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): February 19, 2010
WINDSTREAM CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
001-32422 | 20-0792300 | |
(Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
4001 Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72212
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)
(501) 748-7000
(Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
¨ |
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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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 Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
Effective as of February 16, 2010, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Windstream Corporation (Windstream or the Company) adopted new forms of restricted share agreements used by the Company to evidence grants of equity incentive compensation to executive officers under the Windstream Corporation 2006 Equity Incentive Plan. The revised forms of restricted share agreements made the following changes to the forms of restricted share agreements used in prior periods:
(1) Added a new section 15 of the agreement to require an acknowledgement from each grantee of an equity award that the Windstream clawback policy (described below) applies to the restricted shares under the agreement;
(2) Amended the performance-based restricted share agreement to (a) specify that the Performance Measure for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2010 shall be based on the Companys operating income before depreciation and amortization and shall be satisfied if the Companys OIBDA for such period is equal to or greater than $1,615 million and (b) provide that dividends will accrue, and not be paid, if and until the time the performance-based conditions have been satisfied for the underlying restricted shares.
The Board of Directors, acting on the recommendation of the Compensation Committee, has adopted a clawback policy that requires executive officers to repay or forfeit covered compensation under the conditions set forth in the policy. The compensation covered by the policy includes performance-based and time-based restricted stock. Under the policy, each executive officer is required to forfeit or repay, to the fullest extend permitted by law, covered compensation if the following conditions are met:
(1) | Financial statements of Windstream filed with the SEC during the period in which the executive officer is employed as an executive officer become subject to a restatement that is filed with the SEC; |
(2) | The Board of Windstream determines that fraud caused or significantly contributed to the need for the restatement; |
(3) | The Board determines that the restatement applies to the covered compensation; |
(4) | The Board determines in its sole discretion that it is in the best interests of Windstream and its stockholders for the executive officer to repay the covered compensation. |
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The Board can determine that a restatement applies to covered compensation if (i) in the case of performance-based compensation, the vesting or payment of such compensation was based on the achievement of financial results that were subsequently the subject of the restatement, and the amount of compensation that would have been received by the executive officer had the financial results been properly reported, after giving effect to the restatement, would have been lower than the amount actually received, and (ii) in the case of time-based restricted stock, the vesting of such compensation occurred during the fiscal period whose results were subject to the restatement.
The Board of Directors of Windstream, acting solely through its independent directors, is the administrator of the policy. The policy applies to the restricted share agreements awarded to executive officers on February 16, 2010.
The foregoing description of the revised restricted share agreements is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the
ITEM 5.03. Amendment to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Changes to Fiscal Year.
Effective February 17, 2010, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted an amendment to the Bylaws of the Company. The amendment modified Section 2 of Article III of the Bylaws to provide that each director be elected by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast with respect to such director in an uncontested election by the shares represented in person or by proxy end entitled to vote. In a contested election (a situation in which the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected), a plurality standard would apply to election of directors, and under a plurality standard the nominees for election of directors who receive the greatest number of votes cast for the election of directors at the meeting by the shares represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote would be elected directors.
In connection with the Bylaw Amendment, the Board of Directors have amended Windstreams Corporate Governance Board Guidelines to provide that beginning in 2010, each director will annually submit an advance, contingent, irrevocable resignation that the Board may accept if the director fails to be elected through a majority vote. In that situation, the Governance Committee of the Board of Directors would consider the tendered resignation of any nominee who failed to receive a majority vote and make a recommendation to the Board about whether to accept or reject the resignation, or whether to take other action. The Board will act on the Governance Committees recommendation to it within 90 days from the date the election results are certified and then publicly disclose its decision and the rationale behind it.
The foregoing description of the amendment to the Bylaws is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, which are filed as Exhibit 3.2 and incorporated herein.
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Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) | Exhibits |
Exhibit Number |
Description |
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Exhibit 3.2 | Amended and Restated Bylaws, amended as of February 17, 2010 | |
Exhibit 10.1 | Form of Restricted Shares Agreement (Officers: Restricted Stock) entered into between Windstream Corporation and its executive officers. | |
Exhibit 10.2 | Form of Restricted Shares Agreement (Officers: Performance-Based Restricted Stock) entered into between Windstream Corporation and its executive officers. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Current Report on Form 8-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
WINDSTREAM CORPORATION | ||
By: | / S / J OHN P. F LETCHER | |
John P. Fletcher | ||
Executive Vice President and General Counsel |
Dated: February 19, 2010
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Exhibit 3.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
WINDSTREAM CORPORATION
A Delaware Corporation
(Adopted as of July 17, 2006, and
amended as of February 7, 2007,
November 6, 2008, February 3, 2009,
and February 17, 2010)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. Registered Office . The registered office of Windstream Corporation (the Corporation) in the State of Delaware shall be located at 2711 Centerville Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19801. The name of the Corporations registered agent at such address shall be Corporation Service Company. The registered office and/or registered agent of the Corporation may be changed from time to time by action of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Other Offices . The Corporation may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. Annual Meeting . An annual meeting of the stockholders shall be held on such date and at such time as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. At the annual meeting, stockholders shall elect Directors and transact such other business as properly may be brought before the annual meeting pursuant to Section 11 of ARTICLE II hereof.
Section 2. Special Meetings . Special meetings of the stockholders may only be called in the manner provided in ARTICLE TEN of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the Certificate of Incorporation). Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.
Section 3. Place of Meetings . The Board of Directors may designate any place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as the place of meeting for any annual meeting or for any special meeting. If no designation is made, or if a special meeting be otherwise called, the place of meeting shall be the principal executive office of the Corporation.
Section 4. Notice . Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take action at a meeting, written or printed notice, or notice by electronic transmission, stating the place, if any, date, time, if applicable, the means of remote communications and, in the case of special meetings, the purpose or purposes, of such meeting, shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting. All such notices shall be delivered, either personally or by mail or, as provided below, by means of electronic transmission, by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, the chairman of the board, the president or the secretary. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to a stockholder given by the Corporation may be given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation. Notice shall be deemed to be delivered if mailed when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at his, her or its address as the same appears on the records of the Corporation. Notice given by electronic transmission shall be deemed to be delivered (i) if by facsimile, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (ii) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (iii) if by posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and (iv) by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. For purposes of these Bylaws, electronic transmission means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.
Section 5. Stockholders List . The officer having charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall make, at least 10 days before every meeting of the stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting arranged in alphabetical order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder; provided, that the Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting, either (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of meeting or (ii) during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the Corporation. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.
Section 6. Quorum . The holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders, except as otherwise provided by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or by the Certificate of Incorporation. If a quorum is not present, the holders of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting, and entitled to vote at the meeting, may adjourn the meeting to another time and/or place. When a specified item of business requires a vote by a class or series (if the Corporation shall then have outstanding shares of more than one class or series) voting as a class or series, the holders of a majority of the shares of such class or series shall constitute a quorum (as to such class or series) for the transaction of such item of business.
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Section 7. Adjourned Meetings . When a meeting is adjourned to another time and place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.
Section 8. Vote Required . When a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders, unless (i) by express provisions of an applicable law or of the Certificate of Incorporation a different vote is required, in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question, or (ii) the subject matter is the election of Directors, in which case Section 2 of ARTICLE III hereof shall govern and control the approval of such subject matter.
