Form S-8 AeroClean Technologies,

 

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 29, 2021

Registration No. 333-

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

AEROCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware		45-3213164
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
10455 Riverside Drive Palm Beach Gardens, Florida		33410
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

 

AEROCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

AEROCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

AEROCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS STOCK AND DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

(Full title of the plan)

 

Jason DiBona

c/o AeroClean Technologies, Inc.

10455 Riverside Drive

Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

(833) 652-5326

(Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

Copies to:

 

Valerie Ford Jacob, Esq.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP

601 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10022

(212) 277-4000

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

	Large accelerated filer	¨	Accelerated filer	¨
	Non-accelerated filer	x	Smaller reporting company	x
			Emerging growth company	x

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). ¨

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Securities to be Registered		Amount to be Registered(1)		Proposed Maximum Offering Price per Share(2)				Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price				Amount of Registration Fee
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share, to be issued pursuant to the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan		1,386,364		$	10.00			$	13,863,640			$	1,285.16
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share, to be issued pursuant to the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan		138,636		$	10.00			$	1,386,360			$	128.52
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share, to be issued pursuant to the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. Non-Employee Directors Stock and Deferred Compensation Plan		277,273		$	10.00			$	2,772,730			$	257.03

 

(1)

This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of common stock, each with a par value of $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), of AeroClean Technologies, Inc. (the “Registrant”) that become issuable under the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan (the “Incentive Award Plan”), the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) and the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. Non-Employee Directors Stock and Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Director Stock Plan” and, together with the Incentive Award Plan and the ESPP, the “Plans”) being registered pursuant to this Registration Statement by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or any other similar transaction effected without the receipt of consideration that results in an increase in the number of the outstanding Shares.

(2)

For purposes of computing the registration fee only. Pursuant to Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act, the Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share with respect to the Plans is based upon the initial public offering price of the Shares ($10.00 per Share).

 

 

 

PART I

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

 

Item 1.

Plan Information*

 

Item 2.

Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information*

 

*            Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act and the “Note” to Part I of Form S-8. The documents containing the information specified in this Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to the participants (“participants”) in the Plans covered by this Registration Statement, as specified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. Such documents are not required to be and are not filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

 

 

PART II

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3.

Incorporation of Documents by Reference

 

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission are incorporated as of their respective dates in this Registration Statement by reference:

 

(a)

The Registrant’s Offering Circular dated November 23, 2021 (File No. 024-11650), filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 253(g)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act on November 24, 2021, which contains audited financial statements for the Registrant’s latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed;

 

(b)

All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), since the end of the fiscal year covered by the Registrant document referred to in (a) above; and

 

(c)

The description of the Shares contained in and incorporated by reference into the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on November 19, 2021 and any amendment or report updating that description.

 

All other documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (except for any portions of the Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 thereof and any corresponding exhibits thereto not filed with the Commission, and other documents or information deemed furnished but not filed under the rules of the Commission), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement that 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 in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained herein or in a document all or a portion of which is 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 or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

 

Item 4.

Description of Securities

 

Not required.

 

Item 5.

Interests of Named Experts and Counsel

 

None.

 

Item 6.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

 

     Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she 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 reasonable cause to believe his/her conduct was unlawful. A similar standard is applicable in the case of derivative actions (i.e., actions by or in the right of the corporation), except that indemnification extends only to expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action, and the statute requires court approval before there can be any indemnification where the person seeking indemnification has been found liable to the corporation.

 

 

The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, no director will be personally liable to the Registrant or to its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Notwithstanding this provision, pursuant to Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, a director can be held liable (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) under Section 174 of the DGCL (which concerns unlawful payments of dividends, stock purchases or redemptions) or (4) for any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit.

 

While the certificate of incorporation provides directors with protection from awards for monetary damages for breaches of their duty of care, it does not eliminate this duty. Accordingly, the certificate of incorporation has no effect on the availability of equitable remedies such as an injunction or rescission based on a director’s breach of his or her duty of care. The provisions of the certificate of incorporation described above apply to an officer of the Registrant only if he or she is a director of the Registrant and is acting in his or her capacity as director and do not apply to officers of the Registrant who are not directors.

 

The certificate of incorporation requires the Registrant to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to, or was otherwise involved in (including, without limitation, as a witness), a legal proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or an officer of the Registrant or is or was serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as it exists or may be amended, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement by or on behalf of such person) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such service (provided that, in the case of a proceeding initiated by such person, the Registrant will only indemnify such person if the proceeding was specifically authorized by the board of directors of the Registrant (the “Board”)). This right of indemnity will include, with certain limitations and exceptions, a right to be paid by the Registrant the expenses incurred in defending such proceedings. The Registrant is authorized under its certificate of incorporation to carry directors’ and officers’ insurance protecting the Registrant, any director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability, whether or not the Registrant would have the power to indemnify the person under the DGCL. The certificate of incorporation also permits the Board to indemnify or advance expenses to any of the Registrant’s employees or agents to the fullest extent permitted with respect to the Registrant’s directors and officers in the certificate of incorporation.

 

By its terms, the indemnification provided for in the certificate of incorporation is not exclusive of any other rights that the indemnified party may be or become entitled to under any law, agreement, vote of stockholders or directors, provisions of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws or otherwise. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of the certificate of incorporation’s indemnification provisions will be, by the terms of the certificate of incorporation, prospective only and will not adversely affect the rights of any indemnitee in effect at the time of any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal.

 

The foregoing summaries are necessarily subject to the complete text of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation and the Registrant’s bylaws and the arrangements referred to above and are qualified in their entirety by reference thereto.

 

Item 7.

Exemption from Registration Claimed

 

Not applicable.

 

 

Item 8.

Exhibits

 

The exhibits listed on the exhibit index at the end of this Registration Statement are included in this Registration Statement.

 

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;

 

(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 paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if 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 Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

 

(2)

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities 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 at the termination of the offering.

 

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in 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) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

 

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit No.		Description
4.1*		Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant
4.2*		Bylaws of the Registrant
4.3		Form of Common Stock Certificate of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Registrant’s Amended Draft Offering Statement (File No. 367-00296) submitted to the Commission by the Registrant on September 3, 2021)
5.1*		Opinion of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP, counsel to the Registrant, regarding the legality of the securities being offered hereby (including consent)
23.1*		Consent of Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP
23.2*		Consent of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1*		Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature pages hereto)
99.1*		Aeroclean Technologies, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan
99.2*		AeroClean Technologies, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan
99.3*		Aeroclean Technologies, Inc. Non-Employee Directors Stock and Deferred Compensation Plan

 

* Filed herewith
 

 

SIGNATURES

 

The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, 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 Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on the 29^th day of November, 2021.

 

	AEROCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
	By:	/s/ Jason DiBona
		Name:	Jason DiBona
		Title:	Chief Executive Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints each of Jason DiBona and Ryan Tyler as such person’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to the Registration Statement, including post-effective amendments, and registration statements filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, and does hereby grant unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent 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 fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any substitute therefor, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 29^th day of November, 2021:

 

Signature		Title
/s/  Jason DiBona
Jason DiBona		Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
/s/  Ryan Tyler
Ryan Tyler		Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
/s/  Amin J. Khoury, PhD (Hon)
Amin J. Khoury, PhD (Hon)		Chairman of the Board
/s/  David Helfet, M.D.
David Helfet, M.D.		Director
/s/  Michael Senft
Michael Senft		Director
/s/  Thomas P. McCaffrey
Thomas P. McCaffrey		Director
/s/  Heather Floyd
Heather Floyd		Director

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

AEROCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

ARTICLE I

 

Name

 

The name of the corporation is AeroClean Technologies, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

 

ARTICLE II

 

Registered Office and Registered Agent

 

The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 850 New Burton Road, Suite 201 in the City of Dover County of Kent, 19904. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation at such address is Cogency Global Inc.

 

ARTICLE III

 

Corporate Purpose

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “General Corporation Law”).

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Capital Stock

 

(1) The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 121,000,000, of which 110,000,000 shall be shares of Common Stock of the Corporation, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), and 11,000,000 shall be shares of Preferred Stock, at a par value of $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”).

 

(2) The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) is hereby expressly authorized to provide, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, for the issuance of one or more series of Preferred Stock and, with respect to each such series, to fix the number of shares constituting such series and the designation of such series, the voting powers, if any, of the shares of such series, and the preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the shares of such series. The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each series of Preferred Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. The Corporation shall, from time to time and in accordance with applicable law, increase the number of authorized shares of Common Stock if at any time the number of shares of Common Stock remaining unissued and available for issuance shall not be sufficient to permit the conversion of any series of Preferred Stock that, as provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph (2) of Article IV, is otherwise convertible into Common Stock.

 

 

ARTICLE V

 

Board of Directors

 

(1) The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by, or under the direction of, the Board, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by law or this Certificate of Incorporation directed or required to be exercised or done by stockholders.

 

(2) The Bylaws of the Corporation may fix and alter the number of directors and may prescribe the term of office, and from time to time the number of directors may be increased or decreased by amendment of the Bylaws of the Corporation; provided that in no case shall the number of directors be less than three.

 

(3) Any director or the entire Board may be removed from office only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the total voting power of the outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in any annual election of directors, voting together as a single class.

 

(4) Vacancies occurring on the Board for any reason, including, without limitation, vacancies occurring as a result of the death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office of a director, or the creation of new directorships that increase the number of directors, shall solely be filled by a majority vote of the directors then in office, even if the number of such directors is less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, or by the written consent of such directors as permitted by the General Corporation Law and as provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation, and shall not be filled by the stockholders.

 

(5) At any meeting of stockholders at which directors are elected, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the voting power of the shares entitled to vote on the election of directors and present in person or by proxy at the meeting. Elections of directors of the Corporation need not be by written ballot, except and to the extent provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

(6) To the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law as it now exists and as it may hereafter be amended, no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. For the avoidance of all doubt, notwithstanding any other provision in this Certificate of Incorporation, no amendment to, modification of or repeal of this paragraph (6) shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any director of the Corporation for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such amendment.

 

(7) Nothing in this Article V shall be deemed to affect or restrict (i) any rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors as provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article IV, or (ii) the ability of the Board to provide, pursuant to Article IV, for the preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the shares of any series of Preferred Stock, including with regard to those directors, if any, to be elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock.

 

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Interested Directors and Officers

 

(1) No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association or other organization in which one or more of the Corporation’s directors or officers are directors or officers, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because such director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board or committee thereof that authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because his or her vote is counted for such purpose, if (i) the material facts as to his or her relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board or the committee, and the Board or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum, (ii) the material facts as to his or her relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders, or (iii) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the Board, a committee thereof or the stockholders.

 

(2) Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Stockholder Action

 

(1) The annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation for the election of directors of the Corporation, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before such meeting, shall be held at such place, date and time as shall be fixed by the Board in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

(2) Except as otherwise required by law, or as otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article IV with regard to the rights of holders of shares of one or more series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may only be called by (i) the Board or (ii) the Chairman of the Board of the Corporation or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

 

(3) Any previously scheduled meeting of the stockholders may be postponed to another date, time or place by resolution of the Board.

 

(4) Except as otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article IV with regard to the rights of holders of shares of one or more series of Preferred Stock, no action that is required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be effected by written consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting; provided, however, that the taking of any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be effected by written consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting if such action and the taking of such action by written consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting have each been expressly approved in advance by the Board.

 

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

Indemnification and Insurance

 

(1) Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved (including, without limitation, as a witness) in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter, a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is an alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer or in another capacity for or at the request of the Corporation, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the General Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, excise taxes or penalties, including under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith, and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to serve in the capacity that initially entitled such person to indemnity hereunder and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this Article VIII with respect to proceedings seeking to enforce rights to indemnification hereunder, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was specifically authorized by the Board. The right to indemnification conferred in this Article VIII shall be a contract right that vests upon a person becoming a director or officer of the Corporation or upon a person serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, and shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, if the General Corporation Law requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer of the Corporation in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VIII or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, subsequent to an indictment of, or the filing of a civil complaint by a U.S. federal or state governmental enforcement agency against, a director or officer of the Corporation (in any capacity, including as an employee or agent of another enterprise and service to an employee benefit plan) entitled to or receiving advancement of expenses, the Corporation may, subject to applicable law (including to the extent indemnification is required under Section 145(c) of the General Corporation Law), terminate, reduce or place conditions upon any future advancement of expenses (including with respect to costs, charges, attorneys’ fees, experts’ fees and other fees) incurred by such director or officer relating to his or her defense thereof if (i) such director or officer does not prevail at trial, enters into a plea arrangement, agrees to the entry of a final administrative or judicial order imposing sanctions on such director or officer or otherwise admits, in a legal proceeding, to the alleged violation resulting in the relevant indictment or complaint, or (ii) if the Corporation initiates an internal investigation and a determination is made (x) by the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum, or (y) if there are no disinterested directors or the disinterested directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that the facts known to the decision-maker at the time such determination is made demonstrate that such director or officer acted in a manner that is not indemnifiable by the Corporation. Any future indemnification or similar agreement entered into by the Corporation with any director or officer of the Corporation and that addresses the advancement of expenses shall contain restrictions substantially similar to the immediately preceding sentence.

 

 

(2) If a claim under paragraph (1) of this Article VIII is not paid in full by the Corporation within ninety (90) days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may, at any time thereafter, bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the General Corporation Law for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed or, in the case of a claim regarding advancement of expenses, the Corporation has terminated, reduced or placed conditions upon advancement of expenses in accordance with paragraph (1) of this Article VIII, but in each case, the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including the Board, a committee thereof, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including the Board, a committee thereof, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

(3) The right to indemnification and the advancement and payment of expenses conferred in this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of any other right that any person may have or hereafter acquire under any law (common or statutory), provision of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, other bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

(4) If this Article VIII or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify and hold harmless each director or officer of the Corporation as to costs, charges and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, experts’ fees and other fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, to the full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Article VIII that shall not have been invalidated and to the full extent permitted by applicable law.

 

(5) For the avoidance of all doubt, notwithstanding any other provision in this Certificate of Incorporation, no amendment to, modification of or repeal of any provision of this Article VIII shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability, or any right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses, of any director or officer of the Corporation for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director or officer occurring prior to such amendment, except as otherwise consented to in writing by such director or officer.

 

 

(6) The Board may, or may authorize one or more officers to, provide for the indemnification or advancement of expenses by the Corporation to any current or former employee or agent of the Corporation or any of the Corporation’s subsidiaries who would not otherwise have a right to indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant to this Article VIII and was or is made a party to or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved or threatened to be involved (including, without limitation, as a witness) in any proceeding, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was such an employee or agent or, while serving as an employee or agent, he or she is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or a partnership, joint venture, trust, nonprofit entity or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, of such scope and effect and subject to such terms as determined by the Board or such officer or officers, in each case, as and to the extent permitted by applicable law.

 

(7) The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of itself and any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under Section 145 of the General Corporation Law.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Bylaws

 

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the General Corporation Law, the Board shall expressly have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the Board shall require the approval of a majority of the entire Board. The stockholders shall also have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation, provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of the then-outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders of the Corporation to amend, repeal or adopt any provision of the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE X

 

Amendment

 

(1) The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provisions contained in this Certificate of Incorporation in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law, and all the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation and, except as expressly provided otherwise in this Certificate of Incorporation, all rights conferred on stockholders, directors, officers, employees or agents of the Corporation in this Certificate of Incorporation are subject to this reserved power.

 

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, and in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class of stock of the Corporation required by applicable law or this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of the then-outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders of the Corporation to amend, repeal or adopt any provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with Article V, paragraphs (2) and (4) of Article VII or this Article X of this Certificate of Incorporation.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

Incorporator

 

The name and mailing address of the sole incorporator is as follows:

 

Name	Mailing Address
Ryan Tyler	10455 Riverside Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

 

I, THE UNDERSIGNED, being the sole incorporator hereinbefore named, for the purpose of forming a corporation pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, do make this Certificate of Incorporation, hereby declaring and certifying that this is my act and deed and the facts herein stated are true, and accordingly have hereunto set my hand this 23rd day of November, 2021.

