As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 25, 2013

File No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

CATCHMARK TIMBER TRUST, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Maryland   20-3536671

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

6200 The Corners Parkway

Norcross, Georgia 30092

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

CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

 

Brian M. Davis

CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc.

6200 The Corners Parkway

Norcross, Georgia 30092

(770) 449-7800

(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

 

Copies to:

Lesley H. Solomon

Alston & Bird LLP

1201 West Peachtree Street

Atlanta, Georgia 30309

(404) 881-7000

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer   ¨    Accelerated filer   ¨
Non-accelerated filer   x   (do not check if a smaller reporting company)    Smaller reporting company   ¨

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of securities
to be registered
  Amount to
be registered
  Proposed
maximum
offering price
per share
  Proposed
maximum
aggregate
offering price
  Amount of
registration fee

CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value (“Common Stock”)

  1,295,389 (1)   $12.20(2)   $15,803,746 (2)   $2,035.52

Common Stock

  4,611 (3)   $23.85 (4)   $109,972 (4)   $14.16

 

 

(1) Represents shares issuable pursuant to the grant or exercise of awards under the CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), including any additional shares that may become issuable in accordance with the adjustment and anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), based on the $12.20 book value of the Common Stock as of September 30, 2013.
(3) Represents previously-granted, unexercised stock options under the Plan, including any additional shares that may become issuable in accordance with the adjustment and anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.
(4) Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act, based on the weighted average exercise price of the previously-granted options.

 

 

 


PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

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

(b) Upon written or oral request, CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. (the “Company”) will provide, without charge, the documents incorporated by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this registration statement. The documents are incorporated by reference in the Section 10(a) prospectus. The Company will also provide, without charge, upon written or oral request, other documents required to be delivered to participants pursuant to Rule 428(b). Requests for the above-mentioned information should be directed to Brian M. Davis at the address and telephone number on the cover of this registration statement.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are incorporated by reference and deemed to be a part hereof:

 

    the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, filed on March 14, 2013;

 

    the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013, filed on August 12, 2013;

 

    the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2013, filed on May 14, 2013;

 

    the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed on February 26, 2013, July 2, 2013, September 23, 2013, September 24, 2013 and October 25, 2013;

 

    the description of the Common Stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A12G, filed April 28, 2008, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; and

 

    all other documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this registration statement that indicates that all securities offered have been sold or that deregisters all securities that remain unsold.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purpose of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated herein by reference modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such information so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute part of this registration statement.


Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Company’s charter provides that to the maximum extent that Maryland law in effect from time to time permits limitation of the liability of directors and officers of a corporation, no director or officer of the Company shall be liable to the Company or the Company’s stockholders for money damages.

The Company’s charter also provides that to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, the Company shall indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual who is a present or former director or officer of the Company’s and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity or (b) any individual who, while a director or officer of the Company and at the Company’s request, serves or has served as a director, officer, trustee, member, manager or partner of another corporation, real estate investment trust, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The rights to indemnification and advance of expenses provided by the Company’s charter vest immediately upon election of a director or officer. The Company may, with the approval of the Company’s board of directors, provide such indemnification and advance for expenses to an individual who served a predecessor of the Company in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Company or a predecessor of the Company. The indemnification and payment or reimbursement of expenses provided in the charter shall not be deemed exclusive of or limit in any way other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses may be or may become entitled under any bylaw, resolution, insurance, agreement or otherwise.

The Company has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its executive officers and directors whereby the Company shall indemnify such executive officers and directors and pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding if such director or executive officer is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law against all expenses and liabilities, subject to limited exceptions. These indemnification agreements also provide that upon an application for indemnity by an executive officer or director to a court of appropriate jurisdiction, such court may order the Company to indemnify such executive officer or director.

It is the opinion of the SEC that indemnification of directors and officers for liabilities arising under the Securities Act is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Item 7. Exemption From Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.


Item 8. Exhibits.

See the Exhibit Index, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9. Undertakings.

 

  (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

 

  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low and high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-8, and information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

 

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

 

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

 

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


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


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Norcross, State of Georgia, on this 25 th day of October, 2013.

 

CATCHMARK TIMBER TRUST, INC.
By:   /s/ Brian M. Davis
  Brian M. Davis
  Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the individuals whose signatures appear below constitute and appoint Brian M. Davis, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agents with full and several power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done.


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

 

Title

 

Date

/s/ Leo F. Wells, III   Chairman of the Board and President   October 25, 2013
Leo F. Wells, III   (Principal Executive Officer)  
/s/ Brian M. Davis   Senior Vice President, Chief   October 25, 2013
Brian M. Davis   Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)  
/s/ Douglas P. Williams   Executive Vice President, Secretary,   October 25, 2013
Douglas P. Williams   Treasurer and a Director  
/s/ Donald S. Moss   Director   October 25, 2013
Donald S. Moss    
/s/ Willis J. Potts, Jr.   Director   October 25, 2013
Willis J. Potts, Jr.    
/s/ Henry G. Zigtema   Director   October 25, 2013
Henry G. Zigtema    


EXHIBIT INDEX

TO

REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  3.1    Sixth Articles of Amendment and Restatement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 filed on August 9, 2013)
  3.2    First Articles of Amendment to the Sixth Articles of Amendment and Restatement, dated September 18, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-11, filed on September 23, 2013)
  3.3    Articles of Amendment to the Sixth Articles of Amendment and Restatement, dated October 24, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 25, 2013 (the “October 25 Form 8-K”))
  3.4    Articles of Amendment to the Sixth Articles of Amendment and Restatement, dated October 24, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 the October 25 Form 8-K)
  3.5    Articles Supplementary (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 the October 25 Form 8-K)
  3.6    Amended and Restated Bylaws
  5.1    Opinion of Venable LLP
10.1    CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan
10.2    CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2005 Independent Directors Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 filed on March 26, 2010)
10.3    CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Independent Directors Compensation Plan (Effective January 1, 2014)
23.1    Consent of Venable LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on signature page)

EXHIBIT 3.6

CATCHMARK TIMBER TRUST, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

Section 1. PRINCIPAL OFFICE . The principal office of the Corporation in the State of Maryland shall be located at such place as the Board of Directors may designate.

Section 2. ADDITIONAL OFFICES . The Corporation may have additional offices, including a principal executive office, at such places 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. PLACE . All meetings of stockholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation or at such other place as shall be set in accordance with these Bylaws and stated in the notice of the meeting.

Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING . An annual meeting of the stockholders for the election of directors and the transaction of any business within the powers of the Corporation shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the Board of Directors.

Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS .

(a) General . The president, the chief executive officer, a majority of the Board of Directors or a majority of the Independent Directors (as defined in the charter of the Corporation (the “Charter”)) may call a special meeting of the stockholders. Except as provided in subsection (b)(4) of this Section 3, a special meeting of stockholders shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the president, the chief executive officer, the Board of Directors or the Independent Directors, whoever has called the meeting. Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 3, a special meeting of stockholders shall also be called by the secretary of the Corporation to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders upon the written request of the holders of shares entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting.

(b) Stockholder-Requested Special Meetings .

(1) Any stockholder of record seeking to have stockholders request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice to the secretary (the “Record Date Request Notice”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date to determine the stockholders entitled to request a special meeting (the “Request Record Date”). The Record Date Request Notice shall set forth the purposye of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, shall be signed by one or more stockholders of record as


of the date of signature (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request Notice), shall bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) and shall set forth all information relating to each such stockholder and each matter proposed to be acted on at the meeting that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of directors in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such a solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”). Upon receiving the Record Date Request Notice, the Board of Directors may fix a Request Record Date. The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall not be more than ten days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors, within ten days after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the tenth day after the first date on which a Record Date Request Notice is received by the secretary.

(2) In order for any stockholder to request a special meeting to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders, one or more written requests for a special meeting (collectively, the “Special Meeting Request”) signed by stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting (the “Special Meeting Percentage”) shall be delivered to the secretary. In addition, the Special Meeting Request shall (a) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to those lawful matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the secretary), (b) bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (c) set forth (i) the name and address, as they appear in the Corporation’s books, of each stockholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed), (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned (beneficially or of record) by each such stockholder and (iii) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares of stock of the Corporation owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, (d) be sent to the secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (e) be received by the secretary within 60 days after the Request Record Date. Any requesting stockholder (or agent duly authorized in a writing accompanying the revocation of the Special Meeting Request) may revoke his, her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the secretary.

