UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

 

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): August 3, 2016

 

ASHFORD HOSPITALITY PRIME, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

MARYLAND
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

 

001- 35972
(Commission File Number)

 

46-2488594
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

14185 Dallas Parkway, Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas
(Address of principal executive offices)

 

75254
(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (972) 490-9600

 

Check the appropriate box if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the Company under any of the following provisions:

 

o             Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o             Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o             Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o             Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

ITEM 3.03.                                MATERIAL MODIFICATION TO RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

 

The information regarding amendments to the Company’s bylaws set forth in Item 5.03 of this Current Report is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.

 

ITEM 5.02.                                DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATORY ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS.

 

Appointment of Director

 

On August 8, 2016, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc. (the “Company”) voted to increase the size of the Board from seven to eight members and to appoint Kenneth Hopkins Fearn, Jr. as a member of the Board.  With the appointment of Mr. Fearn, the Board of Directors will consist of eight members, six of whom will be independent. Additionally, on August 8, 2016, the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Fearn as a member of the Audit Committee and the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee.

 

In connection with this appointment, Mr. Fearn will enter into the Company’s form indemnification agreement for directors and executive officers, which provides for indemnification by the Company to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and is in addition to protections provided in the Company’s charter and bylaws. Under the form indemnification agreement, directors and executive officers will be indemnified for certain liabilities and will be advanced certain expenses that have been incurred as a result of actions brought, or threatened to be brought, against such directors and executive officers in connection with their duties. The foregoing summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the form indemnification agreement, filed as Exhibit 10.2 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Fearn and any other person pursuant to which he was selected to serve as a director. Neither Mr. Fearn nor any of his related persons (as defined in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) is a party to any transaction in which the Company is a participant that is required to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act.

 

Amendment to the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan

 

Effective August 3, 2016, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted and approved the Second Amended and Restated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan of the Company (as so amended and restated, the “Plan”) to:

 

·                   specify that the following shares of common stock of the Company do not qualify for recycling into the Plan: (1) shares tendered to or withheld by the Company in the payment of the purchase price of any option, (2) shares netted to the Company for federal income tax purposes, (3) shares repurchased by the Company with proceeds received from the exercise of an option and (4) shares subject to a stock appreciation right that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of such right upon its exercise; and

 

·                   require officers and directors to hold 50% of any award granted under the Plan until such time that he or she has met the stock ownership guidelines set forth in the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines.

 

The foregoing summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Second Amended and Restated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 5.03.                                AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OR BYLAWS; CHANGE IN FISCAL YEAR.

 

On August 3, 2016, the Board of Directors of the Company determined that it was advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to adopt a majority of votes cast voting standard for director elections with an exception providing for a plurality of votes cast voting standard in contested elections, and the Board of Directors recommended that the Company’s stockholders approve and adopt an amendment to the Company’s charter to provide for such a voting standard (the “Charter Amendment”) and directed that such Charter Amendment be submitted for stockholder approval at the Company’s next meeting of stockholders.

 

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Effective August 3, 2016, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted and approved the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, to: (1) adopt a majority of votes cast voting standard for director elections with an exception providing for a plurality of votes cast voting standard in contested elections, subject to the stockholders’ approval of the Charter Amendment and the filing and acceptance for record of such Charter Amendment with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation; (2) provide for the separation of the offices of the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer effective as of the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer that is not the Chairman; and (3) provide for proxy access to a holder or a group of holders of at least 3% of the Company’s common stock for a period of at least three consecutive years.  The provisions of the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws relating to voting only currently affect the common stock of the Company because the common stock is the only equity security of the Company that currently has voting rights.

 

The foregoing summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, filed as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 7.01.                                REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.

 

On August 9, 2016, the Company issued a press release, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference. The press release announced that the Board of Directors of the Company:

 

·                   increased the size of the Board from seven to eight members and appointed Kenneth Hopkins Fearn, Jr. as a member of the Board, as described in Item 5.02; and

 

·                   took a series of actions to enhance the Company’s corporate governance.

 

The information pursuant to this Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto are being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities under that Section, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

 

Item 9.01.                                      FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

The following material is being furnished as an exhibit to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Description

 

 

 

3.1

 

Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc.

 

 

 

10.1

 

Second Amended and Restated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan of Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc.

 

 

 

10.2

 

Form of Indemnification Agreement between Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc. and each of its executive officers and directors.

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press release of Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc., dated August 9, 2016.

 

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SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Dated: August 9, 2016

 

 

ASHFORD HOSPITALITY PRIME, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ David A. Brooks

 

 

David A. Brooks

 

 

Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel

 

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Exhibit 3.1

 

ASHFORD HOSPITALITY PRIME, INC.

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

 

August 3, 2016

 



 

ASHFORD HOSPITALITY PRIME, INC.
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

 

ARTICLE I
STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 1.                   Place .   All meetings of stockholders shall be held at the principal executive office of Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc. (the “Corporation”) or at such other place as shall be set by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) in accordance with these Bylaws and stated in the notice of the meeting.

 

Section 2.                   Annual Meeting .   An annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors and the transaction of any business within the powers of the Corporation shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the Board of Directors. The Corporation shall hold its first annual meeting of stockholders beginning with the year 2014.

 

Section 3.                   Special Meetings.

 

(a)                                  General .   Each of the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors may call a special meeting of stockholders. Except as provided in subsection (b)(4) of this Section 3, a special meeting of stockholders shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or Board of Directors, whoever has called the meeting. Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 3, a special meeting of stockholders shall also be called by the secretary of the Corporation to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting.

 

(b)                                  Stockholder-Requested Special Meetings .

 

(1)                                  Any stockholder of record seeking to have stockholders request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice to the secretary (the “ Record Date Request Notice ”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date to determine the stockholders entitled to request a special meeting (the “ Request Record Date ”). The Record Date Request Notice shall set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, shall be signed by one or more stockholders of record as of the date of signature (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request Notice), shall bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) and shall set forth all information relating to each such stockholder and each matter proposed to be acted on at the meeting that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of directors in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such a solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “ Exchange Act ”). Upon receiving the Record Date Request

 



 

Notice, the Board of Directors may fix a Request Record Date. The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall not be more than ten days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors, within ten days after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the tenth day after the first date on which a Record Date Request Notice is received by the secretary.

 

(2)                                  In order for any stockholder to request a special meeting to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders, one or more written requests for a special meeting (collectively, the “ Special Meeting Request ”) signed by stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting (the “ Special Meeting Percentage ”) shall be delivered to the secretary. In addition, the Special Meeting Request shall (a) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to those lawful matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the secretary), (b) bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (c) set forth (i) the name and address, as they appear in the Corporation’s books, of each stockholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed), (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned (beneficially or of record) by each such stockholder and (iii) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares of stock of the Corporation owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, (d) be sent to the secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (e) be received by the secretary within 30 days after the Request Record Date. Any requesting stockholder (or agent duly authorized in a writing accompanying the revocation of the Special Meeting Request) may revoke his, her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the secretary.

 

(3)                                  The secretary shall inform the requesting stockholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing or delivering the notice of the meeting (including the Corporation’s proxy materials). The secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon stockholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by paragraph (2) of this Section 3(b), the secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the preparation and mailing or delivery of such notice of the meeting.

 

(4)                                  In the case of any special meeting called by the secretary upon the request of stockholders (a “ Stockholder-Requested Meeting ”), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the date of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting shall be not more than 90 days after the record date for such meeting (the “ Meeting Record Date ”); and provided further that if the Board of Directors fails

 

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to designate, within ten days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is actually received by the secretary (the “ Delivery Date ”), a date and time for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m., local time, on the 90th day after the Meeting Record Date or, if such 90th day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day; and provided further that in the event that the Board of Directors fails to designate a place for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting within ten days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation. In fixing a date for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, the Board of Directors may consider such factors as it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Directors to call an annual meeting or a special meeting. In the case of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting, if the Board of Directors fails to fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date within 30 days after the Delivery Date, then the close of business on the 30th day after the Delivery Date shall be the Meeting Record Date. The Board of Directors may revoke the notice for any Stockholder-Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting stockholders fail to comply with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 3(b).

 

(5)                                  If written revocations of the Special Meeting Request have been delivered to the secretary and the result is that stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the Request Record Date, entitled to cast less than the Special Meeting Percentage have delivered, and not revoked, requests for a special meeting on the matter to the secretary: (i) if the notice of meeting has not already been delivered, the secretary shall refrain from delivering the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked such requests written notice of any revocation of a request for a special meeting on the matter, or (ii) if the notice of meeting has been delivered and if the secretary first sends to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked requests for a special meeting on the matter written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Corporation’s intention to revoke the notice of the meeting or for the chairman of the meeting to adjourn the meeting without action on the matter, (A) the secretary may revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before ten days before the commencement of the meeting or (B) the chairman of the meeting may call the meeting to order and adjourn the meeting without acting on the matter. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.

 

(6)                                  The Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or Board of Directors may appoint regionally or nationally recognized independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Corporation for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the secretary. For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no such purported Special Meeting Request shall be deemed to have been received by the secretary until the earlier of (i) five Business Days

 

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after actual receipt by the secretary of such purported request and (ii) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Corporation that the valid requests received by the secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, stockholders of record entitled to cast not less than the Special Meeting Percentage. Nothing contained in this paragraph (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Corporation or any stockholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

 

(7)                                  For purposes of these Bylaws, “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

Section 4.                   Notice.  A written notice of all annual meetings of stockholders stating the hour, date and place of such annual meetings and, to the extent required by the Maryland General Corporation Law, the purpose for which the meeting has been called shall be given by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary (or other person authorized by these Bylaws or by law) not less than 10 days nor more than 90 days before the meeting, unless any provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law prescribe a different period of notice, to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting or to each stockholder who, under the Corporation’s charter, as amended from time to time (the “Charter”) or under these Bylaws, is entitled to such notice, by delivering such notice, by mailing it, postage prepaid, addressed to such stockholder at the address of such stockholder as it appears on the Corporation’s stock transfer books, by electronic transmission or by any other means permitted by Maryland law.  If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid. If transmitted electronically, such notice shall be deemed to be given when transmitted to the stockholder by an electronic transmission to any address or number of the stockholder at which the stockholder receives electronic transmissions. The Corporation may give a single notice to all stockholders who share an address, which single notice shall be effective as to any stockholder at such address, unless such stockholder objects to receiving such single notice or revokes a prior consent to receiving such single notice. Failure to give notice of any meeting to one or more stockholders, or any irregularity in such notice, shall not affect the validity of any meeting fixed in accordance with this Article I or the validity of any proceedings at any such meeting.

 

Subject to Section 11(a) of this Article I, any business of the Corporation may be transacted at an annual meeting of stockholders without being specifically designated in the notice, except such business as is required by any statute to be stated in such notice. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting of stockholders except as specifically designated in the notice. The Corporation may postpone or cancel a meeting of stockholders by making a public announcement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3) of this Article I) of such postponement or cancellation prior to the meeting. Notice of the date, time and place to which the meeting is postponed shall be given not less than ten days prior to such date and otherwise in the manner set forth in this section.

 

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Section 5.                   Organization and Conduct .  Every meeting of stockholders shall be conducted by the Chairman of the Board or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the Chairman of the Board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting in the following order:  the Vice Chairman of the Board, if there is one, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Vice Presidents in their order of rank and seniority, the Secretary, or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the stockholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders present in person or by proxy. The Secretary, or, in the Secretary’s absence, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the absence of both the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary. In the event that the Secretary presides at a meeting of stockholders, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the absence of all Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of the chairman and without any action by the stockholders, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized proxies and such other individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to stockholders of record of the Corporation entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments; (e) determining when and for how long the polls should be opened and when the polls should be closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any stockholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and at a place announced at the meeting; and (i) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

Section 6.                   Quorum .   At any meeting of stockholders, the presence in person or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting on any matter shall constitute a quorum; but this section shall not affect any requirement under any statute or the charter of the Corporation for the vote necessary for the approval of any matter. If such quorum is not established at any meeting of the stockholders, the chairman of the meeting may adjourn the meeting sine die or from time to time to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date without notice other than announcement at the meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified.

 

The stockholders present either in person or by proxy, at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough stockholders to leave fewer than would be required to establish a quorum.

 

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Section 7.                   Voting.   Directors of the Corporation shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected and at which a quorum is present; provided , however , subject to the stockholders’ approval of the amendment to the Corporation’s charter at the next meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders and the filing and acceptance for record of Articles of Amendment and Restatement implementing such amendment with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, effective as of the date on which the Corporation’s stockholders approve the amendment to the Corporation’s charter, a nominee for director shall be elected to the Board of Directors if the votes cast for such nominee’s election exceed the votes cast against such nominee’s election (with “withholds,” “abstentions” and “broker nonvotes” not counted as a vote cast either “for” or “against” that nominee’s election); provided however , that in the case of a contested election, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast (in which case stockholders shall not be permitted to cast votes against the election of directors).  In the election of directors, each share may be voted for as many individuals as there are directors to be elected and for whose election the share is entitled to be voted. Cumulative voting is not permitted. For purposes of this Bylaw provision, a “contested election” shall mean any election of directors with respect to which (i) the Corporation receives notice that any stockholder has nominated an individual for election as a director in compliance with the requirements set forth in these Bylaws and (ii) all such nominations have not been withdrawn by such stockholder(s) on or prior to the date the Corporation first mails its notice of meeting for such meeting to the stockholders, and, as a result of which, there are more nominees than directorships.

 

A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to approve any other matter which may properly come before the meeting, unless more than a majority of the votes cast is required by law or by the charter of the Corporation. Unless otherwise provided by statute or by the charter, each outstanding share, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders. Voting on any question or in any election may be viva voce unless the chairman of the meeting shall order that voting be by ballot or otherwise.

 

Section 8.                   Proxies.   A holder of record of shares of stock of the Corporation may cast votes in person or by proxy executed by the stockholder or by the stockholder’s duly authorized agent in any manner permitted by law. Such proxy or evidence of authorization of such proxy shall be filed with the secretary of the Corporation before or at the meeting. No proxy shall be valid more than eleven months after its date unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

 

Section 9.                   Voting of Stock by Certain Holders.   Stock of the Corporation registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company or other entity, if entitled to be voted, may be voted by the president or a vice president, general partner, trustee or managing member thereof, as the case may be, or a proxy appointed by any of the foregoing individuals, unless some other person who has been appointed to vote such stock pursuant to a bylaw or a resolution of the governing body of such corporation or other entity or agreement of the partners of a partnership presents a certified copy of such bylaw, resolution or agreement, in which case such person may vote such stock. Any director or fiduciary may vote stock registered in the name of such person in the capacity of such director or fiduciary, either in person or by proxy.

 

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Shares of stock of the Corporation directly or indirectly owned by it shall not be voted at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares entitled to be voted at any given time, unless they are held by it in a fiduciary capacity, in which case they may be voted and shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time.

 

The Board of Directors may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a stockholder may certify in writing to the Corporation that any shares of stock registered in the name of the stockholder are held for the account of a specified person other than the stockholder. The resolution shall set forth the class of stockholders who may make the certification, the purpose for which the certification may be made, the form of certification and the information to be contained in it; if the certification is with respect to a record date, the time after the record date within which the certification must be received by the Corporation; and any other provisions with respect to the procedure which the Board of Directors considers necessary or desirable. On receipt by the Corporation of such certification, the person specified in the certification shall be regarded as, for the purposes set forth in the certification, the holder of record of the specified stock in place of the stockholder who makes the certification.

 

Section 10.            Inspectors.   The Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting may appoint, before or at the meeting, one or more inspectors for the meeting and any successor to the inspector. Except as otherwise provided by the chairman of the meeting, the inspectors, if any, shall (i) determine the number of shares of stock represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy, and the validity and effect of proxies, (ii) receive and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, (iii) report such tabulation to the chairman of the meeting, (iv) hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, and (v) do such acts as are proper to fairly conduct the election or vote. Each such report shall be in writing and signed by the inspector or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof.

 

Section 11.                                    Advance Notice of Stockholder Nominees for Director and Other Stockholder Proposals.

 

(a)                                  Annual Meetings of Stockholders .