Section 9. Voting Rights . Except as otherwise provided by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, every stockholder shall at every meeting of the stockholders be entitled to one vote in person or by proxy for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.
Section 10. Proxies . Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for him or her by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. A duly executed proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A proxy may be made irrevocable regardless of whether the interest with which it is coupled is an interest in the stock itself or an interest in the Corporation generally. Any proxy is suspended when the person executing the proxy is present at a meeting of stockholders and elects to vote, except that when such proxy is coupled with an interest and the fact of the interest appears on the face of the proxy, the agent named in the proxy shall have all voting and other rights referred to in the proxy, notwithstanding the presence of the person executing the proxy. At each meeting of the stockholders, and before any voting commences, all proxies filed at or before the meeting shall be submitted to and examined by the secretary or a person designated by the secretary, and no shares may be represented or voted under a proxy that has been found to be invalid or irregular.
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Section 11. Business Brought Before an Annual Meeting .
(a) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder. For business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, such proposed business, other than the nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors, must constitute a proper matter for stockholder actions, and the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholders notice must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting of stockholders is called for a date that is not within 25 days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the date on which notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or public announcement of such date was made, whichever occurs first. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholders notice as described above. A stockholders notice to the secretary shall set forth as to each matter the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the text of the proposal or business, (ii) the reason for conducting such business and any material interest of the stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person therefrom, (iii) the name and address, as they appear on the Corporations books, of the stockholder proposing such business and of any Stockholder Associated Person, (iv) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the stockholder and by any Stockholder Associated Person, (vi) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business, (vi) a representation whether the stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (a) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporations outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal and/or (b) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal, and (vii) whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of, or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short position or any borrowing or lending of shares) has been made, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to or manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or any such Stockholder Associated Person with respect to any share of stock of the Corporation.
(b) For purposes of this Section 11, Stockholder Associated Person of any stockholder shall mean (i) any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with, or directly or indirectly acting in concert with, such stockholder and (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the Corporation owned of record or otherwise by such stockholder.
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(c) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section. The presiding officer of an annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that business was not properly brought before the meeting and in accordance with the provisions of this section; if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted. For purposes of this section, public announcement shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or a comparable national news service. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporations proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act).
ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS
Section 1. General Powers . The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. In addition to such powers as are herein and in the Certificate of Incorporation expressly conferred upon it, the Board of Directors shall have and may exercise all the powers of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the laws of Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation and these Bylaws.
Section 2. Number, Election and Term of Office . The Board of Directors shall consist of not less than three nor more than fifteen members, the exact number of which shall be fixed from time to time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors. Except as provided in Section 3 of this Article III, each nominee for director in an election in which the number of nominees is equal to the number of open board seats (an Uncontested Election) shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast, whether in person or represented by proxy, with respect to that nominees election at an annual meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present. If, however, as of a date that is fourteen (14) days in advance of the date the Corporation files its definitive proxy statement (regardless of whether or not thereafter revised or supplemented) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the number of nominees exceeds the number of open board seats (i.e., a contested election), then the directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the annual meeting of stockholders and entitled to vote in the election of directors, whether or not such election becomes an Uncontested Election after such date. For purposes of this Section 2, a majority of votes cast shall mean that the number of shares voted for a nominees election exceeds the number of shares voted against that nominees election. With regard to Uncontested Elections, the Board of Directors has established procedures pursuant to which any incumbent director who fails to receive a majority of the votes cast will tender his or her resignation to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will act upon a tendered resignation within ninety (90) days of the date on which the election results were certified and will promptly make public disclosure of the results of its actions. If the Board of Directors accepts a directors resignation, or if a nominee for director is not elected and the nominee is not an incumbent director, then the Board of Directors shall fill the resulting vacancy in accordance with Section 3 of this Article III. The Directors shall be elected in this manner at the annual meeting of stockholders, except as provided in Section 3 of this Article III. Each Director shall hold office until a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal as hereinafter provided.
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Section 3. Vacancies . Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancy on the Board of Directors that results from an increase in the number of directors may be filled by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office, provided that a quorum is present, and any other vacancy occurring on the Board of Directors may be filled by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director elected to fill a vacancy not resulting from an increase in the number of directors shall have the same remaining term as that of his predecessor. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any or all of the directors of the Corporation may be removed from office at any time, with or without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the Corporations then outstanding capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of the Certificate of Incorporation applicable thereto.
Section 4. Nominations .
(a) Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws shall be eligible to serve as Directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be made at a meeting of stockholders (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in these Bylaws, who is entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors at the meeting and who shall have complied with the notice procedures set forth below in Section 4(b).
(b) In order for a stockholder to nominate a person for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation at a meeting of stockholders, such stockholder shall have delivered timely notice of such stockholders intent to make such nomination in writing to the secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholders notice shall be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (i) in the case of an annual meeting, not less than 90 nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is changed by more than 30 days from such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or public disclosure of the meeting was made, whichever occurs first, and (ii) in the case of a special meeting at which Directors are to be elected, not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or public disclosure of the meeting was made, whichever occurs first. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholders notice as described above. Such stockholders notice shall set forth (i) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a Director at such meeting all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of Directors, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act and such persons written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected; (ii) as to the stockholder giving the notice and any Stockholder Associated Person (A) the name and address, as they appear on the Corporations books, of such stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person, (B) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by such stockholder and also which are owned of record by such stockholder, and (C) whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of, or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short position or any borrowing or lending of shares) has been made, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to or manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or any such Stockholder Associated Person with respect to any share of stock of the Corporation; and (iii) as to the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, (A) the name and address of such person and (B) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by such person (C) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such nomination, and (D) a representation whether the stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (a) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporations outstanding capital stock required to elect the nominee and/or (b) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such nomination. At the request of the Board of Directors, any person nominated by the Board of Directors for election as a Director shall furnish to the secretary of the Corporation that information required to be set forth in a stockholders notice of nomination which pertains to the nominee.
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(c) No person shall be eligible to serve as a Director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section. The chairman of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures prescribed by this section, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded. A stockholder seeking to nominate a person to serve as a Director must also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this section.
Section 5. [Reserved]
Section 6. Meetings and Notice . Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the chairman of the board, the president (if the president is a Director) or, upon the written request of a majority of the total number of Directors then in office, the secretary of the Corporation on at least 24 hours notice to each Director, either personally, by telephone, by mail, electronic mail or by telecopy.
Section 7. Chairman of the Board, Quorum, Required Vote and Adjournment . The Board of Directors shall elect, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of Directors then in office, a chairman of the board, who shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and Board of Directors at which he or she is present and shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe. If the chairman of the board is not present at a meeting of the stockholders or the Board of Directors, the president (if the president is a Director and is not also the chairman of the board) shall preside at such meeting, and, if the president is not present at such meeting, a majority of the Directors present at such meeting shall elect one of their members to so preside. A majority of the total number of Directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Unless by express provision of an applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws a different vote is required, the vote of a majority of Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, the Directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
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Section 8. Committees . The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the total number of Directors then in office, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the Directors of the Corporation, which to the extent provided in such resolution or these Bylaws shall have, and may exercise, the powers of the Board of Directors in the management and affairs of the Corporation, except as otherwise limited by law. The Board of Directors may designate one or more Directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Such committee or committees shall have such name or names as may be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board of Directors upon request.