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

 

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

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

(6) The president, the chief executive officer, the Board of Directors or the Independent Directors may appoint regionally or nationally recognized independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Corporation for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the secretary. For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no such purported Special Meeting Request shall be deemed to have been received by the secretary until the earlier of (i) five Business Days after actual receipt by the secretary of such purported request and (ii) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Corporation that the valid requests received by the secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, stockholders of record entitled to cast not less than the Special Meeting Percentage. Nothing

 

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contained in this paragraph (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Corporation or any stockholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

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

Section 4. NOTICE . Not less than ten nor more than 90 days before each meeting of stockholders, the secretary shall give to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting and to each stockholder not entitled to vote who is entitled to notice of the meeting notice in writing or by electronic transmission stating the time and place of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting or as otherwise may be required by any statute, the purpose for which the meeting is called, either by mail, by presenting it to such stockholder personally, by leaving it at the stockholder’s residence or usual place of business, by electronic transmission or by any other means permitted by Maryland law. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the U.S. mail addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid. If transmitted electronically, such notice shall be deemed to be given when transmitted to the stockholder by an electronic transmission to any address or number of the stockholder at which the stockholder receives electronic transmissions. The Corporation may give a single notice to all stockholders who share an address, which single notice shall be effective as to any stockholder at such address, unless such stockholder objects to receiving such single notice or revokes a prior consent to receiving such single notice. Failure to give notice of any meeting to one or more stockholders, or any irregularity in such notice, shall not affect the validity of any meeting fixed in accordance with this Article II, or the validity of any proceedings at any such meeting.

Subject to Section 11(a) of this Article II, any business of the Corporation may be transacted at an annual meeting of stockholders without being specifically designated in the notice, except such business as is required by any statute to be stated in such notice. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting of stockholders except as specifically designated in the notice. The Corporation may postpone or cancel a meeting of stockholders by making a public announcement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3)) of such postponement or cancellation prior to the meeting. Notice of the date, time and place to which the meeting is postponed shall be given not less than ten days prior to such date and otherwise in the manner set forth in this Section 4.

Section 5. ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT . Every meeting of stockholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Directors to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment or appointed individual, by the chairman of the board or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the chairman of the board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting in the following order: the vice chairman of the board, if there is one, the chief executive officer, the president, the vice presidents in their order of rank and seniority, the secretary, or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the stockholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders present in person or by proxy. The secretary, or, in the secretary’s absence, an assistant secretary, or in the absence of

 

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both the secretary and assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary. In the event that the secretary presides at a meeting of the stockholders, an assistant secretary, or in the absence of all assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of the chairman and without any action by the stockholders, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to stockholders of record of the Corporation entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments; (e) determining when and for how long the polls should be opened and when the polls should be closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any stockholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and at a place announced at the meeting; and (i) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

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

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

Section 7. VOTING . A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to approve any matter which may properly come before the meeting, unless more than a majority of the votes cast is required by statute or by the Charter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a nominee for director shall be elected as a director only if such nominee receives the affirmative vote of a majority of the total votes cast for and against such nominee at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present. However, directors shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present for which (i) the secretary of the

 

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Corporation receives notice that a stockholder has nominated an individual for election as a director in compliance with the requirements of advance notice of stockholder nominees for director set forth in Article II, Section 11 of these Bylaws, and (ii) such nomination has not been withdrawn by such stockholder on or before the close of business on the tenth day before the date of filing of the definitive proxy statement of the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and, as a result of which, the number of nominees is greater than the number of directors to be elected at the meeting. Unless otherwise provided by statute or by the Charter, each outstanding share, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders. Voting on any question or in any election may be viva voce unless the chairman of the meeting shall order that voting be by ballot or otherwise.

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

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

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

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

 

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

Section 11. ADVANCE NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDER NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR AND OTHER STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS .

(a) Annual Meetings of Stockholders .

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

(2) For any nomination or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 11, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the secretary of the Corporation and any such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the stockholders. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 11 and shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 150th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Atlanta, GA, Time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3)) for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Atlanta, GA, Time, on the later of the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting, as originally convened, or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

(C) whether and the extent to which such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, directly or indirectly (through brokers, nominees or otherwise), is subject to or during the last six months has engaged in any hedging, derivative or other transaction or series of transactions or entered into any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short interest, any borrowing or lending of securities or any proxy or voting agreement), the effect or intent of which is to (I) manage risk or benefit of changes in the price of (x) Company Securities or (y) any security of any entity that was listed in the Peer Group in the Stock Performance Graph in the most recent annual report to security holders of the Corporation (a “Peer Group Company”) for such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person or (II) increase or decrease the voting power of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person in the Corporation or any affiliate thereof (or, as applicable, in any Peer Group Company) disproportionately to such person’s economic interest in the Company Securities (or, as applicable, in any Peer Group Company) and

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

(b) Special Meetings of Stockholders . Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) provided that the special meeting has been called in accordance with Section 3(a) of this Article II for the purpose of electing directors, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 11 and at the time of the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 11. In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more individuals to the Board of Directors, any stockholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a director as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder’s notice, containing the information required by paragraphs (a)(3) and (4) of this Section 11, shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 150th day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Atlanta, GA Time on the later of the 120th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(c) General .

(1) If information submitted pursuant to this Section 11 by any stockholder proposing a nominee for election as a director or any proposal for other business at a meeting of stockholders shall be inaccurate in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 11. Any such stockholder shall notify the Corporation of any inaccuracy or change (within two Business Days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information. Upon written request by the secretary or the Board of Directors, any such stockholder shall provide, within five Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request),

 

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(i) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Directors or any authorized officer of the Corporation, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 11 and (ii) a written update of any information (including, if requested by the Corporation, written confirmation by such stockholder that it continues to intend to bring such nomination or other business proposal before the meeting) submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 11 as of an earlier date. If a stockholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 11.

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

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

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

Section 12. CONTROL SHARE ACQUISITION ACT . Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter or these Bylaws, Title 3, Subtitle 7 of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”) (or any successor statute) shall not apply to any acquisition by any person of shares of stock of the Corporation. This section may be repealed, in whole or in part, at any time, whether before or after an acquisition of control shares, and upon such repeal may, to the extent provided by any successor bylaw, apply to any prior or subsequent control share acquisition.

 

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ARTICLE III

DIRECTORS

Section 1. GENERAL POWERS . The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Directors.

Section 2. NUMBER, TENURE AND RESIGNATION . At any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose, a majority of the entire Board of Directors may establish, increase or decrease the number of directors, provided that the number thereof shall never be less than the minimum number required by the MGCL, nor more than 15, and further provided that the tenure of office of a director shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of directors. Any director of the Corporation may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Directors, the chairman of the board or the secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation.

Section 3. ANNUAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS . An annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of stockholders, no notice other than this Bylaw being necessary. In the event such meeting is not so held, the meeting may be held at such time and place as shall be specified in a notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of regular meetings of the Board of Directors without other notice than such resolution.

Section 4. SPECIAL MEETINGS . Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by or at the request of the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer or the president or by a majority of the directors then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors may fix any place as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board of Directors called by them. The Board of Directors may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of special meetings of the Board of Directors without other notice than such resolution.

Section 5. NOTICE . Notice of any special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be delivered personally or by telephone, electronic mail, facsimile transmission, U.S. mail or courier to each director at his or her business or residence address. Notice by personal delivery, telephone, electronic mail or facsimile transmission shall be given at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Notice by U.S. mail shall be given at least three days prior to the meeting. Notice by courier shall be given at least two days prior to the meeting. Telephone notice shall be deemed to be given when the director or his or her agent is personally given such notice in a telephone call to which the director or his or her agent is a party. Electronic mail notice shall be deemed to be given upon transmission of the message to the electronic mail address given to the Corporation by the director. Facsimile transmission notice shall be deemed to be given upon completion of the transmission of the message to the number given to the Corporation by the director and receipt of a completed answer-back indicating receipt. Notice by U.S. mail shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the U.S. mail properly addressed, with postage thereon

 

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prepaid. Notice by courier shall be deemed to be given when deposited with or delivered to a courier properly addressed. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors need be stated in the notice, unless specifically required by statute or these Bylaws.

Section 6. QUORUM . A majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, provided that, if less than a majority of such directors is present at such meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, and provided further that if, pursuant to applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws, the vote of a majority or other percentage of a particular group of directors is required for action, a quorum must also include a majority or such other percentage of such group.

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

Section 7. VOTING . The action of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the Board of Directors, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws. If enough directors have withdrawn from a meeting to leave fewer than were required to establish a quorum but the meeting is not adjourned, the action of the majority of that number of directors necessary to constitute a quorum at such meeting shall be the action of the Board of Directors, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws.

Section 8. ORGANIZATION . At each meeting of the Board of Directors, the chairman of the board or, in the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman of the board, if any, shall act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of both the chairman and vice chairman of the board, the chief executive officer or in the absence of the chief executive officer, the president or in the absence of the president, a director chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall act as chairman of the meeting. The secretary or, in his or her absence, an assistant secretary of the Corporation, or in the absence of the secretary and all assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

Section 9. TELEPHONE MEETINGS . Directors may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 10. CONSENT BY DIRECTORS WITHOUT A MEETING . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each director and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 11. VACANCIES . If for any reason any or all of the directors cease to be directors, such event shall not terminate the Corporation or affect these Bylaws or the powers of the remaining directors hereunder. Except as may be provided by the Board of Directors in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, any vacancy on the Board of Directors may be filled only by a majority of the remaining directors, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies.