 

	/s/ Ryan Tyler
	Ryan Tyler

 

[Signature Page – Certificate of Incorporation]

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.2

 

BYLAWS

 

OF

 

AEROCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Section		Page
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1.01. Offices		1
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 2.01. Annual Meetings		1
Section 2.02. Special Meetings		1
Section 2.03. Notice of Meetings		1
Section 2.04. Waiver of Notice		1
Section 2.05. Postponements and Adjournments		1
Section 2.06. Quorum		2
Section 2.07. Voting		2
Section 2.08. Proxies		2
Section 2.09. Nominations and Proposals		2
Section 2.10. Submission of Questionnaire, Representation and Agreement		6
ARTICLE III
BOARD
Section 3.01. General		6
Section 3.02. Number		6
Section 3.03. Resignation		6
Section 3.04. Meetings		6
Section 3.05. Committees of the Board		7
Section 3.06. Directors’ Consent in Lieu of Meeting		8
Section 3.07. Action by Means of Telephone or Similar Communications Equipment		8
Section 3.08. Compensation		8
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 4.01. Officers		8
Section 4.02. Authority and Duties		8
Section 4.03. Term of Office, Resignation and Removal		8
Section 4.04. Vacancies		8
Section 4.05. The Chairman		9
Section 4.06. The Chief Executive Officer		9
Section 4.07. The President		9
Section 4.08. Vice Presidents		9
Section 4.09. The Secretary		9
Section 4.10. Assistant Secretaries		9
Section 4.11. The Treasurer		9
Section 4.12. Assistant Treasurers		10
ARTICLE V
CHECKS, DRAFTS, NOTES AND PROXIES
Section 5.01. Checks, Drafts and Notes		10
Section 5.02. Execution of Proxies		10
ARTICLE VI
SHARES AND TRANSFERS OF SHARES
Section 6.01. Certificates Evidencing Shares		10
Section 6.02. Stock Ledger		10
Section 6.03. Transfers of Shares		10
Section 6.04. Addresses of Stockholders		10

 

 

Section 6.05. Lost, Destroyed and Mutilated Certificates		11
Section 6.06. Regulations		11
Section 6.07. Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record		11
ARTICLE VII
SEAL
Section 7.01. Seal		11
ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL YEAR
Section 8.01. Fiscal Year		11
ARTICLE IX
FORUM AND VENUE
Section 9.01. Forum and Venue		11
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
Section 10.01. Amendments		12
ARTICLE XI
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
Section 11.01. Certain Definitions		12

 

 

BYLAWS

 

OF

 

AEROCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

ARTICLE I
OFFICES

 

Section 1.01. Offices. In addition to its registered office in the State of Delaware, AeroClean Technologies, Inc. (the “Corporation”) may also have an office or offices at any other place or places within or without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may from time to time require.

 

ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 2.01. Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation for the election of directors of the Corporation, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before such meeting, shall be held at such place, date and time as shall be fixed by the Board pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and designated in the notice or waiver of notice of such annual meeting.

 

Section 2.02. Special Meetings. Special meetings of stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called by the Board or the Chairman of the Board of the Corporation (the “Chairman”) or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation (the “Chief Executive Officer”), to be held at such place, date and time as shall be designated in the notice or waiver of notice thereof.

 

Section 2.03. Notice of Meetings. Except as otherwise provided by law, written notice of each annual or special meeting of stockholders stating the place, date and time of such meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is to be held, shall be given personally, by internationally recognized overnight courier service, or by first-class mail (airmail in the case of international communications) to each recordholder of shares entitled to vote thereat, no less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of such meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears in the records of the Corporation. If sent by internationally recognized courier service, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited with such courier service, carriage and delivery prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears in the records of the Corporation. If, prior to the time of mailing, the Secretary shall have received from any stockholder a written request that notices intended for such stockholder are to be mailed to some address other than the address that appears in the records of the Corporation, notices intended for such stockholder shall be mailed to the address designated in such request.

 

Section 2.04. Waiver of Notice. Notice of any annual or special meeting of stockholders need not be given to any stockholder who files a written waiver of notice with the Secretary, signed by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after such meeting. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice thereof. Attendance of a stockholder at a meeting, in person or by proxy, shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when such stockholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business on the grounds that the notice of such meeting was inadequate or improperly given.

 

Section 2.05. Postponements and Adjournments. Whenever an annual or special meeting of stockholders is postponed to another date, time or place by the Board, notice need not be given of the postponed meeting if a public announcement of such postponement is made prior to the original date of the meeting. Whenever an annual or special meeting of stockholders is adjourned to another date, time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the date, time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. If the postponement or adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the postponement or adjournment a new record date is fixed for the postponed or adjourned meeting, a notice of the postponed or adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat. At any postponed or adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the original meeting.

 

 

Section 2.06. Quorum. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the recordholders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote thereat, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of stockholders, whether annual or special. If, however, such quorum shall not be present in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders, the chairman of the meeting or the stockholders present and entitled to vote thereat may, by the vote of the recordholders of a majority of the shares held by such present stockholders, adjourn the meeting from time to time in accordance with Section 2.05 hereof until a quorum shall be present in person or by proxy.

 

Section 2.07. Voting. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by such stockholder that has voting power upon the matter in question, and any question brought before any such meeting shall be determined by the affirmative vote of the recordholders of a majority in voting power of the shares present in person or by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on such question.

 

Section 2.08. Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy. Such proxy shall be filed with the Secretary before such meeting of stockholders, at such time as the Board may require. No proxy shall be voted or acted upon more than three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period.

 

Section 2.09. Nominations and Proposals. (a) At any annual meeting of the stockholders, only such nominations of persons for election to the Board and such other business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting.

 

(b) Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting.

 

(c) To be properly brought before an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations or such other business must be: (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board or any committee thereof, (ii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board or any committee thereof, or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder who is a stockholder of record of the Corporation at the time notice of such meeting is given, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.09. In addition, any proposal of business (other than the nomination of persons for election to the Board) must be a proper matter for stockholder action.

 

(d) For business (including, but not limited to, director nominations) to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder or stockholders of record intending to propose the business (the “Proposing Stockholder”) must have given timely and proper notice thereof, in full compliance with this Section 2.09, in writing to the Secretary.

 

(e) To be timely, a Proposing Stockholder’s notice of nominations or other business to be brought before an annual meeting must be delivered to or mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation:

 

(i) With regard to notice of nominations or other business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders to be held on a day that is not more than thirty (30) days in advance of the anniversary of the previous year’s annual meeting nor later than seventy (70) days after the anniversary of the previous year’s annual meeting, not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day, nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day, in advance of the anniversary of the previous year’s annual meeting;

 

(ii) With regard to notice of nominations or other business proposed to be brought before any other annual meeting of stockholders, by the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the public announcement of the date of such meeting.

 

 

In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of a meeting of stockholders commence a new notice time period (or extend any notice time period).

 

(f) To be proper, a Proposing Stockholder’s notice must include:

 

(i) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director (A) all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (B) such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected and (C) the information, written representation and agreement required to be delivered pursuant to Section 2.10;

 

(ii) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend these Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and

 

(iii) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made:

 

(A) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of (1) such beneficial owner (if any) and (2) each Associated Person (as defined below) of each such stockholder and such beneficial owner;

 

(B) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and/or such beneficial owner, or by any Associated Person thereof;

 

(C) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the nomination or proposal between or among such stockholder and/or such beneficial owner, any of their respective affiliates or associates, and any others acting in concert with any of the foregoing;

 

(D) a description of any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of capital stock of the Corporation or otherwise, and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation (each of the foregoing, a “Derivative Instrument”), directly or indirectly owned or held beneficially by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any Associated Person thereof;

 

(E) a description of any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder and/or such beneficial owner, and any Associated Person thereof, has a right to vote any shares of any security of the Corporation;

 

 

(F) a description of any short interest in any security of the Corporation held by such stockholder and/or such beneficial owner and any Associated Person thereof (for purposes of this Section 2.09(f), a person shall be deemed to have a short interest in a security if such person directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the value of the subject security);

 

(G) a description of any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such stockholder and/or such beneficial owner, and any Associated Person thereof, that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation;

 

(H) a description of any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership or limited liability company in which such stockholder and/or such beneficial owner, and any Associated Person thereof, is a general partner or manager or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in such general partner or manager;

 

(I) a description of any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder and/or such beneficial owner, and any Associated Person thereof, is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, as of the date of such notice;

 

(J) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination;

 

(K) a representation as to whether the stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, is or will be part of a group that intends (1) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (2) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination; and

 

(L) any other information relating to such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in an election contest pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

With regard to the information required by items (B)-(I) of this Section 2.09(f)(iii), such information shall include, without limitation, any such information with regard to any members of such stockholder’s immediate family sharing the same household. The information required by this Section 2.09(f) shall be supplemented by such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, not later than ten (10) days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such information as of the record date.

 

For the purposes of this Section 2.09(f), an “Associated Person” of any stockholder or beneficial owner means (1) any affiliate or person acting in concert with such stockholder or beneficial owner in relation to the nomination or proposal and (2) each director, officer, employee, general partner or manager of such stockholder or beneficial owner or any such affiliate or person with which such stockholder or beneficial owner is acting in concert in relation to the nomination or proposal.

 

 

(g) The foregoing notice requirements of Section 2.09(f) shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder with respect to business other than a nomination if the stockholder has notified the Corporation of his, her or its intention to present a proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and such stockholder’s proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting.

 

(h) In addition to the information required by the provisions of this Section 2.09 and the information, written representation and agreement required to be delivered pursuant to Section 2.10, the Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation.

 

(i) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary: (i) no nominations shall be made and no business shall be conducted at any meeting of stockholders except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.09; and (ii) unless otherwise required by law, if the Proposing Stockholder does not provide the information required under this Section 2.09 to the Corporation (or any such information provided should be found to be materially inaccurate) or the Proposing Stockholder (or a qualified representative of the Proposing Stockholder) does not appear at the meeting to present the proposed business or nominations, such business or nominations shall not be considered, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such business or nominations may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 2.09, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.

 

(j) Except as otherwise provided by law, the chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall have the power and duty (i) to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.09 and (ii) if any proposed nomination or business was not made or proposed in compliance with this Section 2.09, to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted.

 

(k) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.09, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 2.09; provided, however, that any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to this Section 2.09, and compliance with the provisions of this Section 2.09 shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or submit other business (other than matters brought properly under and in compliance with Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, as may be amended from time to time). Nothing in this Section 2.09 shall be deemed to affect any rights (i) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act or (ii) of the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors as provided for or fixed pursuant to any applicable provision of the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

 

Section 2.10. Submission of Questionnaire, Representation and Agreement. To be eligible to be a nominee for election or reelection as a director of the Corporation, a person must deliver (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under the applicable sections of Section 2.09 above) to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation a written and signed questionnaire (in the form customarily used by the Corporation for its directors) with respect to the background and qualification of such person and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request) and a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Secretary upon written request) that such person:

 

(a) is not and will not become a party to (i) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such person, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”), except as has been disclosed to the Board, or (ii) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such persons’ ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such person’s fiduciary duties under applicable law;

 

(b) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director of the Corporation, except as has been disclosed to the Board;

 

(c) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director of any public company (other than the Corporation), except as has been disclosed to the Board;

 

(d) in such person’s individual capacity and on behalf of any person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made, would be in compliance, if elected as a director of the Corporation, and will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Corporation;

 

(e) is not and will not serve as a director on the boards of more than two (2) other public companies, unless the Board has determined in advance that such simultaneous service will not impair his or her ability to effectively serve on the Board; and

 

(f) will promptly tender his or her resignation to the Board in the event that, at any time he or she is serving as a director of the Corporation, (i) any of the above representations are found by the Board to have been false at the time such representation was made or (ii) any of the above representations are found by the Board to have become false thereafter.

 

ARTICLE III
BOARD

 

Section 3.01. General. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by the Board, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws directed or required to be exercised or done by stockholders. Directors need not be stockholders of the Corporation.

 

Section 3.02. Number. The total number of directors shall be not less than three (3) nor more than nine (9), as such shall be fixed within these limits from time to time by the Board.

 

Section 3.03. Resignation. Any director may resign at any time by delivering his written resignation to the Board, the Chairman or the Secretary. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified in such notice or, if the time be not specified, upon receipt thereof by the Board, the Chairman or the Secretary, as the case may be.

 

Section 3.04. Meetings. (a) Annual Meetings. As soon as practicable after each annual election of directors by the stockholders, the Board shall meet for the purpose of organization and the transaction of other business, unless it shall have transacted all such business by written consent pursuant to Section 3.06 hereof.

 

(b) Other Meetings. Other meetings of the Board shall be held at such times as the Chairman, the Secretary or a majority of the Board shall from time to time determine.

 

 

(c) Notice of Meetings. The Secretary shall give written notice to each director of each meeting of the Board, which notice shall state the place, date, time and purpose of such meeting. Notice of each such meeting shall be given to each director, if by mail, addressed to him or her at his or her residence or usual place of business, at least three (3) days before the day on which such meeting is to be held, or shall be sent to him or her at such place by telecopy, facsimile, electronic mail or other form of recorded communication, or be delivered personally or by an internationally recognized courier service or by telephone, not later than the day before the day on which such meeting is to be held. A written waiver of notice, signed by the director entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the meeting referred to in such waiver, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Board need be specified in any written waiver of notice thereof. Attendance of a director at a meeting of the Board shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except as provided by law.

 

(d) Place of Meetings. The Board may hold its meetings at such place or places within or without the State of Delaware as the Board or the Chairman may from time to time determine, or as shall be designated in the respective notices or waivers of notice of such meetings.

 

(e) Quorum and Manner of Acting. A majority of the total number of directors then in office shall be present in person at any meeting of the Board in order to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at such meeting, and the vote of a majority of those directors present at any such meeting at which a quorum is present shall be necessary for the passage of any resolution or act of the Board, except as otherwise expressly required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. In the absence of a quorum for any such meeting, a majority of the directors present thereat may adjourn such meeting from time to time until a quorum shall be present.

 

(f) Organization. At each meeting of the Board, one of the following shall act as chairman of the meeting and preside, in the following order of precedence:

 

(1) the Chairman;

 

(2) the Chief Executive Officer;

 

(3) any director chosen by a majority of the directors present.

 

The Secretary or, in the case of the Secretary’s absence, any person (who shall be an Assistant Secretary (as defined below), if an Assistant Secretary is present) whom the chairman of the meeting shall appoint shall act as secretary of such meeting and keep the minutes thereof.

 

Section 3.05. Committees of the Board. The Board may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more directors. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of such committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another director to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member; provided, however, that any director so appointed must be found by such committee to meet the qualifications, if any, for service on such committee, including any requirement of independence. Any committee of the Board, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board designating such committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; provided, however, that no such committee shall have such power or authority in reference to amending the Certificate of Incorporation (except that such a committee may, to the extent authorized in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of shares of stock adopted by the Board, as provided in Section 151(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “General Corporation Law”), fix the designations and any of the preferences or rights of such shares relating to dividends, redemption, dissolution, any distribution of assets of the Corporation or the conversion into, or the exchange of such shares for, shares of any other class or classes of stock of the Corporation or fix the number of shares of any series of stock or authorize the increase or decrease of the shares of any series), adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation under Sections 251, 252, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 263 or 264 of the General Corporation Law, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all the Corporation’s property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the Corporation or the revocation of a dissolution or amending these Bylaws; provided further, however, that, unless expressly so provided in the resolution of the Board designating such committee, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend, to authorize the issuance of stock or to adopt a certificate of ownership and merger pursuant to Section 253 of the General Corporation Law. Each committee of the Board shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings and report the same to the Board when so requested by the Board.

 

 

Section 3.06. Directors’ Consent in Lieu of Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all the members of the Board or such committee and such consent or electronic transmission is filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board or such committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

Section 3.07. Action by Means of Telephone or Similar Communications Equipment. Any one or more members of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

Section 3.08. Compensation. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board may determine the compensation of directors. In addition, as determined by the Board, directors may be reimbursed by the Corporation for their expenses, if any, in the performance of their duties as directors. No such compensation or reimbursement shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

 

ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS

 

Section 4.01. Officers. The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board and may include the Chief Executive Officer, a president (the “President”), a chief financial officer (the “Chief Financial Officer”), a secretary (the “Secretary”) and a treasurer (the “Treasurer”). Officers of the Corporation may include one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries, one or more Assistant Treasurers (each as defined below) and such other officers as the Board may establish. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person.

 

Section 4.02. Authority and Duties. All officers shall have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the Corporation as may be provided in these Bylaws or, to the extent not so provided, by resolution of the Board.

 

Section 4.03. Term of Office, Resignation and Removal. (a) Each officer shall be appointed by the Board and shall hold office for such term as may be determined by the Board. Each officer shall hold office until such officer’s successor has been appointed and qualified or such officer’s earlier death or resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided. The Board may require any officer to give security for the faithful performance of such officer’s duties.