Section 9. Committee Rules . Each committee of the Board of Directors may fix its own rules of procedure and shall hold its meetings as provided by such rules, except as may otherwise be provided by a resolution of the Board of Directors designating such committee. Unless otherwise provided in such a resolution, the presence of at least a majority of the members of the committee shall be necessary to constitute a quorum. Unless otherwise provided in such a resolution, in the event that a member and that members alternate, if alternates are designated by the Board of Directors, of such committee is or are absent or disqualified, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified member.
Section 10. Communications Equipment . Members of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may participate in and act at any meeting of such board or committee through the use of a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear and speak with each other, and participation in the meeting pursuant to this section shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
Section 11. Waiver of Notice and Presumption of Assent . Any member of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof who is present at a meeting shall be conclusively presumed to have waived notice of such meeting except when such member attends for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Such member shall be conclusively presumed to have assented to any action taken unless his or her dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless his or her written dissent to such action shall be filed with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall be forwarded by registered mail to the secretary of the Corporation immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to any member who voted in favor of such action.
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Section 12. Action by Written Consent . Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of such board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the board or committee.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1. Number . The officers of the Corporation shall be elected by the Board of Directors and shall consist of a chairman of the board, a chief executive officer, a president, one or more vice-presidents, a secretary, a chief financial officer and such other officers and assistant officers as may be deemed necessary or desirable by the Board of Directors. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, except that neither the chief executive officer nor the president shall also hold the office of secretary. In its discretion, the Board of Directors may choose not to fill any office for any period as it may deem advisable, except that the offices of president and secretary shall be filled as expeditiously as possible.
Section 2. Election and Term of Office . The officers of the Corporation shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors. Vacancies may be filled or new offices created and filled at any meeting of the Board of Directors. Each officer shall hold office until a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal as hereinafter provided.
Section 3. Removal . Any officer or agent elected by the Board of Directors may be removed by the Board of Directors at its discretion, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed.
Section 4. Vacancies . Any vacancy occurring in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification or otherwise may be filled by the Board of Directors.
Section 5. Compensation . Compensation of all executive officers shall be approved by the Board of Directors, and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation by virtue of his or her also being a Director of the Corporation; provided however, that compensation of all executive officers may be determined by a committee established for that purpose if so authorized by the Board of Directors.
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Section 6. Chairman of the Board . The chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed to him or her by the Board of Directors or provided in these Bylaws.
Section 7. Chief Executive Officer . The chief executive officer shall have the powers and perform the duties incident to that position. Subject to the powers of the Board of Directors and the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer shall be in the general and active charge of the entire business and affairs of the Corporation, and shall be its chief policy making officer. The chief executive officer shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or provided in these Bylaws. The chief executive officer is authorized to execute bonds, mortgages and other contracts requiring a seal, under the seal of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors to some other officer or agent of the Corporation. Whenever the president is unable to serve, by reason of sickness, absence or otherwise, the chief executive officer shall perform all the duties and responsibilities and exercise all the powers of the president.
Section 8. The President . The president of the Corporation shall, subject to the powers of the Board of Directors, the chairman of the board and the chief executive officer, have general charge of the business, affairs and property of the Corporation, and control over its officers, agents and employees. The president shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. The president is authorized to execute bonds, mortgages and other contracts requiring a seal, under the seal of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors to some other officer or agent of the Corporation. The president shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the Board of Directors or as may be provided in these Bylaws.
Section 9. Vice-Presidents . The vice-president, or if there shall be more than one, the vice-presidents in the order determined by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the board, shall, in the absence or disability of the president, act with all of the powers and be subject to all the restrictions of the president. The vice-presidents shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors, the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or these Bylaws may, from time to time, prescribe. The vice-presidents may also be designated as executive vice-presidents or senior vice-presidents, as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
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Section 10. The Secretary and Assistant Secretaries . The secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors, all meetings of the committees thereof and all meetings of the stockholders and record all the proceedings of the meetings in a book or books to be kept for that purpose or shall ensure that his or her designee attends each such meeting to act in such capacity. Under the chairman of the Board of Directors supervision, the secretary shall give, or cause to be given, all notices required to be given by the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws or by applicable law; shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors, the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or these Bylaws may, from time to time, prescribe; and shall have custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation. The secretary, or an assistant secretary, shall have authority to affix the corporate seal to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by his or her signature or by the signature of such assistant secretary. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his or her signature. The assistant secretary, or if there be more than one, any of the assistant secretaries, shall in the absence or disability of the secretary, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the secretary and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors, the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president, or secretary may, from time to time, prescribe.
Section 11. The Chief Financial Officer . The chief financial officer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities; shall keep full and accurate all books and accounts of the Corporation as shall be necessary or desirable in accordance with applicable law or generally accepted accounting principles; shall deposit all monies and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation as may be ordered by the chairman of the board or the Board of Directors; shall cause the funds of the Corporation to be disbursed when such disbursements have been duly authorized, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements; and shall render to the Board of Directors, at its regular meeting or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of the Corporation; shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors, the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or these Bylaws may, from time to time, prescribe. If required by the Board of Directors, the chief financial officer shall give the Corporation a bond (which shall be rendered every six years) in such sums and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of the office of chief financial officer and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of death, resignation, retirement or removal from office of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in the possession or under the control of the chief financial officer belonging to the Corporation.
Section 12. Other Officers, Assistant Officers and Agents . Officers, assistant officers and agents, if any, other than those whose duties are provided for in these Bylaws, shall have such authority and perform such duties as may from time to time be prescribed by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 13. Absence or Disability of Officers . In the case of the absence or disability of any officer of the Corporation and of any person hereby authorized to act in such officers place during such officers absence or disability, the Board of Directors may by resolution delegate the powers and duties of such officer to any other officer or to any Director, or to any other person selected by it.
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ARTICLE V
CERTIFICATES OF STOCK
Section 1. Form . To the greatest extent permitted by applicable Delaware law, the shares of the Corporations Common Stock shall be uncertificated and transfer of such shares shall be reflected by book entry. Notwithstanding the foregoing, every holder of stock in the Corporation, if any, that is represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate, signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer or the president and the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation, certifying the number of shares owned by such holder in the Corporation. If such a certificate is countersigned (i) by a transfer agent or an assistant transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employee or (ii) by a registrar, other than the Corporation or its employee, the signature of any such chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president, secretary or assistant secretary may be facsimiles. In case any officer or officers who have signed, or whose facsimile signature or signatures have been used on, any such certificate or certificates shall cease to be such officer or officers of the Corporation whether because of death, resignation or otherwise before such certificate or certificates have been delivered by the Corporation, such certificate or certificates may nevertheless be issued and delivered as though the person or persons who signed such certificate or certificates or whose facsimile signature or signatures have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer or officers of the Corporation. All certificates for shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified. The name of the person to whom the shares represented thereby are issued, with the number of shares and date of issue, shall be entered on the books of the Corporation. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall only be transferred on the books of the Corporation by the holder of record thereof or by such holders attorney duly authorized in writing, in the case of certificated shares, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates for such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons, with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps, or in the case of uncertificated shares, upon delivery to the Corporation of evidence, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation, demonstrating that the party requesting such transfer is the record holder thereof or the holders attorney duly authorized in writing. Upon the surrender of any certificate representing shares of any class of Common Stock, the Corporation shall forthwith cancel such certificate and the holder thereof shall no longer be entitled to a certificate or certificates representing the shares of such class represented by the surrendered certificate. Any shares represented by a surrendered certificate cancelled as provided above shall be registered in the name and will represent such number of shares of such class as is requested by the holder of the surrendered certificate. Such book entry shall be made without charge to the holders of the surrendered certificates for any issuance tax in respect thereof or other cost incurred by the Corporation in connection with such issuance. The Board of Directors may appoint a bank or trust company organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof to act as its transfer agent or registrar, or both in connection with the transfer of any class or series of securities of the Corporation.
