Form S-8 SEACOAST BANKING CORP

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

File No. 333-          

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

SEACOAST BANKING CORPORATION OF FLORIDA

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Florida		59-2260678
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

815 Colorado Avenue

Stuart, Florida 34994

(Address, including zip code, of Principal Executive Offices)

 

Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida 2021 Incentive Plan

and

Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as Amended

(Full title of the plans)

 

Charles M. Shaffer		Copies to:
Chief Executive Officer		Randolph A. Moore III
Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida		Alston & Bird LLP
815 Colorado Avenue		One Atlantic Center
Stuart, Florida 34994		1201 W. Peachtree Street
(772) 287-4000		Atlanta, Georgia 30309
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)		(404) 881-7000

 

 

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

 

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. ¨

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of securities to be registered		Amount to be registered	(1)	Proposed maximum offering price per share			Proposed maximum aggregate offering price			Amount of registration fee
Common Stock, $0.10 par value		2,250,000(1)			$34.11(2)			$76,747,500(2)			$8,373.16

(1)

Represents shares that may be issued under the Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida 2021 Incentive Plan (the “Incentive Plan”) and the Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as Amended (the “ESPP”), including additional shares that may become issuable in accordance with the adjustment and anti-dilution provisions of the Incentive Plan and the ESPP (collectively, the “Plans”). The number of shares to be registered under the respective Plans are as follows: Incentive Plan—1,750,000; and ESPP—500,000.

(2)

Determined pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee, based on the average of the high and low prices of the Company’s common stock (“Common Stock”) on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on June 28, 2021.

 

 

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

 

(a)        The documents constituting Part I of this registration statement on Form S-8 (this “Registration Statement”) will be delivered to participants in the Plans as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this form, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

 

(b)       Upon written or oral request, Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (the “Company”) will provide, without charge, the documents incorporated by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement. The documents are incorporated by reference in the Section 10(a) prospectus. The Company will also provide, without charge, upon written or oral request, other documents required to be delivered to participants pursuant to Rule 428(b). Requests for the above mentioned information should be directed to the Company’s Secretary at telephone number (772) 287-4000 or the address on the cover of this Registration Statement.

 

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

 

The following documents, filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are incorporated herein by reference and deemed to be a part hereof (excluding any portions of such documents that are deemed to be “furnished” but not “filed” for purposes of the Exchange Act):

 

(a)

The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Commission on March 1, 2021;

 

(b)

The Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, filed with the Commission on May 5, 2021;

 

(c)

The information incorporated by reference into Part III of our Annual Report on Form 10-K from our Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting, as amended, filed with the Commission on April 9, 2021, April 30, 2021, and May 11, 2021;

 

(d)

The Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on January 5, 2021, January 12, 2021, January 25, 2021, March 24, 2021, March 26, 2021, April 20, 2021, April 22, 2021 (solely with respect to Item 8.01), and June 1, 2021; and

 

(e)

The description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), including any amendment or report filed for purposes of updating such description.

 

All documents filed by the Company subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all such 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 in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is incorporated or 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 applicable.

 

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

The Florida Business Corporation Act, as amended, or the “FBCA,” permits, under certain circumstances, the indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents of a corporation with respect to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, to which such person was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party, by reason of his or her being an officer, director, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of, such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against liability incurred in connection with such proceeding, including appeals thereof; provided, however, that the officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner that 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 or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any such third-party action by judgment, order, settlement, or conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent does not, of itself, create a presumption that the person (i) did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation or (ii) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

In the case of proceedings by or in the right of the corporation, the FBCA permits for indemnification of any person by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of, such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against liability incurred in connection with such proceeding, including appeals thereof; provided, however, that the officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification is made where such person is adjudged liable, unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.

 

To the extent that such person is successful on the merits or otherwise in defending against any such proceeding, Florida law provides that he or she shall be indemnified against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith.

 

Our Bylaws contain indemnification provisions similar to the FBCA, and further provide that we may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of directors, officers, employees and agents in their capacities as such, or serving at the request of the corporation, against any liabilities asserted against such persons whether or not we would have the power to indemnify such persons against such liability under our Bylaws.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit 4.1.1 Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed May 10, 2006.

 

Exhibit 4.1.2 Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed December 23, 2008.

 

Exhibit 4.1.3 Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.4 to the Company’s Form S-1, filed June 22, 2009.

 

 

Exhibit 4.1.4 Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed July 20, 2009.

 

Exhibit 4.1.5 Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed December 3, 2009.

 

Exhibit 4.1.6 Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K/A, filed July 14, 2010.

 

Exhibit 4.1.7 Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed June 25, 2010.

 

Exhibit 4.1.8 Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed June 1, 2011.

 

Exhibit 4.1.9 Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed December 13, 2013.

 

Exhibit 4.1.10 Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed May 30, 2018.

 

Exhibit 4.2 Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company

Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed October 26, 2020.

 

Exhibit 5.1 Opinion of Alston & Bird LLP

 

Exhibit 10.1 Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida 2021 Incentive Plan

 

Exhibit 10.2 Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as Amended

 

Exhibit 23.1 Consent of Alston & Bird LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

 

Exhibit 23.2 Consent of Crowe LLP

 

Exhibit 24.1 Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this Registration Statement).

 

Item 9. Undertakings.

 

(a)       The Company 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 registration statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

 

 

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

 

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

 

(b)       The undersigned Company hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Company’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(c)       Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company 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 Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Company 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 Stuart, state of Florida, on this 29^th day of June, 2021.

 

	SEACOAST BANKING CORPORATION OF FLORIDA
	By:	/s/ Charles M. Shaffer
		Charles M. Shaffer
		President and Chief Executive Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Charles M. Shaffer, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said 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 he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact, agent or his substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

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

 

Signature

Title

Date

 

/s/ Charles M. Shaffer		President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (principal executive officer)		June 29, 2021
Charles M. Shaffer
/s/ Tracey L. Dexter		Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer)		June 29, 2021
Tracey L. Dexter
/s/ Dennis S. Hudson, III		Executive Chairman of the Board		June 29, 2021
Dennis S. Hudson, III
/s/ Dennis J. Arczynski		Director		June 29, 2021
Dennis J. Arczynski
/s/ Jacqueline L. Bradley		Director		June 29, 2021
Jacqueline L. Bradley
/s/ H. Gilbert Culbreth, Jr.		Director		June 29, 2021
H. Gilbert Culbreth, Jr.
		Director
Julie H. Daum
/s/ Christopher E. Fogal		Director		June 29, 2021
Christopher E. Fogal
/s/ Maryann B. Goebel		Director		June 29, 2021
Maryann B. Goebel

 

 

/s/ Robert J. Lipstein		Director		June 29, 2021
Robert J. Lipstein
/s/ Alvaro J. Monserrat		Director		June 29, 2021
Alvaro J. Monserrat
/s/ Thomas E. Rossin		Director		June 29, 2021
Thomas E. Rossin

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

 

One Atlantic Center

1201 West Peachtree Street

Atlanta, GA 30309-3424

404-881-7000 | Fax: 404-881-7777

 

Randolph A. Moore, III

Direct Dial:  404-881-7794

Email:  [email protected]

 

June 29, 2021

 

Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida

815 Colorado Avenue

Stuart, Florida 34994

 

Re:	Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on June 29, 2021 (Registration No. 333- )

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida, a Florida corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Company’s filing of the above-referenced Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Commission to register under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), an aggregate of 2,250,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.10 par value per share (the “Shares”), 1,750,000 of which may be issued pursuant to the Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida 2021 Incentive Plan (the “Incentive Plan”) and 500,000 of which may be issued pursuant to the Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as Amended (the “ESPP,” and, collectively with the Incentive Plan, the “Plans”). This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 8 of the Commission’s Form S-8 and Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

 

In rendering this opinion letter, we have considered such matters of law and of fact, including the examination of originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records and documents of the Company, including, without limitation, (i) resolutions adopted by the boards of directors or other governing bodies or controlling entities of the Company, (ii) the organizational documents of the Company, (iii) certificates of officers and representatives (who, in our judgment, are likely to know the facts upon which the opinion or confirmation will be based) of the Company, (iv) the Registration Statement, (v) the Plans, (vi) certificates of public officials and (vii) such other documents as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinions hereinafter set forth. We also have made such further legal and factual examinations and investigations as we deemed necessary for purposes of expressing the opinion set forth herein. 

 

In our examination of the relevant documents, we have assumed (i) the genuineness of all signatures, (ii) the legal capacity and competence of all natural persons, (iii) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as original documents and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed, facsimile, electronic or photostatic copies, and (iv) the accuracy, completeness and authenticity of all certificates of public officials.

 

As to certain factual matters relevant to this opinion letter, we have relied conclusively upon the representations, warranties and statements made in originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records, agreements, documents and instruments, including certificates or comparable documents of officers of the Company and of public officials, as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinions hereinafter set forth. Except to the extent expressly set forth herein, we have made no independent investigations with regard thereto, and, accordingly, we do not express any opinion or belief as to matters that might have been disclosed by independent verification.

 

Our opinion set forth herein is limited to the Florida Business Corporation Act (“FBCA”) and the federal securities laws of the United States, in each case as currently in effect, and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, or regulations. Special rulings of authorities administering the FBCA or opinions of other counsel have not been sought or obtained. 

 

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, and limitations set forth in this opinion letter, it is our opinion that:

 

(1)

When the Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and the Shares are issued by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Plans, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

This opinion letter is provided for use solely in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission and may not be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise relied upon for any other purpose without our prior express written consent. The only opinion rendered by us consists of those matters set forth in the paragraph numbered (1) above, and no opinion may be implied or inferred beyond the opinion expressly stated in the paragraph numbered (1) above. Our opinion expressed herein is as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to advise you of any changes in applicable law or any other matters that may come to our attention after the date hereof that may affect our opinion expressed herein.