Section 12. COMPENSATION . Directors shall not receive any stated salary for their services as directors but, by resolution of the Board of Directors, may receive compensation per year and/or per meeting and/or per visit to real property or other facilities owned or leased by the Corporation and for any service or activity they performed or engaged in as directors. Directors may be reimbursed for expenses of attendance, if any, at each annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof and for their expenses, if any, in connection with each property visit and any other service or activity they performed or engaged in as directors; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any directors from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

Section 13. RELIANCE . Each director and officer of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties with respect to the Corporation, be entitled to rely on any information, opinion, report or statement, including any financial statement or other financial data, prepared or presented by an officer or employee of the Corporation whom the director or officer reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, by a lawyer, certified public accountant or other person, as to a matter which the director or officer reasonably believes to be within the person’s professional or expert competence, or, with respect to a director, by a committee of the Board of Directors on which the director does not serve, as to a matter within its designated authority, if the director reasonably believes the committee to merit confidence.

Section 14. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS . A director, officer, employee or agent shall have no responsibility to devote his or her full time to the affairs of the Corporation. Any director, officer, employee or agent, in his or her personal capacity or in a capacity as an affiliate, employee, or agent of any other person, or otherwise, may have business interests and engage in business activities similar to, in addition to or in competition with those of or relating to the Corporation.

Section 15. RATIFICATION . The Board of Directors or the stockholders may ratify and make binding on the Corporation any action or inaction by the Corporation or its officers to the extent that the Board of Directors or the stockholders could have originally authorized the matter. Moreover, any action or inaction questioned in any stockholders’ derivative proceeding or any other proceeding on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of a director, officer or stockholder, non-disclosure, miscomputation, the application of improper principles or practices of accounting, or otherwise, may be ratified, before or after judgment, by the Board of Directors or by the stockholders, and if so ratified, shall have the same force and effect as if the questioned action or inaction had been originally duly authorized, and such ratification shall be binding upon the Corporation and its stockholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned action or inaction.

 

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Section 16. EMERGENCY PROVISIONS . Notwithstanding any other provision in the Charter or these Bylaws, this Section 16 shall apply during the existence of any catastrophe, or other similar emergency condition, as a result of which a quorum of the Board of Directors under Article III of these Bylaws cannot readily be obtained (an “Emergency”). During any Emergency, unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, (a) a meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof may be called by any director or officer by any means feasible under the circumstances, (b) notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors during such an Emergency may be given less than 24 hours prior to the meeting to as many directors and by such means as may be feasible at the time, including publication, television or radio, and (c) the number of directors necessary to constitute a quorum shall be one-third of the entire Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

Section 1. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS . The Board of Directors may appoint from among its members committees, composed of one or more directors, to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. POWERS . The Board of Directors may delegate to committees appointed under Section 1 of this Article any of the powers of the Board of Directors, except as prohibited by law.

Section 3. MEETINGS . Notice of committee meetings shall be given in the same manner as notice for special meetings of the Board of Directors. A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the committee. The act of a majority of the committee members present at a meeting shall be the act of such committee. The Board of Directors may designate a chairman of any committee, and such chairman or, in the absence of a chairman, any two members of any committee (if there are at least two members of the committee) may fix the time and place of its meeting unless the Board shall otherwise provide. In the absence of any member of any such committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint another director to act in the place of such absent member. Each committee shall keep minutes of its proceedings.

Section 4. TELEPHONE MEETINGS . Members of a committee of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 5. CONSENT BY COMMITTEES WITHOUT A MEETING . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each member of the committee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of such committee.

 

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Section 6. VACANCIES . Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Directors shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any committee, to fill any vacancy, to designate an alternate member to replace any absent or disqualified member or to dissolve any such committee.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

Section 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS . The officers of the Corporation shall include a president, a secretary and a treasurer and may include a chairman of the board, a vice chairman of the board, a chief executive officer, one or more vice presidents, a chief operating officer, a chief financial officer, one or more assistant secretaries and one or more assistant treasurers. In addition, the Board of Directors may from time to time elect such other officers with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary or desirable. The officers of the Corporation shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors, except that the chief executive officer or president may from time to time appoint one or more vice presidents, assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers or other officers. Each officer shall serve until his or her successor is elected and qualifies or until his or her death, or his or her resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided. Any two or more offices except president and vice president may be held by the same person. Election of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights between the Corporation and such officer or agent.

Section 2. REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION . Any officer or agent of the Corporation may be removed, with or without cause, by the Board of Directors if in its judgment the best interests of the Corporation would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Any officer of the Corporation may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Directors, the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or the secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation. Such resignation shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the Corporation.

Section 3. VACANCIES . A vacancy in any office may be filled by the Board of Directors for the balance of the term.

Section 4. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER . The Board of Directors may designate a chief executive officer. In the absence of such designation, the chairman of the board shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation. The chief executive officer shall have general responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Corporation, as determined by the Board of Directors, and for the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the

 

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execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of chief executive officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time.

Section 5. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER . The Board of Directors may designate a chief operating officer. The chief operating officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Directors or the chief executive officer.

Section 6. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER . The Board of Directors may designate a chief financial officer. The chief financial officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Directors or the chief executive officer.

Section 7. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD . The Board of Directors may designate from among its members a chairman of the board, who shall not, solely by reason of these Bylaws, be an officer of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate the chairman of the board as an executive or non-executive chairman. The chairman of the board shall preside over the meetings of the Board of Directors. The chairman of the board shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

Section 8. PRESIDENT . In the absence of a chief executive officer, the president shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Corporation. In the absence of a designation of a chief operating officer by the Board of Directors, the president shall be the chief operating officer. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of president and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time.

Section 9. VICE PRESIDENTS . In the absence of the president or in the event of a vacancy in such office, the vice president (or in the event there be more than one vice president, the vice presidents in the order designated at the time of their election or, in the absence of any designation, then in the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the president and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the president; and shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to such vice president by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may designate one or more vice presidents as executive vice president, senior vice president, or vice president for particular areas of responsibility.

Section 10. SECRETARY . The secretary shall (a) keep the minutes of the proceedings of the stockholders, the Board of Directors and committees of the Board of Directors in one or more books provided for that purpose; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law; (c) be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Corporation; (d) keep a register of the post office address of each stockholder which shall be furnished to the secretary by such stockholder; (e) have general charge of the stock transfer books of the Corporation; and (f) in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 11. TREASURER . The treasurer shall have the custody of the funds and securities of the Corporation, shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation, shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors and in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Directors. In the absence of a designation of a chief financial officer by the Board of Directors, the treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Corporation.

The treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the president and Board of Directors, at the regular meetings of the Board of Directors or whenever it may so require, an account of all his or her transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.

Section 12. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT TREASURERS . The assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers, in general, shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the secretary or treasurer, respectively, or by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Directors.

Section 13. COMPENSATION . The compensation of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by or under the authority of the Board of Directors and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a director.

ARTICLE VI

CONTRACTS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS

Section 1. CONTRACTS . The Board of Directors may authorize any officer or agent 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. Any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease or other document shall be valid and binding upon the Corporation when duly authorized or ratified by action of the Board of Directors and executed by an authorized person.

Section 2. CHECKS AND DRAFTS . All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or agent of the Corporation in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 3. DEPOSITS . All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited or invested from time to time to the credit of the Corporation as the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president, the chief financial officer or any other officer designated by the Board of Directors may determine.

 

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ARTICLE VII

STOCK

Section 1. CERTIFICATES . Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, the Corporation shall not issue stock certificates. In the event that the Corporation issues shares of stock represented by certificates, such certificates shall be in such form as prescribed by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized officer, shall contain the statements and information required by the MGCL and shall be signed by the officers of the Corporation in any manner permitted by the MGCL. In the event that the Corporation issues shares of stock without certificates to the extent then required by the MGCL, the Corporation shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MGCL to be included on stock certificates. There shall be no differences in the rights and obligations of stockholders based on whether or not their shares are represented by certificates. If a class or series of stock is uncertificated, no stockholder shall be entitled to a certificate or certificates representing any shares of such class or series of stock held by such stockholder unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors and then only upon written request by such stockholder to the secretary of the Corporation.