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Section 2. Lost Certificates . The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate or certificates, if any, to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates previously issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates, the Corporation may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.
Section 3. Fixing a Record Date for Stockholder Meetings . In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the next day preceding the day on which notice is first given. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
Section 4. Fixing a Record Date for Other Purposes . In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.
Section 5. Registered Stockholders . Prior to the surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates, if any, for a share or shares of stock with a request to record the transfer of such share or shares, the Corporation may treat the registered owner as the person entitled to receive dividends, to vote, to receive notifications and otherwise to exercise all the rights and powers of an owner. The Corporation shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof.
Section 6. Subscriptions for Stock . Unless otherwise provided for in the subscription agreement, subscriptions for shares shall be paid in full at such time, or in such installments and at such times, as shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Any call made by the Board of Directors for payment on subscriptions shall be uniform as to all shares of the same class or as to all shares of the same series. In case of default in the payment of any installment or call when such payment is due, the Corporation may proceed to collect the amount due in the same manner as any debt due the Corporation.
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ARTICLE VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Dividends . Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, in accordance with applicable law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or any other purpose and the Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
Section 2. Checks, Drafts or Orders . All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money by or to the Corporation and all notes and other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the Corporation, and in such manner, as shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof.
Section 3. Contracts . In addition to the powers otherwise granted to officers pursuant to ARTICLE IV hereof, the Board of Directors may authorize any officer or officers, or any agent or agents, of the Corporation to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
Section 4. Loans . Subject to compliance with applicable laws, the Corporation may lend money to, or guarantee any obligation of, or otherwise assist any officer or other employee of the Corporation or of its subsidiaries, including any officer or employee who is a Director of the Corporation or its subsidiaries, whenever, in the judgment of the Directors, such loan, guaranty or assistance may reasonably be expected to benefit the Corporation. The loan, guaranty or other assistance may be with or without interest, and may be unsecured, or secured in such manner as the Board of Directors shall approve, including, without limitation, a pledge of shares of stock of the Corporation. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to deny, limit or restrict the powers of guaranty or warranty of the Corporation at common law or under any statute.
Section 5. Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 6. Corporate Seal . The Board of Directors may provide a corporate seal which shall be in the form of a circle and shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and the words Corporate Seal, Delaware. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise. No seal shall be required by virtue of this Section.
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Section 7. Voting Securities Owned By Corporation . Voting securities in any other Corporation held by the Corporation shall be voted by the chief executive officer, the president or a vice-president, unless the Board of Directors specifically confers authority to vote with respect thereto, which authority may be general or confined to specific instances, upon some other person or officer. Any person authorized to vote securities shall have the power to appoint proxies, with general power of substitution.
Section 8. Inspection of Books and Records . The Board of Directors shall have power from time to time to determine to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions and regulations the accounts and books of the Corporation, or any of them, shall be open to the inspection of the stockholders; and no stockholder shall have any right to inspect any account or book or document of the Corporation, except as conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, unless and until authorized so to do by resolution of the Board of Directors or of the stockholders of the Corporation.
Section 9. Section Headings . Section headings in these Bylaws are for convenience of reference only and shall not be given any substantive effect in limiting or otherwise construing any provision herein.
Section 10. Inconsistent Provisions . In the event that any provision of these Bylaws is or becomes inconsistent with any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or any other applicable law, the provision of these Bylaws shall not be given any effect to the extent of such inconsistency but shall otherwise be given full force and effect.
ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENTS
In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors of the Corporation is expressly authorized to make, alter, amend, change, add to or repeal these Bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of Directors then in office. Any alteration or repeal of these Bylaws by the stockholders of the Corporation shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote on such alteration or repeal; provided, however, that Section 11 of ARTICLE II and Sections 2, 3, and 4 of ARTICLE III and this ARTICLE VII of these Bylaws shall not be altered, amended or repealed and no provision inconsistent therewith shall be adopted without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the combined voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote on such alteration or repeal.
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Exhibit 10.1
WINDSTREAM CORPORATION
2006 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
RESTRICTED SHARES AGREEMENT - TIME-BASED VESTING ONLY
[2010 - Designated Executives]
Summary of Restricted Share Grant
Windstream Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the Company), grants to the Grantee named below, in accordance with the terms of the Windstream Corporation 2006 Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan) and this Restricted Shares Agreement (the Agreement), the following number of Restricted Shares, on the Date of Grant set forth below:
Name of Grantee: |
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Number of Restricted Shares: |
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Date of Grant: | February 16, 2010 |
Terms of Agreement
1. Grant of Restricted Shares . Subject to and upon the terms, conditions, and restrictions set forth in this Agreement and in the Plan, the Company hereby grants to the Grantee as of the Date of Grant, the total number of Restricted Shares (the Restricted Shares) set forth above. The Restricted Shares shall be fully paid and nonassessable.
2. Vesting of Restricted Shares .
(a) The Restricted Shares shall become vested and nonforfeitable (Vested) if the Grantee shall have remained in the continuous employ of the Company or a Subsidiary through the vesting dates set forth below with respect to the percentage of Restricted Shares set forth next to such date:
Vesting Date |
Percentage of Restricted Shares Vesting on such Vesting Date |
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February 15, 2011 |
1 / 3 | |
February 15, 2012 |
1 / 3 | |
February 15, 2013 |
1 / 3 |
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2(a), all of the Restricted Shares covered by this Agreement shall immediately become Vested if, during the vesting period, the Grantee (i) dies or becomes permanently disabled (as determined by the Committee) while in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary, or (ii) the Grantees employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries is terminated without Cause (as defined in Section 20), or the Grantee terminates his employment with the Company or a Subsidiary for Good Reason (as defined in Section 20), in each case within the two year period immediately following a Change in Control.
(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the time at which the Restricted Shares become vested and nonforfeitable on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate.
3. Forfeiture of Shares . The Restricted Shares that have not yet Vested pursuant to Section 2 (including without limitation any cash dividends or distributions and any non-cash proceeds related to the Restricted Shares for which the record date occurs on or after the date of forfeiture) shall be forfeited automatically without further action or notice if the Grantee ceases to be employed by the Company or a Subsidiary other than as provided in Section 2(b). In the event of a forfeiture of the Restricted Shares, the stock book entry account representing the Restricted Shares covered by this Agreement shall be cancelled and all Restricted Shares shall be returned to the Company.