 

(b) Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board, the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified in such notice or, if the time be not specified, upon receipt thereof by the Board, the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary, as the case may be.

 

(c) All officers and agents appointed by the Board shall be subject to removal, with or without cause, at any time by the Board.

 

Section 4.04. Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation, for any reason, shall be filled by action of the Board. Unless earlier removed pursuant to Section 4.03 hereof, any officer appointed by the Board to fill any such vacancy shall serve only until such time as the unexpired term of such officer’s predecessor expires unless reappointed by the Board.

 

 

Section 4.05. The Chairman. The Chairman shall have the power to call special meetings of stockholders, to call special meetings of the Board and, if present, to preside at all meetings of stockholders and all meetings of the Board. The Chairman shall perform all duties incident to the office of Chairman of the Board and all such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to the Chairman by the Board or these Bylaws.

 

Section 4.06. The Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall have general and active management and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation, subject to the control of the Board, and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried into effect. The Chief Executive Officer shall perform all duties incident to the office of the Chief Executive Officer and all such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to the Chief Executive Officer by the Board or these Bylaws.

 

Section 4.07. The President. The President, subject to the authority of the Chief Executive Officer, shall have primary responsibility for, and authority with respect to, the management of the day-to-day business affairs of the Corporation, to the extent prescribed by the Chief Executive Officer. The President shall perform all duties incident to the office of President and all such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to the President by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or these Bylaws.

 

Section 4.08. Vice Presidents. Vice Presidents of the Corporation (“Vice Presidents”), if any, in order of their seniority or in any other order determined by the Board, shall generally assist the President and perform such other duties as the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President shall prescribe and, in the absence or disability of the President, shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President.

 

Section 4.09. The Secretary. The Secretary of the Corporation shall, to the extent practicable, attend all meetings of the Board and all meetings of stockholders and shall record all votes and the minutes of all proceedings in a book to be kept for that purpose and shall perform the same duties for any committee of the Board when so requested by such committee. The Secretary shall give or cause to be given notice of all meetings of stockholders and of the Board, shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board, the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer and shall act under the supervision of the Chairman. The Secretary shall keep in safe custody the seal of the Corporation and affix the same to any instrument that requires that the seal be affixed to it and which shall have been duly authorized for signature in the name of the Corporation, and when so affixed, the seal shall be attested by the Secretary’s signature or by the signature of the Treasurer of the Corporation or an Assistant Secretary or Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation. The Secretary shall keep in safe custody the certificate books and stockholder records and such other books and records of the Corporation as the Board, the Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer may direct and shall perform all other duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to the Secretary by the Board, the Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

Section 4.10. Assistant Secretaries. Assistant Secretaries of the Corporation (“Assistant Secretaries”), if any, in order of their seniority or in any other order determined by the Board, shall generally assist the Secretary and perform such other duties as the Board or the Secretary shall prescribe and, in the absence or disability of the Secretary, shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary.

 

Section 4.11. Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall be the principal financial officer of the Corporation and shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be assigned by the Board, the Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

Section 4.12. The Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of all the funds of the Corporation and shall deposit such funds in such banks or other depositories as the Board, or any officer or officers, or any officer and agent jointly, duly authorized by the Board, shall, from time to time, direct or approve. The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation under the direction of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer. The Treasurer shall keep a full and accurate account of all moneys received and paid on account of the Corporation and shall render a statement of the Treasurer’s accounts whenever the Board, the Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer shall so request. The Treasurer shall perform all other necessary actions and duties in connection with the administration of the financial affairs of the Corporation and shall generally perform all the duties usually appertaining to the office of treasurer of a corporation. When required by the Board, the Treasurer shall give bonds for the faithful discharge of the Treasurer’s duties in such sums and with such sureties as the Board shall approve.

 

 

Section 4.12. Assistant Treasurers. Assistant Treasurers of the Corporation (“Assistant Treasurers”), if any, in order of their seniority or in any other order determined by the Board, shall generally assist the Treasurer and perform such other duties as the Board or the Treasurer shall prescribe and, in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Treasurer.

 

ARTICLE V
CHECKS, DRAFTS, NOTES AND PROXIES

 

Section 5.01. Checks, Drafts and Notes. All checks, drafts and other orders for the payment of money, notes and other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the Corporation and in such manner as shall be determined, from time to time, by resolution of the Board.

 

Section 5.02. Execution of Proxies. The Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or any Vice President may authorize, from time to time, the execution and issuance of proxies to vote shares of stock or other securities of other corporations held of record by the Corporation and the execution of consents to action taken or to be taken by any such corporation. All such proxies and consents, unless otherwise authorized by the Board, shall be signed in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or any Vice President.

 

ARTICLE VI
SHARES AND TRANSFERS OF SHARES

 

Section 6.01. Certificates Evidencing Shares. Shares may be evidenced by certificates in such form or forms as shall be approved by the Board. Certificates shall be issued in consecutive order and shall be numbered in the order of their issue and shall be signed by the Chairman, the President or any Vice President and by the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer. If such a certificate is manually signed by one such officer, any other signature on the certificate may be a facsimile. In the event any such officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to hold such office or to be employed by the Corporation before such certificate is issued, such certificate may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such officer had held such office on the date of issue.

 

Section 6.02. Stock Ledger. A stock ledger in one or more counterparts shall be kept by the Secretary, in which shall be recorded the name and address of each person, corporation or other entity owning the shares evidenced by each certificate evidencing shares issued by the Corporation, the number of shares evidenced by each such certificate, the date of issuance thereof and, in the case of cancellation, the date of cancellation. Except as otherwise expressly required by law, the person in whose name shares stand on the stock ledger of the Corporation shall be deemed the owner and recordholder of such shares for all purposes.

 

Section 6.03. Transfers of Shares. Registration of transfers of shares shall be made only in the stock ledger of the Corporation upon request of the registered holder of such shares, or of his attorney thereunto authorized by power of attorney duly executed and filed with the Secretary, and upon the surrender of the certificate or certificates evidencing such shares properly endorsed or accompanied by a stock power duly executed, together with such proof of the authenticity of signatures as the Corporation may reasonably require.

 

Section 6.04. Addresses of Stockholders. Each stockholder shall designate to the Secretary an address at which notices of meetings and all other corporate notices may be served or mailed to such stockholder, and, if any stockholder shall fail to so designate such an address, corporate notices may be served upon such stockholder by mail directed to the mailing address, if any, as the same appears in the stock ledger of the Corporation or at the last known mailing address of such stockholder.

 

 

Section 6.05. Lost, Destroyed and Mutilated Certificates. Each recordholder of shares shall promptly notify the Corporation of any loss, destruction or mutilation of any certificate or certificates evidencing any share or shares of which such recordholder is the recordholder. The Board may, in its discretion, cause the Corporation to issue a new certificate in place of any certificate theretofore issued by it and alleged to have been mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the surrender of the mutilated certificate or, in the case of loss, theft or destruction of the certificate, upon satisfactory proof of such loss, theft or destruction, and the Board may, in its discretion, require the recordholder of the shares evidenced by the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or such recordholder’s legal representative to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify the Corporation against any claim made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.

 

Section 6.06. Regulations. The Board may make such other rules and regulations as it may deem expedient, not inconsistent with these Bylaws, concerning the issue, transfer and registration of certificates evidencing shares.

 

Section 6.07. Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to, or to dissent from, corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other such action. A determination of the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any postponement or adjournment of such meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the postponed or adjourned meeting.

 

ARTICLE VII
SEAL

 

Section 7.01. Seal. The Board may approve and adopt a corporate seal, which shall be in the form of a circle and shall bear the full name of the Corporation, the year of its incorporation and the words “Corporate Seal Delaware”.

 

ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL YEAR

 

Section 8.01. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on the thirty-first day of December of each year unless changed by resolution of the Board.

 

ARTICLE IX
FORUM AND VENUE

 

Section 9.01. Forum and Venue. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) shall be the sole and exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation; (ii) any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation's stockholders; or (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the certificate of incorporation or the bylaws of the Corporation; or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine; in each case subject to said court having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of this Section 9.01 is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce this Section 9.01 (an “Enforcement Action”); and (y) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 9.01.

 

 

ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS

 

Section 10.01. Amendments. No Bylaw (including these Bylaws) may be altered, amended or repealed except by the requisite vote of the Board or the stockholders pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

ARTICLE XI
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

 

Section 11.01. Certain Definitions. As used in these Bylaws, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated in this Section 11.01:

 

(a) “Public announcement” shall mean an announcement: (i) made by a press release posted on the Corporation’s website or reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or other national news service, or (ii) in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission;

 

(b) “Business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

(c) “Close of business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York City time on such date, or, if such date is not a business day, 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the next succeeding business day.

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

	New York
	601 Lexington Avenue
	31st Floor
	New York, NY 10022
	T +            1 212 277 4000
	F +            1 212 277 4001
AeroClean Technologies, Inc.	www.freshfields.com
10455 Riverside Drive	Our Ref VFJ/MAL
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

 

November 29, 2021

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We are acting as counsel to AeroClean Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) of a registration statement on Form S-8 (as amended from time to time, the Registration Statement), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), relating to 1,802,273 shares of common stock (the Shares), par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, issuable pursuant to the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan, the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan and the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. Non-Employee Directors Stock and Deferred Compensation Plan (collectively, the Plans).

 

This opinion is confined to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as currently in effect. Accordingly, we express no opinion herein with regard to any other laws. The opinion expressed herein is limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated herein. We do not undertake to advise you of changes in law or facts that may come to our attention after the date of this letter.

 

We have examined and have relied as to matters of fact upon such corporate and other records, agreements, documents and other instruments and certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company and such other persons, and we have made such other investigations, as we have deemed relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinion expressed below.

 

In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity with authentic originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. As to any facts material to the opinion expressed herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied, without independent verification, upon oral or written statements and representations of public officials, officers and other representatives of the Company. We have also assumed the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by all persons other than the Company where due authorization, execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof. We have also assumed that the individual grants or awards under the Plans have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and duly granted or awarded and exercised in accordance with the requirements of law and the Plans (and the agreements and awards duly adopted hereunder and in accordance therewith).

 

 

2/2

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been authorized by the Company and, when the Shares are issued by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Plans and the applicable award agreements pursuant to which the awards related to the Shares are made, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

 

Sincerely yours,     /s/ Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated August 6, 2021, with respect to the financial statements of AeroClean Technologies, Inc., (formerly known as AeroClean Technologies, LLC) (the “Company”) included in the Offering Circular dated November 23, 2021 (File No. 024-11650). Our report includes an explanatory paragraph about the existence of substantial doubt concerning the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

 

/s/ CITRIN COOPERMAN & COMPANY, LLP

 

New York, New York

November 29, 2021

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

AeroClean Technologies, Inc.

 

2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

 

ARTICLE 1
PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan (as it may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Plan”) is to promote the success and enhance the value of AeroClean Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”) and its Subsidiaries and affiliates by linking the individual interests of the members of the Board, Employees and Consultants to those of Company stockholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to Company stockholders. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract and retain the services of members of the Board, Employees and Consultants upon whose judgment, interest and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent.

 

ARTICLE 2
DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION

 

Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan, they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.

 

2.1          “Administrator” shall mean the entity that conducts the general administration of the Plan as provided in Article 11. With reference to the duties of the Committee under the Plan that have been delegated to one or more persons pursuant to Section 11.6, or as to which the Board has assumed, the term “Administrator” shall refer to such person(s) unless the Committee or the Board has revoked such delegation or the Board has terminated the assumption of such duties.

 

2.2         “Applicable Accounting Standards” shall mean Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States, International Financial Reporting Standards or such other accounting principles or standards as may apply to the Company’s financial statements under United States federal securities laws from time to time.

 

2.3          “Applicable Law” shall mean any applicable law, including without limitation: (a) provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any rules or regulations thereunder; (b) corporate, securities, tax or other laws, statutes, rules, requirements or regulations, whether federal, state, local or foreign; and (c) rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded.

 

2.4          “Automatic Exercise Date” shall mean, with respect to an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right, the last business day of the applicable Option Term or Stock Appreciation Right Term that was initially established by the Administrator for such Option or Stock Appreciation Right (e.g., the last business day prior to the tenth anniversary of the date of grant of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right if the Option or Stock Appreciation Right initially had a ten-year Option Term or Stock Appreciation Right Term, as applicable).

 

 

2.5          “Award” shall mean an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Restricted Stock award, a Restricted Stock Unit award, an Other Stock or Cash Based Award or a Dividend Equivalent award that may be awarded or granted under the Plan.

 

2.6          “Award Agreement” shall mean any written notice, agreement, terms and conditions, contract or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium, that shall contain such terms and conditions with respect to an Award as the Administrator shall determine consistent with the Plan.

 

2.7          “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

2.8          “Change in Control” shall mean and includes each of the following:

 

(a)

A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Common Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; provided, however, that the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (i) any acquisition by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or a “person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company; (ii) any acquisition by an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) any acquisition that complies with Sections 2.8(c)(i), 2.8(c)(ii) or 2.8(c)(iii); or (iv) in respect of an Award held by a particular Holder, any acquisition by the Holder or any group of persons including the Holder (or any entity controlled by the Holder or any group of persons including the Holder); or

 

(b)

The Incumbent Directors cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board; or

 

(c)

The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization or business combination, (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:

 

(i)

that results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the “Successor Entity”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and

 

 

(ii)

after which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this Section 2.8(c)(ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; and

 

(iii)

after which at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Successor Entity were Board members at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such transaction; or

 

(d)

The date specified by the Board following approval by the Company’s stockholders of a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or any portion of an Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).

 

The Administrator shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its sole discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.

 

2.9          “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, together with the regulations and official guidance promulgated thereunder, whether issued prior or subsequent to the grant of any Award.

 

2.10        “Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board, or another committee or subcommittee of the Board or the Compensation Committee of the Board described in Article 11 hereof.

 

2.11        “Common Stock” shall mean the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

 

2.12        “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in Article 1.

 

2.13        “Consultant” shall mean any consultant or adviser engaged to provide services to the Company or any Subsidiary who qualifies as a consultant or advisor under the applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission for registration of shares on a Form S-8 Registration Statement.

 

 

2.14        “Director” shall mean a member of the Board, as constituted from time to time.

 

2.15        “Dividend Equivalent” shall mean a right to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares, awarded under Section 9.2.

 

2.16        “DRO” shall mean a “domestic relations order” as defined by the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, or the rules thereunder.

 

2.17        “Effective Date” shall mean the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, subject to approval by the Company’s stockholders.

 

2.18        “Eligible Individual” shall mean any person who is an Employee, a Consultant or a Non-Employee Director, as determined by the Administrator.

 

2.19        “Employee” shall mean any officer or other employee (as determined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder) of the Company or of any Subsidiary.

 

2.20        “Equity Restructuring” shall mean a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, rights offering or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the number or kind of Shares (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Stock (or other securities) and causes a change in the per-share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Awards.

 

2.21        “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

2.22        “Expiration Date” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 12.1(c).

 

2.23       “Fair Market Value” shall mean, as of any given date, the value of a Share determined as follows:

 

(a)

If the Common Stock is (i) listed on any established securities exchange (such as the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market and the Nasdaq Global Select Market), (ii) listed on any national market system or (iii) quoted or traded on any automated quotation system, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for a Share as quoted on such exchange or system for such date or, if there is no closing sales price for a Share on the date in question, the closing sales price for a Share on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

 

(b)

If the Common Stock is not listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system, but the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the mean of the high bid and low asked prices for such date or, if there are no high bid and low asked prices for a Share on such date, the high bid and low asked prices for a Share on the last preceding date for which such information exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

 

 

(c)

If the Common Stock is neither listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system nor regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be established by the Administrator in its discretion.

 

2.24        “Greater Than 10% Stockholder” shall mean an individual then owning (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any subsidiary corporation (as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code) or parent corporation thereof (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code).

 

2.25        “Holder” shall mean a person who has been granted an Award.

 

2.26       “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option and conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

 

2.27        “Incumbent Directors’ shall mean for any period of 12 consecutive months, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Section 2.8(a) or 2.8(c)) whose election or nomination for election to the Board was approved by a vote of at least a majority (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for Director without objection to such nomination) of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the 12-month period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved. No individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to Directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any person other than the Board shall be an Incumbent Director.

 

2.28        “Non-Employee Director” shall mean a Director of the Company who is not an Employee.

