpretation or determination by the Committee
with respect to the  application or  administration  of this Plan shall be final
and  binding  upon all  persons,  and need not be  uniform  with  respect to its
determination  of  recipients,  amount,  timing,  form,  terms or  provisions of
Options.

     3.4  No  member  of the  Committee  shall  be  liable  for  any  action  or
determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Option
granted  hereunder,  and to the extent  permitted by law,  all members  shall be
indemnified  by the  Company  for any  liability  and  expenses  which may occur
through any claim or cause of action.

                                    ARTICLE 4

                             SHARES SUBJECT TO PLAN

     4.1 The Shares that may be made subject to Options  granted  under the Plan
shall not  exceed  2,000,000  Shares in the  aggregate.  Except as  provided  in
Section  4.2,  upon lapse or  termination  of any Option for any reason  without
being  completely  exercised,  the Shares  which were subject to such Option may
again be subject to other Options.

     4.2 The  maximum  number of Shares  with  respect to which  options  may be
granted to any employee during each fiscal year of the Company is 100,000. If an
Option is cancelled by mutual agreement,  it continues to be counted against the
maximum number of Shares for which Options may be granted to an employee.  If an
Option  is  repriced  by mutual  agreement,  the  transaction  is  treated  as a
cancellation of the Option and a grant of a new Option.

                                    ARTICLE 5

                               GRANTING OF OPTIONS

     Subject to the terms and  conditions of the Plan,  the Committee  may, from
time to time prior to October 18, 2005,  grant Options to Eligible  Employees on
such terms and conditions as the Committee may  determine.  More than one Option
may be granted to the same Eligible Employee.

                                    ARTICLE 6

                                TERMS OF OPTIONS

     6.1 Subject to specific  provisions relating to Incentive Stock Options set
forth in  Article  9, each  Option  shall be for a term of from one to ten years
from the Date of Grant and may not be exercised  during the first twelve  months
of the term of said Option. The Committee shall establish exercise schedules and
impose  other  conditions  upon  exercise  for  particular  Options or groups of
Options at the time of grant.  Rights of exercise  shall be cumulative and shall
be  exercisable  in whole or in part.  The Committee in its sole  discretion may
permit  particular  holders of Options to exercise an Option to a greater extent
than provided herein.

     6.2 The holder of an Option must remain  continuously in the service of the
Company as an employee for a period of at least twelve months. Nothing contained
in this Plan or in any  Option  granted  pursuant  to it shall  confer  upon any
employee  any right to continue in the employ of the Company or to  interfere in
any way with the right of the Company to terminate  employment  at any time.  So
long as a holder of an Option  shall  continue to be an employee of the Company,
the  Option  shall not be  affected  by any change of the  employee's  duties or
position.

                                    ARTICLE 7

                               EXERCISE OF OPTIONS

     Any person entitled to exercise an Option in whole or in part, may do so by
delivering  a written  notice of exercise to the  Company,  attention  Corporate
Secretary,  at its principal office. The written notice shall specify the number
of  Shares  for which an Option  is being  exercised  and the grant  date of the
option being  exercised and shall be  accompanied  by full payment of the Option
Price for the Shares being purchased.

                                    ARTICLE 8

                             PAYMENT OF OPTION PRICE

     8.1  Payment  of the  Option  Price may be made in cash,  by the  tender of
Shares,  or both.  Shares tendered shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on
the date of tender.


<PAGE>


     8.2 Payment  through tender of Shares may be made by  instruction  from the
Optionee to the Company to withhold from the Shares  issuable upon exercise that
number which have a Fair Market Value equal to the exercise price for the Option
or portion thereof being exercised.

                                    ARTICLE 9

             INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS AND NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTIONS

     9.1 The Committee in its discretion  may designate  whether an Option is to
be  considered an Incentive  Stock Option or a  Nonqualified  Stock Option.  The
Committee  may grant both an  Incentive  Stock Option and a  Nonqualified  Stock
Option to the same individual. However, where both an Incentive Stock Option and
a  Nonqualified  Stock  Option are awarded at one time,  such  Options  shall be
deemed to have been awarded in separate grants, shall be clearly identified, and
in no event will the  exercise of one such  Option  affect the right to exercise
the other such Option.