4. Transferability . The Restricted Shares may not be sold, exchanged, assigned, transferred, pledged, encumbered or otherwise disposed of by the Grantee, except to the Company, until the Restricted Shares have become nonforfeitable as provided in Section 2. Any purported transfer or encumbrance in violation of the provisions of this Section 4 shall be void, and the other party to any such purported transaction shall not obtain any rights to or interest in such Restricted Shares. The Committee, in its sole discretion, when and as is permitted by the Plan, may waive the restrictions on transferability with respect to all or a portion of the Restricted Shares, provided that any permitted transferee (other than the Company) shall remain subject to all the terms and conditions applicable to the Restricted Shares prior to such transfer.
5. Dividend, Voting and Other Rights . Except as otherwise provided herein, from and after the Date of Grant, the Grantee shall have all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to the Restricted Shares, including the right to vote the Restricted Shares and receive any cash dividends that may be paid thereon (which such dividends shall be paid no later than the end of the calendar year in which the dividends are paid to the holders of the Common Shares or, if later, the 15th day of the third month following the date the dividends are paid to the holders of the Common Shares); provided , however , that any additional Common Shares or other securities that the Grantee may become entitled to receive pursuant to a stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, separation or reorganization or any other change in the capital structure of the Company shall be considered Restricted Shares and shall be subject to the same restrictions as the Restricted Shares covered by this Agreement. Any cash dividends paid with respect to the Restricted Shares shall be reported on the Grantees annual wage and tax statement (Form W-2) as compensation and shall be subject to all applicable tax withholdings as provided in Section 10.
6. Custody of Restricted Shares; Stock Power . Until the Restricted Shares have become Vested as provided in Section 2, the Restricted Shares shall be issued in book-entry only form and shall not be represented by a certificate. The restrictions set forth in this Agreement shall be reflected on the stock transfer records maintained by or on behalf of the Company. By execution of this Agreement and effective until the Restricted Shares have become Vested as provided in Section 2, the Grantee hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Jeffery R. Gardner, Anthony W. Thomas, or John P. Fletcher, or any of them, attorneys-in-fact to transfer the Restricted Shares on the stock transfer records of the Company with full power of substitution. The Grantee agrees to take any and all other actions (including without limitation executing, delivering, performing and filing such other agreements, instruments and documents) as the Company may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out and give effect to the provisions of this Agreement.
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7. Continuous Employment . For purposes of this Agreement, the continuous employment of the Grantee with the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be deemed to have been interrupted, and the Grantee shall not be deemed to have ceased to be an employee of the Company and its Subsidiaries, by reason of the transfer of his employment among the Company and its Subsidiaries or a leave of absence approved by the Committee.
8. No Employment Contract; Disclaimer . Nothing contained in this Agreement shall confer upon the Grantee any right with respect to continuance of employment by the Company and its Subsidiaries, nor limit or affect in any manner the right of the Company and its Subsidiaries to terminate the employment or adjust the compensation of the Grantee, in each case with or without cause. By acceptance of this Agreement, the Grantee acknowledges and agrees that neither this Agreement nor any other agreement awarded prior to the date hereof under any equity compensation plan of the Company or its subsidiaries has created or shall create, or be deemed or construed to create or have created, (i) a contractual, equitable, or other right to receive future grants of equity awards, or other benefits in lieu of equity awards, or (ii) a fiduciary duty or other comparable duty of trust or confidence owed to the Grantee (or any successor, assign, affiliate or family member of the Grantee) by the Company and its affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents or contractors.
9. Relation to Other Benefits . Any economic or other benefit to the Grantee under this Agreement or the Plan shall not be taken into account in determining any benefits to which the Grantee may be entitled under any profit-sharing, retirement or other benefit or compensation plan maintained by the Company or a Subsidiary and shall not affect the amount of any life insurance coverage available to any beneficiary under any life insurance plan covering employees of the Company or a Subsidiary.
10. Taxes and Withholding . The Grantee is responsible for any federal, state, local or other taxes with respect to the Restricted Shares (including the grant, the Vesting, the receipt of Common Shares, the sale of Common Shares and the receipt of dividends or distributions, if any). The Company does not guarantee any particular tax treatment or results in connection with the grant or Vesting of the Restricted Shares or the payment of dividends or distributions. If the Company or any Subsidiary is required to withhold any federal, state, local or other taxes in connection with the delivery or vesting of the Restricted Shares, the Grantee shall pay the tax or make provisions that are satisfactory to the Company or such Subsidiary for the payment thereof. The Grantee may elect to satisfy all or any portion of any such withholding obligation by surrendering to the Company or such Subsidiary a portion of the Common Shares that become Vested hereunder, and the Common Shares so surrendered by the Grantee shall be credited against any such withholding obligation at the Market Value per Share of such Common Shares on the date of such surrender.
11. Section 83(b) Election Prohibited . As a condition to receiving this award, the Grantee acknowledges and agrees that he or she shall not file an election under Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to all or any portion of the Restricted Shares.
12. Compliance with Law . The Company shall make reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws and listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange or any national securities exchange with respect to the Restricted Shares; provided , however , notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Restricted Shares shall not be delivered or become Vested if the delivery or vesting thereof would result in a violation of any such law or listing requirement.
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13. Amendments . Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may modify this Agreement upon written notice to the Grantee. Any amendment to the Plan shall be deemed to be an amendment to this Agreement to the extent that the amendment is applicable hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment of the Plan or this Agreement shall adversely affect the rights of the Grantee under this Agreement without the Grantees consent.
14. Severability . In the event that one or more of the provisions of this Agreement shall be invalidated for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, any provision so invalidated shall be deemed to be separable from the other provisions hereof, and the remaining provisions hereof shall continue to be valid and fully enforceable.
15. Claw-Back Policy . Notwithstanding any provision contained herein to the contrary, this Agreement, and any Restricted Shares that the Grantee may receive pursuant to this Agreement, are subject to the Windstream Corporation Claw-Back Policy that was adopted in November 2009, as it may be amended from time to time (the Policy) and the Claw-Back Policy Acknowledgement and Agreement that the Grantee signed in accordance with the Policy (the Claw-Back Agreement).
16. Relation to Plan . This Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan. This Agreement, the Policy, the Claw-Back Agreement and the Plan contain the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter contained in this Agreement, and supersede all prior written or oral communications, representations and negotiations in respect thereto. In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the Plan, the Plan shall govern. Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Plan. The Compensation Committee of the Board acting pursuant to the Plan, as constituted from time to time, shall, except as expressly provided otherwise herein, have the right to determine any questions which arise in connection with the grant of the Restricted Shares.
17. Successors and Assigns . Without limiting Section 4, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the successors, administrators, heirs, legal representatives and assigns of the Grantee, and the successors and assigns of the Company.
18. Governing Law . The interpretation, performance, and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws thereof.
19. Electronic Delivery . The Grantee hereby consents and agrees to electronic delivery of any documents that the Company may elect to deliver (including, but not limited to, prospectuses, prospectus supplements, grant or award notifications and agreements, account statements, annual and quarterly reports, and all other forms of communications) in connection with this and any other award made or offered under the Plan. The Grantee understands that, unless earlier revoked by the Grantee by giving written notice to the Secretary of the Company, this consent shall be effective for the duration of the Agreement. The Grantee also understands that he or she shall have the right at any time to request that the Company deliver written copies of any and all materials referred to above at no charge. The Grantee hereby consents to any and all procedures the Company has established or may establish for an electronic signature system for delivery and acceptance of any such documents that the Company may elect to deliver, and agrees that his or her electronic signature is the same as, and shall have the same force and effect as, his or her manual signature. The Grantee consents and agrees that any such procedures and delivery may be effected by a third party engaged by the Company to provide administrative services related to the Plan.