 

2.29        “Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option or that is designated as an Incentive Stock Option but does not meet the applicable requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

 

2.30        “Option” shall mean a right to purchase Shares at a specified exercise price, granted under Article 5. An Option shall be either a Non-Qualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option; provided, however, that Options granted to Non-Employee Directors and Consultants shall only be Non-Qualified Stock Options.

 

2.31        “Option Term” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.4.

 

2.32        “Organizational Documents” shall mean, collectively, (a) the Company’s articles of incorporation, certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other similar organizational documents relating to the creation and governance of the Company and (b) the Committee’s charter or other similar organizational documentation relating to the creation and governance of the Committee.

 

 

2.33         “Other Stock or Cash Based Award” shall mean a cash payment, cash bonus award, stock payment, stock bonus award, performance award or incentive award that is paid in cash, Shares or a combination of both, awarded under Section 9.1, which may include, without limitation, deferred stock, deferred stock units, performance awards, retainers, committee fees and meeting-based fees.

 

2.34        “Permitted Transferee” shall mean, with respect to a Holder, any “family member” of the Holder, as defined in the General Instructions to Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act (or any successor form thereto), or any other transferee specifically approved by the Administrator after taking into account Applicable Law.

 

2.35        “Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in Article 1.

 

2.36        “Program” shall mean any program adopted by the Administrator pursuant to the Plan containing the terms and conditions intended to govern a specified type of Award granted under the Plan and pursuant to which such type of Award may be granted under the Plan.

 

2.37        “Restricted Stock” shall mean Common Stock awarded under Article 7 that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture or repurchase.

 

2.38        “Restricted Stock Units” shall mean the right to receive Shares awarded under Article 8.

 

2.39        “SAR Term” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.4.

 

2.40        “Section 409A” shall mean Section 409A of the Code and the Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including, without limitation, any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date.

 

2.41        “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

2.42        “Shares” shall mean shares of Common Stock.

 

2.43        “Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean an Award entitling the Holder (or other person entitled to exercise pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion thereof (to the extent then exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to receive from the Company an amount determined by multiplying (a) the difference obtained by subtracting (i) the exercise price per share of such Award from (ii) the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of such Award by (b) the number of Shares with respect to which such Award shall have been exercised, subject to any limitations the Administrator may impose.

 

2.44        “Subsidiary” shall mean any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.

 

 

2.45         “Substitute Award” shall mean an Award granted under the Plan in connection with a corporate transaction, such as a merger, combination, consolidation or acquisition of property or stock, in any case, upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding equity awards previously granted by a company or other entity; provided, however, that in no event shall the term “Substitute Award” be construed to refer to an award made in connection with the cancellation and repricing of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right.

 

2.46        “Termination of Service” shall mean the date the Holder ceases to be an Eligible Individual.

 

The Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to any Termination of Service, including, without limitation, whether a Termination of Service has occurred, whether a Termination of Service resulted from a discharge for cause and all questions of whether particular leaves of absence constitute a Termination of Service; provided, however, that, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, unless the Administrator otherwise provides in the terms of any Program, Award Agreement or otherwise, or as otherwise required by Applicable Law, a leave of absence, change in status from an employee to an independent contractor or other change in the employee-employer relationship shall constitute a Termination of Service only if, and to the extent that, such leave of absence, change in status or other change interrupts employment for the purposes of Section 422(a)(2) of the Code and the then-applicable regulations and revenue rulings under said Section. For purposes of the Plan, a Holder’s employee-employer relationship or consultancy relations shall be deemed to be terminated in the event that the Subsidiary employing or contracting with such Holder ceases to remain a Subsidiary following any merger, sale of stock or other corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a spin-off).

 

ARTICLE 3
SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

 

3.1          Number of Shares.

 

(a)

Subject to Sections 3.1(b) and 12.2 the aggregate number of Shares that may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan is 1,386,364, all of which may be issued in the form of Incentive Stock Options. The number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan will be automatically increased on the first day of each fiscal year beginning with the 2022 fiscal year, in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) two percent (2%) of the outstanding Shares on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year and (ii) such number of Shares determined by the Board. Any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Common Stock, treasury Common Stock or Common Stock purchased on the open market.

 

 

(b)

If any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited or expire, are converted to shares of another person in connection with a recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, exchange of shares or other similar event, or such Award is settled for cash (in whole or in part) (including Shares repurchased by the Company under Section 7.4 at the same price paid by the Holder), the Shares subject to such Award shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration, conversion or cash settlement, again be available for future grants of Awards under the Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following Shares shall not be added to the Shares authorized for grant under Section 3.1(a) and shall not be available for future grants of Awards: (i) Shares tendered by a Holder or withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price of an Option; (ii) Shares tendered by the Holder or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award; (iii) Shares subject to a Stock Appreciation Right or other stock-settled Award (including Awards that may be settled in cash or stock) that are not issued in connection with the settlement or exercise, as applicable, of the Stock Appreciation Right or other stock-settled Award; and (iv) Shares purchased on the open market by the Company with the cash proceeds received from the exercise of Options. Any Shares repurchased by the Company under Section 7.4 at the same price paid by the Holder so that such Shares are returned to the Company shall again be available for Awards. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.1(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Stock Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.

 

(c)

Substitute Awards may be granted on such terms as the Administrator deems appropriate, notwithstanding limitations on Awards in the Plan. Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan, except as may be required by reason of Section 422 of the Code, and Shares subject to such Substitute Awards shall not be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided in Section 3.1(b) above. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by its stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may subject to Applicable Law, be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan (and Shares subject to such Awards shall not be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided in Section 3.1(b) above); provided that Awards using such available Shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not employed by or providing services to the Company or its Subsidiaries immediately prior to such acquisition or combination.

 

 

ARTICLE 4
GRANTING OF AWARDS

 

4.1          Participation. The Administrator may, from time to time, select from among all Eligible Individuals, those to whom an Award shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award, which shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of the Plan. No Eligible Individual or other person shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to the Plan and neither the Company nor the Administrator is obligated to treat Eligible Individuals, Holders or any other persons uniformly. Participation by each Holder in the Plan shall be voluntary and nothing in the Plan or any Program shall be construed as mandating that any Eligible Individual or other person shall participate in the Plan.

 

4.2          Award Agreement. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that sets forth the terms, conditions and limitations for such Award as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion (consistent with the requirements of the Plan and any applicable Program). Award Agreements evidencing Incentive Stock Options shall contain such terms and conditions as may be necessary to meet the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

 

4.3           Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Plan, and any Award granted or awarded to any individual who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and any amendments thereto) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

 

4.4          At-Will Service. Nothing in the Plan or in any Program or Award Agreement hereunder shall confer upon any Holder any right to continue in the employ of, or as a Director or Consultant for, the Company or any Subsidiary, or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and any Subsidiary, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge any Holder at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, and with or without notice, or to terminate or change all other terms and conditions of employment or engagement, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Holder and the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

4.5          Foreign Holders. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or applicable Program to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in countries other than the United States in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate or have Employees, Non-Employee Directors or Consultants, or in order to comply with the requirements of any foreign securities exchange or other Applicable Law, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (a) determine which Subsidiaries shall be covered by the Plan; (b) determine which Eligible Individuals outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (c) modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Eligible Individuals outside the United States to comply with Applicable Law (including, without limitation, applicable foreign laws or listing requirements of any foreign securities exchange); (d) establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable; and (e) take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local governmental regulatory exemptions or approvals or listing requirements of any foreign securities exchange.

 

 

ARTICLE 5
GRANTING OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

5.1          Granting of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals. The Administrator is authorized to grant Options and Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals from time to time, in its sole discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may determine, which shall not be inconsistent with the Plan.

 

5.2          Qualification of Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator may grant Options intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options only to employees of the Company, any of the Company’s present or future “parent corporations” or “subsidiary corporations” as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, respectively, and any other entities the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code. No person who qualifies as a Greater Than 10% Stockholder may be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless such Incentive Stock Option conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value of stock with respect to which “incentive stock options” (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, but without regard to Section 422(d) of the Code) are exercisable for the first time by a Holder during any calendar year under the Plan, and all other plans of the Company and any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation thereof (as defined in Section 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively), exceeds $100,000, the Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options to the extent required by Section 422 of the Code. The rule set forth in the immediately preceding sentence shall be applied by taking Options and other “incentive stock options” into account in the order in which they were granted and the fair market value of stock shall be determined as of the time the respective options were granted. Any interpretations and rules under the Plan with respect to Incentive Stock Options shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. Neither the Company nor the Administrator shall have any liability to a Holder, or any other person, (a) if an Option (or any part thereof) which is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option fails to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option or (b) for any action or omission by the Company or the Administrator that causes an Option not to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, including without limitation, the conversion of an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option or the grant of an Option intended as an Incentive Stock Option that fails to satisfy the requirements under the Code applicable to an Incentive Stock Option.

 

 

5.3          Option and Stock Appreciation Right Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share subject to each Option and Stock Appreciation Right shall be set by the Administrator, but, for any such Award granted to a Holder subject to taxation in the United States, shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, is granted (or, as to Incentive Stock Options, on the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code). In addition, in the case of Incentive Stock Options granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, such price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (or the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is a Substitute Award, the exercise price per share of the Shares subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, may be less than the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant for the applicable Holder (whether or not such Holder is subject to taxation in the United States); provided that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 424 and 409A of the Code.

 

5.4          Option and SAR Term. The term of each Option (the “Option Term”) and the term of each Stock Appreciation Right (the “SAR Term”) shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided, however, that the Option Term or SAR Term, as applicable, shall not be more than (a) ten (10) years from the date the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, is granted to an Eligible Individual (other than, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, a Greater Than 10% Stockholder), or (b) five (5) years from the date an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder. Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A or Section 422 of the Code and regulations and rulings thereunder or the first sentence of this Section 5.4 and without limiting the Company’s rights under Section 10.7, the Administrator may extend the Option Term of any outstanding Option or the SAR Term of any outstanding Stock Appreciation Right, and may extend the time period during which vested Options or Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised, in connection with any Termination of Service of the Holder or otherwise, and may amend, subject to Section 10.7 and 12.1, any other term or condition of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right relating to such Termination of Service of the Holder or otherwise.

 

5.5          Option and SAR Vesting. The period during which the right to exercise, in whole or in part, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right vests in the Holder shall be set by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing and unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, in the event that on the last business day of the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right (other than an Incentive Stock Option) (a) the exercise of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right is prohibited by Applicable Law, as determined by the Administrator, or (b) Shares may not be purchased or sold by the applicable Holder due to any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods) or a “lock-up” agreement undertaken in connection with an issuance of securities by the Company, then in either case the term of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be extended until the date that is thirty (30) days after the end of the legal prohibition, black-out period or lock-up agreement, as determined by the Administrator; provided, however, in no event shall the extension last beyond the term of the applicable Option or Stock Appreciation Right. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in the Award Agreement, the applicable Program or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, (a) no portion of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right which is unexercisable at a Holder’s Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable and (b) the portion of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is unexercisable at a Holder’s Termination of Service shall automatically expire thirty (30) days following such Termination of Service.

 

 

5.6          Substitution of Stock Appreciation Rights; Early Exercise of Options. The Administrator may provide in the applicable Program or Award Agreement evidencing the grant of an Option that the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to substitute a Stock Appreciation Right for such Option at any time prior to or upon exercise of such Option; provided that such Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable with respect to the same number of Shares for which such substituted Option would have been exercisable, and shall also have the same exercise price, vesting schedule and remaining term as the substituted Option. The Administrator may provide in the terms of an Award Agreement that the Holder may exercise an Option in whole or in part prior to the full vesting of the Option in exchange for unvested shares of Restricted Stock with respect to any unvested portion of the Option so exercised. Shares of Restricted Stock acquired upon the exercise of any unvested portion of an Option shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine.

 

ARTICLE 6
EXERCISE OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

6.1          Exercise and Payment. An exercisable Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised in whole or in part. However, unless the Administrator otherwise determines, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall not be exercisable with respect to fractional Shares and the Administrator may require that, by the terms of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, a partial exercise must be with respect to a minimum number of Shares. Payment of the amounts payable with respect to Options and Stock Appreciation Rights pursuant to this Article 6 shall be in cash, Shares (based on its Fair Market Value as of the date the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised), or a combination of both, as determined by the Administrator.

 

6.2          Manner of Exercise. Except as set forth in Section 6.3, all or a portion of an exercisable Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the Secretary of the Company, the stock plan administrator of the Company or such other person designated by the Administrator, or his, her or its office, as applicable:

 

(a)

A written or electronic notice complying with the applicable rules established by the Administrator stating that the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or a portion thereof, is exercised. The notice shall be signed or otherwise acknowledged electronically by the Holder or other person then entitled to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right or such portion thereof;

 

(b)

Such representations and documents as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with Applicable Law.

 

(c)

In the event that the Option shall be exercised pursuant to Section 10.3 by any person or persons other than the Holder, appropriate proof of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator; and

 

 

(d)

Full payment of the exercise price and applicable withholding taxes for the Shares with respect to which the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or portion thereof, is exercised, in a manner permitted by the Administrator in accordance with Sections 10.1 and 10.2.

 

6.3          Expiration of Option Term or SAR Term: Automatic Exercise of In-The-Money Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator in an Award Agreement or otherwise or as otherwise directed by an Option or Stock Appreciation Rights Holder in writing to the Company, each vested and exercisable Option and Stock Appreciation Right outstanding on the Automatic Exercise Date with an exercise price per Share that is less than the Fair Market Value per Share as of such date shall automatically and without further action by the Option or Stock Appreciation Rights Holder or the Company be exercised on the Automatic Exercise Date. In the sole discretion of the Administrator, payment of the exercise price of any such Option shall be made pursuant to Section 10.1(b) or 10.1(c) and the Company or any Subsidiary shall be entitled to deduct or withhold an amount sufficient to satisfy all taxes associated with such exercise in accordance with Section 10.2. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, this Section 6.3 shall not apply to an Option or Stock Appreciation Right if the Holder of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right incurs a Termination of Service on or before the Automatic Exercise Date. For the avoidance of doubt, no Option or Stock Appreciation Right with an exercise price per Share that is equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value per Share on the Automatic Exercise Date shall be exercised pursuant to this Section 6.3.

 

6.4          Notification Regarding Disposition. The Holder shall give the Company prompt written or electronic notice of any disposition or other transfer of Shares acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option which occurs within (a) two years from the date of granting (including the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code) such Option to such Holder, or (b) one year after the date of transfer of such Shares to such Holder. Such notice shall specify the date of such disposition or other transfer and the amount realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, by the Holder in such disposition or other transfer.

 

ARTICLE 7
AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK

 

7.1          Award of Restricted Stock. The Administrator is authorized to grant Restricted Stock, or the right to purchase Restricted Stock to Eligible Individuals, and shall determine the terms and conditions, including the restrictions applicable to each award of Restricted Stock, which terms and conditions shall not be inconsistent with the Plan or any applicable Program, and may impose such conditions on the issuance of such Restricted Stock as it deems appropriate. The Administrator shall establish the purchase price, if any, and form of payment for Restricted Stock; provided, however, that if a purchase price is charged, such purchase price shall be no less than the par value, if any, of the Shares to be purchased, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law. In all cases, legal consideration shall be required for each issuance of Restricted Stock to the extent required by Applicable Law.

 

 

7.2          Rights as Stockholders. Subject to Section 7.4, upon issuance of Restricted Stock, the Holder shall have, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to said Shares, subject to the restrictions in the Plan, any applicable Program and/or the applicable Award Agreement, including the right to vote and the right to receive all dividends and other distributions paid or made with respect to the Shares to the extent such dividends and other distributions have a record date that is on or after the date on which the Holder to whom such Shares are granted becomes the record holder of such Restricted Stock; provided, however, that, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, any extraordinary distributions with respect to the Shares may be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 7.3. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, with respect to a share of Restricted Stock, dividends which are paid prior to vesting shall only be paid out to the Holder to the extent that the share of Restricted Stock vests.

 

7.3          Restrictions. All shares of Restricted Stock (including any shares received by Holders thereof with respect to shares of Restricted Stock as a result of stock dividends, stock splits or any other form of recapitalization) shall be subject to such restrictions and vesting requirements as the Administrator shall provide in the applicable Program or Award Agreement. By action taken after the Restricted Stock is issued, the Administrator may, on such terms and conditions as it may determine to be appropriate, accelerate the vesting of such Restricted Stock by removing any or all of the restrictions imposed by the terms of the applicable Program or Award Agreement.