     9.2 Any option  designated  by the  Committee as an Incentive  Stock Option
will be subject to the general  provisions  applicable  to all  Options  granted
under the Plan. In addition,  the Incentive Stock Option shall be subject to the
following specific provisions:

          A.   At the  time  the  Incentive  Stock  Option  is  granted,  if the
               Eligible   Employee   owns,   directly   or   indirectly,   stock
               representing more than 10% of (i) the total combined voting power
               of all  classes of stock of the  Company,  or (ii) a  corporation
               that owns 50% or more of the total  combined  voting power of all
               classes of stock of the Company, then:

               (i)  The Option Price must equal at least 110% of the Fair Market
                    Value on the Date of Grant; and

               (ii) The term of the Option  shall not be greater than five years
                    from the Date of Grant.

          B.   The  aggregate  Fair Market  Value of Shares  (deter mined at the
               Date of Grant) with respect to which  Incentive Stock Options are
               exercisable by an Eligible Employee for the first time during any
               calendar year under this Plan or any other plan maintained by the
               Company shall not exceed $100,000.

     9.3 If any  Option  is not  granted,  exercised,  or held  pursuant  to the
provisions noted  immediately  above, it will be considered to be a Nonqualified
Stock  Option  to  the  extent  that  the  grant  is  in  conflict   with  these
restrictions.

                                   ARTICLE 10

                            TRANSFERABILITY OF OPTION

     During the  lifetime  of an  Eligible  Employee  to whom an Option has been
granted, such Option is not transferable  voluntarily or by operation of law and
may be exercised only by such individual. Upon the death of an Eligible Employee
to whom an  Option  has been  granted,  the  Option  may be  transferred  to the
beneficiaries  or heirs of the  holder  of the  Option by will or by the laws of
descent and distribution.

                                   ARTICLE 11

                             TERMINATION OF OPTIONS

        11.1   An Option will terminate as follows:

               A.   Upon exercise or expiration by its terms.

               B.   Except as provided in Subsection 11.1.C, upon termination of
                    employment   for  reasons   other  than   cause,   the  then
                    exercisable portion of any Option will terminate on the 60th
                    day  after the date of  termination.  The  portion  not then
                    exercisable  will  terminate on the date of  termination  of
                    employment.  For  purposes  of the Plan,  a leave of absence
                    approved  by  the   Company   shall  not  be  deemed  to  be
                    termination of employment.

               C.   If an  Eligible  Employee  holding an Option dies or becomes
                    subject to a Permanent and Total  Disability  while employed
                    by the  Company,  or within  60 days  after  termination  of
                    employment for reasons other than cause,  such Option may be
                    exercised,  to the  extent  exercisable  on the  date of the
                    occurrence of the event which triggers the operation of this
                    paragraph,  at any time  within  one year  after the date of
                    termination of employment of such Eligible Employee,  by the
                    estate or  guardian  of such  person or by those  persons to
                    whom the Option may have been  transferred by will or by the
                    laws of descent and distribution.

               D.   Options  shall   terminate   immediately  if  employment  is
                    terminated for cause. Cause is defined as including, but not
                    limited  to,  theft  of or  intentional  damage  to  Company
                    property,  intentional  harm  to the  Company's  reputation,
                    material  breach of the  optionee's  duty of fidelity to the
                    Company, excessive use of alcohol, the use of illegal drugs,
                    the  commission  of a criminal  act,  willful  violation  of
                    Company policy,  or trading in securities of the Company for
                    personal gain based on knowledge of the Company's activities
                    or results  when such  information  is not  available to the
                    general public.

               E.   If an Eligible Employee holding an Option violates any terms
                    of  any  written  employment  or  noncompetition   agreement
                    between the Company and the Eligible Employee,  all existing
                    options held by such Employee will  terminate.  In addition,
                    if at the time of such  violation the Employee has exercised
                    Options but has not received  certificates for the shares to
                    be issued, the Company may void the Option and its exercise.
                    Any such actions by the Company  shall be in addition to any
                    other  rights or remedies  available  to the Company in such
                    circumstances.