 

We consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name wherever appearing in the Registration Statement.  In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

	Very truly yours,   ALSTON & BIRD LLP
	By:	/s/ Randolph A. Moore, III
		Randolph A. Moore, III A Partner

 

Exhibit 10.1 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEACOAST BANKING CORPORATION OF FLORIDA

2021 Incentive PLAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida

2021 INCENTIVE PLAN

 

ARTICLE 1 PURPOSE		1
1.1	General	1
ARTICLE 2 DEFINITIONS		1
2.1	Definitions	1
ARTICLE 3 EFFECTIVE TERM OF PLAN		7
3.1	Effective Date	7
3.2	Term of Plan	7
ARTICLE 4 ADMINISTRATION		7
4.1	Committee	7
4.2	Actions and Interpretations by the Committee	7
4.3	Authority of Committee	8
4.4	Delegation	8
4.5	Indemnification	9
ARTICLE 5 SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN		9
5.1	Number of Shares	9
5.2	Share Counting	9
5.3	Stock Distributed	10
5.4	Limitation on Awards	10
ARTICLE 6 ELIGIBILITY		10
6.1	General	10
ARTICLE 7 STOCK OPTIONS		10
7.1	General	10
7.2	Incentive Stock Options	11
ARTICLE 8 STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS		12
8.1	Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights	12
ARTICLE 9 RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS		13
9.1	Grant of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units	13
9.2	Issuance and Restrictions	13

 

 

9.3	Dividends on Restricted Stock	13
9.4	Forfeiture	13
9.5	Delivery of Restricted Stock	13
ARTICLE 10 PERFORMANCE AWARDS		13
10.1	Grant of Performance Awards	14
10.2	Performance Goals	14
ARTICLE 11 DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS		14
11.1	Grant of Dividend Equivalents	14
ARTICLE 12 STOCK OR OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS		14
12.1	Grant of Stock or Other Stock-Based Awards	14
ARTICLE 13 PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS		15
13.1	Award Certificates	15
13.2	Form of Payment of Awards	15
13.3	Limits on Transfer	15
13.4	Beneficiaries	15
13.5	Stock Trading Restrictions	15
13.6	Acceleration upon Death or Disability	16
13.7	Effect of a Change in Control	16
13.8	Acceleration for Other Reasons	17
13.9	Forfeiture Events	17
13.10	Substitute Awards	18
ARTICLE 14 CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE		18
14.1	Mandatory Adjustments	18
14.2	Discretionary Adjustments	18
14.3	General	19
ARTICLE 15 AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION		19
15.1	Amendment, Modification and Termination	19
15.2	Awards Previously Granted	19
15.3	Compliance Amendments	20
ARTICLE 16 GENERAL PROVISIONS		20
16.1	Rights of Participants	20
16.2	Withholding	21

 

 

16.3	Special Provisions Related to Section 409A of the Code	21
16.4	Unfunded Status of Awards	23
16.5	Relationship to Other Benefits	23
16.6	Expenses	23
16.7	Titles and Headings	23
16.8	Gender and Number	23
16.9	Fractional Shares	23
16.10	Government and Other Regulations	23
16.11	Governing Law	24
16.12	Severability	24
16.13	No Limitations on Rights of Company	24

 

 

Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida

2021 INCENTIVE PLAN

 

ARTICLE 1

PURPOSE

 

1.1.       GENERAL. The purpose of the Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida 2021 Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to promote the success, and enhance the value, of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (the “Company”), by linking the personal interests of employees, officers, directors, consultants and advisors of the Company or any Affiliate (as defined below) to those of Company shareholders and by providing such persons with an incentive for outstanding performance. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of employees, officers, directors, consultants and advisors upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent. Accordingly, the Plan permits the grant of incentive awards from time to time to selected employees, officers, directors, consultants and advisors of the Company and its Affiliates.

 

ARTICLE 2

DEFINITIONS

 

2.1.       DEFINITIONS. When a word or phrase appears in this Plan with the initial letter capitalized, and the word or phrase does not commence a sentence, the word or phrase shall generally be given the meaning ascribed to it in this Section or in Section 1.1 unless a clearly different meaning is required by the context. The following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:

 

(a)                “Affiliate” means (i) any Subsidiary or Parent, or (ii) an entity that directly or through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Company, as determined by the Committee.

 

(b)                “Award” means an award of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Performance Awards, Other Stock-Based Awards, or any other right or interest relating to Stock or cash, granted to a Participant under the Plan.

 

(c)                “Award Certificate” means a written document, in such form as the Committee prescribes from time to time, setting forth the terms and conditions of an Award. Award Certificates may be in the form of individual award agreements or certificates or a program document describing the terms and provisions of an Award or series of Awards under the Plan. The Committee may provide for the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper Award Certificates, and the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper means for the acceptance thereof and actions thereunder by a Participant.

 

(d)                “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning given such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the 1934 Act.

 

(e)                “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

 

(f)                 “Cause” as a reason for a Participant’s termination of Continuous Service shall have the meaning assigned such term in the employment, consulting, severance or similar agreement, if any, between such Participant and the Company or an Affiliate; provided, however, that if there is no such employment, consulting, severance or similar agreement in which such term is defined, and unless otherwise defined in the applicable Award Certificate, “Cause” shall mean any of the following acts by the Participant, as determined by the Committee: gross neglect of duty, prolonged absence from duty without the consent of the Company, material breach by the Participant of any published Company code of conduct or code of ethics; or willful misconduct, misfeasance or malfeasance of duty which is reasonably determined to be detrimental to the Company. With respect to a Participant’s termination of directorship, “Cause” means an act or failure to act that constitutes cause for removal of a director under applicable Florida law.  The determination of the Committee as to the existence of “Cause” shall be conclusive on the Participant and the Company.

 

(g)                “Change in Control” means and includes the occurrence of any one of the following events:

 

(i)       during any consecutive 12-month period, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of such Board, provided that any person becoming a director after the beginning of such 12-month period and whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board shall be an Incumbent Director; provided, however, that 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 the election or removal of directors (“Election Contest”) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any Person other than the Board (“Proxy Contest”), including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any Election Contest or Proxy Contest, shall be deemed an Incumbent Director; or

 

(ii)       any Person becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of either (A) 35% or more of the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (“Company Common Stock”) or (B) securities of the Company representing 35% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of directors (the “Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (ii), the following acquisitions of Company Common Stock or Company Voting Securities shall not constitute a Change in Control: (w) an acquisition directly from the Company, (x) an acquisition by the Company or a Subsidiary, (y) an acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary, or (z) an acquisition pursuant to a Non-Qualifying Transaction (as defined in subsection (iii) below); or

 

 

(iii)       the consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company or a Subsidiary (a “Reorganization”), or the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (a “Sale”) or the acquisition of assets or stock of another corporation or other entity (an “Acquisition”), unless immediately following such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition: (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners, respectively, of the outstanding Company Common Stock and outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 35% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or stock either directly or through one or more subsidiaries, the “Surviving Entity”) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition, of the outstanding Company Common Stock and the outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, and (B) no person (other than (x) the Company or any Subsidiary, (y) the Surviving Entity or its ultimate parent entity, or (z) any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by any of the foregoing) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the total common stock or 35% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Entity, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Surviving Entity were Incumbent Directors at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition (any Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition which satisfies all of the criteria specified in (A), (B) and (C) above shall be deemed to be a “Non-Qualifying Transaction”); or

 

(iv)       approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

(h)                “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. For purposes of this Plan, references to sections of the Code shall be deemed to include references to any applicable regulations thereunder and any successor or similar provision.

 

(i)                 “Committee” means the committee of the Board described in Article 4.

 

(j)                 “Company” means Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida, a Florida corporation, or any successor corporation.

 

 

(k)                “Continuous Service” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an employee, officer, director, consultant or advisor of the Company or any Affiliate, as applicable; provided, however, that for purposes of an Incentive Stock Option “Continuous Service” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an employee of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, as applicable, pursuant to applicable tax regulations. Continuous Service shall not be considered interrupted in the following cases: (i) a Participant transfers employment between the Company and an Affiliate or between Affiliates, or (ii) in the discretion of the Committee as specified at or prior to such occurrence, in the case of a spin-off, sale or disposition of the Participant’s employer from the Company or any Affiliate, or (iii) a Participant transfers from being an employee of the Company or an Affiliate to being a director of the Company or of an Affiliate, or vice versa, or (iv) subject to the prior approval of the Committee, a Participant transfers from being an employee of the Company or an Affiliate to being a consultant to the Company or of an Affiliate, or vice versa, or (v) any leave of absence authorized in writing by the Company prior to its commencement; provided, however, that for purposes of Incentive Stock Options, no such leave may exceed 90 days, unless reemployment upon expiration of such leave is guaranteed by statute or contract. If reemployment upon expiration of a leave of absence approved by the Company is not so guaranteed, on the 91st day of such leave any Incentive Stock Option held by the Participant shall cease to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and shall be treated for tax purposes as a Nonstatutory Stock Option. Whether military, government or other service or other leave of absence shall constitute a termination of Continuous Service shall be determined in each case by the Committee at its discretion, and any determination by the Committee shall be final and conclusive; provided, however, that for purposes of any Award that is subject to Code Section 409A, the determination of a leave of absence must comply with the requirements of a “bona fide leave of absence” as provided in Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(h).

 

(l)                 “Deferred Stock Unit” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 9 to receive Shares (or the equivalent value in cash or other property if the Committee so provides) at a future time as determined by the Committee, or as determined by the Participant within guidelines established by the Committee in the case of voluntary deferral elections.

 

(m)              “Disability” of a Participant means that the Participant (i) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Participant’s employer. If the determination of Disability relates to an Incentive Stock Option, Disability means Permanent and Total Disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code. In the event of a dispute, the determination of whether a Participant is Disabled will be made by the Committee and may be supported by the advice of a physician competent in the area to which such Disability relates.