 

7.4          Repurchase or Forfeiture of Restricted Stock. Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, if no price was paid by the Holder for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, the Holder’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall lapse, and such Restricted Stock shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled without consideration on the date of such Termination of Service. If a price was paid by the Holder for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, the Company shall have the right to repurchase from the Holder the unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions at a cash price per share equal to the price paid by the Holder for such Restricted Stock or such other amount as may be specified in the applicable Program or Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide that upon certain events, including, without limitation, the Holder’s death, retirement or disability or any other specified Termination of Service or any other event, the Holder’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall not lapse, such Restricted Stock shall vest and cease to be forfeitable and, if applicable, the Company shall cease to have a right of repurchase.

 

7.5          Section 83(b) Election. If a Holder makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed with respect to the Restricted Stock as of the date of transfer of the Restricted Stock rather than as of the date or dates upon which the Holder would otherwise be taxable under Section 83(a) of the Code, the Holder shall be required to deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service along with proof of the timely filing thereof with the Internal Revenue Service.

 

 

ARTICLE 8 

AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

 

8.1          Grant of Restricted Stock Units. The Administrator is authorized to grant Awards of Restricted Stock Units to any Eligible Individual selected by the Administrator in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator. A Holder will have no rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares subject to any Restricted Stock Unit unless and until the Shares are delivered in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit.

 

8.2          Vesting of Restricted Stock Units. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Stock Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate.

 

8.3          Maturity and Payment. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the maturity date applicable to each grant of Restricted Stock Units, which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the Holder (if permitted by the applicable Award Agreement); provided that, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, and subject to compliance with Section 409A, in no event shall the maturity date relating to each Restricted Stock Unit occur following the later of (a) the 15th day of the third month following the end of the calendar year in which the applicable portion of the Restricted Stock Unit vests; and (b) the 15th day of the third month following the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which the applicable portion of the Restricted Stock Unit vests. On the maturity date, the Company shall, in accordance with the applicable Award Agreement and subject to Section 10.4(f), transfer to the Holder one unrestricted, fully transferable Share for each Restricted Stock Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited, or in the sole discretion of the Administrator, an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of such Shares on the maturity date or a combination of cash and Common Stock as determined by the Administrator.

 

8.4          Payment upon Termination of Service. An Award of Restricted Stock Units shall be payable only while the Holder is an Employee, a Consultant or a member of the Board, as applicable; provided, however, that the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide (in an Award Agreement or otherwise) that a Restricted Stock Unit award may be paid subsequent to a Termination of Service in certain events, including a Change in Control, the Holder’s death, retirement or disability or any other specified Termination of Service.

 

 

 

ARTICLE 9
AWARD OF OTHER STOCK OR CASH BASED AWARDS AND DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

 

9.1           Other Stock or Cash Based Awards. The Administrator is authorized to grant Other Stock or Cash Based Awards, including awards entitling a Holder to receive Shares or cash to be delivered immediately or in the future, to any Eligible Individual. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and any applicable Program, the Administrator shall determine the terms and conditions of each Other Stock or Cash Based Award, including the term of the Award, any exercise or purchase price, performance goals, transfer restrictions, vesting conditions and other terms and conditions applicable thereto, which shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, or a combination of cash and Shares, as determined by the Administrator, and may be available as a form of payment in the settlement of other Awards granted under the Plan, as stand-alone payments, as a part of a bonus, deferred bonus, deferred compensation or other arrangement, and/or as payment in lieu of compensation to which an Eligible Individual is otherwise entitled.

 

9.2           Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents may be granted by the Administrator, either alone or in tandem with another Award, based on dividends declared on the Common Stock, to be credited as of dividend payment dates during the period between the date the Dividend Equivalents are granted to a Holder and the date such Dividend Equivalents terminate or expire, as determined by the Administrator. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional Shares by such formula and at such time and subject to such restrictions and limitations as may be determined by the Administrator. In addition, Dividend Equivalents with respect to an Award that are based on dividends paid prior to the vesting of such Award shall only be paid out to the Holder to the extent that the vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied and the Award vests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Dividend Equivalents shall be payable with respect to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

ARTICLE 10

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF AWARDS

 

10.1         Payment. The Administrator shall determine the method or methods by which payments by any Holder with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan shall be made, including, without limitation: (a) cash, wire transfer of immediately available funds or check, (b) Shares, including, without limitation, (i) in the case of payment of the exercise price of an Award, Shares issuable pursuant to the exercise of the Award or (ii) Shares held for such minimum period of time as may be established by the Administrator, in each case having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate payments required, (c) delivery of a written or electronic notice that the Holder has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to Shares then issuable upon exercise or vesting of an Award, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the aggregate payments required; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale, (d) other form of legal consideration acceptable to the Administrator in its sole discretion, or (e) any combination of the above permitted forms of payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Holder who is a Director or an “executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to make payment with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan, or continue any extension of credit with respect to such payment, with a loan from the Company or a loan arranged by the Company in violation of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

 

 

10.2         Tax Withholding. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Holder to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Holder’s FICA, employment tax or other social security contribution obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Holder arising as a result of the Plan or any Award. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement, or in satisfaction of such additional withholding obligations as a Holder may have elected, allow a Holder to satisfy such obligations by any payment means described in Section 10.1 hereof, including without limitation, by allowing such Holder to elect to have the Company or any Subsidiary withhold Shares otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the surrender of Shares). The number of Shares that may be so withheld or surrendered shall be limited to the number of Shares that have a fair market value on the date of withholding or repurchase no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum statutory withholding rates in such Holder’s applicable jurisdiction for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such taxable income. The Administrator shall determine the fair market value of the Shares, consistent with applicable provisions of the Code, for tax withholding obligations due in connection with a broker-assisted cashless Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise involving the sale of Shares to pay the Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise price or any tax withholding obligation.

 

10.3         Transferability of Awards.

 

(a)

Except as otherwise provided in Sections 10.3(b) and 10.3(c):

 

(i)

No Award under the Plan may be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than (A) by will or the laws of descent and distribution or (B) subject to the consent of the Administrator, pursuant to a DRO, unless and until such Award has been exercised or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed;

 

(ii)

No Award or interest or right therein shall be liable for or otherwise subject to the debts, contracts or engagements of the Holder or the Holder’s successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy) unless and until such Award has been exercised, or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed, and any attempted disposition of an Award prior to satisfaction of these conditions shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by Section 10.3(a)(i); and

 

(iii)

During the lifetime of the Holder, only the Holder may exercise any exercisable portion of an Award granted to such Holder under the Plan, unless it has been disposed of pursuant to a DRO. After the death of the Holder, any exercisable portion of an Award may, prior to the time when such portion becomes unexercisable under the Plan or the applicable Program or Award Agreement, be exercised by the Holder’s personal representative or by any person empowered to do so under the deceased Holder’s will or under the then-applicable laws of descent and distribution.

 

 

(b)

Notwithstanding Section 10.3(a), the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Holder or a Permitted Transferee of such Holder to transfer an Award other than an Incentive Stock Option (unless such Incentive Stock Option is intended to become a Non-Qualified Stock Option) to any one or more Permitted Transferees of such Holder, subject to the following terms and conditions: (i) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall not be assignable or transferable by the Permitted Transferee other than (A) to another Permitted Transferee of the applicable Holder or (B) by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, subject to the consent of the Administrator, pursuant to a DRO; (ii) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall continue to be subject to all the terms and conditions of the Award as applicable to the original Holder (other than the ability to further transfer the Award to any person other than another Permitted Transferee of the applicable Holder); (iii) the Holder (or transferring Permitted Transferee) and the receiving Permitted Transferee shall execute any and all documents requested by the Administrator, including, without limitation documents to (A) confirm the status of the transferee as a Permitted Transferee, (B) satisfy any requirements for an exemption for the transfer under Applicable Law and (C) evidence the transfer; and (iv) the transfer of an Award to a Permitted Transferee shall be without consideration. In addition, and further notwithstanding Section 10.3(a), hereof, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Holder to transfer Incentive Stock Options to a trust that constitutes a Permitted Transferee if, under Section 671 of the Code and other Applicable Law, the Holder is considered the sole beneficial owner of the Incentive Stock Option while it is held in the trust.

 

(c)

Notwithstanding Section 10.3(a), a Holder may, in the manner determined by the Administrator, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Holder and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Holder’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Program or Award Agreement applicable to the Holder and any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Administrator. If the Holder is married or a domestic partner in a domestic partnership qualified under Applicable Law and resides in a community property state, a designation of a person other than the Holder’s spouse or domestic partner, as applicable, as the Holder’s beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Holder’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written or electronic consent of the Holder’s spouse or domestic partner. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Holder, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Holder’s will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Holder at any time; provided that the change or revocation is delivered in writing to the Administrator prior to the Holder’s death.

 

10.4         Conditions to Issuance of Shares.

 

(a)

The Administrator shall determine the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Holders. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates or make any book entries evidencing Shares pursuant to the exercise of any Award, unless and until the Administrator has determined that the issuance of such Shares is in compliance with Applicable Law and the Shares are covered by an effective registration statement or applicable exemption from registration. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Administrator may require that a Holder make such reasonable covenants, agreements and representations as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with Applicable Law.

 

 

(b)

All share certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan and all Shares issued pursuant to book entry procedures are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to comply with Applicable Law. The Administrator may place legends on any share certificate or book entry to reference restrictions applicable to the Shares (including, without limitation, restrictions applicable to Restricted Stock).

 

(c)

The Administrator shall have the right to require any Holder to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement, distribution or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the sole discretion of the Administrator.

 

(d)

Unless the Administrator otherwise determines, no fractional Shares shall be issued and the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares shall be eliminated by rounding down.

 

(e)

The Company, in its sole discretion, may (i) retain physical possession of any stock certificate evidencing Shares until any restrictions thereon shall have lapsed and/or (ii) require that the stock certificates evidencing such Shares be held in custody by a designated escrow agent (which may but need not be the Company) until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed, and that the Holder deliver a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to such Shares.

 

(f)

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator or required by Applicable Law, the Company shall not deliver to any Holder certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Award and instead such Shares shall be recorded in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator).

 

10.5         Forfeiture and Claw-Back Provisions. All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by a Holder upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award and any payments of a portion of an incentive-based bonus pool allocated to a Holder) shall be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, including, without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with the requirements of Applicable Law, including, without limitation, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, whether or not such claw-back policy was in place at the time of grant of an Award, to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

 

10.6         Repricing. Subject to Section 12.2, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, (a) authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right to reduce its price per Share, or (b) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option or Stock Appreciation Right price per Share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares.

 

10.7         Amendment of Awards. Subject to Applicable Law, the Administrator may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award, including but not limited to, substituting therefor another Award of the same or a different type, changing the date of exercise or settlement, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option. The Holder’s consent to such action shall be required unless (a) the Administrator determines that the action, taking into account any related action, would not materially and adversely affect the Holder, or (b) the change is otherwise permitted under the Plan (including, without limitation, under Sections 10.6, 12.2 or 12.10).

 

10.8         Lock-Up Period. The Company may, in connection with registering the offering of any Company securities under the Securities Act, prohibit Holders from, directly or indirectly, selling or otherwise transferring any Shares or other Company securities during any period determined by the underwriter or the Company. In order to enforce the foregoing, the Company shall have the right to place restrictive legends on the certificates of any securities of the Company held by the Holder and to impose stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent with respect to any securities of the Company held by the Holder until the end of such period.

 

10.9         Data Privacy. As a condition of receipt of any Award, each Holder explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this Section 10.9 by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Subsidiaries for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Holder’s participation in the Plan. The Company and its Subsidiaries may hold certain personal information about a Holder, including but not limited to, the Holder’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social security or insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title(s), any shares of stock held in the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and details of all Awards, in each case, for the purpose of implementing, managing and administering the Plan and Awards (the “Data”). The Company and its Subsidiaries may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary for the purpose of implementation, administration and management of a Holder’s participation in the Plan, and the Company and its Subsidiaries may each further transfer the Data to any third parties assisting the Company and its Subsidiaries in the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. These recipients may be located in the Holder’s country, or elsewhere, and the Holder’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the recipients’ country. Through acceptance of an Award, each Holder authorizes such recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing the Holder’s participation in the Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the Holder may elect to deposit any Shares. The Data related to a Holder will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Holder’s participation in the Plan. A Holder may, at any time, view the Data held by the Company with respect to such Holder, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data with respect to such Holder, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data with respect to the Holder or refuse or withdraw the consents herein in writing, in any case without cost, by contacting his or her local human resources representative. The Company may cancel the Holder’s ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Administrator’s discretion, the Holder may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Holder refuses or withdraws his or her consents as described herein. For more information on the consequences of refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Holders may contact their local human resources representative.

 

 

ARTICLE 11

ADMINISTRATION

 

11.1         Administrator. The Committee shall administer the Plan (except as otherwise permitted herein). To the extent necessary to comply with Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, the Committee shall take all action with respect to such Awards, and the individuals taking such action shall consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors, each of whom is intended to qualify as a “non-employee director” as defined by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor rule. Additionally, to the extent required by Applicable Law, each of the individuals constituting the Committee shall be an “independent director” under the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in this Section 11.1 or the Organizational Documents. Except as may otherwise be provided in the Organizational Documents or as otherwise required by Applicable Law, (a) appointment of Committee members shall be effective upon acceptance of appointment, (b) Committee members may resign at any time by delivering written or electronic notice to the Board and (c) vacancies in the Committee may only be filled by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the full Board, acting by a majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to Awards granted to Non-Employee Directors and, with respect to such Awards, the term “Administrator” as used in the Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board and (ii) the Board or Committee may delegate its authority hereunder to the extent permitted by Section 11.6.

 

11.2         Duties and Powers of Administrator. It shall be the duty of the Administrator to conduct the general administration of the Plan in accordance with its provisions. The Administrator shall have the power to interpret the Plan, all Programs and Award Agreements, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan and any Program as are not inconsistent with the Plan, to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules and to amend the Plan or any Program or Award Agreement; provided that the rights or obligations of the Holder of the Award that is the subject of any such Program or Award Agreement are not materially and adversely affected by such amendment, unless the consent of the Holder is obtained or such amendment is otherwise permitted under Section 10.7 or Section 12.10. In its sole discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee in its capacity as the Administrator under the Plan except with respect to matters which under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or any successor rule, or any regulations or rules issued thereunder, or the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded are required to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

 

 

11.3         Action by the Administrator. Unless otherwise established by the Board, set forth in any Organizational Documents or as required by Applicable Law, a majority of the Administrator shall constitute a quorum and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by all members of the Administrator in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Administrator. Each member of the Administrator is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan. Neither the Administrator nor any member or delegate thereof shall have any liability to any person (including any Holder) for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award.

 

11.4         Authority of Administrator. Subject to the Organizational Documents, any specific designation in the Plan and Applicable Law, the Administrator has the exclusive power, authority and sole discretion to:

 

(a)

Designate Eligible Individuals to receive Awards;

 

(b)

Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Eligible Individual (including, without limitation, any Awards granted in tandem with another Award granted pursuant to the Plan);

 

(c)

Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of Shares to which an Award will relate;

 

(d)

Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, purchase price, any performance criteria, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for vesting, lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, and any provisions related to non-competition and claw-back and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Administrator in its sole discretion determines;

 

(e)

Determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;

 

(f)

Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Holder;

 

(g)

Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;

 

(h)

Establish, adopt, or revise any Programs, rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

 

(i)

Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan, any Program or any Award Agreement;

 

 

(j)

Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan; and

 

(k)

Accelerate wholly or partially the vesting or lapse of restrictions of any Award or portion thereof at any time after the grant of an Award, subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects and Section 12.2.

 

11.5         Decisions Binding. The Administrator’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, any Program or any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Administrator with respect to the Plan are final, binding and conclusive on all persons.

 

11.6         Delegation of Authority. The Board or Committee may from time to time delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board or one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant or amend Awards or to take other administrative actions pursuant to this Article 11; provided, however, that in no event shall an officer of the Company be delegated the authority to grant Awards to, or amend Awards held by, the following individuals: (a) individuals who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, or (b) officers of the Company (or Directors) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder; provided, further, that any delegation of administrative authority shall only be permitted to the extent it is permissible under any Organizational Documents and Applicable Law. Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Board or Committee specifies at the time of such delegation or that are otherwise included in the applicable Organizational Documents, and the Board or Committee, as applicable, may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint a new delegatee. At all times, the delegatee appointed under this Section 11.6 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Board or the Committee, as applicable, and the Board or the Committee may abolish any committee at any time and re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority.

 

ARTICLE 12
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

12.1         Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan.