<PAGE>

     11.2  Except  as  provided  in  Article  12  hereof,  in no event  will the
continuation  of the  term  of an  Option  beyond  the  date of  termination  of
employment allow the Eligible Employee, or his beneficiaries or heirs, to accrue
additional  rights  under the Plan,  or to  purchase  more  Shares  through  the
exercise of an Option than could have been purchased on the day that  employment
was terminated.  In addition,  notwithstanding  anything  contained  herein,  no
option may be exercised in any event after the  expiration of ten years from the
date of grant of such option.

                                   ARTICLE 12

                     ADJUSTMENTS TO SHARES AND OPTION PRICE

     12.1 In the event of changes in the outstanding Common Stock of the Company
as a result of stock  dividends,  splitups,  recapitalizations,  combinations of
Shares or exchanges  of Shares,  the number and class of Shares for all purposes
covered  by the Plan and number and class of Shares and price per Share for each
Option and each outstanding  Option covered by the Plan shall be correspondingly
adjusted by the Committee.

     12.2 The Committee may make appropriate  adjustments in the Option Price to
reflect any spin-off of assets,  extraordinary  dividends or other distributions
to shareholders.

     12.3 In the event of the  dissolution  or liquidation of the Company or any
merger, consolidation, exchange or other transaction in which the Company is not
the surviving  corporation or in which the outstanding Shares of the Company are
converted into cash, other securities or other property, each outstanding Option
shall terminate as of a date fixed by the Committee  provided that not less than
20 days' written notice of the date of expiration  shall be given to each holder
of an Option  and each such  holder  shall  have the right  during  such  period
following  notice to exercise the Option as to all or any part of the Shares for
which it is exercisable at the time of such notice.  The Committee,  in its sole
discretion,  may provide that Options in such  circumstances may be exercised to
an extent  greater than the number of shares for which they were  exercisable at
the time of such a notice.

     12.4 All outstanding  Options shall become immediately  exercisable in full
if a change in control of the Company occurs. For purposes of this Agreement,  a
"change in  control  of the  Company"  shall be deemed to have  occurred  if any
"person,"  as such term is used in  Sections  13(d) and 14(d) of the Act,  other
than (i) a trustee  or other  fiduciary  holding  securities  under an  employee
benefit  plan of the  Company  or  (ii) a  trustee  under  the  John Q.  Sherman
Testamentary  Trust or the William C. Sherman  Testamentary Trust or the William
C. Sherman  Intervivos  Trust dated December 29, 1939,  becomes the  "beneficial
owner," as  defined in Rule 13d-3  under the Act,  directly  or  indirectly,  of
securities of the Company  representing 35% or more of the combined voting power
of the Company's then outstanding securities.

                                   ARTICLE 13

                                OPTION AGREEMENTS

     13.1 All Options  granted  under the Plan shall be  evidenced  by a written
agreement  in such form or forms as the  Committee  in its sole  discretion  may
determine.

     13.2 Each  optionee,  by acceptance of an Option under this Plan,  shall be
deemed to have consented to be bound, on the optionee's own behalf and on behalf
of the optionee's  heirs,  assigns and legal  representatives,  by all terms and
conditions of this Plan.


                                   ARTICLE 14

                       AMENDMENT OR DISCONTINUANCE OF PLAN

     14.1 The Board of Directors of the Company may at any time amend,  suspend,
or discontinue the Plan; provided,  however,  that no amendments by the Board of
Directors of the Company shall,  without further approval of the shareholders of
the Company:

               A.   Change the definition of Eligible Employees;

               B.   Except as provided in Articles 4 and 12 hereof, increase the
                    number of Shares  which may be subject  to  Options  granted
                    under the Plan.

               C.   Cause the Plan or any Option  granted under the Plan to fail
                    to (i) qualify for exemption  from Section 16(b) of the Act,
                    (ii) be excluded  from the $1 million  deduction  limitation
                    imposed by Section  162(m) of the Code,  or (iii) qualify as
                    an "Incentive Stock Option" as defined by Section 422 of the
                    Code.