 

(n)                “Dividend Equivalent” means a right granted with respect to an Award pursuant to Article 11.

 

(o)                “Effective Date” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 3.1.

 

(p)                “Eligible Participant” means an employee (including a leased employee), officer, director, consultant or advisor of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

(q)                “Exchange” means any national securities exchange on which the Stock may from time to time be listed or traded.

 

(r)                 “Fair Market Value,” on any date, means (i) if the Stock is listed on an Exchange, the closing sales price on the principal such Exchange on such date or, in the absence of reported sales on such date, the closing sales price on the immediately preceding date on which sales were reported, or (ii) if the Stock is not listed on an Exchange, the mean between the bid and offered prices as quoted by the applicable interdealer quotation system for such date, provided that if the Stock is not quoted on an interdealer quotation system or it is determined that the fair market value is not properly reflected by such quotations, Fair Market Value will be determined by such other method as the Committee determines in good faith to be reasonable and in compliance with Code Section 409A.

 

 

(s)                 “Full-Value Award” means an Award other than in the form of an Option or SAR, and which is settled by the issuance of Stock (or at the discretion of the Committee, settled in cash valued by reference to Stock value).

 

(t)                 “Good Reason” (or a similar term denoting constructive termination) has the meaning, if any, assigned such term in the employment, consulting, severance or similar agreement, if any, between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate; provided, however, that if there is no such employment, consulting, severance or similar agreement in which such term is defined, “Good Reason” shall have the meaning, if any, given such term in the applicable Award Certificate. If not defined in either such document, the term “Good Reason” as used herein shall not apply to a particular Award.

 

(u)                “Grant Date” of an Award means the first date on which all necessary corporate action has been taken to approve the grant of the Award as provided in the Plan, or such later date as is determined and specified as part of that authorization process. Notice of the grant shall be a provided to the grantee within a reasonable time after the Grant Date.

 

(v)                “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is intended to be an incentive stock option and meets the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.

 

(w)              “Independent Directors” means those members of the Board who qualify at any given time as (a) an “independent” director under the applicable rules of each Exchange on which the Shares are listed, and (b) a “non-employee” director under Rule 16b-3 of the 1934 Act.

 

(x)                “Non-Employee Director” means a director of the Company who is not a common law employee of the Company or an Affiliate.

 

(y)                “Nonstatutory Stock Option” means an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(z)                “Option” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 7 of the Plan to purchase Stock at a specified price during specified time periods. An Option may be either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option.

 

(aa)             “Other Stock-Based Award” means a right, granted to a Participant under Article 12, that relates to or is valued by reference to Stock or other Awards relating to Stock.

 

(bb)            “Parent” means a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity which owns or beneficially owns a majority of the outstanding voting stock or voting power of the Company. Notwithstanding the above, with respect to an Incentive Stock Option, Parent shall have the meaning set forth in Section 424(e) of the Code.

 

 

(cc)             “Participant” means an Eligible Participant who has been granted an Award under the Plan; provided that in the case of the death of a Participant, the term “Participant” refers to a beneficiary designated pursuant to Section 13.4 or the legal guardian or other legal representative acting in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of the Participant under applicable state law and court supervision.

 

(dd)            “Performance Award” means any award granted under the Plan pursuant to Article 10.

 

(ee)             “Person” means any individual, entity or group, within the meaning of Section 3(a)(9) of the 1934 Act and as used in Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the 1934 Act.

 

(ff)               “Plan” means the Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida 2013 Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

(gg)            “Prior Plan” means the Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as Amended.

 

(hh)            “Restricted Stock” means Stock granted to a Participant under Article 9 that is subject to certain restrictions and to risk of forfeiture.

 

(ii)               “Restricted Stock Unit” means the right granted to a Participant under Article 9 to receive shares of Stock (or the equivalent value in cash or other property if the Committee so provides) in the future, which right is subject to certain restrictions and to risk of forfeiture.

 

(jj)               “Shares” means shares of the Company’s Stock. If there has been an adjustment or substitution with respect to the Shares (whether or not pursuant to Article 14), the term “Shares” shall also include any shares of stock or other securities that are substituted for Shares or into which Shares are adjusted.

 

(kk)            “Stock” means the $0.10 par value common stock of the Company and such other securities of the Company as may be substituted for Stock pursuant to Article 14.

 

(ll)               “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 8 to receive a payment equal to the difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the date of exercise of the SAR over the base price of the SAR, all as determined pursuant to Article 8.

 

(mm)        “Subsidiary” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity of which a majority of the outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Company. Notwithstanding the above, with respect to an Incentive Stock Option, Subsidiary shall have the meaning set forth in Section 424(f) of the Code.

 

(nn)            “1933 Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

 

(oo)            “1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

 

ARTICLE 3

EFFECTIVE TERM OF PLAN

 

3.1.       EFFECTIVE DATE. The Plan will become effective on the date that it is adopted by the Company’s shareholders (the “Effective Date”).

 

3.2.       TERM OF PLAN. Unless earlier terminated as provided herein, the Plan shall continue in effect until the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date or, if the shareholders approve an amendment to the Plan that increases the number of Shares subject to the Plan, the tenth anniversary of the date of such approval. The termination of the Plan on such date shall not affect the validity of any Award outstanding on the date of termination, which shall continue to be governed by the applicable terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

ARTICLE 4

ADMINISTRATION

 

4.1.       COMMITTEE. The Plan shall be administered by a Committee appointed by the Board (which Committee shall consist of at least two directors) or, at the discretion of the Board from time to time, the Plan may be administered by the Board. It is intended that at least two of the directors appointed to serve on the Committee shall be Independent Directors and that any such members of the Committee who do not so qualify shall abstain from participating in any decision to make or administer Awards that are made to Eligible Participants who at the time of consideration for such Award are persons subject to the short-swing profit rules of Section 16 of the 1934 Act. However, the mere fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as an Independent Director or shall fail to abstain from such action shall not invalidate any Award made by the Committee which Award is otherwise validly made under the Plan. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by, and may be changed at any time and from time to time in the discretion of, the Board. Unless and until changed by the Board, the Compensation and Governance Committee of the Board is designated as the Committee to administer the Plan. The Board may reserve to itself any or all of the authority and responsibility of the Committee under the Plan or may act as administrator of the Plan for any and all purposes. To the extent the Board has reserved any authority and responsibility or during any time that the Board is acting as administrator of the Plan, it shall have all the powers and protections of the Committee hereunder, and any reference herein to the Committee (other than in this Section 4.1) shall include the Board. To the extent any action of the Board under the Plan conflicts with actions taken by the Committee, the actions of the Board shall control.

 

4.2.       ACTION AND INTERPRETATIONS BY THE COMMITTEE. For purposes of administering the Plan, the Committee may from time to time adopt rules, regulations, guidelines and procedures for carrying out the provisions and purposes of the Plan and make such other determinations, not inconsistent with the Plan, as the Committee may deem appropriate. The Committee may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award in the manner and to the extent it deems necessary to carry out the intent of the Plan. The Committee’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted under the Plan, any Award Certificate and all decisions and determinations by the Committee with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties. Each member of the Committee 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 Affiliate, the Company’s or an Affiliate’s independent certified public accountants, Company counsel or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company or the Committee to assist in the administration of the Plan. No member of the Committee will be liable for any good faith determination, act or omission in connection with the Plan or any Award.

 

 

4.3.       AUTHORITY OF COMMITTEE. Except as provided in Section 4.1 and 4.5 hereof, the Committee has the exclusive power, authority and discretion to:

 

(a)

Grant Awards;

 

(b)

Designate Participants;

 

(c)       Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant;

 

(d)       Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of Shares or dollar amount to which an Award will relate;

 

(e)       Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted under the Plan;

 

(f)       Prescribe the form of each Award Certificate, which need not be identical for each Participant;

 

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

 

(h)       Establish, adopt or revise any rules, regulations, guidelines or procedures as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

 

(i)       Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required under the Plan or as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

 

(j)       Amend the Plan or any Award Certificate as provided herein; and

 

(k)       Adopt such modifications, procedures, and subplans as may be necessary or desirable to comply with provisions of the laws of the United States or any non-U.S. jurisdictions in which the Company or any Affiliate may operate, in order to assure the viability of the benefits of Awards granted to participants located in the United States or such other jurisdictions and to further the objectives of the Plan.

 

4.4.       DELEGATION. The Committee may delegate to one or more of its members or to one or more officers of the Company or an Affiliate or to one or more agents or advisors such administrative duties or powers as it may deem advisable, and the Committee or any individuals to whom it has delegated duties or powers as aforesaid may employ one or more individuals to render advice with respect to any responsibility the Committee or such individuals may have under this Plan. In addition, the Board or the Committee may, by resolution, expressly delegate to a special committee, consisting of one or more directors who may but need not be officers of the Company, the authority, within specified parameters as to the number and terms of Awards, to (i) designate officers and/or employees of the Company or any of its Affiliates to be recipients of Awards under the Plan, and (ii) to determine the number of such Awards to be received by any such Participants; provided, however, that such delegation of duties and responsibilities to an officer of the Company may not be made with respect to the grant of Awards to eligible participants who are subject to Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act at the Grant Date. The acts of such delegates shall be treated hereunder as acts of the Committee and such delegates shall report regularly to the Board and the Committee regarding the delegated duties and responsibilities and any Awards so granted.