 

(a)

Except as otherwise provided in Section 12.1(b), the Plan may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Board; provided that, except as provided in Section 10.7 and Section 12.10, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the Holder, materially and adversely affect any rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted or awarded, unless the Award itself otherwise expressly so provides.

 

(b)

Notwithstanding Section 12.1(a), the Board may not, except as provided in Section 12.2, take any of the following actions without approval of the Company’s stockholders given within twelve (12) months before or after such action: (i) increase the limit imposed in Section 3.1 on the maximum number of Shares which may be issued under the Plan, (ii) reduce the price per share of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan or take any action prohibited under Section 10.6, or (iii) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award in violation of Section 10.6.

 

 

(c)

No Awards may be granted or awarded during any period of suspension or after termination of the Plan, and notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event may any Award be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the earlier of (i) the date on which the Plan was adopted by the Board or (ii) the date the Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders (such anniversary, the “Expiration Date”). Any Awards that are outstanding on the Expiration Date shall remain in force according to the terms of the Plan, the applicable Program and the applicable Award Agreement.

 

12.2         Changes in Common Stock or Assets of the Company, Acquisition or Liquidation of the Company and Other Corporate Events.

 

(a)

In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the shares of the Company’s stock or the share price of the Company’s stock other than an Equity Restructuring, the Administrator may make equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to: (i) the aggregate number and kind of Shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 3.1 on the maximum number and kind of Shares which may be issued under the Plan); (ii) the number and kind of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards; (iii) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and (iv) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan.

 

(b)

In the event of any transaction or event described in Section 12.2(a), including, without limitation, a Change in Control, or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary, or of changes in Applicable Law or Applicable Accounting Standards, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in Applicable Law or Applicable Accounting Standards:

 

(i)

To provide for the termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash and/or other property with a value equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Holder’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in this Section 12.2 the Administrator determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Holder’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment);

 

 

(ii)

To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Administrator;

 

(iii)

To make adjustments in the number and type of Shares of the Company’s stock (or other securities or property) subject to such Award, and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding Awards and Awards which may be granted in the future;

 

(iv)

To provide that such Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect to all Shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the applicable Program or Award Agreement; provided, however, that, in the event of a Change in Control, the actions contemplated by this Section 12.2(b)(iv) may only be taken to the extent that the successor corporation in a Change in Control does not assume or substitute such Award (or any portion thereof);

 

(v)

To replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator; and/or

 

(vi)

To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event.

 

(c)

In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Sections 12.2(a) and 12.2(b):

 

(i)

The number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, shall be equitably adjusted (and the adjustments provided under this Section 12.2(c)(i) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Holder and the Company); and/or

 

(ii)

The Administrator shall make such equitable adjustments, if any, as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may deem appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring with respect to the aggregate number and kind of Shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitation in Section 3.1 on the maximum number and kind of Shares which may be issued under the Plan).

 

(d)

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, in the event of a Change in Control, unless the Administrator elects to (i) terminate an Award in exchange for cash, rights or property, or (ii) cause an Award to become fully exercisable and no longer subject to any forfeiture restrictions prior to the consummation of a Change in Control, in each case pursuant to this Section 12.2, such Award shall continue in effect or be assumed or an equivalent Award substituted by the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of the successor corporation.

 

 

(e)

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, in the event of a Change in Control, in the event that the successor corporation in a Change in Control does not assume or substitute for an Award (or any portion thereof), the Administrator may cause (i) any or all of such Award (or portion thereof) to terminate in exchange for cash, rights or other property pursuant to Section 12.2(b)(i) or (ii) any or all of such Award (or portion thereof) to become fully exercisable immediately prior to the consummation of such transaction and all forfeiture restrictions on any or all of such Award to lapse. If any such Award is exercisable in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a Change in Control, the Administrator shall notify the Holder that such Award shall be fully exercisable for a period of fifteen (15) days from the date of such notice, contingent upon the occurrence of the Change in Control, and such Award shall terminate upon the expiration of such period.

 

(f)

For the purposes of this Section 12.2, an Award shall be considered assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) received in the Change in Control by holders of Common Stock for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the Change in Control was not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of the Award, for each Share subject to an Award, to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its parent equal in fair market value to the per-share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the Change in Control.

 

(g)

The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may include such further provisions and limitations in any Award, agreement or certificate, as it may deem equitable and in the best interests of the Company that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

 

(h)

Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, no adjustment or action described in this Section 12.2 or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized to the extent it would (i) cause the Plan to violate Section 422(b)(1) of the Code, (ii) result in short-swing profits liability under Section 16 of the Exchange Act or violate the exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, or (iii) cause an Award to fail to be exempt from or comply with Section 409A.

 

(i)

The existence of the Plan, any Program, any Award Agreement and/or the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of stock or of options, warrants or rights to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks the rights of which are superior to or affect the Common Stock or the rights thereof or that are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

 

 

(j)

In the event of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the Shares or the share price of the Common Stock including any Equity Restructuring, for reasons of administrative convenience, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award during a period of up to thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of any such transaction.

 

12.3         Approval of Plan by Stockholders. The Plan shall be submitted for the approval of the Company’s stockholders within twelve (12) months after the date of the Board’s initial adoption of the Plan.

 

12.4         No Stockholders Rights. Except as otherwise provided herein or in an applicable Program or Award Agreement, a Holder shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Holder becomes the record owner of such Shares.

 

12.5         Paperless Administration. In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the documentation, granting or exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless documentation, granting or exercise of Awards by a Holder may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.

 

12.6         Effect of Plan upon Other Compensation Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company or any Subsidiary. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company or any Subsidiary: (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for Employees, Directors or Consultants of the Company or any Subsidiary, or (b) to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.

 

12.7         Compliance with Laws. The Plan, the granting and vesting of Awards under the Plan and the issuance and delivery of Shares and the payment of money under the Plan or under Awards granted or awarded hereunder are subject to compliance with all Applicable Law (including but not limited to state, federal and foreign securities law and margin requirements), and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. Any securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such restrictions, and the person acquiring such securities shall, if requested by the Company, provide such assurances and representations to the Company as the Company may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all Applicable Law. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may take whatever actions it deems necessary or appropriate to effect compliance with Applicable Law, including, without limitation, placing legends on share certificates and issuing stop-transfer notices to agents and registrars. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Administrator may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate Applicable Law. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to Applicable Law.

 

 

12.8         Titles and Headings, References to Sections of the Code or Exchange Act. The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control. References to sections of the Code or the Exchange Act shall include any amendment or successor thereto.

 

12.9         Governing Law. The Plan and any Programs and Award Agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflicts of laws thereof or of any other jurisdiction.

 

12.10       Section 409A. To the extent that the Administrator determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A, the Plan, the Program pursuant to which such Award is granted and the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A. In that regard, to the extent any Award under the Plan or any other compensatory plan or arrangement of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to Section 409A, and such Award or other amount is payable on account of a Holder’s Termination of Service (or any similarly defined term), then (a) such Award or amount shall only be paid to the extent such Termination of Service qualifies as a “separation from service” as defined in Section 409A, and (b) if such Award or amount is payable to a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A then to the extent required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A, such Award or other compensatory payment shall not be payable prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six-month period measured from the date of the Holder’s Termination of Service, or (ii) the date of the Holder’s death. To the extent applicable, the Plan, the Program and any Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Administrator determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A, the Administrator may (but is not obligated to), without a Holder’s consent, adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Program and Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate to (A) exempt the Award from Section 409A and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (B) comply with the requirements of Section 409A and thereby avoid the application of any penalty taxes under Section 409A. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to the tax treatment of any Award under Section 409A or otherwise. The Company shall have no obligation under this Section 12.10 or otherwise to take any action (whether or not described herein) to avoid the imposition of taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A with respect to any Award and shall have no liability to any Holder or any other person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute non-compliant, “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to the imposition of taxes, penalties and/or interest under Section 409A.

 

 

12.11       Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Holder pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Program or Award Agreement shall give the Holder any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

12.12       Indemnification. To the extent permitted under Applicable Law and the Organizational Documents, each member of the Administrator (and each delegate thereof pursuant to Section 11.6) shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan or any Award Agreement and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her, with the Board’s approval, in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf and, once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume such defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of the Company’s choosing. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or other final adjudication, in either case not subject to further appeal, determines that the acts or omissions of the person seeking indemnity giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such person’s bad faith, fraud or willful criminal act or omission. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to the Organizational Documents, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

 

12.13       Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

 

12.14       Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

* * * * *

 

I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of AeroClean Technologies, Inc. on November 23, 2021.

 

I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was approved by the stockholders of AeroClean Technologies, Inc. on November 23, 2021.

 

Executed on this 23^rd day of November, 2021.

 

	/s/ Ryan Tyler
	Name:	Ryan Tyler
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page – 2021 Incentive Award Plan]

 

 

Exhibit 99.2

 

November 23, 2021

 

AeroClean Technologies, Inc.

 

EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

(Effective as of November 23, 2021)

 

 

Section 1 Purpose of Plan

 

This document sets forth the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”), effective as of November 23, 2021. The Plan is intended to provide a method by which eligible employees of (i) AeroClean Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”) and (ii) certain “subsidiary corporations” (within the meaning of Section 424 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder (the “Code”)) of the Company (each, a “Designated Subsidiary”) as the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) may from time to time designate, may use voluntary, systematic payroll deductions to purchase shares of the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Stock”), and thereby acquire an interest in the future of the Company. The Plan is intended to comply with the provisions of Section 423 of the Code and shall be administered, interpreted and construed in accordance with such provisions.

 

Section 2 Options to Purchase Stock

 

Under the Plan, there is available an aggregate of not more than 138,636 shares of Stock (subject to adjustment as provided in Section 14) for sale pursuant to the exercise of options (“Options”) granted under the Plan. The Stock to be delivered upon exercise of Options under the Plan may be either shares of authorized but unissued Stock, treasury stock or shares of reacquired Stock, as the Board of Directors may determine.

 

Section 3 Eligible Employees

 

(a)            Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, each individual: (i) who is an active Employee of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary (“Employee”); (ii) who has a customary working schedule of at least 20 hours per week; (iii) who has been an Employee for at least 90 days: and (iv) whose customary employment is for five months or more in any calendar year will be eligible to participate in the Plan (each such individual, an “Eligible Employee”). From time to time, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”) may amend the requirements of an Eligible Employee, subject to the provisions of Sections 423 and 424 of the Code.

 

(b)            Any Employee who immediately after the grant of an Option would, in accordance with the provisions of Sections 423 and 424 of the Code, own stock possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any of its “parent corporations” (within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code) or subsidiary corporations, will not be an Eligible Employee.

 

(c)            No Employee will be granted an Option under the Plan that would permit his or her rights to purchase shares of Stock under all employee stock purchase plans of the Company or a parent corporation or subsidiary corporation thereof to accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 in fair market value of such Stock or other stock (determined at the time the Option is granted) for each calendar year during which any such Option granted to such Employee is outstanding at any time, as provided in Sections 423 and 424(d) of the Code. For purposes of this limitation, the date of grant of an Option shall be the date on which the Option is exercised pursuant to Section 8. “Fair market value” on any given day will mean the Closing Price of the Stock on such day (or, if there was no Closing Price on such day, the latest day prior thereto on which there was a Closing Price). The “Closing Price” of the Stock on any business day will be the last sale price as reported on the principal market on which the Stock is traded or, if no last sale is reported, then the mean between the highest bid and lowest asked prices on that day. A good faith determination by the Compensation Committee as to fair market value shall be final and binding.

 

 

Section 4 Method of Participation

 

(a)            Each of the periods during which this Plan remains in effect is hereinafter referred to as an “Option Period.” Option Periods shall be of six-month duration. Each calendar year (January 1 through December 31) shall contain two Option Periods, one shall commence January 1 and terminate June 30 and the other shall commence July 1 and terminate December 31. The duration and timing of Option Periods may be established or changed by the Compensation Committee at any time, in its sole discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may an Option Period exceed 27 months.

 

(b)            Each person who is an Eligible Employee on the first day of an Option Period may elect to participate in the Plan by executing and delivering a payroll deduction authorization in accordance with Section 5. Such Eligible Employee will thereby become a participant (“Participant”) for such Option Period. Unless otherwise specified prior to the beginning of an Option Period pursuant to Section 5, a Participant shall be deemed to have elected to participate in each Option Period for which the Participant is an Eligible Employee to the same extent and in the same manner as at the end of the prior Option Period.

 

Section 5 Payroll Deductions

 

(a)            The payroll deduction authorization will be in a form determined by the Compensation Committee from time to time. The payroll deduction authorization must be delivered to the Company at least five days prior to the first date of the Option Period (or such earlier or later date specified by the Compensation Committee from time to time). When executing and delivering the payroll deduction authorization, the Participant shall request withholding at a rate (in whole percentages) of not less than 1% or more than 15% of the Participant’s Compensation by means of equal payroll deductions over the Option Period. All amounts withheld in accordance with a Participant’s payroll deduction authorization will be credited to a withholding account for such Participant. All such amounts shall be assets of the Company and may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose free of any trust or other restrictions except as may be required by local laws. The payroll deduction authorization will remain in effect for each consecutive subsequent Option Period unless changed or revoked by the Participant pursuant to Section. 1(b). For purposes of the Plan, “Compensation” of a Participant shall mean the gross base compensation received by such Participant as compensation for services to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary, including prior week adjustment, overtime payments and commissions but excluding vacation pay, holiday pay, jury duty pay, funeral leave pay, military leave pay, incentive compensation, one-time bonuses (e.g., retention or sign on bonuses), education or tuition reimbursements, travel expenses, business and moving reimbursements, income received in connection with any stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other compensatory equity awards, fringe benefits, other special payments and all contributions made by the Company or any Designated Subsidiary for the Participant’s benefit under any employee benefit plan now or hereafter established.

 

 

(b)            At any time on or prior to the fifteenth day of the last month of an Option Period, a Participant may (i) cancel an Option and cease participation in the Plan with respect to all (but not less than all) of the Stock subject to such Option or (ii) reduce the withholding rate of his or her payroll deduction authorization for the Option Period by one or more whole percentage points (but not to below 1%) by delivering electronic notice to the Company in the form specified by the Compensation Committee; provided that a Participant shall be allowed only one change to his or her payroll deduction elections during each Offering Period, such cancellation or reduction to take effect prospectively as soon as practicable following receipt of such notice by the Company. A Participant may increase or reduce the withholding rate of his or her payroll deduction authorization for a future Option Period, or cease participation entirely for a future Option Period, by electronic notice delivered to the Company at least five days prior to the first day of the Option Period as to which the change is to be effective (or such earlier or later date specified by the Compensation Committee from time to time). To the extent then an Eligible Employee, any Participant who ceases to participate may elect to participate in a future Option Period by completing the process specified in Section 4 and Section 5. Upon cancellation, the balance in the Participant’s withholding account will be returned to the Participant.

 

Section 6 Grant of Options

 

Each person who is a Participant on the first day of an Option Period will, as of such day, be granted an Option for such Option Period. Such Option will be for a number of whole shares (not in excess of the share maximum as hereinafter defined) of Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) to be determined by dividing (i) the balance in the Participant’s withholding account on the last day of the Option Period, by (ii) the purchase price per share of the Stock determined under Section 7. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the share maximum with respect to any Option for any Option Period shall be the largest whole number of shares of Stock that, when multiplied by the fair market value of a share of Stock on the last day of the Option Period, produces a dollar amount of $12,500 or less. The Compensation Committee may, for future Option Periods, increase or decrease, in its absolute discretion, the maximum number of shares of Stock that a Participant may purchase under such future Option Periods. The number of shares of Stock receivable by each Participant upon exercise of his or her Option for an Option Period will be reduced, on a substantially proportionate basis, in the event that the number of shares then available under the Plan is otherwise insufficient.

 

Section 7 Purchase Price

 

The purchase price of Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option will be equal to 85% of the fair market value of the Stock at the time at which the Option is exercised pursuant to Section 8, or such higher price designated by the Compensation Committee; provided that in no event shall the purchase price be less than the par value per share of the Stock.

 

Section 8 Exercise of Options

 

(a)            Each Participant on the last day of an Option Period will be deemed to have exercised, on the last day of the Option Period, the Option granted to him or her for that Option Period. Upon such exercise, the balance of the Participant’s withholding account will be applied to the purchase of the number of whole shares of Stock determined under Section 6 and as soon as practicable thereafter the shares will be issued to the Participant either in certificates or electronically in “book entry” form with the transfer agent or Compensation Committee. In the event that the balance of the Participant’s withholding account following an Option Period is in excess of the total purchase price of the shares issued, the balance of the account shall be returned to the Participant; provided, however, that if the balance left in the account consists solely of an amount equal to the value of a fractional share it will be retained in the withholding account and carried over to the next Option Period. The entire balance of the Participant’s withholding account following the final Option Period shall be returned to the Participant. No fractional shares will be issued hereunder.