Section 2. TRANSFERS . All transfers of shares of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation, by the holder of the shares, in person or by his or her attorney, in such manner as the Board of Directors or any officer of the Corporation may prescribe and, if such shares are certificated, upon surrender of certificates duly endorsed. The issuance of a new certificate upon the transfer of certificated shares is subject to the determination of the Board of Directors that such shares shall no longer be represented by certificates. Upon the transfer of any uncertificated shares, to the extent then required by the MGCL, the Corporation shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MGCL to be included on stock certificates.

The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share of stock as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise expressly provided by the laws of the State of Maryland.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfers of shares of any class or series of stock will be subject in all respects to the Charter and all of the terms and conditions contained therein.

Section 3. REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE . Any officer of the Corporation may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated; provided, however, if such shares have ceased to be certificated, no new certificate shall be issued unless requested in writing by such stockholder and the Board of Directors has determined that such certificates may be issued. Unless otherwise determined by an officer of the Corporation, the owner of such lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, shall be required, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, to give the Corporation a bond in such sums as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation.

 

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Section 4. FIXING OF RECORD DATE . The Board of Directors may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a determination of stockholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any case, shall not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed and shall be not more than 90 days and, in the case of a meeting of stockholders, not less than ten days, before the date on which the meeting or particular action requiring such determination of stockholders of record is to be held or taken.

When a record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of stockholders has been set as provided in this section, such record date shall continue to apply to the meeting if adjourned or postponed, except if the meeting is adjourned or postponed to a date more than 120 days after the record date originally fixed for the meeting, in which case a new record date for such meeting may be determined as set forth herein.

Section 5. STOCK LEDGER . The Corporation shall maintain at its principal office or at the office of its counsel, accountants or transfer agent, an original or duplicate stock ledger containing the name and address of each stockholder and the number of shares of each class held by such stockholder.

Section 6. FRACTIONAL STOCK; ISSUANCE OF UNITS . The Board of Directors may authorize the Corporation to issue fractional stock or authorize the issuance of scrip, all on such terms and under such conditions as it may determine. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter or these Bylaws, the Board of Directors may issue units consisting of different securities of the Corporation. Any security issued in a unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by the Corporation, except that the Board of Directors may provide that for a specified period securities of the Corporation issued in such unit may be transferred on the books of the Corporation only in such unit.

ARTICLE VIII

ACCOUNTING YEAR

The Board of Directors shall have the power, from time to time, to fix the fiscal year of the Corporation by a duly adopted resolution.

ARTICLE IX

DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 1. AUTHORIZATION . Dividends and other distributions upon the stock of the Corporation may be authorized by the Board of Directors and declared by the Corporation, subject to the provisions of law and the Charter. Dividends and other distributions may be paid in cash, property or stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of law and the Charter.

 

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Section 2. CONTINGENCIES . Before payment of any dividends or other distributions, there may be set aside out of any assets of the Corporation available for dividends or other distributions such sum or sums as the Board of Directors may from time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund for contingencies, for equalizing dividends, for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation or for such other purpose as the Board of Directors shall determine, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve.

ARTICLE X

INVESTMENT POLICY

Subject to the provisions of the Charter, the Board of Directors may from time to time adopt, amend, revise or terminate any policy or policies with respect to investments by the Corporation as it shall deem appropriate in its sole discretion.

ARTICLE XI

SEAL

Section 1. SEAL . The Board of Directors may authorize the adoption of a seal by the Corporation. The seal shall contain the name of the Corporation and the year of its incorporation and the words “Incorporated Maryland.” The Board of Directors may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof.

Section 2. AFFIXING SEAL . Whenever the Corporation is permitted or required to affix its seal to a document, it shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of any law, rule or regulation relating to a seal to place the word “(SEAL)” adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to execute the document on behalf of the Corporation.

ARTICLE XII

WAIVER OF NOTICE

Whenever any notice of a meeting is required to be given pursuant to the Charter or these Bylaws or pursuant to applicable law, a waiver thereof in writing or by electronic transmission, given by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any meeting need be set forth in the waiver of notice of such meeting, unless specifically required by statute. The attendance of any person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting has not been lawfully called or convened.

 

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ARTICLE XIII

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

Except as provided otherwise in Section 3 of Article XIV, the Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of these Bylaws and to make new Bylaws.

ARTICLE XIV

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 1. DEFINITIONS . Unless otherwise defined in these Bylaws, capitalized terms used in this Article XIV have the meanings given to them in the Charter.

Section 2. LEVERAGE . The aggregate Leverage shall be reasonable in relation to the Net Assets and shall be reviewed by the Board at least quarterly. The maximum amount of such Leverage in relation to Net Assets shall not exceed 200%.

Section 3. AMENDMENT . Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, any amendment of this Article XIV shall be valid only if approved by the affirmative vote of Stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

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Exhibit 5.1

[LETTERHEAD OF VENABLE LLP]

October 25, 2013

CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc.

6200 The Corners Parkway

Norcross, Georgia 30092

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have served as Maryland counsel to CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with certain matters of Maryland law arising out of the registration of 1,300,000 shares (the “Shares”) of Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, of the Company (the “Class A Common Stock”), which will be issued from time to time pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Shares are covered by the above-referenced Registration Statement, and all amendments thereto (the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).

In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Documents”):

1. The Registration Statement;

2. The charter of the Company (the “Charter”), certified by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”);

3. The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

4. A certificate of the SDAT as to the good standing of the Company, dated as of a recent date;

5. Resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company and a duly authorized committee thereof relating to, among other matters, the approval of the Plan and the issuance of the Shares (the “Resolutions”), certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;


CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc.

October 25, 2013

Page 2

 

6. A certificate executed by an officer of the Company, dated as of the date hereof; and

7. Such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to express the opinion set forth below, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein.

In expressing the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the following:

1. Each individual executing any of the Documents, whether on behalf of such individual or another person, is legally competent to do so.

2. Each individual executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so.

3. Each of the parties (other than the Company) executing any of the Documents has duly and validly executed and delivered each of the Documents to which such party is a signatory, and such party’s obligations set forth therein are legal, valid and binding and are enforceable in accordance with all stated terms.

4. All Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic. The form and content of all Documents submitted to us as unexecuted drafts do not differ in any respect relevant to this opinion from the form and content of such Documents as executed and delivered. All Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents. All signatures on all Documents are genuine. All public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete. All representations, warranties, statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete. There has been no oral or written modification of or amendment to any of the Documents, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of the Documents, by action or omission of the parties or otherwise.

5. The Shares will not be issued or transferred in violation of any restriction or limitation contained in Article VI of the Charter or in the Plan.

6. Upon the issuance of any of the Shares, the total number of shares of Class A Common Stock issued and outstanding will not exceed the total number of shares of Class A Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Charter.

7. Each option, restricted stock unit, right or other security exercisable or exchangeable for a Share pursuant to the Plan (each, an “Option”) will be duly authorized and validly granted in accordance with the Plan and exercised or exchanged in accordance with the terms of the Plan, including any stock option agreement, restricted stock agreement or other form of award agreement entered into in connection therewith, at the time of any exercise or exchange of such Option.


CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc.

October 25, 2013

Page 3

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, it is our opinion that:

1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the SDAT.

2. The issuance of the Shares has been duly authorized and, when and to the extent issued in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Resolutions, the Plan and any stock option agreement, restricted stock agreement or other form of award agreement utilized under the Plan, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other law. We express no opinion as to compliance with any federal or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland, or as to federal or state laws regarding fraudulent transfers. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinion is expressed herein would be governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Maryland, we do not express any opinion on such matter. The opinion expressed herein is subject to the effect of judicial decisions which may permit the introduction of parol evidence to modify the terms or the interpretation of agreements.

The opinion expressed herein is limited to the matters specifically set forth herein and no other opinion shall be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that might change the opinion expressed herein after the date hereof.

This opinion is being furnished to you for submission to the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of the name of our firm therein. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the 1933 Act.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Venable LLP

EXHIBIT 10.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CATCHMARK TIMBER TRUST, INC.

2005 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

(Effective October 25, 2013)

ARTICLE 1

PURPOSE

1.1. GENERAL . The purpose of the Amended and Restated CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan” ) is to promote the success, and enhance the value, of CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. (the “Company” ), by linking the personal interests of employees, officers, directors and consultants of the Company or any Affiliate (as defined below) to those of Company stockholders and by providing such persons with an incentive for outstanding performance. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of employees, officers, directors and consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent. Accordingly, the Plan permits the grant of incentive awards from time to time to selected employees, officers, directors and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates.

ARTICLE 2

DEFINITIONS

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

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

(b) “Award” means any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award, Deferred Stock Unit Award, Performance Award, Dividend Equivalent Award, Other Stock-Based Award, Performance-Based Cash Awards, or any other right or interest relating to Shares or cash, granted to a Participant under the Plan.