 

(1)                                  Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of other business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (iii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice by the stockholder as provided for in this Section 11(a) and at the time of the annual meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated or on any such other business and who has complied with this Section 11(a), or (iv) by any Eligible Holder (as defined in Article I, Section 12 below) whose Nominee (as defined in Article I, Section 12 below) is included in the Corporation’s proxy materials for the relevant annual

 

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meeting. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing clauses (iii) and (iv) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make director nominations, and the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose other business (other than a proposal included in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to and in compliance with Exchange Act Rule 14a-8), at an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

(2)                                  For any nomination or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 11, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the secretary of the Corporation and any such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the stockholders. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 11 and shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 120th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 90th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3) of this Article I) for the preceding year’s annual meeting (for purposes of the notice requirement of this paragraph for the Corporation’s 2014 annual meeting, it shall be assumed that notice of the preceding year’s annual meeting was mailed on April 12, 2013); provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, in order for notice by the stockholder to be timely, such notice must be so delivered not earlier than the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 90th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. The postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting, or the public announcement thereof, shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

(3)                                  Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth:

 

(i)                                      as to each individual whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director (each, a “ Proposed Nominee ”), all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act;

 

(ii)                                   as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a description of such business, the stockholder’s reasons for proposing such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate,

 

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including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder or the Stockholder Associated Person therefrom;

 

(iii)                                as to the stockholder giving the notice, any Proposed Nominee and any Stockholder Associated Person:

 

(A)                                the class, series and number of all shares of stock or other securities of the Corporation or any affiliate thereof (collectively, the “ Company Securities ”), if any, which are owned (beneficially or of record) by such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, the date on which each such Company Security was acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition, and any short interest (including any opportunity to profit or share in any benefit from any decrease in the price of such stock or other security) in any Company Securities of any such person,

 

(B)                                the nominee holder for, and number of, any Company Securities owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person,

 

(C)                                whether and the extent to which such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, directly or indirectly (through brokers, nominees or otherwise), is subject to or during the last six months has engaged in any hedging, derivative or other transaction or series of transactions or entered into any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short interest, any borrowing or lending of securities or any proxy or voting agreement), the effect or intent of which is to (I) manage risk or benefit from changes in the price of Company Securities for such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person or (II) increase or decrease the voting power of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person in the Corporation or any affiliate thereof disproportionately to such person’s economic interest in the Company Securities, and

 

(D)                                any substantial interest, direct or indirect (including, without limitation, any existing or prospective commercial, business or contractual relationship with the Corporation), by security holdings or otherwise, of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, in the Corporation or any affiliate thereof, other than an interest arising from the ownership of Company Securities where such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person receives no extra or special benefit not shared on a pro rata basis by all other holders of the same class or series;

 

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(iv)                               as to the stockholder giving the notice, any Stockholder Associated Person with an interest or ownership referred to in clauses (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph (3) of this Section 11(a) and any Proposed Nominee:

 

(A)                                the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s stock ledger, and the current name and business address, if different, of each such Stockholder Associated Person and any Proposed Nominee and

 

(B)                                the investment strategy or objective, if any, of such stockholder and each such Stockholder Associated Person who is not an individual and a copy of the prospectus, offering memorandum or similar document, if any, provided to investors or potential investors in such stockholder and each such Stockholder Associated Person;

 

(v)                                  the name and address of any person who contacted or was contacted by the stockholder giving the notice or any Stockholder Associated Person about the Proposed Nominee or other business proposal prior to the date of such stockholder’s notice; and

 

(vi)                               to the extent known by the stockholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a director or the proposal of other business on the date of such stockholder’s notice.

 

(4)                                  Such stockholder’s notice shall, with respect to any Proposed Nominee, be accompanied by a certificate executed by the Proposed Nominee (i) certifying that such Proposed Nominee (a) is not, and will not become, a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation and (b) will serve as a director of the Corporation if elected; and (ii) attaching a completed Proposed Nominee questionnaire (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Corporation, upon request, to the stockholder providing the notice and shall include all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, or would be required pursuant to the rules of any national securities exchange on which any securities of the Corporation are listed or over-the-counter market on which any securities of the Corporation are traded).

 

(5)                                  Notwithstanding anything in this subsection (a) of this Section 11 to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board

 

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of Directors is increased, and there is no public announcement of such action at least 130 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3) of this Article I) for the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 11(a) shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the tenth day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

 

(6)                                  For purposes of this Section 11, “ Stockholder Associated Person ” of any stockholder shall mean (i) any person acting in concert with such stockholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder (other than a stockholder that is a depositary) and (iii) any person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such stockholder or such Stockholder Associated Person.

 

(b)                                  Special Meetings of Stockholders .   Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) provided that the special meeting has been called in accordance with Section 3(a) of this Article I for the purpose of electing directors, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 11 and at the time of the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 11. In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more individuals to the Board of Directors, any stockholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a director as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder’s notice, containing the information required by paragraphs (a)(3) and (4) of this Section 11, is delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

(c)           General .

 

(1)                                  If information submitted pursuant to this Section 11 by any stockholder proposing a nominee for election as a director or any proposal for other business at a meeting of stockholders shall be inaccurate in any material

 

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respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 11. Any such stockholder shall notify the Corporation of any inaccuracy or change (within two Business Days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information. Upon written request by the secretary or the Board of Directors, any such stockholder shall provide, within five Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Directors or any authorized officer of the Corporation, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 11, and (B) a written update of any information (including, if requested by the Corporation, written confirmation by such stockholder that it continues to intend to bring such nomination or other business proposal before the meeting) submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 11 as of an earlier date. If a stockholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 11.

 

(2)                                  Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with this Section 11 shall be eligible for election by stockholders as directors, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 11. The chairman of the meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with this Section 11.

 

(3)                                  For purposes of this Section 11, “the date of the proxy statement” shall have the same meaning as “the date of the company’s proxy statement released to shareholders” as used in Rule 14a-8(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act, as interpreted by the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. “Public announcement” shall mean disclosure (A) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or other widely circulated news or wire service or (B) in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act.

 

(4)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 11. Nothing in this Section 11 shall be deemed to affect any right of a stockholder to request inclusion of a proposal in, or the right of the Corporation to omit a proposal from, the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 11 shall require disclosure of revocable proxies received by the stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person pursuant to a solicitation of proxies after the filing of an effective Schedule 14A by such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person under Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act.

 

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Section 12.            Proxy Access for Director Nominations.

 

(a)                                  Inclusion of Stockholder Nominee in Proxy Materials .  Subject to the provisions of this Section 12, if expressly requested in the relevant Nomination Notice (as defined below), the Corporation shall include in its proxy statement for any annual meeting of stockholders:

 

(1)                                  the names of any person or persons nominated for election for whom notice is provided in accordance with this Section 12 (each such nominee, a “ Stockholder Nominee ”), which shall also be included on the Corporation’s form of proxy and ballot, by any Eligible Holder (as defined below) or group of up to 20 Eligible Holders that has (individually and collectively, in the case of a group) satisfied, as determined by the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, all applicable conditions and complied with all applicable procedures set forth in this Section 12 (such Eligible Holder or group of Eligible Holders being a “ Nominating Stockholder ”);

 

(2)                                  disclosure about each Stockholder Nominee and the Nominating Stockholder required under the rules of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) in the proxy statement;

 

(3)                                  any statement included by the Nominating Stockholder in the Nomination Notice for inclusion in the proxy statement in support of each Stockholder Nominee’s election to the Board of Directors (subject, without limitation, to Section 12(e)(2)), if such statement does not exceed 500 words and fully complies with Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Rule 14a-9 (the “ Supporting Statement ”); and

 

(4)                                  nothing in this Section 12 shall limit the Corporation’s ability to solicit against and include in its proxy materials any statement in opposition to the nomination, any of the information provided pursuant to this Section 12 and any solicitation materials or related information with respect to a Stockholder Nominee.

 

For purposes of this Section 12, any determination to be made by the Board of Directors may be made by the Board of Directors, a committee of the Board of Directors or any officer of the Corporation designated by the Board of Directors or a committee of the Board of Directors, and any such determination shall be final and binding on the Corporation, any Eligible Holder, any Nominating Stockholder, any Stockholder Nominee and any other person so long as made in good faith (without any further requirements). The chairman of any annual meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall have the power and duty to determine whether a Stockholder Nominee has been nominated in accordance with the requirements of this Section 12 and, if not so nominated, shall direct and declare at the meeting that such Stockholder Nominee shall not be considered.

 

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This Section 12 shall be the exclusive method for stockholders to include nominees for Director election in the Corporation’s proxy materials.

 

(b)                                  Maximum Number of Stockholder Nominees .

 

(1)                                  The Corporation shall not be required to include in the proxy statement for an annual meeting of stockholders more Stockholder Nominees than that number of directors constituting the greater of (i) two or (ii) 20% of the total number of directors of the Corporation on the last day on which a Nomination Notice may be submitted pursuant to this Section 12 (rounded down to the nearest whole number) (the “ Maximum Number ”).  The Maximum Number for a particular annual meeting shall be reduced by: (i) Stockholder Nominees who the Board of Directors itself decides to nominate for election at such annual meeting; (ii) Stockholder Nominees who cease to satisfy, or Stockholder Nominees of Nominating Stockholders that cease to satisfy, the eligibility requirements in this Section 12, as determined by the Board of Directors; (iii) Stockholder Nominees whose nomination is withdrawn by the Nominating Stockholder or who become unwilling to serve on the Board of Directors; and (iv) the number of incumbent directors who had been Stockholder Nominees with respect to any of the preceding two annual meetings of stockholders and whose reelection at the upcoming annual meeting is being recommended by the Board of Directors.  In the event that one or more vacancies for any reason occurs on the Board of Directors after the deadline for submitting a Nomination Notice as set forth in Section 12(d) below but before the date of the annual meeting, and the Board of Directors resolves to reduce the size of the board in connection therewith, the Maximum Number shall be calculated based on the number of directors in office as so reduced.

 

(2)                                  If the number of Stockholder Nominees pursuant to this Section 12 for any annual meeting of stockholders exceeds the Maximum Number then, promptly upon notice from the Corporation, each Nominating Stockholder will select one Stockholder Nominee for inclusion in the proxy statement until the Maximum Number is reached, going in order of the amount (largest to smallest) of the ownership position as disclosed in each Nominating Stockholder’s Nomination Notice and if the amount of the ownership position is tied, in the order of the date of the Nominating Stockholder’s Nomination Notice (earliest to latest), with the process repeated if the Maximum Number is not reached after each Nominating Stockholder has selected one Stockholder Nominee. If, after the deadline for submitting a Nomination Notice as set forth in Section 12(d), a Nominating Stockholder or a Stockholder Nominee ceases to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 12, as determined by the Board of Directors, a Nominating Stockholder withdraws its nomination or a Stockholder Nominee becomes unwilling to serve on the Board of Directors, whether before or after the mailing or other distribution of the definitive proxy statement, then the nomination shall be disregarded, and the Corporation: (i) shall not be required to include in its proxy statement or on any ballot or form of proxy the disregarded Stockholder Nominee or any successor or replacement nominee proposed by the

 

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Nominating Stockholder or by any other Nominating Stockholder and (ii) may otherwise communicate to its stockholders, including without limitation by amending or supplementing its proxy statement or ballot or form of proxy, that a Stockholder Nominee will not be included as a nominee in the proxy statement or on any ballot or form of proxy and will not be voted on at the annual meeting.

 

(c)                                   Eligibility of Nominating Stockholder .

 

(1)                                  An “ Eligible Holder ” is a person who has either (i) been a record holder of the shares of common stock used to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 12(c) continuously for the three-year period specified in Subsection (2) below or (ii) provides to the Secretary of the Corporation, within the time period referred to in Section 12(d), evidence of continuous ownership (as defined below) of such shares for such three-year period from one or more securities intermediaries in a form that the Board of Directors or any committee thereof determines would be deemed acceptable for purposes of a stockholder proposal under Rule 14a-8(b)(2) under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule).

 

(2)                                  An Eligible Holder or group of up to 20 Eligible Holders may submit a nomination in accordance with this Section 12 only if the person or group (in the aggregate) has continuously owned at least the Minimum Number (as defined below) of shares of the Corporation’s common stock throughout the three-year period preceding and including the date of submission of the Nomination Notice, and continues to own at least the Minimum Number through the date of the annual meeting.  Two or more funds that are (x) under common management and investment control, (y) under common management and funded primarily by a single employer or (z) a “group of investment companies,” as such term is defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, shall be treated as one Eligible Holder if such Eligible Holder shall provide together with the Nomination Notice documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation that demonstrates that the funds meet the criteria set forth in (x), (y) or (z) hereof.  For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a nomination by a group of Eligible Holders, any and all requirements and obligations for an individual Eligible Holder that are set forth in this Section 12, including the minimum holding period, shall apply to each member of such group; provided , however , that the Minimum Number shall apply to the ownership of the group in the aggregate.  Should any stockholder cease to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 12, as determined by the Board of Directors, or withdraw from a group of Eligible Holders at any time prior to the annual meeting of stockholders, the group of Eligible Stockholders shall only be deemed to own the shares held by the remaining members of the group.

 

(3)                                  The “ Minimum Number ” of shares of the Corporation’s common stock means 3% of the number of outstanding shares of common stock as of the most recent date for which such amount is given in any filing by the Corporation with the SEC prior to the submission of the Nomination Notice.

 

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(4)                                  For purposes of this Section 12, an Eligible Holder “ owns ” only those outstanding shares of the Corporation as to which the Eligible Holder possesses both:

 

(A)                                the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares; and

 

(B)                                the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit and risk of loss on) such shares;

 

provided that the number of shares calculated in accordance with clauses (A) and (B) shall not include any shares: (1) purchased or sold by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates in any transaction that has not been settled or closed, (2) sold short by such Eligible Holder, (3) borrowed by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates for any purpose or purchased by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates pursuant to an agreement to resell or subject to any other obligation to resell to another person, or (4) subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, other derivative or similar agreement entered into by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates, whether any such instrument or agreement is to be settled with shares or with cash based on the notional amount or value of outstanding shares of the Corporation, in any such case which instrument or agreement has, or is intended to have, the purpose or effect of: (x) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such Eligible Holder’s or any of its affiliates’ full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares, and/or (y) hedging, offsetting, or altering to any degree, gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates.

 

An Eligible Holder “ owns ” shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the Eligible Holder retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of directors and possesses the full economic interest in the shares.  An Eligible Holder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the Eligible Holder has delegated any voting power by means of a proxy, power of attorney, or other similar instrument or arrangement that is revocable at any time by the Eligible Holder.  An Eligible Holder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the Eligible Holder has loaned such shares provided that the Eligible Holder has the power to recall such loaned shares on three business days’ notice, has recalled such loaned shares as of the date of the Nomination Notice and continues to hold such shares through the date of the annual meeting.  The terms “owned,” “owning” and other variations of the word “own” shall have correlative meanings. Whether outstanding shares of the Corporation are “owned” for these purposes shall be determined by the Board.

 

(5)                                  No Eligible Holder shall be permitted to be in more than one group constituting a Nominating Stockholder, and if any Eligible Holder appears as a

 

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member of more than one group, it shall be deemed to be a member of the group that has the largest ownership position as reflected in the Nomination Notice.