 

 

4.5.       INDEMNIFICATION. Each person who is or shall have been a member of the Committee, or of the Board, or an officer of the Company to whom authority was delegated in accordance with this Article 4 shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him or her 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 taken or failure to act under the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the Company’s approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided he or she shall give 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, unless such loss, cost, liability, or expense is a result of his or her own willful misconduct or except as expressly provided by statute. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s charter or bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

 

ARTICLE 5

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

 

5.1.       NUMBER OF SHARES. Subject to adjustment as provided in Sections 5.2 and Section 14.1, the aggregate number of Shares reserved and available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall be 1,750,000, plus a number of shares (not to exceed 716,242) underlying awards outstanding as of the Effective Date under the Prior Plan that thereafter terminate or expire unexercised or are cancelled, forfeited or lapse for any reason. The maximum number of Shares that may be issued upon exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan shall be 1,750,000. From and after the Effective Date, no further awards shall be granted under the Prior Plan and the Prior Plan shall remain in effect only so long as awards granted thereunder shall remain outstanding.

 

5.2.       SHARE COUNTING. Shares covered by an Award shall be subtracted from the Plan share reserve as of the Grant Date, but shall be added back to the Plan share reserve in accordance with this Section 5.2.

 

(a)       To the extent that all or a portion of an Award is canceled, terminates, expires, is forfeited or lapses for any reason, including by reason of failure to meet time-based and/or performance-based vesting requirements, any unissued or forfeited Shares originally subject to the Award will be added back to the Plan share reserve and again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.

 

(b)       Shares subject to Awards settled in cash will be added back to the Plan share reserve and again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.

 

(c)       The full number of Shares subject to an Option shall count against the number of Shares remaining available for issuance pursuant to Awards made under the Plan, even if the exercise price of an Option is satisfied through net-settlement or by delivering Shares to the Company (by either actual delivery or attestation).

 

 

(d)       The full number of Shares subject to a SAR that is settled in Shares shall count against the number of Shares remaining available for issuance pursuant to Awards made under the Plan (rather than the net number of Shares actually delivered upon exercise).

 

(e)       Shares withheld from an Award to satisfy tax withholding requirements shall count against the number of Shares remaining available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan, and Shares delivered by a participant to satisfy tax withholding requirements shall not be added to the Plan share reserve.

 

(f)       Shares repurchased by the Company on the open market with the proceeds of an Option exercise shall not be added to the Plan share reserve.

 

(g)       Substitute Awards granted pursuant to Section 13.10 of the Plan shall not count against the Shares otherwise available for issuance under the Plan under Section 5.1.

 

(h)       Subject to applicable Exchange requirements, shares available under a shareholder-approved plan of a company acquired by the Company (as appropriately adjusted to Shares to reflect the transaction) may be issued under the Plan pursuant to Awards granted to individuals who were not employees of the Company or its Affiliates immediately before such transaction and will not count against the maximum share limitation specified in Section 5.1.

 

5.3.       STOCK DISTRIBUTED. Any Stock distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Stock, treasury Stock or Stock purchased on the open market.

 

5.4.       LIMITATION ON AWARDS. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary (but subject to adjustment as provided in Article 14), with respect to any one calendar year, the aggregate compensation that may be granted to any non-employee director, including all meeting fees, cash retainers and retainers granted in the form of Awards, shall not exceed $750,000, including in the case of a non-employee Chairman of the Board or Lead Director. For purposes of such limit, the value of Awards will be determined based on the aggregate Grant Date fair value of all awards issued to the director in such year (computed in accordance with applicable financial accounting rules).

 

ARTICLE 6

ELIGIBILITY

 

6.1.       GENERAL. Awards may be granted only to Eligible Participants. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Eligible Participants who are employees of the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary as defined in Section 424(e) and (f) of the Code. Eligible Participants who are service providers to an Affiliate may be granted Options or SARs under this Plan only if the Affiliate qualifies as an “eligible issuer of service recipient stock” within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E) of the final regulations under Code Section 409A.

 

 

ARTICLE 7

STOCK OPTIONS

 

7.1.       GENERAL. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the following terms and conditions:

 

(a)       EXERCISE PRICE. The exercise price per Share under an Option shall be determined by the Committee, provided that the exercise price for any Option (other than an Option issued as a substitute Award pursuant to Section 13.10) shall not be less than the Fair Market Value as of the Grant Date.

 

(b)       PROHIBITION ON REPRICING. Except as otherwise provided in Article 14, without the prior approval of shareholders of the Company: (i) the exercise price of an Option may not be reduced, directly or indirectly, (ii) an Option may not be cancelled or surrendered in exchange for Options, SARs or other Awards with an exercise or base price that is less than the exercise price of the original Option, (iii) an Option may not be cancelled or surrendered in exchange for other Awards if the current Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the Option is lower than the exercise price per share of the Option, and (iv) an Option may not be cancelled or surrendered for value (in cash or otherwise) from a Participant if the current Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the Option is lower than the exercise price per share of the Option.

 

(c)       TIME AND CONDITIONS OF EXERCISE. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part, including a provision that an Option that is otherwise exercisable and has an exercise price that is less than the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the last day of its term will be automatically exercised on such final date of the term by means of a “net exercise,” thus entitling the optionee to Shares equal to the intrinsic value of the Option on such exercise date, less the number of Shares required for tax withholding. The Committee shall also determine the performance or other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may be exercised or vested.

 

(d)       PAYMENT. The Committee shall determine the methods by which the exercise price of an Option may be paid, the form of payment, and the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants. As determined by the Committee at or after the Grant Date, payment of the exercise price of an Option may be made in, in whole or in part, in the form of (i) cash or cash equivalents, (ii) delivery (by either actual delivery or attestation) of previously-acquired Shares based on the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date the Option is exercised, (iii) withholding of Shares from the Option based on the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date the Option is exercised, (iv) broker-assisted market sales, or (iv) any other “cashless exercise” arrangement.

 

(e)       EXERCISE TERM. Except for Nonstatutory Options granted to Participants outside the United States, no Option granted under the Plan shall be exercisable for more than ten years from the Grant Date.

 

(f)       NO DEFERRAL FEATURE. No Option shall provide for any feature for the deferral of compensation other than the deferral of recognition of income until the exercise or disposition of the Option.

 

 

(g)       NO DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS. No Option shall provide for Dividend Equivalents.

 

7.2.       INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. The terms of any Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan must comply with the requirements of Section 422 of the Code. Without limiting the foregoing, any Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who at the Grant Date owns more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of shares of the Company must have an exercise price per Share of not less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date and an Option term of not more than five years. If all of the requirements of Section 422 of the Code (including the above) are not met, the Option shall automatically become a Nonstatutory Stock Option.

 

ARTICLE 8

STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

8.1.       GRANT OF Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee is authorized to grant Stock Appreciation Rights to Participants on the following terms and conditions:

 

(a)       RIGHT TO PAYMENT. Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Participant has the right to receive, for each Share with respect to which the SAR is being exercised, the excess, if any, of:

 

(1)       The Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise; over

 

(2)       The base price of the SAR as determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Certificate, which (other than for a SAR issued as a substitute Award pursuant to Section 13.10) shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of one Share on the Grant Date.

 

(b)       PROHIBITION ON REPRICING. Except as otherwise provided in Article 14, without the prior approval of shareholders of the Company: (i) the base price of a SAR may not be reduced, directly or indirectly, (ii) a SAR may not be cancelled or surrendered in exchange for Options, SARs or other Awards with an exercise or base price that is less than the base price of the original SAR, (iii) a SAR may not be cancelled or surrendered in exchange for other Awards if the current Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the SAR is lower than the base price per share of the SAR, and (iv) a SAR may not be cancelled or surrendered for value (in cash or otherwise) from a Participant if the current Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the SAR is lower than the base price per share of the SAR.

 

(c)       TIME AND CONDITIONS OF EXERCISE. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which a SAR may be exercised in whole or in part, including a provision that a SAR that is otherwise exercisable and has a base price that is less than the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the last day of its term will be automatically exercised on such final date of the term, thus entitling the holder to cash or Shares equal to the intrinsic value of the SAR on such exercise date, less the cash or number of Shares required for tax withholding. Except for SARs granted to Participants outside the United States, no SAR shall be exercisable for more than ten years from the Grant Date.

 

 

(d)       NO DEFERRAL FEATURE. No SAR shall provide for any feature for the deferral of compensation other than the deferral of recognition of income until the exercise or disposition of the SAR.

 

(e)       NO DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS. No SAR shall provide for Dividend Equivalents.

 

ARTICLE 9

RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS

 

9.1.       GRANT OF RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS. The Committee is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units to Participants in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as may be selected by the Committee. An Award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award Certificate setting forth the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to the Award.

 

9.2.       ISSUANCE AND RESTRICTIONS. Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, for example, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Stock or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Stock). These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances, in such installments, upon the satisfaction of performance goals or otherwise, as the Committee determines at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Certificate or any special Plan document governing an Award, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a shareholder with respect to Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units until such time as Shares of Stock are paid in settlement of such Awards.

 

9.3       DIVIDENDS ON RESTRICTED STOCK. In the case of Restricted Stock, the Committee may provide that ordinary cash dividends declared on the Shares before they are vested (i) will be forfeited, (ii) will be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares or otherwise reinvested (subject to Share availability under Section 5.1 hereof) and subject to the same vesting provisions as provided for the host Award, or (iii) will be credited by the Company to an account for the Participant and accumulated without interest until the date on which the host Award becomes vested, and any dividends accrued with respect to forfeited Restricted Stock will be reconveyed to the Company without further consideration or any act or action by the Participant. In no event shall dividends be paid or distributed until the vesting restrictions of the underlying Award lapse.

 

9.4.       FORFEITURE. Subject to the terms of the Award Certificate and except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of Continuous Service during the applicable restriction period or upon failure to satisfy a performance goal during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units that are at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited.

 

9.5.       DELIVERY OF RESTRICTED STOCK. Shares of Restricted Stock shall be delivered to the Participant at the Grant Date either by book-entry registration or by delivering to the Participant, or a custodian or escrow agent (including, without limitation, the Company or one or more of its employees) designated by the Committee, a stock certificate or certificates registered in the name of the Participant. If physical certificates representing shares of Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, such certificates must bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock.