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20. Definitions . Where used herein, the terms Cause and Good Reason shall have the meanings given to such terms in the employment agreement or change in control agreement in effect for the Grantee immediately prior to his termination of employment, or if none is in effect at that time, such terms shall be defined as follows:
(a) Cause shall mean the occurrence of any one of the following: (i) the willful failure by the Grantee substantially to perform the Grantees duties with the Company or a Subsidiary, other than any failure resulting from the Grantees incapacity due to physical or mental illness, that continues for at least 30 days after the Board delivers to the Grantee a written demand for performance that identifies specifically and in detail the manner in which the Board believes that the Grantee willfully has failed substantially to perform the Grantees duties or (ii) the willful engaging by the Grantee in misconduct that is demonstrably and materially injurious to the Company or any Subsidiary, monetarily or otherwise. For purposes of this definition, no act, or failure to act, on the Grantees part shall be deemed willful unless done, or omitted to be done, by the Grantee not in good faith and without reasonable belief that the Grantees act, or failure to act, was in the best interest of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(b) Good Reason shall mean the occurrence, without the Grantees express written consent, of any one of the following: (i) the assignment to the Grantee of any duties inconsistent with the Grantees status as an executive officer of the Company or of a Subsidiary or a substantial adverse alteration in the nature or status of the Grantees responsibilities from those in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control; (ii) a reduction by the Company in the Grantees annual base salary to any amount less than the Grantees annual base salary as in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control; (iii) the relocation of the principal executive offices of the Company or of a Subsidiary, as the case may be, to a location more than 35 miles from the location of such offices immediately prior to the Change in Control or the Companys requiring the Grantee to be based anywhere other than the principal executive offices of the Company or of a Subsidiary as the case may be, except for required business travel to an extent substantially consistent with the Grantees business travel obligations immediately prior to the Change in Control; (iv) the failure by the Company to pay to the Grantee any portion of the Grantees current compensation, or to pay to the Grantee any deferred compensation under any deferred compensation program of the Company, within five days after the date the compensation is due or to pay or reimburse the Grantee for any expenses incurred by him for required business travel; (v) the failure by the Company to continue in effect any compensation plan in which the Grantee participates immediately prior to the Change in Control that is material to the Grantees total compensation, including but not limited to, stock option, restricted stock, stock appreciation right, incentive compensation, bonus, and other plans, unless an equitable alternative arrangement embodied in an ongoing substitute or alternative plan has been made, or the failure by the Company to continue the Grantees participation therein (or in a substitute or alternative plan) on a basis not materially less favorable, both in terms of the amount of compensation provided and the level of the Grantees participation relative to other participants, than existed immediately prior to the Change in Control; or (vi) the failure by the Company to continue to provide the Grantee with benefits substantially similar to those enjoyed by the Grantee under any of the Companys pension, profit-sharing, life insurance, medical, health and accident, disability, or other employee benefit plans in which the Grantee was participating immediately prior to the Change in Control; the failure by the Company to continue to provide the Grantee any material fringe benefit or perquisite enjoyed by the Grantee immediately prior to the Change in Control; or the failure by the Company to provide the Grantee with the number of paid vacation days to which the Grantee is entitled in accordance with the Companys normal vacation policy in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed on its behalf by its duly authorized officer and the Grantee has also executed this Agreement, as of the Date of Grant.
WINDSTREAM CORPORATION | ||
By: |
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Name: | Jeffery R. Gardner | |
Title: | President and CEO |
The undersigned hereby acknowledges that a copy of the Plan, Plan Summary and Prospectus, and the Companys most recent Annual Report and Proxy Statement (the Prospectus Information) are available for viewing on the Companys intranet site at windstream.com. The Grantee hereby consents to receiving this Prospectus Information electronically, or, in the alternative, agrees to contact Susan Carson at (501) 748-6462 to request a paper copy of the Prospectus Information at no charge. The Grantee represents that he or she is familiar with the terms and provisions of the Prospectus Information and hereby accepts the award of Restricted Shares on the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Plan.
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Exhibit 10.2
WINDSTREAM CORPORATION
2006 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
PERFORMANCE-BASED RESTRICTED SHARES AGREEMENT
[2010 DESIGNATED EXECUTIVES]
Summary of Restricted Share Grant
Windstream Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the Company), grants to the Grantee named below, in accordance with the terms of the Windstream Corporation 2006 Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan) and this Restricted Shares Agreement (the Agreement), the following number of Restricted Shares, on the Date of Grant set forth below:
Name of Grantee: |
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Number of Restricted Shares: |
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Date of Grant: | February 16, 2010 |
Terms of Agreement
1. Grant of Restricted Shares . Subject to and upon the terms, conditions, and restrictions set forth in this Agreement and in the Plan, the Company hereby grants to the Grantee as of the Date of Grant, the total number of Restricted Shares (the Restricted Shares) set forth above. The Restricted Shares shall be fully paid and nonassessable.
2. Vesting of Restricted Shares .
(a) The Restricted Shares shall become vested and nonforfeitable (Vested) if the Grantee shall have remained in the continuous employ of the Company or a Subsidiary through the vesting dates set forth below with respect to the percentage of Restricted Shares set forth next to such date, provided that the Committee certifies in writing as of such date that the performance measure set forth in Section 2(d) (the Performance Measure) for the applicable performance period specified below (each a Performance Period) has been satisfied in full:
Vesting Date |
Applicable Performance Period |
Percentage of Restricted Shares Vesting on such Vesting Date |
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February 15, 2011 | 2010 Fiscal Year | 1 / 3 | ||
February 15, 2012 | 2011 Fiscal Year | 1 / 3 | ||
February 15, 2013 | 2012 Fiscal Year | 1 / 3 |
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2(a), all of the Restricted Shares covered by this Agreement (and not previously forfeited under Section 3) shall immediately become Vested (without regard to whether the Performance Measures have been satisfied) if, during the vesting period, the Grantee (i) dies or becomes permanently disabled (as determined by the Committee) while in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary, or (ii) the Grantees employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries is terminated without Cause (as defined in Section 20), or the Grantee terminates his employment with the Company or a Subsidiary for Good Reason (as defined in Section 20), in each case within the two year period immediately following a Change in Control.
(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the time at which the Restricted Shares become vested and nonforfeitable on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, except to the extent that such action would result in the loss of the otherwise available exemption of the Restricted Shares under Section 162(m) of the Code.
(d) For purposes of this Agreement, the specified Performance Measure for the Performance Period for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2010 shall be based on the Companys operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA) and shall be satisfied if the Companys OIBDA for such period is equal to or greater than $1,615 million. With respect to each of the Performance Periods beginning January 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011, the Committee shall establish in writing and communicate to the Grantee the applicable Performance Measure and target for each Performance Period not later than 90 days following the beginning of the applicable Performance Period. OIBDA shall be calculated as operating income, plus depreciation and amortization expense, all of which shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. However, the calculation of OIBDA shall exclude items of gain, income, loss or expense that are determined to be (i) extraordinary or unusual in nature or infrequent in occurrence, (ii) adjustments as necessary to take into consideration results of operations from acquired or disposed properties such that OIBDA performance is determined on a pro forma basis, consistent with the Companys quarterly external earnings releases, (iii) related to a change in accounting principle, or (iv) non-cash expense related to a pension or equity compensation awards.