     14.2 No amendment or  discontinuance  of the Plan shall alter or impair any
Option granted under the Plan without the consent of the holder thereof.

                                   ARTICLE 15

                                 EFFECTIVE DATE

     This Plan shall  become  effective  as of October  19,  1995,  having  been
adopted  by the  Board of  Directors  of the  Company  on such date  subject  to
approval by the  affirmative  vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of
Capital Stock of the Company voting on the issue,  and all Options granted prior
to such approval are expressly conditioned upon such approval being received. If
shareholder  approval is not received,  within 12 months of the effective  date,
Options granted pursuant to this Plan shall be null and void.


<PAGE>

                                   ARTICLE 16

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

     16.1 Nothing  contained in this Plan or in any action taken by the Board of
Directors or  shareholders  of the Company shall  constitute  the granting of an
Option.  An Option shall be granted only at such time as a written  Option shall
have been  executed and  delivered to the  respective  employee and the employee
shall have executed an agreement  respecting the Option in conformance  with the
provisions of the Plan.

     16.2  Certificates for Shares purchased through exercise of Options will be
issued in regular  course after  exercise of the Option and payment  therefor as
called  for by the terms of the  Option  but in no event  shall the  Company  be
obligated to issue certificates more often than once each quarter of each fiscal
year.  No persons  holding an Option or entitled  to exercise an Option  granted
under  this Plan shall have any rights or  privileges  of a  shareholder  of the
Company with respect to any Shares  issuable  upon exercise of such Option until
certificates  representing such Shares shall have been issued and delivered.  No
Shares shall be issued and delivered upon exercise of an Option unless and until
the Company,  in the opinion of its counsel,  has complied  with all  applicable
registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and any applicable state
securities  laws and with any applicable  listing  requirements  of any national
securities  exchange on which the Company  securities may then be listed as well
as any other requirements of law.

     16.3 This Plan shall continue in effect until the expiration of all Options
granted under the Plan unless terminated  earlier in accordance with Article 14;
provided,  however,  that it shall  otherwise  terminate  ten  years  after  the
Effective Date.





                                    Exhibit 5


                   [Letterhead of Keating, Muething & Klekamp]


                                November 7, 1996


Direct Dial:  (513) 579-6411


The Standard Register Company
600 Albany Street
Dayton, Ohio   45401

Dear Sir or Madam:

     We serve as counsel to The Standard  Register  Company (the  "Company") and
are  familiar  with its  Articles  of  Incorporation,  Code of  Regulations  and
corporate  proceedings  generally.  We have reviewed the corporate records as to
the  establishment  of the  Company's  Stock  Option  Plan (the  "Plan") and the
issuance of up to 2,000,000  shares of Common  Stock,  $1.00 par value per share
(the "Common Stock"), of The Standard Register Company to employees.  Based upon
such examination and considerations, we are of the opinion:

     1.   That the Company is a duly organized and validly existing  corporation
          under the laws of the State of Ohio; and

     2.   That the  Company  has  taken all  necessary  and  required  corporate
          actions in  connection  with the proposed  issuance of up to 2,000,000
          shares of Common  Stock in  accordance  with the Plan and that  Common
          Stock,  when so issued and delivered,  will be validly  issued,  fully
          paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock of the Company.

     We  hereby  consent  to be  named  in the  Registration  Statement  and the
Prospectus  part thereof as the  attorneys who have passed upon legal matters in
connection with the issuance of the aforesaid  Common Stock and to the filing of
this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

                                             Yours truly,

                                             KEATING, MUETHING & KLEKAMP, P.L.L.



                                             BY:  /s/Gary P. Kreider
                                                ------------------------------
                                                     Gary P. Kreider




                                           Exhibit 23.2





                             CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-8 of our Report on the Financial Statements and
Schedules of The Standard Register Company included in the Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995.


                                                   BATTELLE & BATTELLE, LLP


Dayton, Ohio
November 6, 1996



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