(c) “Award Certificate” means a written document, in such form as the Committee prescribes from time to time, setting forth the terms and conditions of an Award. Award Certificates may be in the form of individual award agreements or certificates or a program document describing the terms and provisions of an Awards or series of Awards under the Plan.

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

(e) “Cause” as a reason for a Participant’s termination of employment shall have the meaning assigned such term in the employment, severance or similar agreement, if any, between such Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, provided, however that if there is no such employment, severance or similar agreement in which such term is defined, and unless otherwise defined in the applicable Award Certificate, “Cause” shall mean any of the following acts by the Participant, as determined by the Committee or the Board: (i) the willful and continued failure of the Participant to perform his or her required duties as an officer or employee of the Company or any Affiliate, (ii) any action by the Participant that involves willful misfeasance or gross negligence, (iii) the requirement of or direction by a federal or state regulatory agency that has jurisdiction over the Company or any Affiliate to terminate the employment of the Participant, (iv) the conviction of the


Participant of the commission of any criminal offense that involves dishonesty or breach of trust, or (v) any intentional breach by the Participant of a material term, condition or covenant of any agreement between the Participant and the Company or any Affiliate.

(f) “Change in Control” means and includes the occurrence of any one of the following events but shall specifically exclude a Public Offering:

(i) individuals who, on the Effective Date, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Directors” ) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of such Board, provided that any person becoming a director after the Effective Date and whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board shall be an Incumbent Director; provided , however , that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors ( “Election Contest” ) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any Person other than the Board ( “Proxy Contest” ), including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any Election Contest or Proxy Contest, shall be deemed an Incumbent Director; or

(ii) any person becomes a “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, of either (A) 25% or more of the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company ( “Company Common Stock” ) or (B) securities of the Company representing 25% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of directors (the “Company Voting Securities” ); provided , however , that for purposes of this subsection (ii), the following acquisitions of Company Common Stock or Company Voting Securities shall not constitute a Change in Control: (w) an acquisition directly from the Company, (x) an acquisition by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company, (y) an acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or (z) an acquisition pursuant to a Non-Qualifying Transaction (as defined in subsection (iii) below); or

(iii) the consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company or a Subsidiary (a “Reorganization” ), or the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (a “Sale” ) or the acquisition of assets or stock of another corporation (an “Acquisition” ), unless immediately following such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition: (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the outstanding Company Common Stock and outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or stock either directly or through one or more subsidiaries, the “Surviving Corporation” ) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition, of the outstanding Company Common Stock and the outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, and (B) no person (other than (x) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (y) the Surviving Corporation or its ultimate parent corporation, or (z) any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by any of the foregoing is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 25% or more of the total common stock or 25% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Corporation, and (C) at least a

 

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majority of the members of the board of directors of the Surviving Corporation were Incumbent Directors at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition (any Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition which satisfies all of the criteria specified in (A), (B) and (C) above shall be deemed to be a “Non-Qualifying Transaction” ); or

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

(g) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and includes a reference to the underlying final regulations.

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

(i) “Company” means CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation, or any successor corporation.

(j) “Continuous Status as a Participant” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an employee, officer, consultant or director of the Company or any Affiliate, as applicable; provided, however, that for purposes of an Incentive Stock Option, or a Stock Appreciation Right issued in tandem with an Incentive Stock Option, “Continuous Status as a Participant” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an employee of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, as applicable, pursuant to applicable tax regulations. Continuous Status as a Participant shall continue to the extent provided in a written severance or employment agreement during any period for which severance compensation payments are made to an employee, officer, consultant or director and shall not be considered interrupted in the case of any short-term disability or leave of absence authorized in writing by the Company prior to its commencement; provided, however, that for purposes of Incentive Stock Options, no such leave may exceed 90 days, unless reemployment upon expiration of such leave is guaranteed by statute or contract. If reemployment upon expiration of a leave of absence approved by the Company is not so guaranteed, on the 91st day of such leave any Incentive Stock Option held by the Participant shall cease to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and shall be treated for tax purposes as a Nonstatutory Stock Option.

(k) “Deferred Stock Unit” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 11.

(l) “Disability” or “Disabled” has the same meaning as provided in the long-term disability plan or policy maintained by the Company or if applicable, most recently maintained, by the Company or if applicable, an Affiliate, for the Participant, whether or not such Participant actually receives disability benefits under such plan or policy. If no long-term disability plan or policy was ever maintained on behalf of Participant or if the determination of Disability relates to an Incentive Stock Option, or a Stock Appreciation Right issued in tandem with an Incentive Stock Option, Disability means Permanent and Total Disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code. In the event of a dispute, the determination whether a Participant is Disabled will be made by the Committee and may be supported by the advice of a physician competent in the area to which such Disability relates.

(m) “Dividend Equivalent” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 12.

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

(o) “Eligible Participant” means an employee, officer, consultant or director of the Company or any Affiliate.

(p) “Fair Market Value” , on any date, means (i) if the Shares are listed on a national securities exchange or is traded on a national market system, the closing sales price on such exchange or over such system on such date or, in the absence of reported sales on such date, the closing sales price on the immediately preceding date on which sales were reported, or (ii) if the

 

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Shares are not listed on a national securities exchange or traded on a national market system, the mean between the bid and offered prices as quoted by NASDAQ for such date, provided that if it is determined that the fair market value is not properly reflected by such NASDAQ quotations or bid and offered prices for the Shares are not quoted by NASDAQ, Fair Market Value will be determined by such other method as the Committee determines in good faith to be reasonable.

(q) “Full Value Award” means an Award other than in the form of an Option or SAR, and which is settled by the issuance of Shares.

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

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

(t) “Independent Director” means a director of the Company who is not a common law employee of the Company or an Affiliate.

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

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

(w) “Other Stock-Based Award” means a right, granted to a Participant under Article 13, that relates to or is valued by reference to Shares or other Awards relating to Shares.

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

(y) “Participant” means a person who, as an employee, officer, director or consultant of the Company or any Affiliate, has been granted an Award under the Plan; provided that in the case of the death of a Participant, the term “Participant” refers to a beneficiary designated pursuant to Section 14.5 or the legal guardian or other legal representative acting in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of the Participant under applicable state law and court supervision.

(z) “Performance Award” means Performance Shares or Performance Units or Performance-Based Cash Awards granted pursuant to Article 9.

(aa) “Performance-Based Cash Award” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 9 to a cash award to be paid upon achievement of such performance goals as the Committee establishes with regard to such Award.

(bb) “Performance Share” means any right granted to a Participant under Article 9 to a unit to be valued by reference to a designated number of Shares to be paid upon achievement of such performance goals as the Committee establishes with regard to such Performance Share.

(cc) “Performance Unit” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 9 to a unit valued by reference to a designated amount of cash or property other than Shares to be paid to the Participant upon achievement of such performance goals as the Committee establishes with regard to such Performance Unit.

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

 

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(ee) “Plan” means the Amended and Restated CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

(ff) “Public Offering” shall occur on the closing date of a firm commitment underwritten public offering of any class or series of the Company’s equity securities pursuant to a registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act.

(gg) “Restricted Stock Award” means Shares granted to a Participant under Article 10 that is subject to certain restrictions and to risk of forfeiture.

(hh) “Restricted Stock Unit Award” means the right granted to a Participant under Article 10 to receive Shares (or the equivalent value in cash or other property if the Committee so provides) in the future, which right is subject to certain restrictions and to risk of forfeiture.

(ii) “Shares” means the Company’s Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the “Class A Common Stock”), Class B-1 Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the “Class B-1 Common Stock”), Class B-2 Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the “Class B-2 Common Stock”) and Class B-3 Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the “Class B-3 Common Stock” and, together with the Class B-1 Common Stock and Class B-2 Common Stock, the “Class B Common Stock”). If there has been an adjustment or substitution pursuant to Section 15.1, the term “Shares” shall also include any shares of stock or other securities that are substituted for Shares or into which Shares are adjusted pursuant to Section 15.1.

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

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

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

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

ARTICLE 3

EFFECTIVE TERM OF PLAN

3.1. EFFECTIVE DATE . The Plan originally became effective as of the date it was first approved by the Board in 2005. The plan as hereby amended and restated was approved by the Board and became effective on October 25, 2013 (the “Effective Date” ).

3.2. TERMINATION OF PLAN . The Plan shall terminate on October 25, 2023, the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date unless earlier terminated as provided herein. The termination of the Plan on such date shall not affect the validity of any Award outstanding on the date of termination.

ARTICLE 4

ADMINISTRATION

4.1. COMMITTEE . The Plan shall be administered by a Committee appointed by the Board (which Committee shall consist of at least two directors) or, at the discretion of the Board from time to time, the Plan may be administered by the Board. It is intended that at least two of the directors appointed to serve on the Committee shall be “non-employee directors” (within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the 1934 Act) and that any such members of the Committee who do not so qualify shall abstain

 

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

4.2. ACTION AND INTERPRETATIONS BY THE COMMITTEE . For purposes of administering the Plan, the Committee may from time to time adopt rules, regulations, guidelines and procedures for carrying out the provisions and purposes of the Plan and make such other determinations, not inconsistent with the Plan, as the Committee may deem appropriate. The Committee’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted under the Plan, any Award Certificate and all decisions and determinations by the Committee with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties. Each member of the Committee is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Affiliate, the Company’s or an Affiliate’s independent certified public accountants, Company counsel or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.