3. Forfeiture of Shares . The Restricted Shares that have not yet Vested pursuant to Section 2 (including without limitation any cash dividends or distributions and any non-cash proceeds related to the Restricted Shares for which the record date occurs on or after the date of forfeiture), as well as any dividends or distributions that have been accumulated pursuant to Section 5, shall be forfeited automatically without further action or notice (i) in the event that the Performance Measures for a Performance Period have not been achieved, but only with respect to the percentage of Restricted Shares set forth opposite such Performance Period in Section 2(a) and any accumulated dividends or distributions on such Restricted Shares, and (ii) in the event the Grantee ceases to be employed by the Company or a Subsidiary other than as provided in Section 2(b). In the event of a forfeiture of the Restricted Shares, the stock book entry account representing the Restricted Shares covered by this Agreement shall be cancelled and all Restricted Shares shall be returned to the Company.
4. Transferability . The Restricted Shares may not be sold, exchanged, assigned, transferred, pledged, encumbered or otherwise disposed of by the Grantee, except to the Company, until the Restricted Shares have become nonforfeitable as provided in Section 2. Any purported transfer or encumbrance in violation of the provisions of this Section 4 shall be void, and the other party to any such purported transaction shall not obtain any rights to or interest in such Restricted Shares. The Committee, in its sole discretion, when and as is permitted by the Plan, may waive the restrictions on transferability with respect to all or a portion of the Restricted Shares, provided that any permitted transferee (other than the Company) shall remain subject to all the terms and conditions applicable to the Restricted Shares prior to such transfer.
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5. Dividend, Voting and Other Rights . Except as otherwise provided herein, from and after the Date of Grant, the Grantee shall have all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to the Restricted Shares, including the right to vote the Restricted Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the payment of dividends or distributions on the Restricted Shares shall be subject to the following rules:
(a) Cash Dividends . Any cash dividends or distributions paid with respect to Restricted Shares that have not yet Vested will be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and the possibility of forfeiture to the Company as the Restricted Shares to which the cash dividends or distributions relate. To facilitate the enforcement of this provision, any such cash dividends or distributions paid with respect to unvested Restricted Shares will be held by the Company or its agent designated for the purpose until such time as the Restricted Shares to which the cash dividends or distributions relate become Vested or are forfeited. If such Restricted Shares become Vested, the cash dividends or distributions with respect thereto will be paid or transferred to the Grantee (without interest) promptly (but no later than 30 calendar days) after the date that the Restricted Shares become Vested; provided, however, that if any such Restricted Shares become Vested as a result of the Grantees termination of employment or disability or the exercise of the Committees discretion pursuant to Section 2(c), any cash dividends or distributions with respect to those Restricted Shares that have been accumulated pursuant to this Section 5 shall be paid within 30 calendar days after the earlier of (i) the date of the Grantees separation from service (or, if the Grantee is a specified employee at that time, the date that is six months after the Grantees separation from service), or (ii) the applicable vesting date for those Restricted Shares specified in Section 2(a). The date of the Grantees separation from service and whether the Grantee is a specified employee shall be determined in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and the Companys policies with regard thereto. If such Restricted Shares are forfeited, all of the Grantees right, title and interest in and to such cash dividends or distributions with respect thereto will automatically be transferred to the Company. The Grantee agrees to take any and all other actions (including without limitation executing, delivering, performing and filing such other agreements, instruments and documents) as the Company may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out and give effect to this Section 5(a). The obligations of the Company under this Section 5(a) will be merely that of an unfunded and unsecured promise of the Company to deliver cash in the future, subject to the terms and conditions herein, and the rights of the Grantee will be no greater than that of an unsecured general creditor. Any cash dividends or distributions paid to the Grantee pursuant to this Section 5(a) shall be reported on the Grantees annual wage and tax statement (Form W-2) as compensation and shall be subject to all applicable tax withholdings as provided in Section 10.
(b) In-Kind Distributions . Any additional Common Shares or other securities that the Grantee may become entitled to receive pursuant to a stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, separation or reorganization or any other change in the capital structure of the Company shall be considered Restricted Shares and shall be subject to the same restrictions as the Restricted Shares covered by this Agreement.
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6. Custody of Restricted Shares; Stock Power . Until the Restricted Shares have become Vested as provided in Section 2, the Restricted Shares shall be issued in book-entry only form and shall not be represented by a certificate. The restrictions set forth in this Agreement shall be reflected on the stock transfer records maintained by or on behalf of the Company. By execution of this Agreement and effective until the Restricted Shares have become Vested as provided in Section 2, the Grantee hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Jeffery R. Gardner, Anthony W. Thomas, or John P. Fletcher, or any of them, attorneys-in-fact to transfer the Restricted Shares on the stock transfer records of the Company with full power of substitution. The Grantee agrees to take any and all other actions (including without limitation executing, delivering, performing and filing such other agreements, instruments and documents) as the Company may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out and give effect to the provisions of this Agreement.
7. Continuous Employment . For purposes of this Agreement, the continuous employment of the Grantee with the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be deemed to have been interrupted, and the Grantee shall not be deemed to have ceased to be an employee of the Company and its Subsidiaries, by reason of the transfer of his employment among the Company and its Subsidiaries or a leave of absence approved by the Committee.
8. No Employment Contract; Disclaimer . Nothing contained in this Agreement shall confer upon the Grantee any right with respect to continuance of employment by the Company and its Subsidiaries, nor limit or affect in any manner the right of the Company and its Subsidiaries to terminate the employment or adjust the compensation of the Grantee, in each case with or without cause. By acceptance of this Agreement, the Grantee acknowledges and agrees that neither this Agreement nor any other agreement awarded prior to the date hereof under any equity compensation plan of the Company or its subsidiaries has created or shall create, or be deemed or construed to create or have created, (i) a contractual, equitable, or other right to receive future grants of equity awards, or other benefits in lieu of equity awards, or (ii) a fiduciary duty or other comparable duty of trust or confidence owed to the Grantee (or any successor, assign, affiliate or family member of the Grantee) by the Company and its affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents or contractors.
9. Relation to Other Benefits . Any economic or other benefit to the Grantee under this Agreement or the Plan shall not be taken into account in determining any benefits to which the Grantee may be entitled under any profit-sharing, retirement or other benefit or compensation plan maintained by the Company or a Subsidiary and shall not affect the amount of any life insurance coverage available to any beneficiary under any life insurance plan covering employees of the Company or a Subsidiary.
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10. Taxes and Withholding . The Grantee is responsible for any federal, state, local or other taxes with respect to the Restricted Shares (including the grant, the vesting, the receipt of Common Shares, the sale of Common Shares and the receipt of dividends or distributions, if any). The Company does not guarantee any particular tax treatment or results in connection with the grant or vesting of the Restricted Shares or the payment of dividends or distributions. If the Company or any Subsidiary is required to withhold any federal, state, local or other taxes in connection with the delivery or vesting of the Restricted Shares, the Grantee shall pay the tax or make provisions that are satisfactory to the Company or such Subsidiary for the payment thereof. The Grantee may elect to satisfy all or any portion of any such withholding obligation by surrendering to the Company or such Subsidiary a portion of the Common Shares that become Vested hereunder, and the Common Shares so surrendered by the Grantee shall be credited against any such withholding obligation at the Market Value per Share of such Common Shares on the date of such surrender.