 

(d)                                  Nomination Notice .  To nominate a Stockholder Nominee, the Nominating Stockholder must, no earlier than the 120th day and no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 90th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year’s annual meeting, submit to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive office of the Corporation all of the following information and documents (collectively, the “ Nomination Notice ”); provided , however , that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, the Nomination Notice shall be given in the manner provided herein not earlier than the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 90th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made:

 

(1)                                  A Schedule 14N (or any successor form) relating to each Stockholder Nominee, completed and filed with the SEC by the Nominating Stockholder as applicable, in accordance with SEC rules;

 

(2)                                  A written notice, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors, of the nomination of each Stockholder Nominee that includes the following additional information, agreements, representations and warranties by the Nominating Stockholder (including each group member):

 

(A)                                the information required with respect to the nomination of directors pursuant to Section 11 of these Bylaws;

 

(B)                                the details of any relationship that existed within the past three years and that would have been described pursuant to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14N (or any successor item) if it existed on the date of submission of the Schedule 14N;

 

(C)                                a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder acquired the securities of the Corporation in the ordinary course of business and did not acquire, and is not holding, securities of the Corporation for the purpose or with the effect of influencing or changing control of the Corporation;

 

(D)                                a representation and warranty that each Stockholder Nominee’s candidacy or, if elected, Board membership would not violate applicable state or federal law or the rules of any stock exchange on which the Corporation’s securities are traded;

 

(E)                                 a representation and warranty that each Stockholder Nominee:

 

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(i)                                      does not have any direct or indirect relationship with the Corporation that would cause the Stockholder Nominee to be considered not independent pursuant to the Corporation’s policy on director independence contained in the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines as most recently published on its website and otherwise qualifies as independent under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange;

 

(ii)                                   meets the audit committee and compensation committee independence requirements under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange;

 

(iii)                                is a “non-employee director” for the purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule);

 

(iv)                               is an “outside director” for the purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code (or any successor provision);

 

(v)                                  meets the director qualifications set forth in Article II, Section 4 of these Bylaws; and

 

(vi)                               is not and has not been subject to any event specified in Rule 506(d)(1) of Regulation D (or any successor rule) under the Securities Act of 1933 or Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K (or any successor rule) under the Exchange Act, without reference to whether the event is material to an evaluation of the ability or integrity of such Stockholder Nominee;

 

(F)                                  a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder satisfies the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 12(c) and has provided evidence of ownership to the extent required by Section 12(c)(1);

 

(G)                                a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder intends to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 12(c) through the date of the annual meeting and intends to continue to hold the Minimum Number of shares for at least one year following the annual meeting;

 

(H)                               details of any position of a Stockholder Nominee as an officer or director of any competitor (that is, any entity that produces products or provides services that compete with or are alternatives to the principal products produced or services provided by the Corporation or its affiliates) of the Corporation, within the three years preceding the submission of the Nomination Notice;

 

(I)                                    a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder will not engage in a “solicitation” within the meaning of Rule

 

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14a-1(l) (without reference to the exception in Section 14a-(l)(2)(iv)) (or any successor rules) with respect to the annual meeting, other than with respect to a Stockholder Nominee or any nominee of the Board of the Directors;

 

(J)                                    a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder will not use any proxy card other than the Corporation’s proxy card in soliciting stockholders in connection with the election of a Stockholder Nominee at the annual meeting;

 

(K)                                if desired, a Supporting Statement; and

 

(L)                                 in the case of a nomination by a group, the designation by all group members or one group member that is authorized to act on behalf of all group members with respect to matters relating to the nomination, including withdrawal of the nomination;

 

(3)                                  An executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors or any committee thereof pursuant to which the Nominating Stockholder (including each group member) agrees:

 

(A)                                to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in connection with the nomination, solicitation and election;

 

(B)                                to file any written solicitation or other communication with the Corporation’s stockholders relating to one or more of the Corporation’s directors or director nominees or any Stockholder Nominee with the SEC, regardless of whether any such filing is required under rule or regulation or whether any exemption from filing is available for such materials under any rule or regulation;

 

(C)                                to assume all liability stemming from an action, suit or proceeding concerning any actual or alleged legal or regulatory violation arising out of any communication by the Nominating Stockholder or any of its Stockholder Nominees with the Corporation, its stockholders or any other person in connection with the nomination or election of directors, including, without limitation, the Nomination Notice;

 

(D)                                to indemnify and hold harmless (jointly with all other group members, in the case of a group member) the Corporation and each of its directors, officers and employees individually against any liability, loss, damages, expenses or other costs (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers or employees arising out of or relating to a failure or alleged failure of the Nominating Stockholder or any of its Stockholder Nominees to comply with, or any breach or alleged breach of,

 

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its or their  obligations, agreements or representations under this Section 12;

 

(E)                                 in the event that any information included in the Nomination Notice, or any other communication by the Nominating Stockholder (including with respect to any group member), with the Corporation, its stockholders or any other person in connection with the nomination or election ceases to be true and accurate in all material respects (or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made not misleading), or that the Nominating Stockholder (including any group member) has failed to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 12(c), to promptly (and in any event within 48 hours of discovering such misstatement, omission or failure) notify the Corporation and any other recipient of such communication of (A) the misstatement or omission in such previously provided information and of the information that is required to correct the misstatement or omission or (B) such failure; and

 

(4)                                  An executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors or any committee thereof or by each Stockholder Nominee:

 

(A)                                to provide to the Corporation such other information and certifications, including completion of the Corporation’s director questionnaire, as it may reasonably request;

 

(B)                                at the reasonable request of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, to meet with the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to discuss matters relating to the nomination of such Stockholder Nominee to the Board of Directors, including the information provided by such Stockholder Nominee to the Corporation in connection with his or her nomination and such Stockholder Nominee’s eligibility to serve as a member of the Board of Directors;

 

(C)                                that such Stockholder Nominee has read and agrees, if elected, to serve as a member of the Board of Directors, to adhere to the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and any other Corporation policies and guidelines applicable to directors; and

 

(D)                                that such Stockholder Nominee is not and will not become a party to (i) any compensatory, payment or other financial agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity in connection with his or her nomination, service or action as a director of the Corporation that has not been disclosed to the Corporation, (ii) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity as to how such Stockholder Nominee would vote or act on any issue or question as a director (a “ Voting Commitment ”) that has not been disclosed to the

 

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Corporation or (iii) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such Stockholder Nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with its director duties under applicable law.

 

The information and documents required by this Section 12(d) to be provided by the Nominating Stockholder shall be: (i) provided with respect to and executed by each group member, in the case of information applicable to group members; and (ii) provided with respect to the persons specified in Instruction 1 to Items 6(c) and (d) of Schedule 14N (or any successor item) in the case of a Nominating Stockholder or group member that is an entity.  The Nomination Notice shall be deemed submitted on the date on which all the information and documents referred to in this Section 12(d) (other than such information and documents contemplated to be provided after the date the Nomination Notice is provided) have been delivered to or, if sent by mail, received by the Secretary of the Corporation.

 

(e)                                   Exceptions .

 

(1)                                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 12, the Corporation may omit from its proxy statement any Stockholder Nominee and any information concerning such Stockholder Nominee (including a Nominating Stockholder’s Supporting Statement) and no vote on such Stockholder Nominee will occur (notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation), and the Nominating Stockholder may not, after the last day on which a Nomination Notice would be timely, cure in any way any defect preventing the nomination of such Stockholder Nominee, if:

 

(A)                                the Corporation receives a notice pursuant to Section 11 of these Bylaws that a stockholder intends to nominate a candidate for director at the annual meeting, whether or not such notice is subsequently withdrawn or made the subject of a settlement with the Corporation;

 

(B)                                the Nominating Stockholder or the designated lead group member, as applicable, or any qualified representative thereof, does not appear at the meeting of stockholders to present the nomination submitted pursuant to this Section 12 or the Nominating Stockholder withdraws its nomination or the chairman of the annual meeting declares that such nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures prescribed by this Section 12 and shall therefore be disregarded;

 

(C)                                the Board of Directors determines that such Stockholder Nominee’s nomination or election to the Board of Directors would result in the Corporation violating or failing to be in compliance with the Corporation’s bylaws or charter or any applicable law, rule or regulation to which the Corporation is subject, including any rules or regulations of the New York Stock Exchange;

 

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(D)                                such Stockholder Nominee was nominated for election to the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 12 at one of the Corporation’s two preceding annual meetings of stockholders and either withdrew or became ineligible or received a vote of less than 25% of the votes cast in favor of such Stockholder Nominee’s election;

 

(E)                                 such Stockholder Nominee has been, within the past three years, an officer or director of a competitor, as defined for purposes of Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, as amended; or

 

(F)                                  the Corporation is notified, or the Board of Directors determines, that the Nominating Stockholder or the Stockholder Nominee  has failed to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 12(c), any of the representations and warranties made in the Nomination Notice ceases to be true and accurate in all material respects (or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made not misleading), such Stockholder Nominee becomes unwilling or unable to serve on the Board of Directors or any material violation or breach occurs of the obligations, agreements, representations or warranties of the Nominating Stockholder or such Stockholder Nominee under this Section 12.

 

(2)                                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 12, the Corporation may omit from its proxy statement, or may supplement or correct, any information, including all or any portion of the Supporting Statement or any other statement in support of a Stockholder Nominee included in the Nomination Notice, if the Board of Directors determines that:

 

(A)                                such information is not true in all material respects or omits a material statement necessary to make the statements made not misleading; or

 

(B)                                the inclusion of such information in the proxy statement would otherwise violate the SEC proxy rules or any other applicable law, rule or regulation.

 

The Corporation may solicit against, and include in the proxy statement its own statement relating to, any Stockholder Nominee.

 

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ARTICLE II
DIRECTORS

 

Section 1.                   Powers.  All of the powers of the Corporation shall be exercised by or under the direction of the Board of Directors except as otherwise provided by the Charter or required by law.

 

Section 2.                   Number and Terms.   The Board of Directors shall establish and may increase or decrease the number of directors of the Corporation, provided , that the number thereof shall never be less than the minimum number permitted under the Maryland General Corporation Law nor more than 15, and further provided , that the tenure of office of a director shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of directors.  A majority of the directors shall have been affirmatively determined by the Board to be independent, as defined and to the extent required in the applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange. The directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders and each director shall be elected to serve for a term of one year and until his successor shall be elected and shall qualify or until his earlier resignation or removal.

 

Section 3.                   Director Nominations.   Nomination of candidates for election as directors of the Corporation at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be made (a) by, or at the direction of, a majority of the Board of Directors or (b) by any stockholder entitled to vote at such annual meeting and has complied with Article 1, Section 11.

 

Section 4.                   Qualification.   No Director need be a stockholder of the Corporation.  Unless waived by a vote of the Board of Directors, no individual may serve as a director of the Corporation if he has reached the age of 70 years at the time of election.  Upon attaining the age of 70, and annually thereafter, a director shall tender a letter of proposed retirement from the Board, effective upon the expiration of such director’s then-current term, and the Board shall determine whether, in light of all the circumstances, the Board should accept such proposed retirement or request that the director continue to serve on the Board of Directors.

 

Section 5.                   Vacancies.  Any vacancy occurring on the Board of Directors, including any vacancy created by reason of an increase in the number of directors, shall be filled in the manner provided in Article VII, Section 6 of the Charter.

 

Section 6.                   Resignation.   Any Director may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of Directors, effective upon execution and delivery to the Corporation of such written notice or upon any future date specified in the notice, unless the resignation otherwise provides.

 

Section 7.                   Regular Meetings.   The regular annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held, without other notice than this Bylaw, on the same date and at the same place as the annual meeting of stockholders following the close of such meeting of stockholders.  Other regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such hour, date and place as the Board of Directors may by resolution from time to time determine without other notice than such resolution.

 

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Section 8.                   Executive Sessions.  To ensure free and open discussion and communication among the non-management directors, the non-management directors shall meet in executive session at least twice a year with no members of management present.

 

Section 9.                   Special Meetings.   Special meetings of the Board of Directors  may be called, orally or in writing, by or at the request of a majority of the Directors, the Chairman of the Board, if one is elected, the Lead Director, if one is elected, or the Chief Executive Officer.  The person calling any such special meeting of the Board of Directors may fix the hour, date and place thereof.

 

Section 10.            Notice of Meetings.   Notice of the hour, date and place of all special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be given to each Director by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or in case of the death, absence, incapacity or refusal of such persons, by the Chairman of the Board, if one is elected, or the Chief Executive Officer or such other officer designated by the Chairman of the Board, if one is elected, or the Chief Executive Officer.  Notice of any special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be given to each Director in person or by telephone, electronic mail, facsimile transmission or by telegram sent to his business or home address at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, or by written notice mailed to his business or home address at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.  Such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when hand delivered to such address, when read to such Director by telephone, when deposited in the mail so addressed with postage thereon prepaid, upon transmission of the message by electronic mail, upon completion of transmission of a facsimile message and receipt of a completed answer back indicating receipt or when delivered to the telegraph company if sent by telegram.

 

When any Board of Directors meeting, either regular or special, is adjourned for more than 30 days, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting.  It shall not be necessary to give any notice of the hour, date or place of any meeting adjourned for 30 days or less or of the business to be transacted at such meeting, other than an announcement at the meeting at which such adjournment is taken of the hour, date and place to which the meeting is adjourned.

 

A written waiver of notice executed before or after a meeting by a director and filed with the records of the meeting shall be deemed to be equivalent to an effective notice of the meeting.  The attendance of a director at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting.  Except as otherwise required by law, by the Charter or by these Bylaws, neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Board of Directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.

 

Section 11.            Quorum.   At any meeting of the Board of Directors, a majority of the Directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but if less than a quorum is present at a meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice, except as provided in Section 10 of this Article II.  Any business which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed may be transacted at such adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present.

 

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Section 12.            Action at Meeting.   At any meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present and subject to Section 8 of Article VII of the Charter, a majority of the Directors present may take any action on behalf of the Board of Directors, unless otherwise required by law, by the Charter or these Bylaws.

 

Section 13.            Action by Consent.   Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors consent thereto in writing.  Such written consent shall be filed with the records of the proceedings of the Board of Directors and shall be treated for all purposes as a vote at a meeting of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 14.            Manner of Participation.   Members of the Board of Directors or of committees elected by the Board pursuant to Section 15 of this Article II may participate in meetings of the Board or of such committees by means of telephone conference or similar communications equipment by means of which all directors participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time, and participation in a meeting in accordance herewith shall constitute presence in person at such meeting for purposes of these Bylaws.

 

Section 15.            Committees.   The Board of Directors, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office may elect from its number directors to serve on one or more committees, including an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and an Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee, and may delegate thereto some or all of its powers except those which by law, by the Charter or by these Bylaws, may not be delegated.  Except as the Board of Directors may otherwise determine or as required by law, by the Charter or by these Bylaws, any such committee may make rules for conduct of its business, but unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors or in such rules, its business shall be conducted so far as possible in the same manner as is provided by the Charter and by these Bylaws for the Board of Directors.  Any committee to which the Board of Directors delegates any of its powers or duties shall keep records of its meetings and shall report its action to the Board of Directors.

 

The Board of Directors shall have power to rescind any action of any committee, other than the Audit Committee, but no such rescission shall have retroactive effect.  With the approval of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer may appoint such other committees consisting of such directors as the Chief Executive Officer shall select.  Any recommendations of such committees appointed by the Chief Executive Officer shall be submitted to the Board of Directors.

 

Section 16.            Compensation of Directors.   Directors shall receive compensation for their services as shall be determined by a majority of the Board of Directors, provided that Directors who are serving the Corporation as officers or employees and who receive compensation for their services as such (“ Employee Directors ”) shall not receive any salary or other compensation for their services as Directors of the Corporation; provided, however , that such Employee Directors may be paid their reasonable expenses incurred as a director.

 

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ARTICLE III
OFFICERS

 

Section 1.                   Enumeration.   The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer and such other officers, including without limitation a Chairman of the Board, a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Legal Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, a Chief Accounting Officer, one or more Vice Presidents (including Executive Vice Presidents or Senior Vice Presidents), Assistant Vice Presidents, Assistant Treasurers and Assistant Secretaries, as the Board of Directors may determine.  Effective on the date on which the Corporation hires a Chief Executive Officer that is not also the Chairman of the Board, any number of offices may be held by the same person, except the offices of Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer.

 

Section 2.                   Election and Appointment.   At the regular annual meeting of the Board of Directors following the annual meeting of stockholders, the Board of Directors shall elect the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Treasurer and the Secretary.  Other officers may be appointed by the Board of Directors at such regular annual meeting of the Board of Directors or at any other regular or special meeting, or other officers may be appointed by the Chief Executive Officer.

 

Section 3.                   Qualification.   No officer need be a stockholder or a director.  Any person may occupy more than one office of the Corporation at any time except the offices of President and Vice President.  Any officer may be required by the Board of Directors to give bond, at the Corporation’s expense, for the faithful performance of his duties in such amount and with such sureties as the Board of Directors may determine.

 

Section 4.                   Tenure.   Except as otherwise provided by the Charter or by these Bylaws, each of the officers of the Corporation shall hold office until the regular annual meeting of the Board of Directors following the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his successor is elected and qualified or until his earlier resignation or removal.  Election or appointment of an officer, employee or agent shall not of itself create contract rights.  The Board of Directors may, however, authorize the Corporation to enter into an employment contract with any officer in accordance with law, but no such contract right shall prohibit the right of the Board of Directors to remove any officer at any time in accordance with Section 6 of this Article III.

 

Section 5.                   Resignation.   Any officer may resign by delivering his written resignation to the Corporation addressed to the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary, and such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless it is specified to be effective at some other time or upon the happening of some other event.

 

Section 6.                   Removal.   If the Board of Directors in its judgment finds that the best interests of the Corporation will be served, the Board of Directors may remove any officer by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then in office.  Such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed.

 

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Section 7.                   Absence or Disability.   In the event of the absence or disability of any officer, the Board of Directors may designate another officer to act temporarily in place of such absent or disabled officer.

 

Section 8.                   Vacancies.   Any vacancy in any office may be filled for the unexpired portion of the term by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 9.                   Chief Executive Officer.   The President may be the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors may elect another person to be the Chief Executive Officer. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer shall preside, when present, at all meetings of the Board of Directors.  The Chief Executive Officer shall, subject to the direction of the Board of Directors, have general supervision and control of the Corporation’s business and shall preside, if the Chairman of the Board is not present, at all meetings of the stockholders.  Effective on the date on which the Corporation hires a Chief Executive Officer that is not also the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer shall not concurrently serve as the Chairman of the Board.

 

Section 10.            Chairman of the Board.   The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and at all meetings of stockholders. If the Chairman of the Board is absent, the Chief Executive Officer shall preside at meetings of the Board of Directors and at meetings of stockholders.  The Chairman of the Board shall have such other powers and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate and shall act as an officer of the Corporation if so designated by the Board.

 

Section 11.            President.   If the President is not the Chief Executive Officer or Chairman of the Board and in the absence of such persons, the President shall preside, when present, at all meetings of the stockholders.  If the President is not the Chief Executive Officer, he shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time designate.

 

Section 12.            Chief Operating Officer, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer.  Any Chief Operating Officer, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time designate.

 

Section 13.            Vice Presidents and Assistant Vice Presidents.   Any Vice President (including any Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President) and Assistant Vice President shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time designate.

