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): July 8, 2015 (July 1, 2015)

 

SHORE BANCSHARES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Maryland 0-22345 52-1974638
(State or other jurisdiction of (Commission file number) (IRS Employer
incorporation or organization)   Identification No.)

 

28969 Information Lane, Easton, Maryland 21601

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (410) 763-7800

 

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 
 

    

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

Effective as of July 1, 2015, Shore Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) appointed Donna J. Stevens, age 52, as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer. Ms. Stevens has been employed by the Company in various officer capacities since 1997, including serving as the Company’s Chief Operations Officer from July 2013 to July 2015, and as the Senior Operations and Compliance Officer of CNB, the Company’s wholly-owned commercial bank subsidiary, from February 2010 to June 2013. 

 

On July 1, 2015, the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) also adopted a form of performance share/restricted stock unit award agreement that will be used to grant performance equity incentive awards pursuant to and subject to the provisions of the Shore Bancshares, Inc. 2006 Stock and Incentive Compensation Plan (the “ Plan ”). Pursuant to the award agreement and the Plan, participating officers may earn incentive awards if certain pre-determined targets, including the Company’s targeted earnings per share and the Company’s targeted loan and deposit growth rates, are achieved at the end of the three-year performance period, which ends on December 31, 2017. These pre-determined targets must be achieved at threshold levels for the awards to vest. If the Company’s level of attainment of specified performance goals falls between threshold and target levels or between target and maximum levels, the Board’s Compensation Committee will use a proportional approach to determine the number of shares earned by the individual. The performance awards for executive officers are based on a percentage of the executive officer's year end base salary.

 

The form of performance share/restricted stock unit award agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

On July 1, 2015, the Board granted the following performance awards to the Company’s named executive officers (as identified in the Company’s 2015 proxy statement) and the Company’s Chief Operating Officer pursuant to the Plan:

 

 

Name

 

Position

Threshold Award

% of Salary

Target Award

% of Salary

Maximum Award

% of Salary

Lloyd L. Beatty, Jr. President and Chief Executive Officer 10.00% 20.00% 40.00%
George S. Rapp Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 7.50% 15.00% 30.00%
Patrick M. Bilbrough President and CEO of The Talbot Bank of Easton 7.50% 15.00% 30.00%
Edward C. Allen President and CEO of CNB 7.50% 15.00% 30.00%
Richard C. Trippe President and CEO of Avon-Dixon Agency, LLC 5.00% 10.00% 20.00%
Donna J. Stevens Chief Operating Officer 5.00% 10.00% 20.00%

 

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Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

The exhibits that are filed or furnished with this report are listed in the Exhibit Index that immediately follows the signatures hereto, which list is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

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

 

 

  SHORE BANCSHARES, INC.
   
Dated: July 8, 2015 By:  /s/ Lloyd L. Beatty, Jr.
    Lloyd L. Beatty, Jr.
President and Chief Executive Officer

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

 

Exhibit

Number Description
   
10.1 Form of Performance Share/Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

 

5

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

PERFORMANCE SHARE /RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT

AWARD AGREEMENT

 

Non-transferable

 

GRANT TO

 

_____________________________

(“ Grantee ”)

 

by SHORE BANCSHARES, iNC. (the “ Company ”) of restricted stock units (the “ Units ”) representing a right to earn, on a one-for-one basis, shares of the Company’s Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “ Stock ”), pursuant to and subject to the provisions of the Shore Bancshares, Inc. 2006 Stock and Incentive Compensation Plan (the “ Plan ”) and to the terms and conditions set forth on the following pages of this award agreement (the “ Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Plan.

 

The target number of shares of Stock subject to this award is ____________ (the “ Target Award ”). Depending on the Company’s level of attainment of specified performance goals for the period beginning on the Grant Date and ending December 31, 2017 (the “ Performance Period ”), Grantee may earn _____ shares of Stock (the “ Threshold Award ”) to ______ shares of Stock (the “ Maximum Award ”), in accordance with the performance metrics described in Appendix A hereto and the terms of this Agreement. If the Company’s level of attainment of specified performance goals falls between threshold and target levels or between target and maximum levels, the Company’s Compensation Committee (the “ Committee ”) will use a proportional approach to determine the number of shares earned by the Grantee.

 

By accepting this award, Grantee shall be deemed to have agreed to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Plan.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Shore Bancshares, Inc . , acting by and through its duly authorized officers, has caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the Grant Date.

 

  Shore Bancshares, Inc.
     
  By:  
    Its: Authorized Officer

 

  Grant Date:  
     
  Accepted by Grantee:  

 

 
 

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

1. Grant of Units . The Company hereby grants to Grantee, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan and in this Agreement, the Units indicated on page 1 hereof, which represent the right to receive an equal number of shares of the Company’s Stock on the terms set forth in this Agreement.

 

2. Vesting of Units . The Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on behalf of Grantee. The Units will be earned in whole, in part, or not at all, as provided on Appendix A attached hereto. Following the end of the Performance Period, the Committee shall determine the Company’s achievement of the performance goals set forth on Appendix A and shall certify such results in writing. Upon such certification, the Units shall become vested on such date (the “Vesting Date”) to the extent such performance goals are attained, provided that Grantee remains in Continuous Service on such date. Any Units that fail to vest in accordance with the terms of this Agreement will be forfeited and reconveyed to the Company without further consideration or any act or action by Grantee.