11. Section 83(b) Election Prohibited . As a condition to receiving this award, the Grantee acknowledges and agrees that he or she shall not file an election under Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to all or any portion of the Restricted Shares.
12. Compliance with Law . The Company shall make reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws and listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange or any national securities exchange with respect to the Restricted Shares; provided , however , notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Restricted Shares shall not be delivered or become Vested if the delivery or vesting thereof would result in a violation of any such law or listing requirement.
13. Amendments . Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may modify this Agreement upon written notice to the Grantee. Any amendment to the Plan shall be deemed to be an amendment to this Agreement to the extent that the amendment is applicable hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment of the Plan or this Agreement shall adversely affect the rights of the Grantee under this Agreement without the Grantees consent.
14. Severability . In the event that one or more of the provisions of this Agreement shall be invalidated for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, any provision so invalidated shall be deemed to be separable from the other provisions hereof, and the remaining provisions hereof shall continue to be valid and fully enforceable.
15. Claw-Back Policy . Notwithstanding any provision contained herein to the contrary, this Agreement, and any Restricted Shares that the Grantee may receive pursuant to this Agreement, are subject to the Windstream Corporation Claw-Back Policy that was adopted in November 2009, as it may be amended from time to time (the Policy) and the Claw-Back Policy Acknowledgement and Agreement that the Grantee signed in accordance with the Policy (the Claw-Back Agreement).
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16. Relation to Plan . This Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan. This Agreement, the Policy, the Claw-Back Agreement and the Plan contain the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter contained in this Agreement, and supersede all prior written or oral communications, representations and negotiations in respect thereto. In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the Plan, the Plan shall govern. Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Plan. The Compensation Committee of the Board acting pursuant to the Plan, as constituted from time to time, shall, except as expressly provided otherwise herein, have the right to determine any questions which arise in connection with the grant of the Restricted Shares.
17. Successors and Assigns . Without limiting Section 4, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the successors, administrators, heirs, legal representatives and assigns of the Grantee, and the successors and assigns of the Company.
18. Governing Law . The interpretation, performance, and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws thereof.
19. Electronic Delivery . The Grantee hereby consents and agrees to electronic delivery of any documents that the Company may elect to deliver (including, but not limited to, prospectuses, prospectus supplements, grant or award notifications and agreements, account statements, annual and quarterly reports, and all other forms of communications) in connection with this and any other award made or offered under the Plan. The Grantee understands that, unless earlier revoked by the Grantee by giving written notice to the Secretary of the Company, this consent shall be effective for the duration of the Agreement. The Grantee also understands that he or she shall have the right at any time to request that the Company deliver written copies of any and all materials referred to above at no charge. The Grantee hereby consents to any and all procedures the Company has established or may establish for an electronic signature system for delivery and acceptance of any such documents that the Company may elect to deliver, and agrees that his or her electronic signature is the same as, and shall have the same force and effect as, his or her manual signature. The Grantee consents and agrees that any such procedures and delivery may be effected by a third party engaged by the Company to provide administrative services related to the Plan.
20. Definitions . Where used herein, the terms Cause and Good Reason shall have the meanings given to such terms in the employment agreement or change in control agreement in effect for the Grantee immediately prior to his termination of employment, or if none is in effect at that time, such terms shall be defined as follows:
(a) Cause shall mean the occurrence of any one of the following: (i) the willful failure by the Grantee substantially to perform the Grantees duties with the Company or a Subsidiary, other than any failure resulting from the Grantees incapacity due to physical or mental illness, that continues for at least 30 days after the Board delivers to the Grantee a written demand for performance that identifies specifically and in detail the manner in which the Board believes that the Grantee willfully has failed substantially to perform the Grantees duties or (ii) the willful engaging by the Grantee in misconduct that is demonstrably and materially injurious to the Company or any Subsidiary, monetarily or otherwise. For purposes of this definition, no act, or failure to act, on the Grantees part shall be deemed willful unless done, or omitted to be done, by the Grantee not in good faith and without reasonable belief that the Grantees act, or failure to act, was in the best interest of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
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(b) Good Reason shall mean the occurrence, without the Grantees express written consent, of any one of the following: (i) the assignment to the Grantee of any duties inconsistent with the Grantees status as an executive officer of the Company or of a Subsidiary or a substantial adverse alteration in the nature or status of the Grantees responsibilities from those in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control; (ii) a reduction by the Company in the Grantees annual base salary to any amount less than the Grantees annual base salary as in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control; (iii) the relocation of the principal executive offices of the Company or of a Subsidiary, as the case may be, to a location more than 35 miles from the location of such offices immediately prior to the Change in Control or the Companys requiring the Grantee to be based anywhere other than the principal executive offices of the Company or of a Subsidiary as the case may be, except for required business travel to an extent substantially consistent with the Grantees business travel obligations immediately prior to the Change in Control; (iv) the failure by the Company to pay to the Grantee any portion of the Grantees current compensation, or to pay to the Grantee any deferred compensation under any deferred compensation program of the Company, within five days after the date the compensation is due or to pay or reimburse the Grantee for any expenses incurred by him for required business travel; (v) the failure by the Company to continue in effect any compensation plan in which the Grantee participates immediately prior to the Change in Control that is material to the Grantees total compensation, including but not limited to, stock option, restricted stock, stock appreciation right, incentive compensation, bonus, and other plans, unless an equitable alternative arrangement embodied in an ongoing substitute or alternative plan has been made, or the failure by the Company to continue the Grantees participation therein (or in a substitute or alternative plan) on a basis not materially less favorable, both in terms of the amount of compensation provided and the level of the Grantees participation relative to other participants, than existed immediately prior to the Change in Control; or (vi) the failure by the Company to continue to provide the Grantee with benefits substantially similar to those enjoyed by the Grantee under any of the Companys pension, profit-sharing, life insurance, medical, health and accident, disability, or other employee benefit plans in which the Grantee was participating immediately prior to the Change in Control; the failure by the Company to continue to provide the Grantee any material fringe benefit or perquisite enjoyed by the Grantee immediately prior to the Change in Control; or the failure by the Company to provide the Grantee with the number of paid vacation days to which the Grantee is entitled in accordance with the Companys normal vacation policy in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed on its behalf by its duly authorized officer and the Grantee has also executed this Agreement, as of the Date of Grant.
WINDSTREAM CORPORATION | ||
By: |
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Name: | Jeffery R. Gardner | |
Title: | President and CEO |
The undersigned hereby acknowledges that a copy of the Plan, Plan Summary and Prospectus, and the Companys most recent Annual Report and Proxy Statement (the Prospectus Information) are available for viewing on the Companys intranet site at windstream.com. The Grantee hereby consents to receiving this Prospectus Information electronically, or, in the alternative, agrees to contact Susan Carson at (501) 748-6462 to request a paper copy of the Prospectus Information at no charge. The Grantee represents that he or she is familiar with the terms and provisions of the Prospectus Information and hereby accepts the award of Restricted Shares on the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Plan.
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