Officer Stock Ownership Guidelines
To further align the interests of the Company’s executive officers who are required to file reports pursuant to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act (“Executive Officers”) with the interests of the Company’s shareholders, the Chief Executive Officer is expected to acquire and retain shares of the Company’s common stock having a value equal to at least three times his or her base salary, and each other Executive Officer is expected to own shares of the Company’s common stock having a value equal to at least one times the Executive Officer’s base salary. The CEO and each other Executive Officer shall have five years from the date of their respective appointments (or from April 10, 2007, the date upon which these guidelines were initially adopted, whichever is later) to attain these ownership levels. The Compensation Committee in its discretion may extend the period of time for attainment of these ownership levels in appropriate circumstances. For purposes of these guidelines, an Executive Officer’s stock ownership shall include the following:
- Shares purchased on the open market
- Shares owned jointly with, or separately, by the Executive Officer’s immediate family members (spouse and/or dependent children)
- Shares held in trust for the Executive Officer or immediate family member
- Shares held through any Company-sponsored plan such as an employee stock purchase plan, a qualified retirement plan and/or a supplemental executive retirement plan
- Shares obtained through the exercise of stock options
- 50% of unvested restricted stock units (RSUs) (after deduction of applicable federal and state taxes)
The value of a share shall be measured as the greater of the then current market price or the closing price of a share of the Company’s common stock on the acquisition date.
In the event of an increase in an Executive Officer’s base salary, he or she will have one year from the time of the increase to acquire any additional shares needed to meet these guidelines.
Until the specified ownership levels are met, an Executive Officer will be expected to retain 50% of the shares acquired upon option exercises (after payment of the exercise cost and taxes), and 50% of the shares issued upon the vesting of RSU grants or performance units (after payment of taxes). Failure to meet or, in unique circumstances, to show sustained progress toward meeting the above ownership guidelines may result in a reduction in future long-term incentive equity grants, and/or payment of future annual and/or long-term cash incentive payouts in the form of stock.
Non-employee Director Stock Ownership Guidelines
To further align the interests of non-employee directors with the interests of the Company’s shareholders, each non-employee director is expected to acquire and retain shares of the Company’s common stock having a value equal to at least three times the total value of the non-employee director’s annual stock and cash retainer. Non-employee directors shall have five years from the date of election or appointment to attain such ownership levels. The Governance / Nominating Committee in its discretion may extend the period of time for attainment of such ownership levels in appropriate circumstances. For purposes of these guidelines, a non-employee director’s stock ownership shall include all shares of the Company’s common stock owned outright by the director and by his or her immediate family members (spouse and dependent children) and any shares held in trust for the benefit of the director and/or his or her immediate family members, plus any stock held for the benefit of the director in a deferred compensation plan. The value of stock to be acquired by the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board need not be more than that of the other directors.
The value of a share shall be measured as the greater of the then current market price or the closing price of a share of the Company’s common stock on the director’s acquisition date.
In the event a non-employee director’s annual retainer increases, he or she will have one year from the date of the increase to acquire any additional shares needed to meet these guidelines.