 

Section 14.            Treasurer and Assistant Treasurers.   The Chief Financial Officer shall be the Treasurer, unless the Board of Directors shall elect another officer to be the Treasurer.  The Treasurer shall, subject to the direction of the Board of Directors and except as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may otherwise provide, have general charge of the financial affairs of the Corporation and shall cause to be kept accurate books of account.  He shall have custody of all funds, securities and valuable documents of the Corporation.  He shall have such other duties and powers as may be designated from time to time by the Board of

 

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Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.  In the absence of a Chief Financial Officer, the office of the Treasurer shall be deemed to be the office of the Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation whenever the signature of the Chief Financial Officer is required on any document or instrument, by the laws of the United States or any state, or elsewhere in the Bylaws, and the Treasurer shall have authority to affix his signature in such capacity.

 

The office of the Chief Accounting Officer shall be deemed an Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation whenever the signature of an Assistant Treasurer is required on any document or instrument, by the laws of the United States or any state, or elsewhere in these Bylaws, and the Vice President of Finance and Accounting shall have authority to affix his signature in such capacity.  Any Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time designate.

 

Section 15.            Secretary and Assistant Secretaries.   The Secretary shall record all the proceedings of the meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors (including committees of the Board) in books kept for that purpose.  In the absence of the Secretary from any such meeting, a temporary secretary chosen at the meeting shall record the proceedings thereof.  The Secretary shall have charge of the stock ledger (which may, however, be kept by any transfer or other agent of the Corporation).  The secretary shall have custody of the seal of the Corporation, and the Secretary, or an Assistant Secretary, shall have authority to affix it to any instrument requiring it, and, when so affixed, the seal may be attested by the signature of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary.  The Secretary shall have such other duties and powers as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.  In the absence of the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary may perform the duties and responsibilities of the Secretary.

 

Any Assistant Secretary shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time designate.

 

Section 16.            Other Powers and Duties .  Subject to these Bylaws and to such limitations as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe, the officers of the Corporation shall each have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices, as well as such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

ARTICLE IV
STOCK

 

Section 1.                   Certificates of Stock .  Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors or by law, each stockholder shall be entitled to a certificate of the stock of the Corporation in such form as may from time to time be prescribed by the Board of Directors.  Such certificate shall bear the seal of the Corporation, if one has been adopted, and shall be signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer or President and countersigned by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary.  The seal of the Corporation, if one has been adopted, and any and all signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile, including those of any transfer agent or registrar.  In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed on such certificate shall have

 

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ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the time of its issue.  Every certificate for shares of stock which are subject to any restriction on transfer and every certificate issued when the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class or series of stock shall contain such legend with respect thereto as is required by law.

 

Section 2.                   Transfers.  Subject to any restrictions on transfer and unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, shares of stock may be transferred only on the books of the Corporation by the surrender to the Corporation or its transfer agent of the certificate therefor properly endorsed or accompanied by a written assignment or power of attorney properly executed, with transfer stamps (if necessary) affixed, and with such proof of the authenticity of signature as the Corporation or its transfer agent may reasonably require.

 

Section 3.                   Record Holders.   Except as may otherwise be required by law, by the Charter or by these Bylaws, the Corporation shall be entitled to treat the record holder of stock as shown on its books as the owner of such stock for all purposes, including the payment of dividends and the right to vote with respect thereto, regardless of any transfer, pledge or other disposition of such stock, until the shares have been transferred on the books of the Corporation in accordance with the requirements of these Bylaws.

 

It shall be the duty of each stockholder to notify the Corporation or its transfer agent of his post office address and any changes thereto.

 

Section 4.                   Record Date.   In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournments thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than 90 days nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting, nor more than 90 days prior to any other action.  In such case, only stockholders of record on such record date shall be so entitled, notwithstanding any transfer of stock on the stock transfer books of the Corporation after the record date.

 

If no record date is fixed:

 

(a)                                  the record date for determining stockholders entitled to receive notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the later of (i) the close of business on the day on which notice is mailed or (ii) the 30th day before the meeting; and

 

(b)                                  the record date for determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend or an allotment of any rights shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

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Section 5.                   Replacement of Certificates.   In case of the alleged loss, destruction or mutilation of a certificate of stock, a duplicate certificate may be issued in place thereof upon such terms as the Corporation or its transfer agent may prescribe.

 

Section 6.                   Transfer Agents and Registrars.   The Corporation may serve as the transfer agent and registrar of the shares of stock, or the Board of Directors may, in its discretion, appoint one or more responsible bank, trust company or other entity as the Board of Directors may deem advisable, from time to time, to act as transfer agent and registrar of shares of stock.  No certificate for shares of stock shall be valid until countersigned by the transfer agent and registered by the registrar.

 

Section 7.                   Stockholders’ Addresses.   Every stockholder or transferee shall furnish the Secretary or a transfer agent with the address to which notice of meetings and all other notices may be served upon or mailed to such stockholder or transferee, and in default thereof, such stockholder or transferee shall not be entitled to service or mailing of any such notice.

 

Section 8.                   Repurchase of Shares of Stock.   The Corporation may purchase its shares of stock and invest its assets in its own shares of stock, provided that in each case the consent of the Board of Directors shall have been obtained.

 

ARTICLE V
INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 1.                   Right to Indemnification.   The Corporation shall, to the maximum extent permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law in effect from time to time, indemnify, and, without a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual who is a present or former director or officer of the Corporation or (b) any individual who, while a director or officer of the Corporation and at the request of the Corporation, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and, in each case, shall indemnify such person from and against any claim or liability to which such person may become subject or which such person may incur by reason of his status as a present or former director or officer of the Corporation or director, officer, partner or trustee of such other entity (each, an “ Indemnitee ”).  The Corporation shall, to the maximum extent permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law in effect from time to time, provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses to a person who served a predecessor of the Corporation in any of the capacities described above (any such person shall also be deemed to be an “ Indemnitee ”).

 

Section 2.                   Indemnification of Employees and Agents of the Corporation.   With the approval of the Board of Directors, the Corporation shall, to the maximum extent permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law in effect from time to time, and to such further extent as it shall deem appropriate under the circumstances, provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses as described in Section 1 above, to any employee or agent of the Corporation or a predecessor of the Corporation (each such person shall also be deemed to be an “ Indemnitee ”).

 

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Section 3.                   Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit.   If a claim under this Article V is not paid in full by the Corporation within 60 days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be 20 days, the Indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim.  If the Indemnitee is successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit.  In any suit brought by an Indemnitee who is a present or former director to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses), it shall be a defense that such Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Maryland General Corporation Law.  In addition, in any suit by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that the Indemnitee who is a present or former director has not met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Maryland General Corporation Law.  Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Maryland General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or stockholders) that the Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.  In any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article V or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

 

Section 4.                   Non-Exclusivity of Rights.   The rights to indemnification and to advancement of expenses conferred in this Article V shall not be exclusive of any other right that any person may have or hereafter acquire under these Bylaws, the Charter or any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

Section 5.                   Insurance.   The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or any director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the Maryland General Corporation Law.

 

ARTICLE VI
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

Section 1.                   Fiscal Year.   The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on December 31 of each year or on such other date as may be fixed by the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 2.                   Seal.   The seal of the Corporation shall be in the form of a circle and shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and the year of its organization.  The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced.

 

Section 3.                   Investment Policies.   The directors may from time to time adopt, amend, revise or terminate any policy or policies with respect to investments by the Corporation as they shall deem appropriate in their sole discretion.

 

Section 4.                   Execution of Instruments.   All deeds, leases, transfers, contracts, bonds, notes and other obligations to be entered into by the Corporation in the ordinary course of its business without director action may be executed on behalf of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board, if one is elected, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Treasurer or any other officer, employee or agent of the Corporation as the Board of Directors may authorize.

 

Section 5.                   Voting of Securities.   Unless the Board of Directors otherwise provides, the Chairman of the Board, if one is elected, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Treasurer may waive notice of and act on behalf of this Corporation, or appoint another person or persons to act as proxy or attorney in fact for this Corporation with or without discretionary power and/or power of substitutions at any meeting of stockholders or stockholders of any other corporation or organization, any of whose securities are held by this Corporation.

 

Section 6.                   Resident Agent.   The Board of Directors may appoint a resident agent upon whom legal process may be served in any action or proceeding against the Corporation.

 

Section 7.                   Corporate Records.   The original or attested copies of the Charter, Bylaws and records of all meetings of the incorporators, stockholders and the Board of Directors and the stock transfer books, which shall contain the names of all stockholders, their record addresses and the amount of stock held by each, may be kept outside the State of Maryland and shall be kept at the principal office of the Corporation, at the office of its counsel or at an office of its transfer agent.

 

Section 8.                   Amendments.   The exclusive power to alter, amend or repeal these bylaws, and to adopt new bylaws, shall be vested in the Board of Directors.

 

Section 9.                   Offices.   The principal office of the Corporation within the State of Maryland shall be located at such place as the Board of Directors may designate.  The Corporation may have additional offices, including a principal executive office, at such place or places both within and without the State of Maryland as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

 

32


Exhibit 10.1

 

ASHFORD HOSPITALITY PRIME, INC.

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED 2013 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

August 3, 2016

 



 

ASHFORD HOSPITALITY PRIME, INC.

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED 2013 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

Table of Contents

 

ARTICLE I INTRODUCTION

1

1.1

Purpose

1

1.2

Shares Subject to the Plan

1

1.3

Administration of the Plan

2

1.4

Amendment and Discontinuance of the Plan

2

1.5

Granting of Awards

2

1.6

Term of Plan

2

1.7

Leave of Absence

2

1.8

Definitions

3

ARTICLE II OPTIONS

8

2.1

Grants

8

2.2

Calculation of Exercise Price

9

2.3

Terms and Conditions of Options

9

2.4

Amendment

10

2.5

Acceleration of Vesting

10

2.6

Other Provisions

11

2.7

Option Repricing

11

ARTICLE III INCENTIVE OPTIONS

11

3.1

Eligibility

11

3.2

Exercise Price

11

3.3

Dollar Limitation

11

3.4

10% Stockholder

12

3.5

Options Not Transferable

12

3.6

Compliance with Section 422 of the Code

12

3.7

Limitations on Exercise

12

3.8

Share Limitation

12

ARTICLE IV PURCHASED STOCK

12

4.1

Eligible Persons

12

4.2

Purchase Price

12

4.3

Payment of Purchase Price

12

ARTICLE V BONUS STOCK

13

ARTICLE VI STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS AND PHANTOM STOCK

13

6.1

Stock Appreciation Rights

13

6.2

Phantom Stock Awards

14

ARTICLE VII RESTRICTED STOCK

15

7.1

Eligible Persons

15

7.2

Restricted Period and Vesting

15

ARTICLE VIII PERFORMANCE AWARDS

15

8.1

Eligible Persons

15

8.2

Performance Awards

16

8.3

Performance Goals

16

 



 

ARTICLE IX OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS

17

ARTICLE X CERTAIN PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL AWARDS

17

10.1

General

17

10.2

Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards

18

10.3

Term of Awards

18

10.4

Form and Timing of Payment under Awards; Deferrals

18

10.5

Vested and Unvested Awards

19

10.6

Exemptions from Section 16(b) Liability

19

10.7

Other Provisions

19

10.8

Change of Control

19

10.9

Ownership Limit

20

10.10

Minimum Vesting

21

10.11

Equity Retention Requirement

21

ARTICLE XI WITHHOLDING FOR TAXES

21

ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS

22

12.1

No Rights to Awards

22

12.2

No Right to Employment

22

12.3

Governing Law

22

12.4

Severability

22

12.5

Other Laws

22

12.6

Stockholder Agreements

22

12.7

No Guarantee of Tax Consequences

22

12.8

Compliance with Section 409A of the Code

22

12.9

Claw-back Policy

23

 

ii



 

ASHFORD HOSPITALITY PRIME, INC.
2013 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

ARTICLE I
INTRODUCTION

 

1.1           Purpose .  The Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc. 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) is intended to promote the interests of Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “ Company ”), and its stockholders by encouraging Employees, Consultants and Non-Employee Directors of the Company, the Advisor and each of their respective Affiliates (each term as defined below) to acquire or increase their equity interests in the Company, thereby giving them an added incentive to work toward the continued growth and success of the Company. The Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) also contemplates that through the Plan, the Company, the Advisor and each of their respective Affiliates will be better able to compete for the services of the individuals needed for the continued growth and success of the Company.  The Plan shall not constitute any “employee benefit plan” for purposes of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

1.2           Shares Subject to the Plan .  The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (“ Common Stock ”) that may be issued under the Plan shall not exceed 2,050,000 shares of outstanding Common Stock. In no event may the total number of shares of common stock subject to options or Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) awarded to any eligible participant under the Plan during any single calendar year exceed 1,000,000. In no event may the total number of shares of common stock subject to full value awards, including performance awards or other stock-based awards, awarded to any eligible Participant during any single calendar year exceed 1,000,000.

 

In the event that at any time after the Effective Date the outstanding shares of Common Stock are changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of the Company by reason of a merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, stock dividend, combination of shares or the like, the aggregate number and class of securities available under the Plan, the individual share limits set forth above and in Section 3.8, the number, amount and type of common stock subject to awards under the Plan, and the grant, purchase or exercise price of outstanding Awards shall be ratably adjusted by the Committee (as defined below), whose determination shall be final and binding upon the Company and all other interested persons. Shares issued pursuant to the Plan (i) may be authorized but unissued shares or, if applicable, shares acquired in the open market and (ii) shall be fully paid and nonassessable.

 

Any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award that is forfeited or expires or is settled for cash shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement, again become available for Awards under this Plan, and the total number of shares of Common Stock available for grant under this Section 1.2 shall be increased by the number of shares of Common Stock that is forfeited or expires or is settled for cash. The following shares of Common Stock shall not, however, again become available for Awards or increase the number of shares of Common Stock available for grant under this Section 1.2: (i) shares of Common Stock tendered by the

 



 

Participant or withheld by the Company in payment of the purchase price of an Option issued under this Plan, (ii) shares of Common Stock tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award, (iii) shares of Common Stock repurchased by the Company with proceeds received from the exercise of an Option issued under this Plan, and (iv) shares of Common Stock subject to a Stock Appreciation Right issued under this Plan that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of that Stock Appreciation Right upon its exercise.

 

1.3           Administration of the Plan .  The Plan shall be administered by the Committee.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall interpret the Plan and all Awards under the Plan, shall make such rules as it deems necessary for the proper administration of the Plan, shall make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan and shall correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award under the Plan in the manner and to the extent that the Committee deems desirable to effectuate the Plan.  Any action taken or determination made by the Committee pursuant to this and the other paragraphs of the Plan shall be final, binding and conclusive on all parties.  The act or determination of a majority of the Committee shall be deemed to be the act or determination of the Committee.

 

1.4           Amendment and Discontinuance of the Plan .  The Board may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan; provided, however, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan may, without the consent of the holder of an Award, terminate such Award or adversely affect such holder’s rights with respect to such Award in any material respect; provided further, however, that any amendment which would constitute a “material revision” of the Plan (as that term is used in the rules of the New York Stock Exchange) shall be subject to stockholder approval.

 

1.5           Granting of Awards .  The Committee shall have the authority to grant, prior to the expiration date of the Plan, Awards to such Employees, Consultants and Non-Employee Directors as may be selected by it on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth in the Plan.  In selecting the persons to receive Awards, including the type and size of the Award, the Committee may consider any factors that it may deem relevant.

 

1.6           Term of Plan .  The Plan was originally effective as of November 5, 2013 (the “ Effective Date ”), the date of original approval of the Plan by the stockholders of the Company. This amendment and restatement of the Plan was approved by the Board on March 25, 2015, subject to approval of the Company’s shareholders at its 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “ Amendment Date ”) The provisions of the Plan, as amended and restated, are applicable to all Awards granted on or after the Amendment Date. If not sooner terminated under the provisions of  Section 1.4 , the Plan shall terminate upon, and no further Awards shall be made, after the tenth anniversary of the Amendment Date.

 

1.7           Leave of Absence .  If an employee of the Company, the Advisor or one of their respective Affiliates is on military, sick leave or other bona fide leave of absence, such person shall be considered an “Employee” for purposes of an outstanding Award during the period of such leave provided it does not exceed ninety (90) days, or, if longer, so long as the person’s right to reemployment is guaranteed either by statute or by contract.  If the period of leave

 

2



 

exceeds ninety (90) days, such person shall be deemed to no longer be an “Employee” for purposes of an outstanding Award on the 91st day of such leave, unless the person’s right to reemployment is guaranteed by statute or contract.

 

1.8           Definitions .  As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

1934 Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Advisor ” means Ashford Hospitality Advisors LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, together with any successors and assigns.

 

Affiliate ” means (i) Remington, (ii) any entity in which the Company, the Advisor or Remington, directly or indirectly, owns 10% or more of the combined voting power, as determined by the Committee, (iii) any “parent corporation” of the Company, the Advisor or Remington (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code), (iv) any “subsidiary corporation” of any such parent corporation (as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code) of the Company, the Advisor or Remington and (v) any trades or businesses, whether or not incorporated which are members of a controlled group or are under common control (as defined in Sections 414(b) or (c) of the Code) with the Company, the Advisor or Remington.