4.3. AUTHORITY OF COMMITTEE . Except as provided below, the Committee has the exclusive power, authority and discretion to:

(a) Grant Awards;

(b) Designate Participants;

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

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

(e) Determine the terms and conditions of any Award, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, granted under the Plan, including but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion determines;

(f) Determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in, cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing, grants of Awards to Independent Directors hereunder shall be (i) be subject to the applicable award limits set forth in Section 5.1 hereof, and (ii) made only in accordance with the terms, conditions and parameters of a plan, program or policy for the compensation of Independent Directors as in effect from time to time, and the Committee may not make discretionary grants hereunder to Independent Directors.

Notwithstanding the above, the Board or the Committee may, by resolution, expressly delegate to a special committee, consisting of one or more directors who are also officers of the Company, the authority, within specified parameters, to (i) designate officers, employees and/or consultants of the Company or any of its Affiliates to be recipients of Awards under the Plan, and (ii) to determine the number of such Awards to be granted to any such Participants; provided that a limit on the total number or dollar value of Awards to be granted to any such Participants shall be approved in advance by the Board or the Committee and provided further that such delegation of duties and responsibilities to such special committee may not be made with respect to the grant of Awards to eligible participants who are subject to Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act at the Grant Date. The acts of such delegates shall be treated hereunder as acts of the Board and such delegates shall report regularly to the Board and the Committee regarding the delegated duties and responsibilities and any Awards so granted.

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

ARTICLE 5

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

5.1. NUMBER OF SHARES . Subject to adjustment as provided in Sections 5.2 and 15.1, the number of Shares reserved and available for issuance as of the Effective Date pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall be as follows: 1,150,000 Shares of Class A Common Stock; 50,000 Shares of Class B-1 Common Stock; 50,000 Shares of Class B-2 Common Stock; and 50,000 Shares of Class B-3 Common Stock. Pursuant to their terms, each class of Class B Common Stock will automatically convert into Shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis. Upon such conversion, the number of Shares of such class of Class B Common Stock previously reserved and available for issuance under the Plan will automatically convert and be reallocated to Class A Common Stock. No Awards with respect to Class B Common Stock may be granted after the Effective Date of the Plan. The maximum number of Shares that may be issued upon exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan shall be 200,000.

5.2. SHARE COUNTING .

(a) To the extent that an Award is canceled, terminates, expires, is forfeited or lapses for any reason, any unissued Shares from such Award will again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.

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

(c) Shares withheld from an Award to satisfy minimum tax withholding requirements will again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan, but Shares delivered by a Participant (by either actual delivery or attestation) to satisfy tax withholding requirements shall not be added back to the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan.

 

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(d) If the exercise price of an Option is satisfied by delivering Shares to the Company (by either actual delivery or attestation), only the net number of Shares actually issued by the Company shall be considered for purposes of determining the number of Shares remaining available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.

(e) To the extent that the full number of Shares subject to an Award is not issued for any reason, only the number of Shares issued and delivered shall be considered for purposes of determining the number of Shares remaining available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan. Nothing in this subsection shall imply that any particular type of cashless exercise of an Option is permitted under the Plan, that decision being reserved to the Committee or other provisions of the Plan.

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

ARTICLE 6

ELIGIBILITY

6.1. GENERAL . Awards may be granted only to Eligible Participants; except that Incentive Stock Options may be granted to only to Eligible Participants who are employees of the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary as defined in Section 424(e) and (f) of the Code.

ARTICLE 7

STOCK OPTIONS

7.1. GENERAL . The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants subject to terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall establish, including the following:

(a) EXERCISE PRICE . The exercise price per Share under an Option shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that the exercise price of an Option shall not be less than the Fair Market Value as of the Grant Date.

(b) TIME AND CONDITIONS OF EXERCISE . The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part, subject to Section 7.1(d). The Committee shall also determine the performance or other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may be exercised or vested. Except under certain circumstances contemplated by Section 14.8 or 14.9 or as may be set forth in an Award Certificate with respect to death or Disability of a Participant, Options will not be exercisable before the expiration of one year from the Grant Date.

(c) PAYMENT . The Committee shall determine the methods by which the exercise price of an Option may be paid, the form of payment, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, or other property (including “cashless exercise” arrangements), and the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants; provided, however, that if Shares are used to pay the exercise price of an Option, such Shares must have been held by the Participant for at least such period of time, if any, as necessary to avoid the recognition of an expense under generally accepted accounting principles as a result of the exercise of the Option.

(d) EXERCISE TERM . In no event may any Option be exercisable for more than ten years from the Grant Date.

 

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7.2. INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS . The terms of any Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan must comply with the following additional rules:

(a) EXERCISE PRICE . The exercise price of an Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than the Fair Market Value as of the Grant Date.

(b) LAPSE OF OPTION . Subject to any earlier termination provision contained in the Award Certificate, an Incentive Stock Option shall lapse upon the earliest of the following circumstances:

(1) The expiration date set forth in the Award Certificate.

(2) The tenth anniversary of the Grant Date.

(3) Three months after termination of the Participant’s Continuous Status as a Participant for any reason other than the Participant’s Disability or death.

(4) One year after the Participant’s Continuous Status as a Participant by reason of the Participant’s Disability.

(5) Two years after the Participant’s death if the Participant dies while employed, or during the three-month period described in paragraph (3) or during the one-year period described in paragraph (4) and before the Option otherwise lapses.

Unless the exercisability of the Incentive Stock Option is accelerated as provided in Article 14, if a Participant exercises an Option after termination of employment, the Option may be exercised only with respect to the Shares that were otherwise vested on the Participant’s termination of employment. Upon the Participant’s death, any exercisable Incentive Stock Options may be exercised by the Participant’s beneficiary, determined in accordance with Section 14.5.

(c) INDIVIDUAL DOLLAR LIMITATION . The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the Grant Date) of all Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are first exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year may not exceed $100,000.00.

(d) TEN PERCENT OWNERS . No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any individual who, at the Grant Date, owns stock possessing more than ten percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary unless the exercise price per share of such Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share at the Grant Date and the Option expires no later than five years after the Grant Date.

(e) EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY TO GRANT INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS . No Incentive Stock Option may be granted pursuant to the Plan after the day immediately prior to the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date of the Plan, or the termination of the Plan, if earlier.

(f) RIGHT TO EXERCISE . During a Participant’s lifetime, an Incentive Stock Option may be exercised only by the Participant or, in the case of the Participant’s Disability, by the Participant’s guardian or legal representative.

(g) ELIGIBLE GRANTEES . The Committee may not grant an Incentive Stock Option to a person who is not at the Grant Date an employee of the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary.

ARTICLE 8

STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

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

(a) RIGHT TO PAYMENT . Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Participant to whom it is granted has the right to receive the excess, if any, of:

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

 

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(2) The base price of the Stock Appreciation Right as determined by the Committee, which shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of one Share on the Grant Date.

(b) OTHER TERMS . All awards of Stock Appreciation Rights shall be evidenced by an Award Certificate. The terms, methods of exercise, methods of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, and any other terms and conditions of any Stock Appreciation Right shall be determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of the Award and shall be reflected in the Award Certificate.

ARTICLE 9

PERFORMANCE AWARDS

9.1. GRANT OF PERFORMANCE AWARDS . The Committee is authorized to grant Performance Shares, Performance Units or Performance-Based Cash Awards to Participants on such terms and conditions as may be selected by the Committee. The Committee shall have the complete discretion to determine the number of Performance Awards granted to each Participant and to designate the provisions of such Performance Awards as provided in Section 4.3. All Performance Awards shall be evidenced by an Award Certificate or a written program established by the Committee, pursuant to which Performance Awards are awarded under the Plan under uniform terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in such written program.

9.2. PERFORMANCE GOALS. The Committee may establish performance goals for Performance Awards which may be based on any performance criteria selected by the Committee. Such performance criteria may be described in terms of Company-wide objectives or in terms of objectives that relate to the performance of the Participant, an Affiliate or a division, region, department or function within the Company or an Affiliate. The length of a performance period shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that a performance period shall not be shorter than 12 months.