 

3. Conversion to Stock . Except as otherwise provided in Section 4, the Units for which the relevant vesting criteria are satisfied will be converted to shares of Stock (the “ Conversion ”) on the Vesting Date (the “ Conversion Date ”). The shares of Stock will be registered in the name of Grantee as of the Conversion Date, and certificates for the shares of Stock shall be delivered to Grantee or Grantee’s designee upon request of Grantee after the Conversion.

 

4. Termination of Continuous Service . If Grantee’s Continuous Service is terminated during the Performance Period, the following provisions of this Section 4 shall govern the vesting of the Units:

 

(i) Death or Disability. If Grantee’s Continuous Service is terminated by reason of death or Disability during the Performance Period, then all relevant performance goals will be deemed to have been achieved at the “Target” level.

 

(ii) Change in Control. If there is a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan) during the Performance Period, all relevant performance goals will be deemed to have been achieved at the “Target” level on the effective date of the Change in Control.

 

(iii) Retirement. If Grantee retires during the course of the Performance Period but at least one year into the Performance Period, the Units shall be prorated by a factor equal to the quotient of each full month of Continuous Service from the Grant Date to the date of such retirement, divided by the number of total months in the Performance Period, and all relevant performance goals will be deemed to have been achieved at the “Target” level.

 

(iv) Termination by the Company Not For Cause. In the event Grantee is terminated by the Company without cause (as determined by the Company) during the course of the Performance Period but at least one year into the Performance Period, the Units shall be prorated by a factor equal to the quotient of each full month of Continuous Service from the Grant Date to the date of such termination, divided by the number of total months in the Performance Period, and all relevant performance goals will be deemed to have been achieved at the “Target” level.

 

(v) Any Other Reason. If Grantee’s employment is terminated for any other reason, all of Grantee’s Units shall be forfeited.

 

5. Rights as Stockholder . Grantee shall not have voting or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Units. Dividends or dividend equivalents will not be paid with respect to the Units. Upon Conversion of the Units into shares of Stock, Grantee will obtain full voting and other rights as a stockholder of the Company.

 

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6. Restrictions on Transfer . No right or interest of Grantee in the Units may be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to or in favor of any party other than the Company or an Affiliate, or shall be subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of Grantee to any other party other than the Company or an Affiliate. The Units are not assignable or transferable by Grantee other than to a beneficiary or by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

 

7. Clawback . The Units and any Stock issued thereunder shall be subject to any compensation recoupment policy of the Company that is applicable by its terms to Grantee and to awards of this type.

 

8. No Right of Continued Service . Nothing in this Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate Grantee’s employment or service at any time, nor confer upon Grantee any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or an Affiliate.

 

9. Payment of Taxes . The Company or an employing Affiliate has the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require Grantee to remit to the Company or an employing Affiliate, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, and local taxes (including Grantee’s FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of the grant, vesting or conversion of the Units. To the extent not prohibited by applicable laws or regulations, the withholding requirement may be satisfied, in whole or in part, at the election of the Grantee, by withholding from the Award shares having a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding equal to the minimum amount (and not any greater amount) required to be withheld for tax purposes, all in accordance with such procedures as the Company establishes. The obligations of the Company under this Agreement will be conditional on such payment or arrangements, and the Company, and, where applicable, its Affiliates will, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to Grantee.

 

10. Amendment . The Committee may amend, modify or terminate this Agreement without approval of Grantee; provided, however, that such amendment, modification or termination shall not, without Grantee’s consent, adversely affect the rights or obligations of the Grantee.

 

11. Plan Controls . The terms contained in the Plan are incorporated into and made a part of this Agreement and this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Plan. In the event of any actual or alleged conflict between the provisions of the Plan and the provisions of this Agreement, the provisions of the Plan shall be controlling and determinative.

 

12. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Maryland, United States of America, regardless of the law that might be applied under principles of conflict of laws. Grantee hereby agrees and submits to jurisdiction in the state and federal courts of the State of Maryland and waives objection to such jurisdiction.

 

13. Successors . This Agreement shall be binding upon any successor of the Company, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Plan.

 

14. Severability . If any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement is deemed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions of this Agreement will be construed and enforced as if the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been included.

 

15. Notice . All notices hereunder shall be sufficiently made if personally delivered to Grantee or sent by regular mail addressed (a) to Grantee at Grantee’s address as set forth in the books and records of the Company or an Affiliate, or (b) to the Company or the Committee at the principal office of the Company clearly marked “Attention: Compensation Committee.”

 

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APPENDIX A

 

PERFORMANCE GOALS 2015-2017

 

 

 

Goal Goal Weighting Threshold Threshold
Award
Target Target Award Maximum Maximum
Award
EPS Growth 80%            

Loan Balance (000s) by 12-31-17

Excluding and M&As

10%            

Deposit Balance (000s) by 12-31-17

Excluding and M&As

10%            

 

These goals must be achieved at threshold levels for the awards to vest. If the Company’s level of attainment of specified performance goals falls between threshold and target levels or between target and maximum levels, the Committee will use a proportional approach to determine the number of shares earned by the Grantee. Additional qualifiers in order for the awards to vest include no additional consent orders in place, and no decline in the composite CAMELS rating by the end of the performance cycle (12-31-17) as compared to the ratings as of the Grant Date.