 

Awards ” means, collectively, Options, Purchased Stock, Bonus Stock, Stock Appreciation Rights, Phantom Stock, Restricted Stock, Performance Awards, or Other Stock-Based Awards.

 

Bonus Stock ” is defined in Article V.

 

Cause ” for termination of any Participant who is a party to an agreement of employment with or services to the Company or the Advisor shall mean termination for “Cause” as such term is defined in such agreement, the relevant portions of which are incorporated herein by reference.  If such agreement does not define “Cause” or if a Participant is not a party to such an agreement, “Cause” means (i) the willful commission by a Participant of a criminal or other act that causes or is likely to cause substantial economic damage to the Company, the Advisor or one of their respective Affiliates or substantial injury to the business reputation of the Company, the Advisor or one of their respective Affiliates; (ii) the commission by a Participant of an act of fraud in the performance of such Participant’s duties on behalf of the Company, the Advisor or one of their respective Affiliates; or (iii) the continuing willful failure of a Participant to perform the duties of such Participant to the Company, the Advisor or one of their respective Affiliates (other than such failure resulting from the Participant’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness) after written notice thereof (specifying the particulars thereof in reasonable detail) and a reasonable opportunity to be heard and cure such failure are given to the Participant by the Committee.  For purposes of the Plan, no act, or failure to act, on the Participant’s part shall be considered “willful” unless done or omitted to be done by the

 

3



 

Participant not in good faith and without reasonable belief that the Participant’s action or omission was in the best interest of the Company, the Advisor or one of their respective Affiliates, as the case may be.

 

Change of Control ” shall be deemed to have occurred upon any of the following events:

 

(i)            any “person” (as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the 1934 Act, and as modified in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the 1934 Act) other than (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (C) Remington, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates, (D) a company owned, directly or indirectly, by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company, or (E) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 30% or more of the shares of voting stock of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that an initial public offering of Common Stock shall not constitute a Change of Control;

 

(ii)           the consummation of any merger, organization, business combination or consolidation of the Company or one of its subsidiaries with or into any other company, other than a merger, reorganization, business combination or consolidation which would result in the holders of the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto holding securities which represent immediately after such merger, reorganization, business combination or consolidation more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or the surviving company or the parent of such surviving company;

 

(iii)          the consummation of a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than a sale or disposition if the holders of the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto hold securities immediately thereafter which represent more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the acquiror, or parent of the acquiror, of such assets, or the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or

 

(iv)          individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board (the “ Incumbent Board ”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election by the Board, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an election contest with respect to the election or removal of

 

4



 

directors or other solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the Board.

 

Further, in the case of any item of income under an Award to which the foregoing definition would otherwise apply with the effect that the income tax under Section 409A of the Code would apply or be imposed on income under that Award, but where such tax would not apply or be imposed if the meaning of the term “Change of Control” met the requirements of Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v) of the Code, then the term “Change of Control” herein shall mean, but only with respect to the income so affected, a transaction, circumstance or event that constitutes a “Change of Control” (as defined above) and that also constitutes a “change in control event” within the meaning of Treas. Reg. §1.409A—3(i)(5).

 

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Committee ” means the compensation committee appointed by the Board to administer the Plan or, if none, the Board; provided however, that with respect to any Award granted to a Covered Employee which is intended to be “performance-based compensation” as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, the Committee shall consist solely of two or more members of the Board, each of whom qualifies as both an “outside director” as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C)(i) of the Code and a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Section 16b-3 under the 1934 Act.

 

Consultant ” means any individual, other than a Director or an Employee, who renders consulting or advisory services to the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

“Covered Employee” shall mean those employees of the Company who are “covered employees” as defined in Section 162(m)(3) of the Code.

 

Disability ” means an inability to perform the Participant’s material services for the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates, as applicable, for a period of ninety (90) consecutive days or a total of one hundred eighty (180) days, during any 365-day period, in either case as a result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness, which is determined to be total and permanent.  A determination of Disability shall be made by a physician satisfactory to both the Participant (or his guardian) and the Company, provided that if the Participant (or his guardian) and the Company do not agree on a physician, the Participant and the Company shall each select a physician and these two together shall select a third physician, whose determination as to Disability shall be binding on all parties. Eligibility for disability benefits under any policy for long-term disability benefits provided to the Participant by the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective affiliates shall conclusively establish the Participant’s disability.  If a Disability constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award which provides for the deferral of compensation and is subject to

 

5



 

Section 409A, then, to the extent required to comply with Section 409A, the Participant must also be considered “disabled” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(C) of the Code.

 

Employee ” means any employee of the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

Employment ” includes any period in which a Participant is an Employee or a paid Consultant to the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

Fair Market Value ” or “ FMV Per Share ”.  The Fair Market Value or FMV Per Share of the Common Stock shall be the closing price on the New York Stock Exchange or other national securities exchange or over-the-counter market, if applicable, for the date of the determination or, if no trade of the Common Stock shall have been reported for such date, the closing sales price quoted on such exchange for the most recent trade prior to the determination date.  If shares of the Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any exchange, over-the-counter market or any similar organization as of the determination date, the FMV Per Share shall be determined by the Committee in good faith using any fair and reasonable means selected in its discretion.

 

“Good Reason” means termination of employment by an Employee, termination of service by a Consultant or resignation from the Board of a Non-Employee Director under any of the following circumstances:

 

(i)            if such Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director is a party to an agreement for employment with or service to the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates, which agreement includes a definition of “Good Reason” for termination of employment with or service to the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates, “Good Reason” shall have the same definition for purposes of the Plan as is set forth in such agreement, the relevant portions of which are incorporated herein by reference.

 

(ii)           if such Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director is not a party to an agreement with the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates that defines the term “Good Reason,” such term shall mean termination of employment or service under any of the following circumstances, if the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates, as applicable, fails to cure such circumstances within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice from the Participant setting forth a description of such Good Reason:

 

(a)           the removal from or failure to re-elect the Participant to the office or position in which he or she last served;

 

(b)           any material diminishment, on a cumulative basis, of the Participant’s overall duties, responsibilities, or status, including the assignment to the Participant of any duties, responsibilities, or reporting

 

6



 

requirements materially inconsistent with his or her position with the Company, the Advisor or one of their respective Affiliates, as applicable;

 

(c)           a material reduction by the Company, the Advisor or one of their respective Affiliates in the Participant’s fees, compensation, or benefits that is not part of a reduction affecting all members of the management team or Board; or

 

(d)           the requirement by the Company, the Advisor or one of their respective Affiliates that the principal place of business at which the Participant performs his or her duties be changed to a location more than fifty (50) miles from downtown Dallas, Texas.

 

Incentive Option ” means any option which satisfies the requirements of Section 422 of the Code and is granted pursuant to Article III of the Plan.

 

Non-Employee Director ” means persons who are members of the Board but who are neither Employees nor Consultants of the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

Non-Qualified Option ” shall mean an option not intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code and which is granted pursuant to Article II of the Plan.

 

Option ” means an option to acquire Common Stock granted pursuant to the provisions of the Plan, and refers to either an Incentive Option or a Non-Qualified Option, or both, as applicable.

 

“Optionee” means a Participant who has received or will receive an Option.

 

Option Expiration Date ” means the date determined by Committee which shall not be more than ten (10) years after the date of grant of an Option.

 

Other Stock-Based Award ” means an award granted pursuant to Article IX of the Plan that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Common Stock, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including, without limitation, rights convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock, purchase rights for Common Stock, Awards with value and payment and/or settlement contingent upon performance of the Company or any other factors designated by the Committee, and Awards valued by reference to the value of Common Stock or the value of securities of or the performance of specified subsidiaries, including LTIP units in the Company’s operating partnership.

 

Outstanding Company Common Stock ” means, as of any date of determination, the then outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company.

 

7



 

Outstanding Company Voting Securities ” means, as of any date of determination, the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally on the election of directors.

 

Participant ” means any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director granted an Award under the Plan.

 

Performance Award ” means an Award granted pursuant to Article VIII of the Plan, which, if earned, shall be payable in shares of Common Stock, cash or any combination thereof as determined by the Committee.

 

Phantom Stock ” means an Award of the right to receive cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a specified number of shares of Common Stock at the end of a specified deferral period which is granted pursuant to Article VI of the Plan.

 

Purchased Stock ” is defined in Section 4.1 .

 

Remington ” means Remington Lodging & Hospitality LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its affiliates.

 

Restricted Period ” shall mean the period established by the Committee with respect to an Award during which the Award either remains subject to forfeiture or is not exercisable by the Participant.

 

Restricted Stock ” shall mean any share of Common Stock, prior to the lapse of restrictions thereon, granted under Article VII of the Plan.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights ” means an Award granted pursuant to Article VI of the Plan.

 

ARTICLE II
OPTIONS

 

2.1           Grants .  The Committee may grant Options to purchase shares of Common Stock to any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director of the Company according to the terms set forth below.  Options which are intended to comply with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(i)(A) or any successor regulation, may be granted only to Employees, Consultants or Non-Employee Directors of the Company or a corporation or other type of entity in a chain of corporations or other entities in which each corporation or other entity has a “controlling interest” in another corporation or entity in the chain, starting with the Company and ending with the corporation or other entity for which such Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director performs services.  For these purposes, “controlling interest” means (i) in the case of a corporation, ownership of stock possessing at least 50% of total combined voting power of all classes of stock of such corporation entitled to vote or at least 50% of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of such corporation; (ii) in the case of a partnership, ownership of at least 50% of the profits interest or capital interest of such partnership; (iii) in the case of a sole proprietorship, ownership of the sole proprietorship; or (iv) in the case of a trust or estate, ownership of an actuarial interest (as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-

 

8



 

2(b)(2)(ii)) of at least 50% of such trust or estate.  The Committee may grant Options that are otherwise exempt from or compliant with Code Section 409A to any eligible Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director.

 

2.2           Calculation of Exercise Price .  The exercise price to be paid for each share of Common Stock deliverable upon exercise of each Option granted under this Article II shall not be less than the FMV Per Share on the date of grant of such Option.  The exercise price for each Option granted under Article II shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.3(d) .

 

2.3           Terms and Conditions of Options .  Options shall be in such form as the Committee may from time to time approve, shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and may contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with this Article II, as the Committee shall deem desirable:

 

(a)           Option Period and Conditions and Limitations on Exercise .  No Option shall be exercisable later than the Option Expiration Date.  To the extent not prohibited by other provisions of the Plan, each Option shall be exercisable at such time or times as the Committee in its discretion may determine at the time such Option is granted.

 

(b)           Manner of Exercise .  In order to exercise an Option, the Participant entitled to exercise it shall deliver to the Company payment in full for the shares being purchased, together with any required withholding taxes.  The payment of the exercise price for each Option shall either be (i) in cash or by check payable and acceptable to the Company, (ii) with the consent of the Committee, by tendering to the Company shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant for more than six months having an aggregate Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise that is not greater than the full exercise price for the shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised and by paying any remaining amount of the exercise price as provided in (i) above, (iii) subject to such conditions and requirements as the Committee may specify, at the written request of the Participant, by the Company’s withholding from shares otherwise deliverable pursuant to the exercise of the Option shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise that is not greater than the full exercise price for the shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised and by paying any remaining amount of the exercise price as provided in (i) above, or (iv) subject to such instructions as the Committee may specify, at the Participant’s written request the Company may deliver certificates for the shares of Common Stock for which the Option is being exercised to a broker for sale on behalf of the Participant, provided that the Participant has irrevocably instructed such broker to remit directly to the Company on the Participant’s behalf the full amount of the exercise price from the proceeds of such sale.  In the event that the Participant elects to make payment as allowed under clause (ii) above, the Committee may, upon confirming that the Participant owns the number of additional shares being tendered, authorize the issuance of a new certificate for the number of shares being acquired pursuant to the exercise of the Option less the number of shares being tendered upon the exercise and return to the Participant (or not require surrender of) the certificate for the shares being tendered upon the exercise.  If the Committee so requires, such Participant shall also deliver a written representation that all shares being purchased are being acquired for investment and not with a view to, or for resale in connection with, any distribution of such shares.

 

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(c)           Options not Transferable .  Except as provided below, no Non-Qualified Option granted hereunder shall be transferable other than by (i) will or by the laws of descent and distribution or (ii) pursuant to a domestic relations order and, during the lifetime of the Participant to whom any such Option is granted, and it shall be exercisable only by the Participant (or his or her guardian).  Any attempt to transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of, or to subject to execution, attachment or similar process, any Option granted hereunder, or any right thereunder, contrary to the provisions hereof, shall be void and ineffective, shall give no right to the purported transferee, and shall, at the sole discretion of the Committee, result in forfeiture of the Option with respect to the shares involved in such attempt.  With respect to a specific Non-Qualified Option, the Participant (or his or her guardian) may transfer, for estate planning purposes, all or part of such Option to one or more immediate family members or related family trusts or partnerships or similar entities.

 

(d)           Adjustment of Options .  In the event that at any time after the Effective Date the outstanding shares of Common Stock are changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of the Company by reason of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, stock dividend, combination of shares or the like, the Committee shall make an appropriate and equitable adjustment in the number and kind of shares as to which all outstanding Options granted, or portions thereof then unexercised, shall be exercisable, to the end that after such event the shares subject to the Plan and each Participant’s proportionate interest shall be maintained as before the occurrence of such event.  Such adjustment in an outstanding Option shall be made without change in the total price applicable to the Option or the unexercised portion of the Option (except for any change in the aggregate price resulting from rounding-off of share quantities or prices) and with any necessary corresponding adjustment in exercise price per share.  Any such adjustment made by the Committee shall be final and binding upon all Participants, the Company and all other interested persons.

 

(e)           Listing and Registration of Shares .  Each Option shall be subject to the requirement that if at any time the Committee determines, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, or qualification of the shares subject to such Option under any securities exchange or under any state or federal law, or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body, is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the issue or purchase of shares thereunder, such Option may not be exercised in whole or in part unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval shall have been effected or obtained and the same shall have been free of any conditions not acceptable to the Committee.

 

2.4           Amendment .  The Committee may, without the consent of the Participant or Participants entitled to exercise any outstanding Option, amend, modify or terminate such Option; provided, however, such amendment, modification or termination shall not, without such Participant’s consent, reduce or diminish the value of such Option determined as if the Option had been exercised, vested, cashed in or otherwise settled on the date of such amendment or termination.

 

2.5           Acceleration of Vesting .  Subject to Section 10.10, any Option granted hereunder which is not otherwise vested shall vest  (unless specifically provided to the contrary by the Committee in the document or instrument evidencing an Option granted hereunder) upon (i) termination or removal of an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director without Cause or

 

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termination by or resignation of an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director with Good Reason; (ii) termination, removal or resignation of an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director for any reason within one (1) year from the effective date of the Change of Control; or (iii) death or Disability of the Participant.

 

2.6           Other Provisions .

 

(a)           A Participant entitled to exercise, or who has exercised, an Option shall not be entitled to any rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to any shares subject to such Option until he or she shall have become the holder of record of such shares.

 

(b)           No Option granted hereunder shall be construed as limiting any right which the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates may have to terminate at any time, with or without Cause, the employment or service of any Participant to whom such Option has been granted.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or the terms of any Option, the Company shall not be required to issue any shares hereunder if such issuance would, in the judgment of the Committee, constitute a violation of any state or federal law or of the rules or regulations of any governmental regulatory body.

 

2.7           Option Repricing .  With stockholder approval only, the Committee, in its absolute discretion, may grant to holders of outstanding Options, in exchange for the surrender and cancellation of such Options, new Options having exercise prices lower (or higher with any required consent) than the exercise price provided in the Options so surrendered and canceled and containing such other terms and conditions as the Committee may deem appropriate.

 

ARTICLE III
INCENTIVE OPTIONS

 

The terms specified below shall be applicable to all Incentive Options.  Except as modified by the provisions of this Article III, all the provisions of Article II shall be applicable to Incentive Options.  Options which are specifically designated as Non-Qualified Options shall not be subject to the terms of this Article III.

 

3.1           Eligibility .  Incentive Options may only be granted to Employees of the Company.

 

3.2           Exercise Price .  The exercise price per Share shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the FMV Per Share on the option grant date.

 

3.3           Dollar Limitation .  The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the respective date or dates of grant) of shares of Common Stock for which one or more options granted to any Employee under the Plan (or any other option plan of the Company, or any parent or subsidiary thereof) may for the first time become exercisable as Incentive Options during any one (1) calendar year shall not exceed the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000).  To the extent the Employee holds two (2) or more such options which become exercisable for the

 

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first time in the same calendar year, the foregoing limitation on the exercisability of such options as Incentive Options shall be applied on the basis of the order in which such options are granted.

 

3.4           10% Stockholder .  If any Employee to whom an Incentive Option is granted is a 10% Stockholder, then the exercise price per share shall not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the FMV Per Share on the option grant date and the option term shall not exceed five (5) years measured from the option grant date.