9.3. RIGHT TO PAYMENT . The grant of a Performance Share to a Participant will entitle the Participant to receive at a specified later time a specified number of Shares, or the equivalent cash value, if the performance goals established by the Committee are achieved and the other terms and conditions thereof are satisfied. The grant of a Performance Unit to a Participant will entitle the Participant to receive at a specified later time a specified dollar value, which may be settled in cash or other property, including Shares, variable under conditions specified in the Award, if the performance goals in the Award are achieved and the other terms and conditions thereof are satisfied. The grant of a Performance-Based Cash Award to a Participant will entitle the Participant to receive at a specified later time a specified dollar value in cash variable under conditions specified in the Award, if the performance goals in the Award are achieved and the other terms and conditions thereof are satisfied. The Committee shall set performance goals and other terms or conditions to payment of the Performance Awards in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the value of the Performance Awards that will be paid to the Participant.

9.4. OTHER TERMS . Performance Awards may be payable in cash, Shares or other property, and have such other terms and conditions as determined by the Committee and reflected in the Award Certificate. For purposes of determining the number of Shares to be used in payment of a Performance Award denominated in cash but payable in whole or in part in Shares or Restricted Stock, the number of Shares to be so paid will be determined by dividing the cash value of the Award to be so paid by the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of determination by the Committee of the amount of the payment under the Award, or, if the Committee so directs, the date immediately preceding the date the Award is paid.

 

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ARTICLE 10

RESTRICTED STOCK AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARDS

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

10.2. ISSUANCE AND RESTRICTIONS . Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, without limitation, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Stock or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Stock or dividend equivalents on the Restricted Stock Units) covering a period of time specified by the Committee (the “Restriction Period” ). These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances, in such installments, upon the satisfaction of performance goals or otherwise, as the Committee determines at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Certificate or any special Plan document governing an Award, the Participant shall have all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to the Restricted Stock, and the Participant shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Restricted Stock Units until such time as Shares are paid in settlement of the Restricted Stock Units.

10.3. FORFEITURE . Except for certain limited situations (including the death or Disability of the Participant or a Change in Control referred to in Section 14.8), Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Unit Awards subject solely to continued employment restrictions shall have a Restriction Period of not less than three years from the Grant Date (but permitting pro-rata vesting over such time). Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, immediately after termination of Continuous Status as a Participant during the applicable restriction period or upon failure to satisfy a performance goal during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units that are at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited.

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

ARTICLE 11

DEFERRED STOCK UNITS

11.1. GRANT OF DEFERRED STOCK UNITS . The Committee is authorized to grant Deferred Stock Units to Participants subject to such terms and conditions as may be selected by the Committee. Deferred Stock Units shall entitle the Participant to receive Shares (or the equivalent value in cash or other property if so determined by the Committee) at a future time as determined by the Committee, or as determined by the Participant within guidelines established by the Committee in the case of voluntary deferral elections. An Award of Deferred Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award Certificate setting forth the terms and conditions applicable to the Award.

 

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ARTICLE 12

DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

12.1. GRANT OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS . The Committee is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents with respect to Full Value Awards granted hereunder, subject to such terms and conditions as may be selected by the Committee. Dividend Equivalents shall entitle the Participant to receive payments equal to dividends with respect to all or a portion of the number of Shares subject to any Full Value Award, as determined by the Committee. The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents be paid or distributed when accrued or be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares or units equivalent to Shares, or otherwise reinvested.

ARTICLE 13

STOCK OR OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS

13.1. GRANT OF STOCK OR OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS . The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Participants such other Awards that are payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to Shares or other property, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including without limitation Shares awarded purely as a “bonus” and not subject to any restrictions or conditions, convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Shares, and Awards valued by reference to book value of Shares or the value of securities of or the performance of specified Parents or Affiliates ( “Other Stock-Based Awards” ). Such Other Stock-Based Awards shall also be available as a form of payment in the settlement of other Awards granted under the Plan. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Other Stock-Based Awards. Except for certain limited situations (including the death or Disability of the Participant or a Change in Control referred to in Section 14.8), Other Stock-Based Awards subject solely to continued employment restrictions shall be subject to restrictions imposed by the Committee for a period of not less than three years from the Grant Date (but permitting pro-rata vesting over such time); provided that such restrictions shall not be applicable to any substitute awards granted under Section 14.12, grants of Other Stock-Based Awards in payment of Performance Awards pursuant to Article 9, grants of Other Stock-Based Awards granted in lieu of cash or other compensation, or grants of Other Stock-Based Awards on a deferred basis.

ARTICLE 14

PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS

14.1. STAND-ALONE AND TANDEM AWARDS . Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, any other Award granted under the Plan. Subject to Section 16.2, awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards.

14.2. TERM OF AWARD . The term of each Award shall be for the period as determined by the Committee, provided that in no event shall the term of any Incentive Stock Option or a Stock Appreciation Right granted in tandem with the Incentive Stock Option exceed a period of ten years from its Grant Date (or, if Section 7.2(d) applies, five years from its Grant Date).

14.3. FORM OF PAYMENT FOR AWARDS . Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable law or Award Certificate, payments or transfers to be made by the Company or an Affiliate on the grant or exercise of an Award may be made in such form as the Committee determines at or after the Grant Date, including without limitation, cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or any combination, and may be made in a single payment or transfer or in installments, in each case determined in accordance with rules adopted by, and at the discretion of, the Committee.

 

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14.4. LIMITS ON TRANSFER . No right or interest of a Participant in any unexercised or restricted Award may be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to or in favor of any party other than the Company or an Affiliate, or shall be subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such Participant to any other party other than the Company or an Affiliate. No unexercised or restricted Award shall be assignable or transferable by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, except in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, pursuant to a domestic relations order that would satisfy Section 414(p)(1)(A) of the Code if such Section applied to an Award under the Plan; provided, however, that the Committee may (but need not) permit other transfers where the Committee concludes that such transferability (i) does not result in accelerated taxation, (ii) does not cause any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option to fail to be described in Code Section 422(b), and (iii) is otherwise appropriate and desirable, taking into account any factors deemed relevant, including without limitation, state or federal tax or securities laws applicable to transferable Awards.

14.5. BENEFICIARIES . Notwithstanding Section 14.4, a Participant may, in the manner determined by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participant’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights under the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Certificate applicable to the Participant, except to the extent the Plan and Award Certificate otherwise provide, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the Participant’s estate. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at any time provided the change or revocation is filed with the Company.

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

14.7. ACCELERATION UPON DEATH OR DISABILITY . Except as otherwise provided in the Award Certificate or any special Plan document governing an Award, upon the Participant’ s death or Disability during his or her Continuous Status as a Participant, (i) all of such Participant’s outstanding Options, SARs, and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully exercisable, (ii) all time-based vesting restrictions on the Participant’s outstanding Awards shall lapse, and (iii) the target payout opportunities attainable under all of such Participant’s outstanding performance-based Awards shall be deemed to have been fully earned as of the date of termination based upon (A) an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the “target” level if the date of termination occurs during the first half of the applicable performance period, or (B) the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals against target, if the date of termination occurs during the second half of the applicable performance period, and, in either such case, there shall be a prorata payout to the Participant or his or her estate within thirty (30) days following the date of termination (unless a later date is required by Section 17.16 hereof) based upon the length of time within the performance period that has elapsed prior to the date of termination. Any Awards shall thereafter continue or lapse in accordance with the other provisions of the Plan and the Award Certificate. To the extent that this provision causes Incentive Stock Options to exceed the dollar limitation set forth in Section 7.2(c), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.

 

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14.8. TREATMENT UPON A CHANGE IN CONTROL . The provisions of this Section 14.8 shall apply in the case of a Change in Control, unless otherwise provided in the Award Certificate or any special Plan document or separate agreement with a Participant governing an Award.

(a) Awards not Assumed or Substituted by Surviving Entity . Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, and except with respect to any Awards assumed by the Surviving Entity or otherwise equitably converted or substituted in connection with the Change in Control in a manner approved by the Committee or the Board: (i) outstanding Options, SARs, and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully exercisable, (ii) time-based vesting restrictions on outstanding Awards shall lapse, and (iii) the target payout opportunities attainable under outstanding performance-based Awards shall be deemed to have been fully earned as of the effective date of the Change in Control based upon (A) an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the “target” level if the Change in Control occurs during the first half of the applicable performance period, or (B) the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals against target, if the Change in Control occurs during the second half of the applicable performance period, and, in either such case, there shall be prorata payout to Participants within thirty (30) days following the Change in Control (unless a later date is required by Section 17.16 hereof) based upon the length of time within the performance period that has elapsed prior to the Change in Control. Any Awards shall thereafter continue or lapse in accordance with the other provisions of the Plan and the Award Certificate. To the extent that this provision causes Incentive Stock Options to exceed the dollar limitation set forth in Section 7.2(b), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.