 

 

(b)            As a condition to receiving shares or cash amounts hereunder, (i) the Company may require a Participant to make a cash payment to the Company of, or (ii) the Company may withhold from any shares and cash amounts distributable under the Plan, an amount necessary to satisfy all federal, state, city or other taxes required to be withheld in respect of such payments pursuant to any law or governmental regulation or ruling.

 

(c)            An Option may not be exercised and shares of Stock may not be issued in connection with an Option, unless the issuance of the shares of Stock (i) has been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (ii) has qualified under applicable state “blue sky” laws (or the Company has determined that an exemption from registration and from qualification under state “blue sky” laws is available) and (iii) complies with foreign securities laws and other applicable laws, rules and regulations (including any required consents and approvals). The Compensation Committee may require each Participant exercising an Option to represent to and agree with the Company in writing that the Participant is acquiring the Stock for investment purposes and not with a view to the distribution of the Stock. All certificates for Stock delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stock transfer orders and other restrictions as the Compensation Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any exchange upon which the Stock is then listed and any applicable securities law, and the Compensation Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. The Company may affix a legend to the stock certificate issued upon the exercise of an Option as it deems necessary in its sole discretion. The Company is under no obligation to register the Stock transferred to a Participant upon exercise. If the Stock is not registered, a Participant may not resell, offer to resell or otherwise transfer such Stock unless the resale or transfer takes place in accordance with applicable law and as otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee.

 

Section 9 Interest

 

No interest will be payable on withholding accounts.

 

Section 10 Termination of Employment; Leave of Absence; Sale Transaction

 

(a)            Subject to Section 11, upon the termination of a Participant’s service with the Company for any reason, (i) he or she will cease to be a Participant, (ii) any Option held by the Participant under the Plan will be deemed cancelled, (iii) the balance of the Participant’s withholding account will be returned to the Participant and (iv) the Participant will have no further rights under the Plan.

 

(b)            Unless the Compensation Committee otherwise determines, a Participant on a paid leave of absence shall continue to be a Participant in the Plan so long as such Participant is on such paid leave of absence. Unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee, a Participant on an unpaid leave of absence will no longer be eligible to make any additional contributions as of the date such unpaid leave has begun; provided, however, that, unless the Participant cancels the Option pursuant to Section 5, the balance of the Participant’s withholding account shall be applied to the purchase of Stock, in accordance with Section 8 hereof, on the last day of the Option Period immediately following the commencement of the Participant’s leave of absence.

 

 

(c)            In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Option Period then in progress shall be shortened by the Compensation Committee setting a new exercise date and shall terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed dissolution or liquidation, unless provided otherwise by the Compensation Committee. The new exercise date selected by the Compensation Committee shall be before the date of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company. Each Participant will be notified in writing, at least 10 business days prior to the new exercise date (or such longer or shorter period as the Compensation Committee may determine), that the exercise date for the Participant’s Options has been changed to the new exercise date and that the balance of the Participant’s withholding account shall be applied to the purchase of shares, in accordance with Section 8 hereof, on the new exercise date, unless prior to such date the Participant has ceased to participate in the Plan as provided in Section 5 hereof.

 

(d)            In the event of a proposed sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity, unless provided otherwise by the Compensation Committee, each outstanding Option shall be assumed, or an equivalent right to purchase shares substituted, by the successor or resulting entity or a parent or subsidiary of such entity. In lieu of such substitution or assumption, the Compensation Committee may elect to shorten any Option Period then in progress by setting a new exercise date and any Option Period then in progress shall end on the new exercise date. The new exercise date selected by the Compensation Committee shall be before the effective date of such proposed sale, merger or consolidation. Each Participant will be notified in writing, at least 10 business days prior to the new exercise date (or such longer or shorter period as the Compensation Committee may determine) that the exercise date for the Participant’s Options has been changed to the new exercise date and that the balance of the Participant’s withholding account shall be applied to the purchase of shares, in accordance with Section 8 hereof, on the new exercise date, unless prior to such date the Participant has ceased to participate in the Plan as provided in Section 5 hereof.

 

Section 11 Death of Participant

 

A Participant may file a written designation of beneficiary specifying who is to receive any Stock and/or cash credited to the Participant under the Plan in the event of the Participant’s death, which designation will also provide for the election by the Participant of either (i) cancellation of the Participant’s Option upon his or her death, resulting in the delivery of the cash balance in the Participant’s withholding account to the designated beneficiary, or (ii) application as of the last day of the Option Period of the balance of the deceased Participant’s withholding account at the time of death to the exercise of his or her Option, pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan. In the absence of a valid election otherwise, the death of a Participant will be deemed to effect a cancellation of his or her Option. A designation of beneficiary and election may be changed by the Participant at any time, by written or electronic notice in a manner specified by the Compensation Committee. In the event of the death of a Participant and receipt by the Company of proof of the identity and existence at the Participant’s death of a beneficiary validly designated by him or her under the Plan, the Company will deliver to such beneficiary such Stock and/or cash to which the beneficiary is entitled under the Plan. Where the Participant has elected option (ii) above but there is no surviving designated beneficiary, the Company will deliver such Stock and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant. No beneficiary will, prior to the death of the Participant by whom he or she has been designated, acquire any interest in any Stock or cash credited to the Participant under the Plan.

 

 

Section 12 Participant’s Rights not Transferable

 

All Participants will have the same rights and privileges under the Plan. Each Participant’s rights and privileges under any Option may be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by him or her and may not be assigned, sold, pledged or otherwise transferred in any manner (other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution). Any attempt at such transfer shall be without effect. In the event any Participant violates the terms of this Section 12, any Option held by him or her may be terminated by the Company in its sole discretion and upon return to the Participant of the balance of his or her withholding account, all his or her rights under the Plan will terminate.

 

Section 13 Employment Rights

 

Nothing contained in the provisions of the Plan will be construed to give to any Employee the right to be retained in the employ of the Company or to interfere with the right of the Company to discharge any Employee at any time. The loss of existing or potential profit in Options will not constitute an element of damages in the event of termination of employment for any reason, even if the termination is in violation of an obligation to the Participant.

 

Section 14 Change in Capitalization

 

In the event of any change in the outstanding Stock by reason of a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, partial or complete liquidation, reclassification, merger, consolidation, separation, extraordinary cash dividend, split-up, spin-off, combination, exchange of Stock, warrants or rights offering to purchase Stock at a price substantially below fair market value, or any other corporate event or distribution of stock or property of the Company affecting the Stock, after the effective date of this Plan, the aggregate number of shares available under the Plan, the number of shares under Options granted but not exercised and the purchase price will be appropriately adjusted. Such adjustment shall be made equitably by the Compensation Committee subject to the limitations of Section 424 of the Code.

 

Section 15 Administration of Plan

 

(a)            The Plan will be administered by the Compensation Committee, which will have the full power and authority to (i) determine any questions that may arise regarding the interpretation and application of the provisions of the Plan, (ii) proscribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations and (iii) make, administer, construe and interpret such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or advisable in its sole discretion. Any determinations hereunder shall be made in the Compensation Committee’s sole discretion and shall be final and binding. Anything in the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, subject to applicable law, any authority or responsibility that, under the terms of the Plan, may be exercised by the Compensation Committee may alternatively be exercised by the Board of Directors.

 

(b)            To the extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Compensation Committee may, from time to time, delegate some or all of its authority under the Plan to a subcommittee or subcommittees of the Compensation Committee or other persons or groups of persons as it deems necessary, appropriate or advisable under conditions or limitations that it may set at or after the time of the delegation. For purposes of the Plan, reference to the Compensation Committee shall be deemed to refer to any subcommittee, subcommittees or other persons or groups of persons to whom the Compensation Committee delegates authority pursuant to this Section 15.

 

 

(c)            Subject to applicable law: (i) no member of the Board of Directors or Compensation Committee (or its delegates) shall be liable for any good faith action or determination made in connection with the operation, administration or interpretation of the Plan; and (ii) the members of the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee (and its delegates) shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement in the manner provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company, as they may be amended from time to time. In the performance of its responsibilities with respect to the Plan, the Compensation Committee shall be entitled to rely upon, and no member of the Compensation Committee shall be liable for any action taken or not taken in reliance upon, information and/or advice furnished by the Company’s officers or employees, the Company’s accountants, the Company’s counsel and any other party that the Compensation Committee deems necessary.

 

Section 16 Amendment and Termination of Plan

 

(a)            The Company reserves the right at any time or times to amend the Plan to any extent and in any manner it may deem advisable by vote of the Compensation Committee; provided, however, that any amendment relating to the aggregate number of shares that may be issued under the Plan (other than an adjustment provided for in Section 14) will have no force or effect unless it is approved by the shareholders within twelve months before or after its adoption. Shareholder approval is also required to the extent necessary to comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations including, without limitation, Sections 423 and 424 of the Code.

 

(b)            The Plan was approved by the Board of Directors on November 23, 2021 and by the Company’s stockholders on November 23, 2021. The Plan will automatically terminate on November 23, 2031. The Plan may be earlier suspended or terminated by the Board of Directors. The Plan will terminate in any case when all or substantially all the Stock reserved for the purposes of the Plan has been purchased.

 

Section 17 Captions, etc.

 

The captions of the sections and paragraphs of this Plan have been inserted solely as a matter of convenience and in no way define or limit the scope or intent of any provision of the Plan. References to sections herein are to the specified sections of this Plan unless another reference is specifically stated. Wherever used herein, a singular number shall be deemed to include the plural unless a different meaning is required by the context.

 

Section 18 Effect of Plan

 

The provisions of the Plan shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, all successors of the Company and each Participant, including, without limitation, such Participant’s estate and the executors, administrators or trustees thereof, heirs and legatees, and any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy or representative of creditors of such Participant.

 

Section 19 Equal Rights and Privileges

 

Subject to Section 20, all Eligible Employees will have equal rights and privileges under this Plan so that this Plan qualifies as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code. Subject to Section 20, any provision of this Plan that is inconsistent with Section 423 of the Code will, without further act or amendment by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee, be reformed to comply with the equal rights and privileges requirement of Section 423 of the Code.

 

 

Section 20 Rules Particular to Specific Countries

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the terms and conditions of the Plan with respect to Participants who are tax residents of a particular non-U.S. country or who are non-U.S. nationals or employed in non-U.S. jurisdictions may be subject to an addendum to the Plan in the form of an appendix or sub-plan. To the extent that the terms and conditions set forth in an appendix or sub-plan conflict with any provisions of the Plan, with the exception of Section 2, the provisions of the appendix or sub-plan shall govern. The adoption of any such appendix or sub-plan shall be pursuant to Section 15 above. Without limiting the foregoing, the Compensation Committee is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures, with respect to Participants who are non-U.S. nationals or employed in non-U.S. jurisdictions, regarding the exclusion of particular subsidiaries from participation in the Plan, eligibility to participate, the definition of Compensation, handling of payroll deductions or other contributions by Participants, payment of interest, conversion of local currency, data privacy security, payroll tax, withholding procedures, establishment of bank or trust accounts to hold payroll deductions or contributions.

 

Section 21 Section 409A

 

The Plan and the Options granted hereunder are intended to be exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”). None of the Options granted pursuant to the Plan is intended to constitute or provide for “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, if the Compensation Committee determines that any Option granted under the Plan may be or become subject to Section 409A or that any provision of the Plan may cause an Option granted under the Plan to be or become subject to Section 409A, the Compensation Committee may adopt such amendments to the Plan and/or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions as the Compensation Committee determines are necessary or appropriate to avoid the imposition of taxes under Section 409A, either through compliance with the requirements of Section 409A or with an available exemption therefrom.

 

Section 22 Governing Law

 

The Plan and all actions taken under the Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Plan to be executed on its behalf on November 23, 2021.

 

	AeroClean Technologies, Inc.
	By:	/s/ Ryan Tyler
		Name: Ryan Tyler
		Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page – ESPP]

 

Exhibit 99.3

 

AEROCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS STOCK

 

AND

 

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

 

 

AEROCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS STOCK
AND
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

 

SECTION 1    PURPOSES AND AUTHORIZED SHARES

 

The purposes of the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. Non-Employee Directors Stock and Deferred Compensation Plan (the Plan) are to attract, motivate and retain eligible non-employee directors of AeroClean Technologies, Inc. (the Company) who elect to participate in this Plan by offering them opportunities to defer compensation and to encourage directors to increase their stock ownership in the Company. An aggregate number not to exceed 277,273 shares of Common Stock (subject to adjustments contemplated by Section 5.6 hereof) may be delivered pursuant to this Plan.

 

SECTION 2    DEFINITIONS

 

Whenever the following terms are used in this Plan, they shall have the meaning specified below unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary:

 

ACCOUNT or ACCOUNTS means one or more of the Participant’s Cash Account(s) or Stock Unit Account(s), as the context requires.

 

APPLICABLE PERCENTAGE means the percentage of Eligible Compensation subject to deferral or payment in Shares.

 

AVERAGE FAIR MARKET VALUE means the average of the Fair Market Values of a share of Common Stock during the last ten (10) trading days preceding the applicable Award Date.

 

AWARD DATE means, in the case of Cash Account deferrals, each date on which cash would otherwise have been paid; in the case of Unit Account deferrals, the last day of each calendar quarter.

 

BOARD means the Board of Directors of the Company, as constituted from time to time.

 

CASH ACCOUNT means the bookkeeping account maintained by the Company on behalf of a Participant who elects to defer his or her Compensation in cash pursuant to SECTION 4.

 

 

CHANGE IN CONTROL means any of the following events: (i) a change in the ownership of the Company, (ii) a change in the effective control of the Company or (iii) a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company. For purposes of this Plan, a “change in the ownership” of the Company occurs on the date on which any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires ownership of stock of the Company that, together with stock held by such person or group, constitutes more than 50% of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Company. A “change in the effective control” of the Company occurs on the date on which either: (i) a person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires ownership of stock of the Company possessing 30% or more of the total voting power of the stock of the Company, taking into account all such stock acquired during the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition, or (ii) a majority of the members of the Board is replaced during any 12-month period by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of such Board prior to the date of the appointment or election, but only if no other corporation is a majority shareholder of the Company. A “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of assets” occurs on the date on which any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, other than a person or group of persons that is related to the Company, acquires assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than 40% of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions, taking into account all such assets acquired during the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition. An event constitutes a Change in Control with respect to the Company only if the Participant performs services for the Company that has experienced the Change in Control, or the Participant’s relationship to the affected Company otherwise satisfies the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A- 3(i)(5)(ii). The determination as to the occurrence of a Change in Control shall be based on objective facts and in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A.

 

CODE means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the applicable guidance, rulings and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

COMMON STOCK means the Common Stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share, subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 5.6 hereof.

 

COMMITTEE means the Board or a Committee of the Board acting under delegated authority from the Board.

 

COMPANY means AeroClean Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors and assigns.

 

DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT means the amount of cash dividends or other cash distributions paid by the Company on that number of shares of Common Stock that is equal to the number of Stock Units then credited to a Participant’s Stock Unit Account on the applicable measurement date, which amount shall be allocated as additional Stock Units to the Participant’s Stock Unit Account, as provided in Section 5.3 hereof.

 

EARNINGS mean those earnings that are allocable to the Participant’s Cash Accounts in such manner as the Committee shall reasonably determine.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE means January 1, 2022.

 

ELIGIBLE COMPENSATION means retainer and/or meeting fees for services as a director, as established by the Board from time to time, which may be payable in cash or Shares.

 

ELIGIBLE DIRECTOR means a member of the Board who is not an officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary and who is compensated in the capacity as a director.

 

 

EXCHANGE ACT means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

FAIR MARKET VALUE means on any date the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock, as published in The Wall Street Journal or otherwise reliably reported, of the principal securities exchange or market on which the Common Stock is so listed, admitted to trade or quoted or, if there is no trading of the Common Stock on such date, then the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock as quoted on the next preceding date on which there was trading in such shares. If the Common Stock is not so listed, admitted or quoted, the Committee may designate such other exchange, market or source of data as it deems appropriate for determining such value of purposes of this Plan.

 

PARTICIPANT means an Eligible Director who elects to participate in this Plan or otherwise has an Account balance under this Plan.