 

3.5           Options Not Transferable .  No Incentive Option granted hereunder shall be transferable other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the Optionee’s lifetime only by such Optionee.

 

3.6           Compliance with Section 422 of the Code .  All Options that are intended to be Incentive Options shall be designated as such in the Option grant and in all respects shall be issued in compliance with Section 422 of the Code.

 

3.7           Limitations on Exercise .  No Incentive Option shall be exercisable more than three (3) months after the Optionee ceases to be an Employee for any reason other than death or Disability, or more than one (1) year after the Optionee ceases to be an Employee due to death or Disability.

 

3.8           Share Limitation .  The maximum number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Options may be granted under the Plan is 2,050,000 shares of Common Stock.

 

ARTICLE IV
PURCHASED STOCK

 

4.1           Eligible Persons .  The Committee shall have the authority to authorize the sale of shares of Common Stock (“ Purchased Stock ”) to such Employees, Consultants and Non-Employee Directors of the Company, the Advisor or their respective Affiliates as may be selected by it, on such terms and conditions as it may establish, subject to the further provisions of this Article IV.  Each issuance and sale of Purchased Stock under this Plan shall be evidenced by an agreement which shall be subject to applicable provisions of this Plan and to such other provisions not inconsistent with this Plan as the Committee may approve for the particular sale transaction.

 

4.2           Purchase Price .  The price per share of Purchased Stock under this Plan shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, and may be less than, but shall not be greater than the FMV Per Share at the time of purchase.

 

4.3           Payment of Purchase Price .  Payment of the purchase price for Purchased Stock under this Plan shall be made in full in cash or by check payable and acceptable to the Company.

 

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ARTICLE V
BONUS STOCK

 

The Committee may, from time to time and subject to the provisions of the Plan, grant shares of Bonus Stock to Employees, Consultants or Non-Employee Directors of the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates.  “Bonus Stock” shall be shares of Common Stock that are not subject to a Restricted Period under Article VII.

 

ARTICLE VI
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS AND PHANTOM STOCK

 

6.1           Stock Appreciation Rights .  The Committee is authorized to grant Stock Appreciation Rights to Employees, Consultants or Non-Employee Directors of the Company on the following terms and conditions.  Stock Appreciation Rights which are intended to comply with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(i)(B) or any successor regulation, may be granted only to Employees, Consultants or Non-Employee Directors of the Company or a corporation or other type of entity in a chain of corporations or other entities in which each corporation or other entity has a “controlling interest” in another corporation or entity in the chain, starting with the Company and ending with the corporation or other entity for which such Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director performs services.  For these purposes, “controlling interest” means (i) in the case of a corporation, ownership of stock possessing at least 50% of total combined voting power of all classes of stock of such corporation entitled to vote or at least 50% of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of such corporation; (ii) in the case of a partnership, ownership of at least 50% of the profits interest or capital interest of such partnership; (iii) in the case of a sole proprietorship, ownership of the sole proprietorship; or (iv) in the case of a trust or estate, ownership of an actuarial interest (as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(ii)) of at least 50% of such trust or estate.  The Committee may grant Stock Appreciation Rights that are otherwise exempt from or compliant with Code Section 409A to any eligible Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director.

 

(a)           Right to Payment .  A Stock Appreciation Right shall confer on the Participant to whom it is granted a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (A) the FMV Per Share on the date of exercise over (B) the grant price of the Stock Appreciation Right as determined by the Committee.

 

(b)           Rights Related to Options .  A Stock Appreciation Right granted in connection with an Option shall entitle a Participant, upon exercise thereof, to surrender that Option or any portion thereof, to the extent unexercised, and to receive payment of an amount computed pursuant to Section 6.1(a) .  That Option shall then cease to be exercisable to the extent surrendered.  A Stock Appreciation Right granted in connection with an Option shall be exercisable only at such time or times and only to the extent that the related Option is exercisable and shall not be transferable (other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution) except to the extent that the related Option is transferable.

 

(c)           Right Without Option .  A Stock Appreciation Right granted independent of an Option shall be exercisable as determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award agreement governing the Stock Appreciation Right.

 

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(d)           Terms .  The Committee shall determine at the date of grant the time or times at which, and the circumstances under which, a Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), the method of exercise, whether or not a Stock Appreciation Right shall be in tandem or in combination with any other Award, and any other terms and conditions of any Stock Appreciation Right.  The grant price per each Stock Appreciation Right granted hereunder shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant.

 

(e)           Stock Appreciation Right Repricing . With stockholder approval only, the Committee, in its absolute discretion, may grant to holders of outstanding Stock Appreciation Rights, in exchange for the surrender and cancellation of such Stock Appreciation Rights, new Stock Appreciation Rights having grant prices lower (or higher with any required consent) than the grant price provided in the Stock Appreciation Rights so surrendered and canceled and containing such other terms and conditions as the Committee may deem appropriate.

 

6.2           Phantom Stock Awards .  The Committee is authorized to grant Phantom Stock to the Participants, which are rights to receive cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a specified number of shares of Common Stock at the end of a specified deferral period, subject to the following terms and conditions:

 

(a)           Award and Restrictions .  Satisfaction of Phantom Stock shall occur upon expiration of the deferral period specified for such Phantom Stock by the Committee or, if permitted by the Committee, as elected by the Participant.  In addition, Phantom Stock shall be subject to such restrictions (which may include a risk of forfeiture), if any, as the Committee may impose, which restrictions may lapse at the expiration of the deferral period or at earlier specified times (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), separately or in combination, installments or otherwise, as the Committee may determine.

 

(b)           Forfeiture .  Except as otherwise determined by the Committee or as may be set forth in any Award, employment or other agreement pertaining to awards of Phantom Stock, upon termination of employment or services during the applicable deferral period or portion thereof to which forfeiture conditions apply, all Phantom Stock that is at that time subject to deferral (other than a deferral at the election of the Participant) shall be forfeited; provided that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Phantom Stock shall be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Committee may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Phantom Stock.

 

(c)           Performance Goals .  To the extent the Committee determines that Phantom Stock granted pursuant to this Article VI shall constitute performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code, the grant or settlement of Phantom Stock shall, in the Committee’s discretion, be subject to the achievement of performance goals determined and applied in a manner consistent with Section 8.2 .

 

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ARTICLE VII
RESTRICTED STOCK

 

7.1           Eligible Persons .  All Employees, Consultants and Non-Employee Directors shall be eligible for grants of Restricted Stock.

 

7.2           Restricted Period and Vesting .

 

(a)           Unless the Award specifically provides otherwise, Restricted Stock shall be subject to restrictions on transfer by the Participant and repurchase by the Company such that the Participant shall not be permitted to transfer such shares and the Company shall have the right to repurchase or recover such shares for the lesser of the FMV Per Share on the forfeiture day or the amount of cash paid therefor, if any, if the Participant shall terminate employment from or services to the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates, as applicable, provided that such transfer and repurchase restrictions shall lapse with respect to 33.33% of such initial shares on the first anniversary of the date of grant and on each subsequent anniversary of the date of grant that the Participant shall remain continuously as an Employee, Non-Employee Director or Consultant of the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates, as applicable; subject to Section 7.2(b)  below.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding the foregoing and subject to Section 10.10, unless the Award specifically provides otherwise, all Restricted Stock not otherwise vested shall vest upon (i) termination or removal of an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director without Cause; (ii) termination by or resignation of an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director with Good Reason; (iii) termination, resignation or removal of an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director for any reason within one (1) year from the effective date of a Change of Control; or (iv) death or Disability of the Participant.

 

(c)           Each certificate representing Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan shall be registered in the name of the Participant and, during the Restricted Period, shall be left in deposit with the Company and a stock power endorsed in blank.  The grantee of Restricted Stock shall have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to such shares including the right to vote and the right to receive dividends or other distributions paid or made with respect to such shares.  Any certificate or certificates representing shares of Restricted Stock shall bear a legend similar to the following:

 

The shares represented by this certificate have been issued pursuant to the terms of the Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc. 2013 Equity Incentive Plan and Grant of Restricted Stock dated        , 20     and may not be sold, pledged, transferred, assigned or otherwise encumbered in any manner except as is set forth in the terms of such plan or grant.

 

ARTICLE VIII
PERFORMANCE AWARDS

 

8.1           Eligible Persons .  All Employees, Consultants and Non-Employee Directors shall be eligible for grants of Performance Awards.

 

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8.2           Performance Awards .  The Committee may grant Performance Awards based on performance criteria measured over a period of not less than one year and not more than three (3) years.  The Committee may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance conditions, and may exercise its discretion to increase the amounts payable under any Award subject to performance conditions, except as limited under Section 8.3 in the case of a Performance Award granted to a Covered Employee. In no event shall grants in any single calendar year to any eligible Participant under this Plan of cash awards intended to qualify as Section 162(m) awards provide for payment of more than $20,000,000.

 

8.3           Performance Goals .  The grant and/or settlement of a Performance Award shall be contingent upon terms set forth in this Section 8.3 .

 

(a)           General .  The performance goals for Performance Awards shall consist of one or more business criteria and a targeted level or levels of performance with respect to each of such criteria, as specified by the Committee.  In the case of any Award granted to a Covered Employee which are intended to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code, performance goals shall be designed to be objective and shall otherwise meet the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and regulations thereunder (including Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27 and successor regulations thereto), including the requirement that the level or levels of performance targeted by the Committee are such that the achievement of performance goals is “substantially uncertain” at the time of grant.  The Committee may determine that such Performance Awards shall be granted and/or settled upon achievement of any one performance goal or that two or more of the performance goals must be achieved as a condition to the grant and/or settlement of such Performance Awards.  Performance goals may differ among Performance Awards granted to any one Participant or for Performance Awards granted to different Participants.

 

(b)           Business Criteria .  One or more of the following business criteria for the Company, an a consolidated basis, and/or for specified subsidiaries, divisions or business or geographical units of the Company (except with respect to the total stockholder return and earnings per share criteria), shall be used by the Committee in establishing performance goals for Performance Awards granted to a Participant:  (A) earnings per share; (B) increase in revenues; (C) increase in cash flow; (D) increase in cash flow return; (E) return on net assets; (F) return on assets; (G) return on investment; (H) return on capital; (I) return on equity; (J) economic value added; (K) gross margin; (L) net income; (M) pretax earnings; (N) pretax earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization; (O) pretax operating earnings after interest expense and before incentives, service fees, and extraordinary or special items; (P) operating income; (Q) total stockholder return; (R) debt reduction; and (S) any of the above goals determined on an absolute or relative basis or as compared to the performance of a published or special index deemed applicable by the Committee including, but not limited to, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index or a group of comparable companies.

 

(c)           Performance Period; Timing for Establishing Performance Goals .  Achievement of performance goals in respect of Performance Awards shall be measured over a performance period of not less than one year and not more than three (3) years, as specified by the Committee.  Performance goals in the case of any Award granted to a Participant shall be established not later than ninety (90) days after the beginning of any performance period applicable to such

 

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Performance Awards, or at such other date as may be required or permitted for “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

(d)           Settlement of Performance Awards; Other Terms .  After the end of each performance period, the Committee shall determine the amount, if any, of Performance Awards payable to each Participant based upon achievement of business criteria over a performance period.  The Committee may not exercise discretion to increase any such amount payable in respect of a Performance Award designed to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code.  Subject to Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(e)(2)(v), the Committee shall specify the circumstances in which such Performance Awards shall be paid or forfeited in the event of termination of employment by the Participant prior to the end of a performance period or settlement of Performance Awards.

 

(e)           Written Determinations .  All determinations by the Committee as to the establishment of performance goals, the amount of any Performance Award, and the achievement of performance goals relating to Performance Awards shall be made in writing in the case of any Award granted to a Participant.  The Committee may not delegate any responsibility relating to such Performance Awards.

 

ARTICLE IX
OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS

 

The Committee is hereby authorized to grant to Employees, Non-Employee Directors and Consultants of the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates Other Stock-Based Awards, which shall consist of a right which (i) is not an Award described in any other Article and (ii) is denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, shares of Common Stock (including, without limitation, securities convertible into shares of Common Stock), LTIP units in the Company’s operating partnership, or cash as are deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan.  Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of any such Other Stock-Based Award.

 

ARTICLE X
CERTAIN PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL AWARDS

 

10.1         General .  Awards may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth herein.  In addition, the Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise thereof, such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine, including terms requiring forfeiture of Awards in the event of termination of employment by the Participant and terms permitting a Participant to make elections relating to his or her Award.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may amend any Award without the consent of the holder if the Committee deems it necessary to avoid adverse tax consequences to the holder under Section 409A of the Code.  The Committee shall retain full power and discretion to accelerate or waive, at any time, any term or condition of an Award that is not mandatory under this Plan; provided, however, that the Committee shall not have discretion to accelerate or waive any term or condition of an Award (i) if such discretion would cause the Award to have adverse tax consequences to the Participant under Section 409A of the

 

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Code, or (ii) if the Award is intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code and such discretion would cause the Award not to so qualify.  Except in cases in which the Committee is authorized to require other forms of consideration under the Plan, or to the extent other forms of consideration must be paid to satisfy the requirements of the Maryland General Corporation Law, no consideration other than services may be required for the grant of any Award.

 

10.2         Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards .  Subject to Section 2.7 , Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution or exchange for, any other Award or any award granted under another plan of the Company, the Advisor, any of their respective Affiliates, or any business entity to be acquired by the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other right of a Participant to receive payment from the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates.  Such additional, tandem and substitute or exchange Awards may be granted at any time.  If an Award is granted in substitution or exchange for another Award, the Committee shall require the surrender of such other Award in consideration for the grant of the new Award.  In addition, Awards may be granted in lieu of cash compensation, including in lieu of cash amounts payable under other plans of the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

10.3         Term of Awards .  The term or Restricted Period of each Award that is an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Phantom Stock or Restricted Stock shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee; provided that in no event shall the term of any such Award exceed a period of ten (10) years (or such shorter terms as may be require in respect of an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code).

 

10.4         Form and Timing of Payment under Awards; Deferrals .  Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award agreement, payments to be made by the Company or a subsidiary upon the exercise of an Option or other Award, or settlement of an Award may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or on a deferred basis.  The settlement of any Award may, subject to any limitations set forth in the Award agreement, be accelerated and cash paid in lieu of shares in connection with such settlement, in the discretion of the Committee or upon occurrence of one or more specified events; provided, however, that such discretion may not be exercised by the Committee if the exercise of such discretion would result in adverse tax consequences to the Participant under Section 409A of the Code.  In the discretion of the Committee, Awards granted pursuant to Article VI or VIII of the Plan may be payable in shares to the extent permitted by the terms of the applicable Award agreement.  Installment or deferred payments may be required by the Committee (subject to Section 1.4 of the Plan, including the consent provisions thereof in the case of any deferral of an outstanding Award not provided for in the original Award agreement) or permitted at the election of the Participant on terms and conditions established by the Committee; provided, however, that no deferral shall be required or permitted by the Committee if such deferral would result in adverse tax consequences to the Participant under Section 409A of the Code.  Payments may include, without limitation, provisions for the payment or crediting of reasonable interest on installment or deferred payments or the grant or crediting of amounts in respect of installment or deferred payments denominated in shares.  Any deferral shall only be allowed as is provided in a separate deferred compensation plan adopted by the Company.

 

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10.5         Vested and Unvested Awards .  After the satisfaction of all of the terms and conditions set by the Committee with respect to an Award of (i) Restricted Stock, a certificate, without the legend set forth in Section 7.2(c) , for the number of shares that are no longer subject to such restrictions, terms and conditions shall be delivered to the Participant, (ii) Phantom Stock, to the extent not paid in cash, a certificate for the number of shares equal to the number of shares of Phantom Stock earned, and (iii) Stock Appreciation Rights or Performance Awards, cash and/or a certificate for the number of shares equal in value to the number of Stock Appreciation Rights or amount of Performance Awards vested shall be delivered to the Participant.  Upon termination, resignation or removal of a Participant under circumstances that do not cause such Participant to become fully vested, any remaining unvested Options, shares of Restricted Stock, Phantom Stock, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards, as the case may be, shall either be forfeited back to the Company or, if appropriate under the terms of the Award, shall continue to be subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions set by the Committee with respect to such Award.

 

10.6         Exemptions from Section 16(b) Liability .  It is the intent of the Company that the grant of any Awards to or other transaction by a Participant who is subject to Section 16 of the 1934 Act shall be exempt from Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act pursuant to an applicable exemption (except for transactions acknowledged by the Participant in writing to be non-exempt).  Accordingly, if any provision of this Plan or any Award agreement does not comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 as then applicable to any such transaction, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3 so that such Participant shall avoid liability under Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act.

 

10.7         Other Provisions .  No grant of any Award shall be construed as limiting any right which the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates may have to terminate at any time, with or without cause, the employment of any person to whom such Award has been granted.