 

 

ARTICLE 10

PERFORMANCE AWARDS

 

10.1.       GRANT OF PERFORMANCE AWARDS. The Committee is authorized to grant any Award under this Plan, including cash-based Awards, with performance-based vesting criteria, on such terms and conditions as may be selected by the Committee. Any such Awards with performance-based vesting criteria are referred to herein as Performance Awards. The Committee shall have the complete discretion to determine the number of Performance Awards granted to each Participant, subject to Section 5.4, and to designate the provisions of such Performance Awards as provided in Section 4.3. Any Dividend Equivalents granted with respect to a Performance Award shall be subject to Section 11.1.

 

10.2.       PERFORMANCE GOALS. The Committee may establish performance goals for Performance Awards which may be based on any criteria selected by the Committee. Such performance goals may be described in terms of Company-wide objectives or in terms of objectives that relate to the performance of the Participant, an Affiliate or a division, region, department or function within the Company or an Affiliate. If the Committee determines that a change in the business, operations, corporate structure or capital structure of the Company or the manner in which the Company or an Affiliate conducts its business, or other events or circumstances render performance goals to be unsuitable, the Committee may modify such performance goals in whole or in part, as the Committee deems appropriate. If a Participant is promoted, demoted or transferred to a different business unit or function during a performance period, the Committee may determine that the performance goals or performance period are no longer appropriate and may (i) adjust, change or eliminate the performance goals or the applicable performance period as it deems appropriate to make such goals and period comparable to the initial goals and period, or (ii) make a cash payment to the participant in an amount determined by the Committee.

 

ARTICLE 11

DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

 

11.1.       GRANT OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS. The Committee is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents with respect to Full-Value Awards granted hereunder, subject to such terms and conditions as may be selected by the Committee. Dividend Equivalents shall entitle the Participant to receive payments equal to ordinary cash dividends with respect to all or a portion of the number of Shares subject to a Full-Value Award, as determined by the Committee. The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents (i) will be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares or otherwise reinvested (subject to Share availability under Section 5.1 hereof) and subject to the same vesting provisions as provided for the host Award, or (ii) be credited by the Company to an account for the Participant and accumulated without interest until the date on which the host Award becomes vested, and, in either case, any Dividend Equivalents accrued with respect to forfeited Awards will be reconveyed to the Company without further consideration or any act or action by the Participant. In no event shall dividends be paid or distributed until the vesting restrictions of the underlying Award lapse.

 

 

ARTICLE 12

STOCK OR OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS

 

12.1.       GRANT OF STOCK OR OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS. The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Participants such other Awards that are payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to Shares, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including without limitation Shares awarded purely as a “bonus” and not subject to any restrictions or conditions, convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Shares, and Awards valued by reference to book value per Share (or net asset value per Share) or the value of securities of or the performance of specified Parents or Subsidiaries. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards. Any Dividend Equivalents granted with respect to an Award under this Section 12.1 shall be subject to Section 11.1.

 

ARTICLE 13

PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS

 

13.1.       AWARD CERTIFICATES. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Certificate. Each Award Certificate shall include such provisions, not inconsistent with the Plan, as may be specified by the Committee.

 

13.2.       FORM OF PAYMENT FOR AWARDS. At the discretion of the Committee, payment of Awards may be made in cash, Stock, a combination of cash and Stock, or any other form of property as the Committee shall determine. In addition, payment of Awards may include such terms, conditions, restrictions and/or limitations, if any, as the Committee deems appropriate, including, in the case of Awards paid in the form of Stock, restrictions on transfer and forfeiture provisions. Further, payment of Awards may be made in the form of a lump sum, or in installments, as determined by the Committee.

 

13.3.       LIMITS ON TRANSFER. No right or interest of a Participant in any unexercised or restricted Award may be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to or in favor of any party other than the Company or an Affiliate, or shall be subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such Participant to any other party other than the Company or an Affiliate. No unexercised or restricted Award shall be assignable or transferable by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; provided, however, that the Committee may (but need not) permit other transfers (other than transfers for value) where the Committee concludes that such transferability (i) does not result in accelerated taxation, (ii) does not cause any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option to fail to be described in Code Section 422(b), and (iii) is otherwise appropriate and desirable, taking into account any factors deemed relevant, including without limitation, state or federal tax or securities laws applicable to transferable Awards.

 

13.4.       BENEFICIARIES. Notwithstanding Section 13.3, a Participant may, in the manner determined by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participant’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights under the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Certificate applicable to the Participant, except to the extent the Plan and Award Certificate otherwise provide, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, any payment due to the Participant shall be made to the Participant’s estate. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant, in the manner provided by the Company, at any time provided the change or revocation is filed with the Company.

 

 

13.5.       STOCK TRADING RESTRICTIONS. All Stock issuable under the Plan is subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to comply with federal or state securities laws, rules and regulations and the rules of any Exchange or automated quotation system on which the Stock is listed, quoted, or traded. The Committee may place legends on any Stock certificate or issue instructions to the transfer agent to reference restrictions applicable to the Stock.

 

13.6       ACCELERATION UPON DEATH OR DISABILITY. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Certificate or any special Plan document governing an Award, upon the termination of a person’s Continuous Service by reason of death or Disability:

 

(i)       each that Participant’s outstanding Options and SARs, or the portions of such outstanding Options and SARs, as applicable, that are solely subject to time-based vesting requirements shall become vested and fully exercisable as of the date of termination, and shall thereafter remain exercisable for a period of one (1) year or until the earlier expiration of the original term of the Option or SAR;

 

(ii)               each of that Participant’s other outstanding Awards, or the portions of such other outstanding Awards, as applicable, that are solely subject to time-based vesting restrictions shall become vested, and such restrictions shall lapse as of the date of termination; and

 

(iii)       the payout opportunities attainable under each of that Participant’s outstanding Options, SARs and other Awards, or the portions of such outstanding Options, SARs and other Awards, as applicable, that are solely subject to performance-vesting requirements or restrictions shall be deemed to have been earned as of the date of termination as follows:

 

(A)       if the date of termination occurs during the first half of the applicable performance period, all relevant performance goals will be deemed to have been achieved at the “target” level, and

 

(B)       if the date of termination occurs during the second half of the applicable performance period, then all relevant performance goals will be deemed to have been achieved at the “target” level or, if greater, the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals against target will be measured as of the end of the calendar quarter immediately preceding the date of termination.

 

To the extent that this provision causes Incentive Stock Options to exceed the dollar limitation set forth in Code Section 422(d), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.

 

 

13.7.       EFFECT OF A CHANGE IN CONTROL. The provisions of this Section 13.7 shall apply in the case of a Change in Control, unless otherwise provided in the Award Certificate or any special Plan document or separate agreement with a Participant governing an Award.

 

(a)       Awards Assumed or Substituted by Surviving Entity. With respect to Awards assumed by the Surviving Entity or otherwise equitably converted or substituted in connection with a Change in Control: if within two years after the effective date of the Change in Control, a Participant’s employment is terminated without Cause or the Participant resigns for Good Reason, then (i) all of that Participant’s outstanding Options, SARs and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully exercisable, (ii) all time-based vesting restrictions on his or her outstanding Awards shall lapse, and (iii) the payout level under all of that Participant’s performance-based Awards that were outstanding immediately prior to effective time of the Change in Control shall be determined and deemed to have been earned as of the date of termination based upon (A) an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the “target” level if the date of termination occurs during the first half of the applicable performance period, or (B) the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals against target (measured as of the end of the calendar quarter immediately preceding the date of termination), if the date of termination occurs during the second half of the applicable performance period, and, in either such case, there shall be a prorata payout to such Participant within sixty (60) days following the date of termination of employment (unless a later date is required by Section 16.3 hereof), based upon the length of time within the performance period that has elapsed prior to the date of termination of employment. With regard to each Award, a Participant shall not be considered to have resigned for Good Reason unless either (i) the Award Certificate includes such provision or (ii) the Participant is party to an employment, severance or similar agreement with the Company or an Affiliate that includes provisions in which the Participant is permitted to resign for Good Reason. Any Awards shall thereafter continue or lapse in accordance with the other provisions of the Plan and the Award Certificate. To the extent that this provision causes Incentive Stock Options to exceed the dollar limitation set forth in Code Section 422(d), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.

 

(b)       Awards not Assumed or Substituted by Surviving Entity. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, and except with respect to any Awards assumed by the Surviving Entity or otherwise equitably converted or substituted in connection with the Change in Control in a manner approved by the Committee or the Board: (i) outstanding Options, SARs, and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully exercisable, (ii) time-based vesting restrictions on outstanding Awards shall lapse, and (iii) the target payout opportunities attainable under outstanding performance-based Awards shall be deemed to have been fully earned as of the effective date of the Change in Control based upon (A) an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the “target” level if the Change in Control occurs during the first half of the applicable performance period, or (B) the greater of the “target” level or the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals against target measured as of the date of the Change in Control, if the Change in Control occurs during the second half of the applicable performance period. Any Awards shall thereafter continue or lapse in accordance with the other provisions of the Plan and the Award Certificate. To the extent that this provision causes Incentive Stock Options to exceed the dollar limitation set forth in Code Section 422(d), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.

 

 

13.8.       ACCELERATION FOR OTHER REASONS. Regardless of whether an event has occurred as described in Section 13.6 or 13.7 above, the Committee may in its sole discretion at any time determine that, upon the termination of service of a Participant, or the occurrence of a Change in Control, all or a portion of such Participant’s Options, SARs and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully or partially vested and exercisable, that all or a part of the restrictions on all or a portion of the Participant’s outstanding Awards shall lapse, and/or that any performance-based criteria with respect to any Awards held by that Participant shall be deemed to be wholly or partially satisfied, in each case, as of such date as the Committee may, in its sole discretion, declare. The Committee may provide for different treatment among Participants and among Awards granted to a Participant in exercising its discretion pursuant to this Section 13.8.