 

PLAN means the AeroClean Technologies, Inc. Non-Employee Directors Stock and Deferred Compensation Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

SHARES means shares of Common Stock.

 

STOCK UNIT OR UNIT means a non-voting unit of measurement that is deemed for bookkeeping and payment purposes to represent the right to receive one share of Common Stock of the Company pursuant to the terms of this Plan.

 

STOCK UNIT ACCOUNT means the bookkeeping account maintained by the Company on behalf of each Participant that is credited with Stock Units in accordance with Section 5.2.

 

YEAR means each calendar year during the term of this Plan.

 

SECTION 3    PARTICIPATION

 

Each Eligible Director may elect to defer under and subject to SECTION 4 of this Plan his or her Eligible Compensation for any Year.

 

 

SECTION 4    SHARE OR DEFERRAL ELECTIONS

 

4.1           TIME AND TYPES OF ELECTIONS. On or before December 31 immediately preceding each succeeding Year (or, in the case of a person who first becomes an Eligible Director during the Year, within 30 days after becoming an Eligible Director, but only with respect to Eligible Compensation that is designated as payable to the Eligible Director in the form of cash and that is earned following the Eligible Director’s applicable election date), each Eligible Director may make the following two irrevocable elections, subject to Section 4.2 hereof:

 

(1)            To the extent that Participant’s Eligible Compensation is designated as payable to the Participant in the form of cash, the Company may, in its sole discretion, permit a Participant to elect, in lieu of cash:

 

(a)            to receive such Eligible Compensation currently in Shares;

 

(b)            to defer such Eligible Compensation in a Cash Account;

 

(c)            to defer such Eligible Compensation in a Stock Unit Account; or

 

(d)            to select one or more of the preceding payment or deferral methods in accordance with the Applicable Percentage increments set forth in Section 4.2 hereof such that the sum of all such Applicable Percentage increments does not exceed 100%.

 

(2)            To the extent that Participant’s Eligible Compensation is designated as payable to the Participant in the form of Common Stock, the Company may, in its sole discretion, permit a Participant to elect, in lieu of Common Stock, to defer all or a portion of such Eligible Compensation in a Stock Unit Account in accordance with the Applicable Percentage increments set forth in Section 4.2 hereof such that the sum of all such Applicable Percentage increments does not exceed 100%.

 

4.2           PERMITTED AMOUNTS; ELECTIONS. The portions of the Eligible Compensation subject to deferral or payment in Shares shall be limited to increments of 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% (the Applicable Percentage). All elections shall be in writing on forms provided by the Company (and such election forms may, in the discretion of the Company, require that a Participant defer all or a specified portion of such Participant’s Eligible Compensation in accordance with this SECTION 4). If an election is made under this SECTION 4 and is not revoked or changed with respect to the following Year by the end of the current Year, the election shall be deemed a continuing one and shall remain in place with respect to compensation for the following Year.

 

 

SECTION 5    DEFERRAL ACCOUNTS

 

5.1           CASH ACCOUNT. If an Eligible Director has made an election under Section 4.1(1)(b) to defer the receipt of cash compensation in a Cash Account, the Company shall establish and maintain a Cash Account for the Participant under this Plan, which Account shall be a memorandum account on the books of the Company. A Participant’s Cash Account shall be credited as follows:

 

(a)            As of the date the Eligible Compensation would have been otherwise payable, the Company shall credit the Participant’s Cash Account with an amount equal to the Applicable Percentage of the Eligible Compensation.

 

(b)           As of the last day of each calendar quarter, each Participant’s Cash Account shall be credited with the Earnings reasonably determined by the Committee to be allocable to such Account.

 

5.2           STOCK UNIT ACCOUNT.

 

(a)            Elective Deferrals. If an Eligible Director has made an election under Section 4.1(1)(c) or 4.1(2) to defer receipt of cash compensation or stock compensation in a Stock Unit Account, the Committee shall, as of the last day of each calendar quarter in which the Eligible Compensation was earned and would otherwise be paid, credit the Participant’s Stock Unit Account with a number of Units determined by dividing an amount which is equal to the Applicable Percentage of the Participant’s Eligible Compensation by the Average Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock as of the Award Date.

 

(b)           Limitations on Rights Associated with Units. A Participant’s Stock Unit Account shall be a memorandum account on the books of the Company. The Units credited to a Participant’s Stock Unit Account shall be used solely as a device for the determination of the number of shares of Common Stock to be eventually distributed to the Participant in accordance with this Plan. The Units shall not be treated as property or as a trust fund of any kind. No Participant shall be entitled to any voting or other stockholder rights with respect to Units granted or credited under this Plan. The number of Units credited (and the number of Shares to which the Participant is entitled under this Plan) shall be subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.6 and the terms of this Plan.

 

5.3           DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT CREDITS TO STOCK UNIT ACCOUNT. As of the end of each quarter, a Participant’s Stock Unit Account shall be credited with additional Units in an amount equal to the Dividend Equivalent representing dividends paid during the quarter on a number of shares equal to the aggregate number of Stock Units in the Participant’s Stock Unit Account as of the end of the preceding quarter divided by the Average Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock as of the applicable crediting date.

 

5.4           IMMEDIATE VESTING AND ACCELERATED CREDITING.

 

(a)            Units and Other Amounts Vest Immediately. All Units or other amounts credited to one or more of a Participant’s Accounts shall be at all times fully vested and not subject to a risk of forfeiture.

 

(b)           Acceleration of Crediting of Accounts. In the event of a Change in Control of the Company, or in the event that a Participant ceases to serve as a director of the Company, the crediting of amounts to a Participant’s Cash Account, if applicable, and the crediting of Units to a Participant’s Stock Unit Account, if applicable, shall be accelerated to the date of the Change in Control or termination of service. In such case, the amount or number of Units credited for the quarter in which the Change in Control or termination of services occurs shall be prorated based on the number of days of service during the applicable quarter, and the Award Date shall be deemed to be the date of the Change in Control or termination of service, as applicable.

 

 

5.5           DISTRIBUTION OF CASH OR SHARES.

 

(a)            Time and Manner of Distribution of Accounts. Except as otherwise provided herein, the cash or Shares payable under this Plan in respect of Cash Accounts or Stock Unit Accounts, respectively, shall be distributed to the Participant (or, in the event of his or her death, the Participant’s Beneficiary) at such time and in such manner as elected by the Participant and set forth in the Participant’s election form. Other than in the event of a distribution in connection with a Change in Control which shall be paid to the Participant in the form of a lump sum distribution, in the sole discretion of the Company (as set forth in the form of election form provided by the Company), a Participant may elect distributions in one of the following two forms: (i) a lump sum distribution, or (ii) annual installments not to exceed ten (10) such annual installments. Each annual installment shall be equal to the value of the Account being distributed multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is one (1) and the denominator of which is the number of installments remaining to be paid. In the event that a Participant fails to make an election, then distribution shall be made in the form of a lump sum. Each Account, less any applicable withholding taxes, shall be distributed commencing the earliest of (x) the date specified in the Participant’s election form as described above, (y) the first day of the month immediately following the date of the Participant’s termination of service, or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter or (z) the first day of the month immediately following a Change in Control.

 

(b)           Small Distributions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if after a termination of service the balance remaining in a Participant’s Cash Account is less than $10,000 or, if the aggregate fair market value of the Units remaining in the Participant’s Stock Unit Account on the date of the termination of service is less than $10,000, then such remaining balances shall be distributed in a lump sum.

 

(c)            Election to Further Defer Distribution of Cash Accounts or Stock Unit Accounts. A Participant may, with the approval of the Administrator, elect to further defer the commencement of any distribution to be made with respect to amounts credited under any Cash or Stock Unit Account by filing a new written election with the Committee on a form approved by the Committee; provided, however, that (1) no such election shall be effective until twelve (12) months after such election is filed with the Committee, (2) no such new election shall be effective with respect to any Account after benefits with respect to the Account shall have commenced, and (3) such election must provide that the first payment with respect to such election must be deferred for at least five (5) years from the date such payment would otherwise have been made.

 

(d)            Form of Distribution of Cash Accounts or Stock Unit Accounts. Stock Units credited to a Participant’s Stock Unit Account shall be distributed in an equivalent whole number of Shares of the Company’s Common Stock. Any fractional share interests shall be accumulated and paid in cash with the last distribution. All amounts credited to a Participant’s Cash Account shall be distributed in cash.

 

 

5.6           ADJUSTMENTS IN CASE OF CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK. If there shall occur any change in the outstanding shares of the Company’s Common Stock by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, combination or other reorganization, exchange of shares, sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, split-up, split-off, spin-off, extraordinary redemption, liquidation or similar corporate change or change in capitalization or any distribution to holders of the Company’s Common Stock (other than cash dividends and cash distributions), the Committee shall make such proportionate and equitable adjustments consistent with the effect of such event on stockholders generally (but without duplication of benefits if Dividend Equivalents are credited), as the Committee determines to be necessary or appropriate, in the number, kind and/or character of shares of Common Stock or other securities, property and/or rights contemplated hereunder, including any appropriate adjustments to the market prices used in the determination of the number of Shares and Units, and in rights in respect of Stock Unit Accounts credited under this Plan so as to preserve the benefits intended.

 

SECTION 6    ADMINISTRATION

 

6.1           THE ADMINISTRATOR. The Administrator of this Plan shall be the Board as a whole or a Committee as appointed from time to time by the Board to serve as administrator of this Plan. The participating members of any Committee so acting shall include, as to decisions in respect of participants who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, only those members who are Non-Employee Directors (as defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (Rule 16b-3)). Members of the Committee shall not receive any additional compensation for administration of this Plan.

 

6.2           COMMITTEE ACTION. A member of the Committee shall not vote upon any matter which relates solely to himself or herself as a Participant in this Plan. Action of the Committee with respect to the administration of this Plan shall be taken pursuant to a majority vote or (assuming compliance with Section 6.1) by unanimous written consent of its members.

 

6.3           RIGHTS AND DUTIES; DELEGATION AND RELIANCE; DECISIONS BINDING. Subject to the limitations of this Plan, the Committee shall be charged with the general administration of this Plan and the responsibility for carrying out its provisions, and shall have powers necessary to accomplish those purposes, including, but not by way of limitation, the following:

 

(1)            To construe and interpret this Plan;

 

(2)            To resolve any questions concerning the amount of benefits payable to a Participant (except that no member of the Committee shall participate in a decision relating solely to his or her own benefits);

 

(3)            To make all other determinations required by this Plan;

 

 

(4)            To maintain all the necessary records for the administration of this Plan; and

 

(5)            To make and publish forms, rules and procedures for the administration of this Plan.

 

The determination of the Committee made in good faith as to any disputed question or controversy and the Committee’s determination of benefits payable to Participants, including decisions as to adjustments under Section 5.6, shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes of this Plan. In performing its duties, the Committee shall be entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports or statements prepared or presented by: (i) officers or employees of the Company whom the Committee believes to be reliable and competent as to such matters; and (ii) counsel (who may be employees of the Company), independent accountants and other persons as to matters which the Committee believes to be within such persons’ professional or expert competence.

 

The Committee shall be fully protected with respect to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith pursuant to the advice of such persons. The Committee may delegate ministerial, bookkeeping and other non-discretionary functions to individuals who are officers or employees of the Company.

 

SECTION 7    PLAN CHANGES AND TERMINATION

 

7.1           AMENDMENTS. The Board shall have the right to amend this Plan in whole or in part from time to time or may at any time suspend or terminate this Plan (provided such amendment, suspension or termination complies with requirements under Code Section 409A); provided, however, that no amendment or termination shall cancel or otherwise adversely affect in any way, without his or her written consent, any Participant’s rights with respect to then outstanding Accounts or Dividend Equivalent credits thereon so long as the Account is outstanding). Any amendments authorized hereby shall be stated in an instrument in writing, and all Participants shall be bound upon receipt of notice the amendment.

 

7.2           TERM. It is the current expectation of the Company that this Plan shall continue indefinitely, but continuance of this Plan is not assumed as a contractual obligation of the Company. If the Board of Directors decides to discontinue or terminate this Plan, it shall notify the Committee and Participants in this Plan of its action in writing, and this Plan shall be terminated at the time set forth on the notice. All Participants shall be bound thereby. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, this Plan shall automatically terminate upon a Change in Control. No benefits shall accrue in respect of Eligible Compensation earned after a discontinuance or termination of this Plan.

 

SECTION 8    MISCELLANEOUS

 

8.1           UNFUNDED PLAN AND LIMITATION ON PARTICIPANTS’ RIGHTS. Participants shall have the rights only if general unsecured creditors of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, on their Cash Account, and rights no greater than the right to receive the Common Stock (or equivalent value as a general unsecured creditor) with respect to Stock Units or Share Accounts. The Plan constitutes a mere promise by the Company to make distributions in the future. It is intended that this Plan shall constitute an “unfunded” plan for tax purposes. Participation in this Plan shall not give any person the right to serve as a member of the Board or any rights or interests other than as herein provided. Participants shall not be entitled to receive actual dividends or to vote Shares until after delivery of a certificate representing the Shares.

 

 

8.2           BENEFICIARIES.

 

(a)            Beneficiary Designation. Upon forms provided by and subject to conditions imposed by the Company, each Participant may designate in writing the Beneficiary or Beneficiaries (as defined in Section 8.2(b)) whom such Participant desires to receive any amounts payable under this Plan after his or her death. The Company and the Committee may rely on the Participant’s designation of a Beneficiary or Beneficiaries last filed in accordance with the terms of this Plan.

 

(b)           Definition of Beneficiary. A Participant’s “Beneficiary” or “Beneficiaries” shall be the person, persons, trust or trusts (or similar entity) designated by the Participant or, in the absence of a designation, entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive the Participant’s benefits under this Plan in the event of the Participant’s death, and shall mean the Participant’s executor or administrator if no other Beneficiary is identified and able to act under the circumstances.

 

8.3           BENEFITS NOT TRANSFERABLE; OBLIGATIONS BINDING UPON SUCCESSORS. Benefits of a Participant under this Plan shall not be assignable or transferable and any purported transfer, assignment, pledge or other encumbrance or attachment of any payments or benefits under this Plan, or any interest therein, other than by operation of law or pursuant to Section 8.2, shall not be permitted or recognized. Shares deliverable under this Plan may be subject to restrictions on transfer under applicable securities laws, unless the Shares are duly registered prior to issuance. Obligations of the Company under this Plan shall be binding upon successors of the Company.

 

8.4           GOVERNING LAW; SEVERABILTY. The validity of this Plan or any of its provisions shall be construed, administered and governed in all respects under the laws of the State of Delaware. If any provision of this Plan shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof shall continue to be fully effective.

 

8.5           COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. This Plan and the offer, issuance and delivery of shares of Common Stock and/or the payment of money through the deferral of compensation under this Plan are subject to compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations (including but not limited to state and federal securities law) and to such approvals by any listing, agency or any regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. Any securities delivered under this Plan shall be subject to prior registration or such restrictions as the Company may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all applicable legal requirements, and the person acquiring such securities shall, if requested by the Company, provide such assurances and representations to the Company as it may reasonably request to assure such compliance.

 

 

8.6           PLAN CONSTRUCTION. This Plan is intended to comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations and other guidance issued thereunder, as in effect from time to time. To the extent a provision of the Plan is contrary to or fails to address the requirements of Code Section 409A, the Plan shall be construed and administered as necessary to comply with such requirements until this Plan is appropriately amended to comply with such requirements. A termination of service shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Plan providing for the payment of any amounts upon or following a termination of service unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations and other guidance issued thereunder and, for purposes of any such provision of this Plan, references to a “termination,” “termination of service” or like terms shall mean “separation from service.” For purposes of Code Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations and other guidance issued thereunder, a Participant’s right to receive any installment payments pursuant to this Plan shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments.

 

It is the intent of the Company that transactions pursuant to this Plan satisfy and be interpreted in a manner that satisfies the applicable conditions for exemption under Rule 16b-3 so that to the extent elections are timely made, elective deferrals (including the crediting of Units and Dividend Equivalents and the distribution of Shares hereunder) will be entitled to the benefits of Rule 16b-3 or other exemptive rules under Section 16 of the Exchange Act and will not be subjected to avoidable liability thereunder. The Committee may, subject to Sections 8.5 hereof, permit elections by Eligible Directors that would not qualify for exemption under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, so long as the availability of any exemption thereunder for other Participants under this Plan is not compromised.

 

8.7           HEADINGS NOT PART OF PLAN. Headings and subheadings in this Plan are inserted for reference only and are not to be considered in the construction of the provisions hereof.

 

 

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