 

10.8         Change of Control .  In the event of a Change of Control, the following provisions shall apply.

 

(a)           General .  Unless otherwise provided in the Award, in connection with a Change of Control, the Board shall have the authority in its sole discretion to take any one or more of the following actions with respect to the Awards:

 

(i)            the Board may cause the acquirer to assume the Plan and the Awards or exchange the Awards for awards for the acquirer’s stock;

 

(ii)           the Board may terminate the Plan;

 

(iii)          the Board may terminate and cancel all outstanding unvested or unexercised Awards as of the date of the Change of Control on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate;

 

(iv)          in the event that the acquirer refuses to assume the Plan and the Awards or exchange the Awards for awards for the acquirer’s stock, the Board may accelerate

 

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vesting of all Awards and, with respect to Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, the time at which all Options and Stock Appreciation Rights then outstanding may be exercised or paid so that all Awards may be fully vested and exercised or paid in full for a limited period of time on or before a specified date fixed by the Board or the Committee, after which specified date all unexercised Awards, if any, and all rights of the Participants thereunder shall terminate, or the Board or the Committee may accelerate vesting or payment and the time at which such Awards may be exercised or paid so that such Awards may be exercised or paid in full for their then remaining term; and

 

(v)           in the event that the acquirer refuses to assume the Plan and the Awards or exchange the Awards for awards for the acquirer’s stock, the Board may waive, alter and/or amend the performance goals and other restrictions and conditions of Awards then outstanding, with the result that the affected Awards may be deemed vested, and the Restricted Period or other limitations on payment in full with respect thereto shall be deemed to have expired, as of the date of the Change of Control or such other date as may be determined by the Board.

 

Notwithstanding the above provisions of this Section 10.8(a) , the Board shall not be required to take any action described in the preceding provisions of this Section 10.8(a) , and any decision made by the Board, in its sole discretion, not to take some or all of the actions described in the preceding provisions of this Section 10.8(a)  shall be final, binding and conclusive with respect to the Company and all other interested persons.

 

(b)           Right to Cash-Out .  In the event that the acquirer refuses to assume the Plan and the Awards or exchange the Awards for awards for the acquirer’s stock, the Board shall, in connection with a Change of Control, have the right to require all, but not less than all, Participants to transfer and deliver to the Company all Awards previously granted to the Participants in exchange for an amount equal to the Cash Value (as defined below) of the Awards. Such right shall be exercised by written notice to all affected Participants. The amount payable to each Participant by the Company shall be in cash or by certified check paid within five (5) days following the transfer and delivery of such Award (but in no event later than fifty (50) days following the date of the Change of Control) and shall be reduced by any taxes required to be withheld. “Cash Value” of an Award means the sum of (i) in the case of any Award which is not an Option or an Award of Restricted Stock, the value of all benefits to which the Participant would be entitled as if the Award were vested and settled or exercised and (ii) (A) in the case of any Award that is an Option, the excess of the FMV Per Share over the exercise price or (B) in the case of an Award of Restricted Stock, the FMV Per Share of Restricted Stock, multiplied by the number of shares subject to such Award, all as determined by the Board as of the date of the Change of Control or such other date as may be determined by the Board.

 

10.9         Ownership Limit .  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or the terms of any Awards, the Company shall not be required to, and shall not, issue any Awards hereunder if such issuance would cause the Company to violate the Ownership Limits set forth in its Articles of Amendment and Restatement.  As used herein and in the Company’s Articles of Amendment and Restatement, the term “Ownership Limit” means (i) with respect to any class or series shares of Common Stock, 9.8% (in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the outstanding shares of such class or series of Common Stock of the Company and (ii) with respect

 

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to any class or series of shares of preferred stock or other stock, 9.8% (in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the outstanding shares of such class or series of preferred stock or other stock of the Company.

 

10.10       Minimum Vesting . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, no Option, Purchased Stock, Bonus Stock, Stock Appreciation Right, Phantom Stock, Restricted Stock, or Other Stock-Based Award that vests based on continued employment or the passage of time shall vest in less than one year from the date the Award is made, other than upon the death or Disability of the Participant or in the case of termination without cause or for good reason, or a termination following a Change of Control, in each case as specified in the document or instrument evidencing the Award granted hereunder. The performance period for any such Award that vests based in whole or in part on performance shall be at least one year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, up to five percent (5%) of the shares authorized under the Plan and any shares issued pursuant to an Award granted to a Non-Employee Director may be issued pursuant to the vesting of Awards over less than a one-year period.

 

10.11       Equity Retention Requirement.  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or the terms of any Awards, each member of the Board and each executive officer is required to retain at least 50% of the after-tax shares received in connection with any Awards granted under the Plan after August 3, 2016 until such time that such director or executive officer has met his or her required ownership level as described in the Corporate Governance Guidelines of the Company. For purposes of this Article X, Section 10.10, “executive officers” include the CEO, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Executive Vice President of Asset Management and the Chief Strategy Officer.

 

ARTICLE XI
WITHHOLDING FOR TAXES

 

Any issuance of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of an Option or payment of any other Award under the Plan shall not be made until appropriate arrangements satisfactory to the Company have been made for the payment of any tax amounts (federal, state, local or other) that may be required to be withheld or paid by the Company with respect thereto.  Such arrangements may, at the discretion of the Committee, include allowing the person to tender to the Company shares of Common Stock owned by the person, or to request the Company to withhold shares of Common Stock being acquired pursuant to the Award, whether through the exercise of an Option or as a distribution pursuant to the Award, which have an aggregate FMV Per Share as of the date of such withholding that is not greater than the sum of all tax amounts to be withheld with respect thereto, together with payment of any remaining portion of such tax amounts in cash or by check payable and acceptable to the Company.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if on the date of an event giving rise to a tax withholding obligation on the part of the Company the person is an officer or individual subject to Rule 16b-3, such person may direct that such tax withholding be effectuated by the Company withholding the necessary number of shares of Common Stock (at the tax rate required by the Code) from such Award payment or exercise.

 

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ARTICLE XII
MISCELLANEOUS

 

12.1         No Rights to Awards .  No Participant or other person shall have any claim to be granted any Award, there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants, or holders or beneficiaries of Awards and the terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient.

 

12.2         No Right to Employment .  The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ of the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates.  Further, the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective Affiliates may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in any Award agreement.

 

12.3         Governing Law .  The validity, construction, and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan shall be determined in accordance with applicable federal law and the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to any principles of conflicts of law.

 

12.4         Severability .  If any provision of the Plan or any Award is, becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Participant or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Participant or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

 

12.5         Other Laws .  The Committee may refuse to issue or transfer any shares or other consideration under an Award if, acting in its sole discretion, it determines that the issuance of transfer or such shares or such other consideration might violate any applicable law.

 

12.6         Stockholder Agreements .  The Committee may condition the grant, exercise or payment of any Award upon such person entering into a stockholders’ agreement in such form as approved from time to time by the Board.

 

12.7         No Guarantee of Tax Consequences .  Each Participant shall be solely responsible for and liable for any tax consequences (including but not limited to any interest or penalties) as a result of his or her participation in the Plan.  None of the Board, the Company or the Committee makes any commitment or guarantee that any federal, state or local tax treatment will apply or be available to any person participating or eligible to participate hereunder and assumes no liability whatsoever for the tax consequences to the Participants.

 

12.8         Compliance with Section 409A of the Code .  Certain items of compensation paid pursuant to this Plan are or may be subject to Section 409A of the Code.  In such instances, this Plan is intended to comply and shall be administered in a manner that is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code and shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent.  Subject to any other restrictions or limitations contained herein, in the event that a

 

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“specified employee” (as defined under Section 409A of the Code) becomes entitled to a payment under the Plan that is subject to Section 409A of the Code on account of a “separation from service” (as defined under Section 409A of the Code), such payment shall not occur until the date that is six months plus one day from the date of such “separation from service.”  In the event that a Participant becomes entitled to a payment under the Plan that is subject to Section 409A of the Code on account of a termination of employment, such termination of employment must also constitute a “separation from service” (as defined under Section 409A of the Code).

 

12.9         Claw-back Policy .  All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by the Participant upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any shares of Common Stock underlying the Award) shall be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, the Advisor or any Affiliate, as applicable, including, without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with the requirements of any federal or state laws and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable Award agreement.

 

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Exhibit 10.2

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is entered into as of           , 20   , by and between Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “ Company ” or the “ Indemnitor ”) and            (the “ Indemnitee ”).

 

WHEREAS , the Indemnitee is an officer and/or a member of the Board of Directors of the Company and in such capacity is performing a valuable service for the Company;

 

WHEREAS , Maryland law permits the Company to enter into contracts with its officers or members of its Board of Directors with respect to indemnification of, and advancement of expenses to, such persons;

 

WHEREAS , the Articles of Amendment and Restatement of the Company (the “ Charter ”) provide that the Company shall indemnify and advance expenses to its directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time;

 

WHEREAS , the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “ Bylaws ”) provide that each director and officer of the Company shall be indemnified by the Company to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time and shall be entitled to advancement of expenses consistent with Maryland law; and

 

WHEREAS , to induce the Indemnitee to provide services to the Company as an officer and/or a member of the Board of Directors, and to provide the Indemnitee with specific contractual assurance that indemnification will be available to the Indemnitee regardless of, among other things, any amendment to or revocation of the Charter or the Bylaws, or any acquisition transaction relating to the Company, the Indemnitor desires to provide the Indemnitee with protection against personal liability as set forth herein.

 

NOW , THEREFORE , in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Indemnitor and the Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:

 

1.                                       DEFINITIONS

 

For purposes of this Agreement:

 

(A)                                Change of Control ” is when the following have occurred and are continuing:

 

·                   the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of shares of the Company entitling that person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all shares of the Company entitled to vote generally in elections of directors (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is

 



 

currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and

 

·                   following the closing of any transaction referred to in the bullet point above, neither the Company nor the acquiring or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or ADRs representing such securities) listed on the NYSE, the NYSE Amex or NASDAQ or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE Amex or NASDAQ.

 

(B)                             Corporate Status ” describes the status of a person who is or was a director or officer of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, partner (limited or general), member, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, other enterprise (whether conducted for profit or not for profit) or employee benefit plan. The Company shall be deemed to have requested the Indemnitee to serve an employee benefit plan where the performance of the Indemnitee’s duties to the Company also imposes or imposed duties on, or otherwise involves or involved services by, the Indemnitee to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan.

 

(C)                             Determination ” means a determination that either (x) there is a reasonable basis for the conclusion that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the Indemnitee had met the applicable standard of conduct (a “Favorable Determination”) or (y) there is no reasonable basis for the conclusion that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances (an “Adverse Determination”).

 

(D)                             Disinterested Director ” means a director who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee and does not otherwise have an interest materially adverse to any interest of the Indemnitee.

 

(E)                              Expenses ” shall include all attorneys’ and paralegals’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding.

 

(F)                               Proceeding ” includes any action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation (including any formal or informal internal investigation to which the Indemnitee is made a party by reason of the Corporate Status of the Indemnitee), administrative hearing, or any other proceeding, including appeals therefrom, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative.

 

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(G)                             Special Legal Counsel ” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporate law and neither presently is, or in the past two years has been, retained to represent (i) the Indemnitor or the Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party, or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder.

 

2.                                       INDEMNIFICATION

 

The Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this paragraph 2 and under applicable law, the Charter, the Bylaws, any other agreement, a vote of stockholders or resolution of the Board of Directors or otherwise if, by reason of such Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, such Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to any threatened, pending, or contemplated Proceeding, including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company.  Unless prohibited by paragraph 13 hereof and subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Indemnitee shall be indemnified hereunder, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, against judgments, penalties, fines and settlements and reasonable Expenses actually incurred by or on behalf of such Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein; provided, however, that if such Proceeding was initiated by or in the right of the Company, indemnification may not be made in respect of such Proceeding if the Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged to be liable to the Company.  For purposes of this paragraph 2, excise taxes assessed on the Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall be deemed fines.

 

3.                                       INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES

 

(A)                             Without limiting the effect of any other provision of this Agreement (including the Indemnitee’s rights to indemnification under paragraph 2 and advancement of expenses under paragraph 4), without regard to whether the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under paragraph 2 and without regard to the provisions of paragraph 6 hereof, to the extent that the Indemnitee is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding to which the Indemnitee is a party by reason of such Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, such Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all reasonable Expenses actually incurred by or on behalf of such Indemnitee in connection therewith.

 

(B)                             If the Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues, or matters in such Proceeding, the Indemnitor shall indemnify the Indemnitee against all reasonable Expenses actually incurred by or on behalf of such Indemnitee in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter.

 

(C)                             For purposes of this paragraph 3 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

 

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4.                                       ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES

 

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, but subject to paragraph 13 hereof, if the Indemnitee is or was or becomes a party to or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding (including as a witness), or is or was threatened to be made a party to or a participant (including as a witness) in any such Proceeding, by reason of the Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, or by reason of (or arising in part out of) any actual or alleged event or occurrence related to the Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, or by reason of any actual or alleged act or omission on the part of the Indemnitee taken or omitted in or relating to the Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, then the Indemnitor shall advance all reasonable Expenses incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with any such Proceeding within twenty (20) days after the receipt by the Indemnitor of a statement from the Indemnitee requesting such advance from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding; provided that, such statement shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred or to be incurred by the Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by (i) a written affirmation by the Indemnitee of the Indemnitee’s good faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the Indemnitor as authorized by this Agreement has been met and (ii) a written undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay the amounts advanced if it should ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct has not been met.  The undertaking required by clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall be an unlimited general obligation of the Indemnitee but need not be secured and may be accepted without reference to financial ability to make the repayment.

 

5.                                       WITNESS EXPENSES

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that the Indemnitee is, by reason of such Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness (or is forced or asked to respond to discovery requests) for any reason in any Proceeding to which such Indemnitee is not a named defendant or respondent, the Indemnitor shall advance all Expenses actually incurred by or on behalf of such Indemnitee, on an as-incurred basis in accordance with paragraph 4 of this Agreement, in connection therewith and indemnify the Indemnitee therefor.

 

6.                                       DETERMINATION OF ENTITLEMENT TO AND AUTHORIZATION OF INDEMNIFICATION

 

(A)                                To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, the Indemnitee shall submit to the Indemnitor a written request, including therewith such documentation and information reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification.

 

(B)                                The Indemnitor agrees that the Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by law.  Indemnification under this Agreement may not be made unless authorized for a specific Proceeding after a Determination has been made in accordance with this paragraph 6(B) that indemnification of the Indemnitee is permissible in the circumstances because the Indemnitee has met the following standard of conduct: the Indemnitor shall indemnify the Indemnitee in accordance

 

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with the provisions of paragraph 2 hereof, unless it is established that: (a) the act or omission of the Indemnitee was material to the matter giving rise to the Proceeding and (x) was committed in bad faith or (y) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; (b) the Indemnitee actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.  Any Determination shall be made within thirty (30) days after receipt of Indemnitee’s written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(A) and such Determination shall be made either (i) by the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum, so long as Indemnitee does not request that such Determination be made by Special Legal Counsel, or (ii) if so requested by Indemnitee, in Indemnitee’s sole discretion, by Special Legal Counsel in a written opinion to the Indemnitor and Indemnitee. If a Determination is made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to the Indemnitee shall be made within fifteen (15) business days after such Determination.  Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such Determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such Determination. Any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the Disinterested Directors or Special Legal Counsel, as the case may be, making such determination shall be advanced and borne by the Indemnitor in accordance with paragraph 4 of this Agreement (irrespective of the Determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification). If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 6(B) of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a Favorable Determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Indemnitor of the request therefor, the requisite Determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such thirty (30) day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the Determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(B) shall not apply if the Determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Special Legal Counsel pursuant to Section 6(E).

 

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(C)                             The Indemnitor shall be bound by and shall have no right to challenge a Favorable Determination. If an Adverse Determination is made, or if for any other reason the Indemnitor does not make timely indemnification payments or advancement of Expenses required by this Agreement, the Indemnitee shall have the right to commence a Proceeding before a court of competent jurisdiction to challenge such Adverse Determination and/or to require the Indemnitor to make such payments or advancement of expenses (and the Indemnitor shall have the right to defend their position in such Proceeding and to appeal any adverse judgment in such Proceeding). The Indemnitee shall be entitled to have such Expenses advanced by the Indemnitor in accordance with paragraph 4 of this Agreement and applicable law.  If the Indemnitee fails to challenge an Adverse Determination within ninety (90) business days, or if Indemnitee challenges an Adverse Determination and such Adverse Determination has been upheld by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction from which no appeal can be taken, then, to the extent and only to the extent required by such Adverse Determination or final judgment, the Indemnitor shall not be obligated to indemnify the Indemnitee under this Agreement.

 

(D)                             The Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person or entity making such Determination with respect to the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to the Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination.  Any reasonable costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by the Indemnitee in so cooperating shall be borne by the Indemnitor (irrespective of the determination as to the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Indemnitor hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold the Indemnitee harmless therefrom.