 

13.9.       FORFEITURE EVENTS. Awards under the Plan shall be subject to any compensation recoupment policy that the Company may adopt from time to time that is applicable by its terms to the Participant. In addition, the Committee may specify in an Award Certificate that the Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events may include, but shall not be limited to, (i) termination of employment for cause, (ii) violation of material Company or Affiliate policies, (iii) breach of noncompetition, confidentiality or other restrictive covenants that may apply to the Participant, (iv) other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company or any Affiliate, or (v) a later determination that the vesting of, or amount realized from, a Performance Award was based on materially inaccurate financial statements or any other materially inaccurate performance metric criteria, whether or not the Participant caused or contributed to such material inaccuracy. Nothing contained herein or in any Award Certificate prohibits the Participant from: (1) reporting possible violations of federal law or regulations, including any possible securities laws violations, to any governmental agency or entity; (2) making any other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulations; or (3) otherwise fully participating in any federal whistleblower programs, including but not limited to any such programs managed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange.

 

13.10.       SUBSTITUTE AWARDS. The Committee may grant Awards under the Plan in substitution for stock and stock-based awards held by employees of another entity who become employees of the Company or an Affiliate as a result of a merger or consolidation of the former employing entity with the Company or an Affiliate or the acquisition by the Company or an Affiliate of property or stock of the former employing corporation. The Committee may direct that the substitute awards be granted on such terms and conditions as the Committee considers appropriate in the circumstances.

 

ARTICLE 14

CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE

 

14.1.       MANDATORY ADJUSTMENTS. In the event of a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its shareholders that causes the per-share value of the Stock to change (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, spin-off, rights offering, or large nonrecurring cash dividend), the authorization limits under Section 5.1 and Section 5.4 shall be adjusted proportionately, and the Committee shall make such adjustments to the Plan and Awards as it deems necessary, in its sole discretion, to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights immediately resulting from such transaction. Action by the Committee may include: (i) adjustment of the number and kind of shares that may be delivered under the Plan; (ii) adjustment of the number and kind of shares subject to outstanding Awards; (iii) adjustment of the exercise price of outstanding Awards or the measure to be used to determine the amount of the benefit payable on an Award; and (iv) any other adjustments that the Committee determines to be equitable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee shall not make any adjustments to outstanding Options or SARs that would constitute a modification or substitution of the stock right under Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(v) that would be treated as the grant of a new stock right or change in the form of payment for purposes of Code Section 409A. Without limiting the foregoing, in the event of a subdivision of the outstanding Stock (stock-split), a declaration of a dividend payable in Shares, or a combination or consolidation of the outstanding Stock into a lesser number of Shares, the authorization limits under Section 5.1 and Section 5.4 shall automatically be adjusted proportionately, and the Shares then subject to each Award shall automatically, without the necessity for any additional action by the Committee, be adjusted proportionately without any change in the aggregate purchase price therefor.

 

 

14.2       DISCRETIONARY ADJUSTMENTS. Upon the occurrence or in anticipation of any corporate event or transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any merger, reorganization, recapitalization, combination or exchange of shares, or any transaction described in Section 14.1), the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide (i) that Awards will be settled in cash rather than Stock, (ii) that Awards will become immediately vested and non-forfeitable and exercisable (in whole or in part) and will expire after a designated period of time to the extent not then exercised, (iii) that Awards will be assumed by another party to a transaction or otherwise be equitably converted or substituted in connection with such transaction, (iv) that outstanding Awards may be settled by payment in cash or cash equivalents equal to the excess of the fair market value of the underlying Stock, as of a specified date associated with the transaction (or the per-shares transaction price), over the exercise or base price of the Award, (v) that performance targets and performance periods for Performance Awards will be modified, or (vi) any combination of the foregoing. The Committee’s determination need not be uniform and may be different for different Participants whether or not such Participants are similarly situated.

 

14.3       GENERAL. Any discretionary adjustments made pursuant to this Article 14 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 15.2. To the extent that any adjustments made pursuant to this Article 14 cause Incentive Stock Options to cease to qualify as Incentive Stock Options, such Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.

 

ARTICLE 15

AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION

 

15.1.       AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION. The Board or the Committee may, at any time and from time to time, amend, modify or terminate the Plan without shareholder approval; provided, however, that if an amendment to the Plan would, in the reasonable opinion of the Board or the Committee, either (i) materially increase the number of Shares available under the Plan (other than pursuant to Article 14), (ii) expand the types of awards under the Plan, (iii) materially expand the class of participants eligible to participate in the Plan, (iv) materially extend the term of the Plan, or (v) otherwise constitute a material change requiring shareholder approval under applicable laws, policies or regulations or the applicable listing or other requirements of an Exchange, then such amendment shall be subject to shareholder approval; and provided, further, that the Board or Committee may condition any other amendment or modification on the approval of shareholders of the Company for any reason, including by reason of such approval being necessary or deemed advisable (i) to comply with the listing or other requirements of an Exchange, or (ii) to satisfy any other tax, securities or other applicable laws, policies or regulations. Except as otherwise provided in Section 14.1, without the prior approval of the shareholders of the Company, the Plan may not be amended to permit: (i) the exercise price or base price of an Option or SAR to be reduced, directly or indirectly, (ii) an Option or SAR to be cancelled in exchange for cash, other Awards, or Options or SARs with an exercise or base price that is less than the exercise price or base price of the original Option or SAR, or otherwise, or (iii) the Company to repurchase an Option or SAR for value (in cash or otherwise) from a Participant if the current Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the Option or SAR is lower than the exercise price or base price per share of the Option or SAR.

 

 

15.2.       AWARDS PREVIOUSLY GRANTED. At any time and from time to time, the Committee may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award without approval of the Participant; provided, however:

 

(a)       Subject to the terms of the applicable Award Certificate, such amendment, modification or termination shall not, without the Participant’s consent, reduce or diminish the value of such Award;

 

(b)       Except as otherwise provided in Article 14, without the prior approval of the shareholders of the Company: (i) the exercise price or base price of an Option or SAR may not be reduced, directly or indirectly, (ii) an Option or SAR may not be cancelled in exchange for Options, SARs or other Awards with an exercise or base price that is less than the exercise price or base price of the original Option or SAR, or otherwise, and (iii) the Company may not repurchase an Option or SAR for value (in cash or otherwise) from a Participant if the current Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the Option or SAR is lower than the exercise price or base price per share of the Option or SAR; and

 

(c)       No termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect any Award previously granted under the Plan, without the written consent of the Participant affected thereby.

 

15.3.       COMPLIANCE AMENDMENTS. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or in any Award Certificate to the contrary, the Board may amend the Plan or an Award Certificate, to take effect retroactively or otherwise, as deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of conforming the Plan or Award Certificate to any present or future law relating to plans of this or similar nature (including, but not limited to, Section 409A of the Code), and to the administrative regulations and rulings promulgated thereunder. By accepting an Award under this Plan, a Participant agrees to any amendment made pursuant to this Section 15.3 to any Award granted under the Plan without further consideration or action.

 

ARTICLE 16

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

16.1.       RIGHTS OF PARTICIPANTS.

 

(a)       No Participant or any Eligible Participant shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan. Neither the Company, its Affiliates nor the Committee is obligated to treat Participants or Eligible Participants uniformly, and determinations made under the Plan may be made by the Committee selectively among Eligible Participants who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards (whether or not such Eligible Participants are similarly situated).

 

 

(b)       Nothing in the Plan, any Award Certificate or any other document or statement made with respect to the Plan, shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate any Participant’s employment or status as an officer, or any Participant’s service as a director, at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue as an employee, officer, or director of the Company or any Affiliate, whether for the duration of a Participant’s Award or otherwise.

 

(c)       Neither an Award nor any benefits arising under this Plan shall constitute an employment contract with the Company or any Affiliate and, accordingly, subject to Article 15, this Plan and the benefits hereunder may be terminated at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Committee without giving rise to any liability on the part of the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

(d)       No Award gives a Participant any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company unless and until Shares are in fact issued to such person in connection with such Award.

 

16.2.       WITHHOLDING. The Company or any Affiliate shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company or such Affiliate, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Participant’s FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any exercise, lapse of restriction or other taxable event arising as a result of the Plan. The obligations of the Company under the Plan will be conditioned on such payment or arrangements and the Company or such Affiliate will, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at the time the Award is granted or thereafter, any such withholding requirement may be satisfied, in whole or in part, by withholding from the Award Shares having a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding equal to the amount required to be withheld in accordance with applicable tax requirements, all in accordance with such procedures as the Committee approves (which procedures may permit withholding up to the maximum individual statutory rate in the applicable jurisdiction as may be permitted under then-current accounting principles to qualify for equity classification). All such elections shall be subject to any restrictions or limitations that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.

 

16.3.        SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATED TO SECTION 409A OF THE CODE.

 

(a)       General. It is intended that the payments and benefits provided under the Plan and any Award shall either be exempt from the application of, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. The Plan and all Award Certificates shall be construed in a manner that effects such intent. Nevertheless, the tax treatment of the benefits provided under the Plan or any Award is not warranted or guaranteed. Neither the Company, its Affiliates nor their respective directors, officers, employees or advisers (other than in his or her capacity as a Participant) shall be held liable for any taxes, interest, penalties or other monetary amounts owed by any Participant or other taxpayer as a result of the Plan or any Award.