 

(E)                              In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Special Legal Counsel pursuant to Section 6(B) hereof, the Indemnitee, or the Indemnitor, as the case may be, may, within seven days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Indemnitor or to the Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection.  Such objection may be asserted only on the grounds that the Special Legal Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Special Legal Counsel” as defined in paragraph 1 of this Agreement.  If such written objection is made, the Special Legal Counsel so selected may not serve as Special Legal Counsel until a court has determined that such objection is without merit.  If, within twenty (20) days after submission by the Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(A) hereof, no Special Legal Counsel shall have been selected or, if selected, shall have been objected to, either the Indemnitor or the Indemnitee may petition a court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Indemnitor or the Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Special Legal Counsel and/or for the appointment as Special Legal Counsel of a person selected by the

 

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court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom an objection is so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Special Legal Counsel under Section 6(B) hereof.  The Indemnitor shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses of Special Legal Counsel incurred in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(B) hereof, and all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the selection of such Special Legal Counsel pursuant to this Section 6(D).  In the event that a determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Special Legal Counsel and such determination shall not have been made and delivered in a written opinion within ninety (90) days after the receipt by the Indemnitor of the Indemnitee’s request in accordance with Section 6(A), upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding in accordance with Section 8(A) of this Agreement, Special Legal Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity.

 

7.                                       PRESUMPTIONS

 

(A)                                It shall be presumed that the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement (notwithstanding any Adverse Determination), and the Indemnitor or any other person or entity challenging such right shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption.

 

(B)                                The termination of any Proceeding by conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, or an entry of an order of probation prior to judgment, creates a rebuttable presumption that the Indemnitee did not meet the requisite standard of conduct described herein for indemnification.

 

8.                                       REMEDIES

 

(A)                                In the event that:  (i) an Adverse Determination is made, or (ii) advancement of reasonable Expenses is not timely made pursuant to this Agreement, or (iii) payment of indemnification due the Indemnitee under this Agreement is not timely made, the Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of competent jurisdiction of such Indemnitee’s entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses.

 

(B)                                In the event that an Adverse Determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(B) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this paragraph 8 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits. The fact that an Adverse Determination has been made earlier pursuant to paragraph 6 of this Agreement that the Indemnitee was not entitled to indemnification shall not be taken into account in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this paragraph 8 and the (i) Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced in any way by reason of that Adverse Determination and (ii) the

 

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Indemnitor shall have the burden of proving that the Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.

 

(C)                                If a Favorable Determination shall have been made  or deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6(B) of this Agreement that the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Indemnitor shall be bound by such Determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this paragraph 8, absent: (i) a misstatement by the Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make the Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.

 

(D)                                The Indemnitor shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this paragraph 8 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court that the Indemnitor is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(E)                                 In the event that the Indemnitee, pursuant to this paragraph 8, seeks a judicial adjudication of such Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, if successful on the merits or otherwise as to all or less than all claims, issues or matters in such judicial adjudication, the Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Indemnitor, and shall be indemnified by the Indemnitor against, any and all reasonable Expenses actually incurred by such Indemnitee in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter.

 

(F)                                  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no Determination as to entitlement of the Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.

 

9.                                       NOTIFICATION AND DEFENSE OF CLAIMS

 

The Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Indemnitor in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information, or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder, but the failure so to notify the Indemnitor will not relieve the Indemnitor from any liability that the Indemnitor may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement unless the Indemnitor can establish that such omission to notify resulted in actual and material prejudice to which it cannot be reversed or otherwise eliminated without any material negative effect on the Indemnitor.  With respect to any such Proceeding as to which Indemnitee notifies the Indemnitor of the commencement thereof:

 

(A)                                The Indemnitor will be entitled to participate therein at its own expense.

 

(B)                                Except as otherwise provided below, the Indemnitor will be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee.  After notice

 

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from the Indemnitor to Indemnitee of the Indemnitor’s election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnitor will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation or as otherwise provided below.  Indemnitee shall have the right to employ Indemnitee’s own counsel in such Proceeding, but the fees and disbursements of such counsel incurred after notice from the Indemnitor of the Indemnitor’s assumption of the defense thereof shall be at the expense of Indemnitee unless (a) the employment of counsel by the Indemnitee has been authorized by the Indemnitor, (b) the Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Indemnitor and the Indemnitee in the conduct of the defense of such action, (c) such Proceeding seeks penalties or other relief against the Indemnitee with respect to which the Indemnitor could not provide monetary indemnification to the Indemnitee (such as injunctive relief or incarceration) or (d) the Indemnitor shall not in fact have employed counsel to assume the defense of such action, in each of which cases the fees and disbursements of counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnitor.  The Indemnitor shall not be entitled to assume the defense of any Proceeding brought by or on behalf of the Indemnitor, or as to which the Indemnitee shall have reached the conclusion specified in clause (b) above, or which involves penalties or other relief against the Indemnitee of the type referred to in clause (c) above.

 

(C)                                The Indemnitor shall not be liable to indemnify the Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any action or claim effected without the Indemnitor’s written consent.  The Indemnitor shall not settle any action or claim in any manner that would impose any penalty or limitation on the Indemnitee without the Indemnitee’s written consent.  Neither the Indemnitor nor Indemnitee will unreasonably withhold or delay consent to any proposed settlement.

 

10.                                NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE SUBROGATION

 

(A)                                The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of reasonable Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Charter, the Bylaws, any other agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of the Board of Directors or otherwise, except that any payments otherwise required to be made by the Indemnitor hereunder shall be offset by any and all amounts received by the Indemnitee from any other indemnitor or under one or more liability insurance policies maintained by an indemnitor or otherwise and shall not be duplicative of any other payments received by an Indemnitee from the Indemnitor in respect of the matter giving rise to the indemnity hereunder; provided, however, that if indemnification rights are provided by an Additional Indemnitor as defined in Section 18(B) hereof, such Section shall govern.  No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or any provision hereof shall

 

9



 

be effective as to the Indemnitee with respect to any action taken or omitted by the Indemnitee prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal.

 

(B)                                To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors and officers of the Company, the Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available and upon any Change of Control the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain or arrange for continuation and/or “tail” coverage for the Indemnitee to the maximum extent obtainable at such time.

 

(C)                                Except as otherwise provided in Section 18(B) hereof, in the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Indemnitor shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all actions necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Indemnitor to bring suit to enforce such rights.

 

(D)                                Except as otherwise provided in Section 18(B) hereof, the Indemnitor shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder if and to the extent that the Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, or otherwise.

 

(E)                                 If Ashford Inc. (or any member or other affiliate thereof other than the Indemnitor) pays or causes to be paid, for any reason, any amounts with respect to any Proceeding in which the Indemnitee may be indemnified  or entitled to indemnification hereunder or under any other indemnification agreement with the Indemnitee (whether pursuant to contract, by-laws, charter or other organizational documents) or otherwise in its capacity as a stockholder of the Company, then (x) Ashford Inc. (or such affiliate, as the case may be) shall be fully subrogated to all rights of the Indemnitee with respect to such payment and (y) the Indemnitor shall fully indemnify, reimburse and hold harmless Ashford Inc. (or such other affiliates) for all such payments actually made by Ashford Inc. (or such other affiliates).

 

11.                                CONTINUATION OF INDEMNITY

 

(A)                                All agreements and obligations of the Indemnitor contained herein shall continue during the period the Indemnitee is an officer or a member of the Board of Directors of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as the Indemnitee shall be subject to any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding by reason of such Indemnitee’s Corporate Status and during the period of statute of limitations for any act or omission occurring during the Indemnitee’s term of Corporate Status.  This Agreement shall be binding upon the Indemnitor and its respective

 

10



 

successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnitee and such Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators.

 

(B)                                The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

 

12.                                SEVERABILITY

 

If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, (i) the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provisions held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

13.                                EXCEPTIONS TO RIGHT OF INDEMNIFICATION OR ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES

 

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, the Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification or advancement of reasonable Expenses under this Agreement with respect to (i) any Proceeding initiated by such Indemnitee against the Indemnitor other than a proceeding commenced pursuant to paragraph 8 hereof, or (ii) any Proceeding for an accounting of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities of the Company in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or any similar provisions of any federal, state or local statute.

 

14.                                NOTICE TO THE COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS

 

Any indemnification of, or advancement of reasonable Expenses, to an Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement, if arising out of a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company, shall be reported in writing to the stockholders of the Company with the notice of the next Company stockholders’ meeting or prior to the meeting.

 

15.                                HEADINGS

 

The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.

 

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16.                                MODIFICATION AND WAIVER

 

No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by each of the parties hereto.  No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

 

17.                                NOTICES

 

All notices, requests, demands, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (i) delivered by hand or by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service and received by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, or (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, if so delivered or mailed, as the case may be, to the following addresses:

 

If to the Indemnitee, to the address set forth in the records of the Company.

 

If to the Indemnitor, to:

 

Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc.

14185 Dallas Parkway

Suite 1100

Dallas, TX 75254

Attention:  General Counsel

 

or to such other address as may have been furnished to the Indemnitee by the Indemnitor or to the Indemnitor by the Indemnitee, as the case may be.

 

18.                                CONTRIBUTION

 

(A)                             To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, penalties, fines and settlements and Expenses actually incurred by or on behalf of an Indemnitee, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).

 

(B)                             The Company acknowledges and agrees that as between the Company and any other entity that has provided indemnification rights in respect of Indemnitee’s

 

12



 

service as a director of the Company at the request of such entity (an “ Additional Indemnitor ”), the Company shall be primarily liable to Indemnitee as set forth in this Agreement for any indemnification claim (including, without limitation, any claim for advancement of Expenses) by Indemnitee in respect of any Proceeding for which Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder.  In the event the Additional Indemnitor is liable to any extent to Indemnitee by virtue of indemnification rights provided by the Additional Indemnitor to Indemnitee in respect of Indemnitee’s service on the Board of Directors at the request of the Additional Indemnitor and Indemnitee is also entitled to indemnification under this Agreement (including, without limitation, for advancement of Expenses) as a result of any Proceeding, the Company shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount of any indemnification claim (including, without limitation, any claim for advancement of Expenses) brought by the Indemnitee against the Company under this Agreement (including, without limitation, any claim for advancement of Expenses) without requiring the Additional Indemnitor to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution, subrogation or any other right of recovery of any kind it may have against the Additional Indemnitor in respect thereof.  The Company further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Additional Indemnitor on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and the Additional Indemnitor shall be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Indemnitee against the Company.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company hereby acknowledges that certain of its Directors, including the Directors affiliated with Ashford Inc. (the “ Specified Directors ”), may have certain rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by Ashford Inc. and certain of its affiliates (collectively, the “ Ashford Inc. Indemnitors ”), which shall constitute Additional Indemnitors for purposes of this paragraph.  To the extent the Indemnitee is a Specified Director, the Company hereby agrees and acknowledges that with respect to matters for which it is required to provide indemnity pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (i) it shall be the indemnitor of first resort with respect to the Indemnitee ( i.e. , its obligations to the Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Ashford Inc. Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for expenses or liabilities incurred by the Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) it shall advance the full amount of expenses incurred and shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement by the Indemnitee to the extent required by the terms of this Agreement (or any other agreement between the Company and the Indemnitee), without regard to any rights the Specified Directors may have against the Ashford Inc. Indemnitors and (iii) it irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Ashford Inc. Indemnitors from any and all claims against the Ashford Inc. Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof related to the Company’s obligations set forth in clauses (i) and

 

13



 

(ii) in this sentence.  The Company further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Ashford Inc. Indemnitors on behalf of the Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which the Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and the Ashford Inc. Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Indemnitee against the Company.

 

19.                                GOVERNING LAW

 

The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Maryland, without application of the conflict of laws principles thereof.

 

20.                                NO ASSIGNMENTS

 

The Indemnitee may not assign its rights or delegate obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Indemnitor.  Any assignment or delegation in violation of this paragraph 20 shall be null and void.

 

21.                                NO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS

 

Except for the rights of an Additional Indemnitor under paragraph 18(B) hereof and except for Ashford Inc., who is expressly made a third party beneficiary of paragraph 10(E) hereof: (a), nothing expressed or referred to in this Agreement will be construed to give any person other than the parties to this Agreement any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or with respect to this Agreement or any provision of this Agreement; and (b) this Agreement and all of its provisions are for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties to this Agreement and their successors and permitted assigns.

 

22.                                COUNTERPARTS

 

This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together constitute an agreement binding on all of the parties hereto.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

ASHFORD HOSPITALITY PRIME, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

David A. Brooks, Chief Operating Officer

 

 

and General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INDEMNITEE:

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Kenneth Hopkins Fearn, Jr.

 


Exhibit 99.1

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

 

Contact:

Deric Eubanks

Jordan Jennings

Marilynn Meek

 

Chief Financial Officer

Investor Relations

Financial Relations Board

 

(972) 490-9600

(972) 778-9487

(212) 827-3773

 

ASHFORD PRIME ANNOUNCES CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

ENHANCEMENTS & APPOINTMENT OF NEW INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR

 

DALLAS, August 9, 2016 — Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc. (NYSE: AHP) (“Ashford Prime” or the “Company”) announced today that the Company’s Board of Directors has taken a series of actions, in response to the Board’s on-going dialogue with Company shareholders, which are intended to enhance the Company’s corporate governance and improve its QuickScore.  The enhanced governance measures, which were unanimously approved by the Board of Directors, include:

 

·                   Adoption of a majority voting standard for uncontested director elections and a  plurality voting standard in contested director elections;

 

·                   Separate the roles of Chairman and CEO;

 

·                   Prohibit share recycling with respect to share forfeitures, stock options and stock appreciation rights under the Company’s stock plan by executives and directors;

 

·                   Implementation of a mandatory equity award retention period for executives and directors;

 

·                   Adoption of a proxy access resolution which would enable a shareholder, or a group of not more than 20 shareholders, who have continuously owned 3% or more of the Company’s common stock for a minimum of 3 years to include nominees in its proxy materials for the greater of two or 20% of the Board; and

 

·                   Addition of two independent directors to the Board.  As part of this initiative, the Company is pleased to announce that Ken Fearn has joined the Board of Directors, bringing the total number of directors to eight and the total independent directors to six.

 



 

Kenneth H. Fearn is Founder and Managing Partner of Integrated Capital LLC, a private equity real estate firm with a focus on hospitality assets in markets across the United States. Prior to founding Integrated Capital, Mr. Fearn was Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Maritz, Wolff & Co., a private equity firm engaged in real estate acquisition and development. Maritz, Wolff managed three private equity investment funds totaling $500 million focused on acquiring luxury hotels and resorts. Prior to Maritz, Wolff, he was with McKinsey & Company, a strategy management consulting firm in Los Angeles, where he worked with Fortune 200 companies to address issues of profitability and develop business strategies. Prior to McKinsey & Company, he worked at JP Morgan & Company, where he was involved with corporate merger and acquisition assignments. Mr. Fearn received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business.

 

Mr. Fearn has served on the Marriott International Owner Advisory Board since 2006 and is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship at Cornell University.  He also previously served as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles as well as the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, where he was a member of the Executive Committee and the Finance Committee from 2005-2014.

 

Mr. Fearn brings over 21 years of real estate and hospitality experience to our board of directors. During his career at Maritz, Wolff & Co. and later Integrated Capital, he was involved in the acquisition of approximately $2 billion in hospitality assets and secured in excess of $2.5 billion in debt financing. His extensive contacts in the hospitality and commercial real estate lending industries will be beneficial in his service on our board of directors.

 

The Board is also still in the process of identifying a CEO candidate and has engaged an executive search firm to assist with that effort.  Since the announcement in May regarding the addition of two independent directors, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board has conducted an extensive search, diligence, and interviewed multiple director candidates.  The Committee will continue its search for another independent director.

 



 

“Over the past several months, the Board of Directors as well as management spent considerable time engaging with shareholders and received many thoughtful comments concerning Ashford Prime and we value their input,” said Monty J. Bennett, Ashford Prime’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  “We believe that these enhancements further reflect our commitment to strong corporate governance and to being responsive to the views of our shareholders.”

 

Additional information concerning Ashford Prime’s corporate governance guidelines, including the enhancements announced today, will be available on the Company’s website and in a Form 8-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Ashford Hospitality Prime is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on investing in luxury hotels located in resort and gateway markets.

 

Follow Chairman and CEO Monty Bennett on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBennettAshford or @MBennettAshford.

 

Ashford has created an Ashford App for the hospitality REIT investor community.  The Ashford App is available for free download at Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store by searching “Ashford.”

 

Certain statements and assumptions in this press release contain or are based upon “forward-looking” information and are being made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties.  When we use the words “will likely result,” “may,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “should,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend,” or similar expressions, we intend to identify forward-looking statements.  Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside Ashford Prime’s control.

 

These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation:  general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of our common stock; changes in our business or investment strategy; availability, terms and deployment of capital; availability of qualified personnel; changes in our industry and the market in which we operate, interest rates or the general economy; and the degree and nature of our competition.  These and other risk factors are more fully discussed in Ashford Prime’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release.  Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.  We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances, changes in expectations or otherwise.

 

-END-