 

 

(b)       Definitional Restrictions. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or in any Award Certificate to the contrary, to the extent that any amount or benefit that would constitute non-exempt “deferred compensation” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code (“Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation”) would otherwise be payable or distributable, or a different form of payment (e.g., lump sum or installment) of such Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation would be effected, under the Plan or any Award Certificate by reason of the occurrence of a Change in Control, or the Participant’s Disability or separation from service, such Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation will not be payable or distributable to the Participant, and/or such different form of payment will not be effected, by reason of such circumstance unless the circumstances giving rise to such Change in Control, Disability or separation from service meet any description or definition of “change in control event”, “disability” or “separation from service”, as the case may be, in Section 409A of the Code and applicable regulations (without giving effect to any elective provisions that may be available under such definition). This provision does not affect the dollar amount or prohibit the vesting of any Award upon a Change in Control, Disability or separation from service, however defined. If this provision prevents the payment or distribution of any amount or benefit, or the application of a different form of payment of any amount or benefit, such payment or distribution shall be made at the time and in the form that would have applied absent the non-409A-conforming event.

 

(c)       Allocation among Possible Exemptions. If any one or more Awards granted under the Plan to a Participant could qualify for any separation pay exemption described in Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(9), but such Awards in the aggregate exceed the dollar limit permitted for the separation pay exemptions, the Company (acting through the Committee or the Head of Human Resources) shall determine which Awards or portions thereof will be subject to such exemptions.

 

(d)       Six-Month Delay in Certain Circumstances. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or in any Award Certificate to the contrary, if any amount or benefit that would constitute Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation would otherwise be payable or distributable under this Plan or any Award Certificate by reason of a Participant’s separation from service during a period in which the Participant is a Specified Employee (as defined below), then, subject to any permissible acceleration of payment by the Committee under Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ii) (domestic relations order), (j)(4)(iii) (conflicts of interest), or (j)(4)(vi) (payment of employment taxes):

 

(i) the amount of such Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation that would otherwise be payable during the six-month period immediately following the Participant’s separation from service will be accumulated through and paid or provided on the first day of the seventh month following the Participant’s separation from service (or, if the Participant dies during such period, within 30 days after the Participant's death) (in either case, the “Required Delay Period”); and

 

(ii) the normal payment or distribution schedule for any remaining payments or distributions will resume at the end of the Required Delay Period.

 

For purposes of this Plan, the term “Specified Employee” has the meaning given such term in Code Section 409A and the final regulations thereunder; provided, however, that, as permitted in such final regulations, the Company’s Specified Employees and its application of the six-month delay rule of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) shall be determined in accordance with rules adopted by the Board or any committee of the Board, which shall be applied consistently with respect to all nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements of the Company, including this Plan.

 

(e)       Installment Payments. If, pursuant to an Award, a Participant is entitled to a series of installment payments, such Participant’s right to the series of installment payments shall be treated as a right to a series of separate payments and not to a single payment. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “series of installment payments” has the meaning provided in Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii) (or any successor thereto).

 

 

(f)       Timing of Release of Claims. Whenever an Award conditions a payment or benefit on the Participant’s execution and non-revocation of a release of claims, such release must be executed and all revocation periods shall have expired within 60 days after the date of termination of the Participant’s employment; failing which such payment or benefit shall be forfeited. If such payment or benefit is exempt from Section 409A of the Code, the Company may elect to make or commence payment at any time during such 60-day period. If such payment or benefit constitutes Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation, then, subject to subsection (d) above, (i) if such 60-day period begins and ends in a single calendar year, the Company may make or commence payment at any time during such period at its discretion, and (ii) if such 60-day period begins in one calendar year and ends in the next calendar year, the payment shall be made or commence during the second such calendar year (or any later date specified for such payment under the applicable Award), even if such signing and non-revocation of the release occur during the first such calendar year included within such 60-day period. In other words, a Participant is not permitted to influence the calendar year of payment based on the timing of signing the release.

 

(g)       Permitted Acceleration. The Company shall have the sole authority to make any accelerated distribution permissible under Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-3(j)(4) to Participants of deferred amounts, provided that such distribution(s) meets the requirements of Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-3(j)(4).

 

16.4.       UNFUNDED STATUS OF AWARDS. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Certificate shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Affiliate. In its sole discretion, the Committee may authorize the creation of grantor trusts or other arrangements to meet the obligations created under the Plan to deliver Shares or payments in lieu of Shares or with respect to Awards. This Plan is not intended to be subject to ERISA.

 

16.5.       RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER BENEFITS. No payment under the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate unless provided otherwise in such other plan. Nothing contained in the Plan will prevent the Company from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, subject to shareholder approval if such approval is required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

 

16.6.       EXPENSES. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates.

 

16.7.       TITLES AND HEADINGS. 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.

 

16.8.       GENDER AND NUMBER. Except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also shall include the feminine; the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural.

 

 

16.9.       FRACTIONAL SHARES. No fractional Shares shall be issued and the Committee shall determine, in its discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares shall be eliminated by rounding up or down.

 

16.10.       GOVERNMENT AND OTHER REGULATIONS.

 

(a)       Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, no Participant who acquires Shares pursuant to the Plan may, during any period of time that such Participant is an affiliate of the Company (within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1933 Act), sell such Shares, unless such offer and sale is made (i) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, which is current and includes the Shares to be sold, or (ii) pursuant to an appropriate exemption from the registration requirement of the 1933 Act, such as that set forth in Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act.

 

(b)       Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, if at any time the Committee shall determine that the registration, listing or qualification of the Shares covered by an Award upon any Exchange or under any foreign, federal, state or local law or practice, or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body, is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the granting of such Award or the purchase or receipt of Shares thereunder, no Shares may be purchased, delivered or received pursuant to such Award unless and until such registration, listing, qualification, consent or approval shall have been effected or obtained free of any condition not acceptable to the Committee. Any Participant receiving or purchasing Shares pursuant to an Award shall make such representations and agreements and furnish such information as the Committee may request to assure compliance with the foregoing or any other applicable legal requirements. The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for Shares under the Plan prior to the Committee’s determination that all related requirements have been fulfilled. The Company shall in no event be obligated to register any securities pursuant to the 1933 Act or applicable state or foreign law or to take any other action in order to cause the issuance and delivery of such certificates to comply with any such law, regulation or requirement.

 

16.11.       GOVERNING LAW. To the extent not governed by federal law, the Plan and all Award Certificates shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Florida.

 

16.12.       SEVERABILITY. In the event that any provision of this Plan is found to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable under any applicable law, such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed as rendering any other provisions contained herein as invalid or unenforceable, and all such other provisions will be given full force and effect to the same extent as though the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained herein.

 

16.13.       NO LIMITATIONS ON RIGHTS OF COMPANY. The grant of any Award shall not in any way affect the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassification or changes in its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets. The Plan shall not restrict the authority of the Company, for proper corporate purposes, to draft or assume awards, other than under the Plan, to or with respect to any person. If the Committee so directs, the Company may issue or transfer Shares to an Affiliate, for such lawful consideration as the Committee may specify, upon the condition or understanding that the Affiliate will transfer such Shares to a Participant in accordance with the terms of an Award granted to such Participant and specified by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan.

 

Exhibit 10.2 

 

SEACOAST BANKING CORPORATION OF FLORIDA

AMENDED AND RESTATED

EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

 

 

1.

PURPOSE AND EFFECT

 

The purpose of the Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) is to encourage and enable employees of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (the “Company”) and any designated subsidiaries of the Company to acquire proprietary interests in the Company through ownership of the Company’s $.10 par value Class A common stock (the “Common Stock”). The Company believes that employees who participate in this Plan will have a closer identification with the Company and greater motivation to work for the Company’s success by virtue of their ability as shareholders to participate in the Company’s growth and earnings. It is the intention of the Company that the Plan qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 (“Section 423”) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), as now in effect or hereafter amended, and this Plan shall be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a manner consistent with the requirements of such Section 423.

 

2.

SHARES RESERVED FOR THE PLAN

 

There shall be made available for purchase by employees under this Plan an aggregate of 800,000 shares of the Common Stock, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10 of this Plan. Shares of Common Stock subject to this Plan may, at the election of the Company, be acquired by the Company or its agent through purchases in the open market, from the Company’s treasury or through original issuances of authorized shares for such purpose.

 

3.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

 

This Plan shall be administered, at the expense of the Company, by the Compensation and Governance Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, which shall be designated the “Committee” for purposes of this Plan. The Committee may request advice or assistance or employ such other persons as may be necessary for the proper administration of this Plan. Subject to the express provisions of this Plan, the Committee shall have the authority to interpret this Plan, to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to this Plan, and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable in administering this Plan. All of such determinations shall be final and binding upon all persons unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

4.

ELIGIBILITY

 

(a)       All employees of the Company, or of any existing or future subsidiaries of the Company designated by the Committee on or after the effective date of this Plan, shall be eligible to participate in the Plan (‘Eligible Employees’). The following individuals shall not be considered Eligible Employees: (i) any director, honorary director or advisory director of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company who is not an employee of the Company; and (ii) a worker employed by an organization which hires its own employees and assigns them to the Company to support or supplement the Company’s work force in situations such as employee absences, temporary skill shortages, seasonal workload conditions, and special assignments and projects.

 

 

(b)       An employee of the Company who would otherwise be an Eligible Employee under paragraph 4(a) above shall not be eligible to participate in the Plan so long as and to the extent that such employee:

 

(i)

on the first day of any month, would own directly or indirectly (using the attribution rules of Code Section 424(d)) shares of the capital stock of the Company possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of shares of the Company or any parent or subsidiary corporation of the Company; or

 

(ii)

has, during the calendar year, purchased stock under the Plan and under any other employee stock purchase plan then maintained by the Company or any parent or subsidiary corporation of the Company having an aggregate Fair Market Value (as defined in Section 6 below) equal to or exceeding $25,000.

 

5.

PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL

 

(a)       Each Eligible Employee may elect to participate in this Plan effective as the first day of any month following the Eligible Employee’s last date of hire by the Company (the “Enrollment Date”) by delivering to the Company’s Payroll Department no later than 15 days prior to the Enrollment Date a signed Enrollment Form authorizing:

 

(i)        a specified dollar deduction (not to be less than $10.00 or to exceed 5%) from the Eligible Employee’s regular salary (excluding overtime, bonuses, commissions, salary deferrals under a 401(k) plan, and other special compensation); or

 

(ii)        a specified percentage deduction (not to be less than 1% or more than 5%) from the Eligible Employee’s regular salary (excluding overtime, bonuses, commissions, salary deferrals under a 401(k) plan, and other special compensation) paid by the Company to the Eligible Employee.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may an Eligible Employee subscribe for and purchase under the Plan more than 10,000 shares of Common Stock for a single month, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10 of this Plan. Eligible Employees who elect to participate in this Plan are hereinafter referred to as “Participating Employees.”

 

(b)       [Reserved]

 

(c)       A Participating Employee may at any time withdraw from the Plan and cease to be a Participating Employee in the Plan by delivering written notice within 15 days of the effective date of the withdrawal to the Company’s Payroll Department. An Employee who has ceased to be a Participating Employee may not again become a Participating Employee until he delivers an Enrollment Form to the Company’s payroll office no later than 15 days prior to the next Enrollment Date. A Participating Employee may increase or decrease the amount of the Employee’s payroll deduction by filing a new Enrollment Form with the Company’s Payroll Department at least 15 days prior to the next Enrollment Date which shall become effective on the first payroll date beginning after receipt of the Enrollment Form by the Company’s Payroll Department. An increase or decrease in the Employee’s payroll deduction may not be made more than once during any calendar month.

 

 

6.

PURCHASE PRICE

 

The purchase price (“Purchase Price”) for each whole and fractional share of Common Stock purchased under this Plan, including shares purchased by dividend reinvestment, shall be:

 

(a)       with respect to treasury shares or shares of Common Stock originally issued by the Company to the Plan, in an amount equal to ninety-five percent (95%) of the Fair Market Value of such whole shares on the Investment Date, or, if the Common Stock is not traded on such day, on the next preceding day on which the Common Stock was traded, with “Fair Market Value” defined for purposes of this paragraph (a) as the closing sale price per share of the Common Stock as reported on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) National Market System or any exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed; and

 

(b)       with respect to shares of Common Stock to be acquired in the open market on an Investment Date, or, if the Common Stock is not traded on such day, on the next succeeding day on which the Common Stock is traded, equal to the Fair Market Value of such whole shares on such day, with Fair Market Value defined for purposes of this paragraph (b) as the actual per share purchase price of such shares on the NASDAQ National Market System or other exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may the Purchase Price be less than the par value of the Common Stock.

 

7.

METHOD OF PURCHASE AND STOCK ACCOUNTS

 

(a)       The last business day of each month shall be an “Investment Date” under this Plan. Each Participating Employee having eligible funds in the Participating Employee’s Contribution Account on an Investment Date shall be deemed, without any further action, to have exercised the right to purchase the number of whole shares of Common Stock which the funds in the Participating Employee’s Contribution Account could purchase at the Purchase Price on such Investment Date. Fractional shares shall not be purchased under the Plan. If such shares are to be purchased from the Company’s treasury or through issuances of newly issued stock, the Plan will purchase on the Investment Date the number of whole shares of Common Stock which could be purchased by the funds contained in such Participating Employee’s Contribution Account at a per share Purchase Price as defined in paragraph 6(a) above. If the shares are to be purchased in the open market, the Plan will contribute to the Contribution Account maintained for each Participating Employee on each Investment Date with respect to which shares of Common Stock will be purchased in the open market, a cash amount equal to the product of .05263 multiplied by the amount contained in the Contribution Account, and will purchase on the Investment Date (or, if the Common Stock is not traded on the Investment Date, on the next succeeding day on which the Common Stock is traded) the number of whole shares of Common Stock which could be purchased by the funds contained in such Participating Employee’s Contribution Account at a per share Purchase Price as defined in paragraph 6(b) above. All whole shares purchased (rounded to the nearest ten thousandth) shall be maintained by the Company in separate Stock Accounts for each Participating Employee.

 

 

(b)       Any and all cash dividends paid with respect to the whole shares of Common Stock held in a Participating Employee’s Stock Account shall be held by the Company without interest and shall be reinvested upon election on the next Investment Date in shares of Common Stock as provided under paragraph (a) above. The whole shares of Common Stock so purchased shall be added to the shares held for each Participating Employee in the Participating Employee’s Stock Account.

 

(c)       A Participating Employee may refer to his or her Equity Edge Online account to confirm the purchase of shares of Common Stock for the Participating Employee’s Stock Account.

 

(d)       All expenses incurred in the purchase of shares of Common Stock from the Company or in the open market under this Plan shall be paid by the Company.

 

8.

RIGHTS AS SHAREHOLDER

 

(a)       Each Participating Employee shall have the right twice per calendar year to obtain a certificate for the number of whole shares of Common Stock credited to such Participating Employee’s Stock Account, in which event such Participating Employee’s Stock Account shall be reduced by such number of whole shares. The cost for certificating the Participating Employee’s shares of Common Stock shall be borne solely by the Participating Employee.

 

(b)       Each Participating Employee shall have the right twice per calendar year (but no more than once per month) to direct that any whole shares of Common Stock credited to such Participating Employee’s Stock Account be sold and that the proceeds, less expenses of sale, be remitted to such Participating Employee, in which event such Participating Employee’s Stock Account shall be reduced by such number of whole shares.

 

(c)       As a beneficial owner of shares of Common Stock, each Participating Employee shall receive any and all information that is disseminated to the Company’s other shareholders. Each Participating Employee will also have the opportunity to vote any shares of Common Stock credited to such Participating Employee’s Stock Account (or to direct the vote of such shares, if the shares are held in book-entry form).

 

9.

RIGHTS NOT TRANSFERABLE

 

No right or interest of any Participating Employee under this Plan may be assigned or transferred by such Participating Employee except by will or according to the laws of descent and distribution, and no rights under this Plan may be exercised by any person other than the Participating Employee during the lifetime of the Participating Employee. An attempt by a Participating Employee to transfer his or her rights under the Plan shall be deemed a request to withdraw from the Plan under paragraph 5(c) hereof.

 

 

10.

ADJUSTMENT IN CASE OF CHANGES AFFECTING THE COMMON STOCK, MERGER OR LIQUIDATION

 

In the event of any stock dividend or stock split with respect to the shares of Common Stock, or reclassification or similar change in the Common Stock, the number of shares of Common Stock to be made available by the Company for purchase under this Plan shall be adjusted proportionately, and such other adjustments shall be made as may be deemed necessary or equitable by the Board of Directors of the Company to prevent the diminution of the rights of Participating Employees under this Plan.

 

Subject to any required action by the shareholders of the Company, if the Company is the surviving or resulting corporation in any merger or consolidation, this Plan shall apply to the securities to which a holder of Common Stock subject to the Plan would have been entitled to purchase pursuant to the terms of the merger or consolidation. Upon the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving or resulting corporation, the Committee may (i) terminate the Plan and pay to Participating Employees amounts credited to their respective Contribution Accounts, (ii) continue the Plan with such securities subject to the Plan as a holder of the Common Stock subject to the Plan would have been entitled to receive pursuant to the terms of the dissolution, liquidation, merger or consolidation, or (iii) some combination of (i) and (ii).

 

11.

RETIREMENT, TERMINATION, DEATH OR WITHDRAWAL

 

Upon the death, retirement or other termination of employment of a Participating Employee, or the withdrawal of a Participating Employee as provided by paragraph 5(c) of this Plan, the former Participating Employee, or a deceased Employee’s executor, administrator, or other personal representative shall receive delivery of the amount of such Participating Employee’s Contribution Account.

 

12.

AMENDMENT OF PLAN

 

The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the power at any time and from time to time to amend this Plan in whole or in part, except that no amendment may be made which:

 

(a)       increases the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Plan (other than pursuant to Section 10 of this Plan);

 

(b)       reduces the Purchase Price; or

 

(c)       permits persons, other than Eligible Employees, to participate in the Plan except with approval of such amendment by the shareholders of the Company.

 

13.

TERMINATION OF PLAN

 

This Plan and all rights of Eligible and Participating Employees hereunder shall terminate:

 

 

(a)       on the Investment Date on which the Participating Employees become entitled to purchase a number of shares of Common Stock greater than the number of reserved shares remaining available for purchase; or

 

(b)       at any time in the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

In the event of the termination of this Plan under subparagraph (a) above, the reserved shares of Common Stock remaining as of the termination date shall be purchased by the Participating Employees on a pro rata basis according to the respective amounts then credited to their Contribution Accounts. In the event of the termination of this Plan under subparagraph (a) or (b) above, each Participating Employee shall receive delivery of the remaining amount of such Participating Employee’s Contribution Account.

 

14.

EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN

 

This Plan became effective on January 1, 1989, or as soon thereafter as the Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, covering the shares of Common Stock first made available for purchase under this Plan became effective.

 

15.

GOVERNMENT AND OTHER REGULATIONS

 

This Plan, the grant and exercise of the rights to purchase shares of Common Stock hereunder, and the Company’s obligation to issue or acquire and deliver shares upon the exercise of rights to purchase shares, shall be subject to all applicable federal, state and foreign laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any regulatory or government agency as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be required.

 

16.       Miscellaneous

 

(a)        The Committee may make appropriate provisions for withholding of federal, state and local income taxes, and any other taxes, from a Participating Employee’s compensation to the extent the Committee deems such withholding to be legally required.

 

(b)       The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida except to the extent such laws are preempted by the laws of the United States.

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.2

 

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida on Form S-8 of our report dated February 26, 2021, relating to the consolidated financial statements and effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida for the year ended December 31, 2020.

 

	/s/ Crowe LLP
	Crowe LLP

 

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

June 29, 2021

 

 

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