(b) Awards Assumed or Substituted by Surviving Entity . With respect to Awards assumed by the Surviving Entity or otherwise equitably converted or substituted in connection with a Change in Control: if within two years after the effective date of the Change in Control, a Participant’s employment is terminated without Cause or the Participant resigns for Good Reason, then (i) all of that Participant’s outstanding Options, SARs and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully exercisable, (ii) all time-based vesting restrictions on the his or her outstanding Awards shall lapse, and (iii) the target payout opportunities attainable under all outstanding of that Participant’s performance-based Awards shall be deemed to have been fully earned as of the date of termination based upon (A) an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the “target” level if the date of termination occurs during the first half of the applicable performance period, or (B) the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals against target, if the date of termination occurs during the second half of the applicable performance period, and, in either such case, there shall be prorata payout to such Participant within thirty (30) days following the date of termination of employment (unless a later date is required by Section 17.16 hereof) based upon the length of time within the performance period that has elapsed prior to the date of termination of employment. With regard to each Award, a Participant shall not be considered to have resigned for Good Reason unless either (i) the Award Certificate includes such provision or (ii) the Participant is party to an employment, severance or similar agreement with the Company or an Affiliate that includes provisions in which the Participant is permitted to resign for Good Reason. Any Awards shall thereafter continue or lapse in accordance with the other provisions of the Plan and the Award Certificate. To the extent that this provision causes Incentive Stock Options to exceed the dollar limitation set forth in Section 7.2(b), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.

14.9. ACCELERATION FOR ANY REASON . Regardless of whether an event has occurred as described in Section 14.7 or 14.8 above, the Committee may in its sole discretion at any time determine that all or a portion of a Participant’s Options, SARs, and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully or partially exercisable, that all or a part of the time-based vesting restrictions on all or a portion of the outstanding Awards shall lapse, and/or that any performance-based criteria with respect to any Awards shall be deemed to be wholly or partially satisfied, in each case, as of such date as the Committee may, in its sole discretion, declare. The Committee may discriminate among

 

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Participants and among Awards granted to a Participant in exercising its discretion pursuant to this Section 14.9. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan, including this Section 14.9, the Committee may not accelerate the payment of any Award if such acceleration would violate Section 409A(a)(3) of the Code.

14.10. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT . Whether military, government or other service or other leave of absence shall constitute a termination of employment shall be determined in each case by the Committee at its discretion, and any determination by the Committee shall be final and conclusive. A Participant’s Continuous Status as a Participant shall not be deemed to terminate (i) in a circumstance in which a Participant transfers from the Company to an Affiliate, transfers from an Affiliate to the Company, or transfers from one Affiliate to another Affiliate, or (ii) in the discretion of the Committee as specified at or prior to such occurrence, in the case of a spin-off, sale or disposition of the Participant’s employer from the Company or any Affiliate. To the extent that this provision causes Incentive Stock Options to extend beyond three months from the date a Participant is deemed to be an employee of the Company, a Parent or Subsidiary for purposes of Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, the Options held by such Participant shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.

14.11. FORFEITURE EVENTS . The Committee may specify in an Award Certificate that the Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events shall include, but shall not be limited to, termination of employment for cause, violation of material Company or Affiliate policies, breach of non-competition, confidentiality or other restrictive covenants that may apply to the Participant, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company or any Affiliate.

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

ARTICLE 15

CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE

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

 

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15.2. DISCRETIONARY ADJUSTMENTS . Upon the occurrence or in anticipation of any corporate event or transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any merger, reorganization, recapitalization, combination or exchange of shares, or any transaction described in Section 15.1), the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide (i) that Awards will be settled in cash rather than Shares, (ii) that Awards will become immediately vested and exercisable and will expire after a designated period of time to the extent not then exercised, (iii) that Awards will be assumed by another party to a transaction or otherwise be equitably converted or substituted in connection with such transaction, (iv) that outstanding Awards may be settled by payment in cash or cash equivalents equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares, as of a specified date associated with the transaction, over the exercise price of the Award, (v) that performance targets and performance periods for Performance Awards will be modified or (vi) any combination of the foregoing. The Committee’s determination need not be uniform and may be different for different Participants whether or not such Participants are similarly situated.

15.3. GENERAL . Any discretionary adjustments made pursuant to this Article 15 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 16.2. To the extent that any adjustments made pursuant to this Article 15 cause Incentive Stock Options to cease to qualify as Incentive Stock Options, such Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.

ARTICLE 16

AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION

16.1. AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION . The Board or the Committee may, at any time and from time to time, amend, modify or terminate the Plan without stockholder approval; provided, however, that if an amendment to the Plan would, in the reasonable opinion of the Board or the Committee, either (i) materially increase the number of Shares available under the Plan, (ii) expand the types of awards under the Plan, (iii) materially expand the class of participants eligible to participate in the Plan, (iv) materially extend the term of the Plan, or (v) otherwise constitute a material change requiring stockholder approval under applicable laws, policies or regulations or the applicable listing or other requirements of an exchange, then such amendment shall be subject to stockholder approval; and provided, further, that the Board or Committee may condition any other amendment or modification on the approval of stockholders of the Company for any reason, including by reason of such approval being necessary or deemed advisable to (i) permit Awards made hereunder to be exempt from liability under Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act, (ii) to comply with the listing or other requirements of an exchange, or (iii) to satisfy any other tax, securities or other applicable laws, policies or regulations.

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

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

(b) The original term of an Option may not be extended without the prior approval of the stockholders of the Company;

(c) Except as otherwise provided in Article 15, the Committee shall not be permitted to (i) lower the exercise or base price per Share of an Option or SAR, respectively after it is granted, (b) cancel an Option or SAR when the exercise or base price per Share, respectively, exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares in exchange for another Award, or (c) take any other action with respect to an Option or SAR that may be treated as a repricing under the rules and regulations of an exchange, without the prior approval of the stockholders of the Company; and

 

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

ARTICLE 17

GENERAL PROVISIONS

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

17.2. NO SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS . No Award gives a Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until Shares are in fact issued to such person in connection with such Award.

17.3. WITHHOLDING . The Company or any Affiliate shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, and local taxes (including the Participant’s FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any exercise, lapse of restriction or other taxable event arising as a result of the Plan. If Shares are surrendered to the Company to satisfy withholding obligations in excess of the minimum withholding obligation, such Shares must have been held by the Participant as fully vested shares for such period of time, if any, as necessary to avoid the recognition of an expense under generally accepted accounting principles. The Company shall have the authority to require a Participant to remit cash to the Company in lieu of the surrender of Shares for tax withholding obligations if the surrender of Shares in satisfaction of such withholding obligations would result in the Company’s recognition of expense under generally accepted accounting principles. With respect to withholding required upon any taxable event under the Plan, the Committee may, at the time the Award is granted or thereafter, require or permit that any such withholding requirement be satisfied, in whole or in part, by withholding from the Award Shares having a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding equal to the minimum amount (and not any greater amount) required to be withheld for tax purposes, all in accordance with such procedures as the Committee establishes.

17.4. NO RIGHT TO CONTINUED SERVICE . Nothing in the Plan, any Award Certificate or any other document or statement made with respect to the Plan, shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate any Participant’s employment or status as an officer, director or consultant at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue as an employee, officer, director or consultant of the Company or any Affiliate, whether for the duration of a Participant’s Award or otherwise.

17.5. UNFUNDED STATUS OF AWARDS . The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Certificate shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Affiliate. This Plan is not intended to be subject to ERISA.

17.6. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER BENEFITS . No payment under the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate unless provided otherwise in such other plan.

 

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17.7. EXPENSES . The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and, if applicable, its Affiliates. The allocation of expenses among the Company and its Affiliates shall be as agreed to by the Company and the applicable Affiliates.

17.8. TITLES AND HEADINGS . The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.

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

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

17.11. GOVERNMENT AND OTHER REGULATIONS .

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

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

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

17.13. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS . Each Award Certificate may contain such other terms and conditions as the Committee may determine; provided that such other terms and conditions are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

 

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Award Certificate that is permissible under Section 409A of the Code. If this provision prevents the application of a different form of payment of any amount or benefit, such payment shall be made in the same form as would have applied absent such designated event or circumstance.

(c) ALLOCATION AMONG POSSIBLE EXEMPTIONS . If any one or more Awards granted under the Plan to a Participant could qualify for any separation pay exemption described in Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(9), but such Awards in the aggregate exceed the dollar limit permitted for the separation pay exemptions, the Company (acting through the Committee or the Chief Financial Officer) shall determine which Awards or portions thereof will be subject to such exemptions.

(d) SIX-MONTH DELAY IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES . Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or in any Award Certificate to the contrary, if any amount or benefit that would constitute Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation for purposes of Section 409A of the Code would otherwise be payable or distributable under this Plan or any Award Certificate by reason of a Participant’s separation from service during a period in which the Participant is a Specified Employee (as defined below), then, subject to any permissible acceleration of payment by the Committee under Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ii) (domestic relations order), (j)(4)(iii) (conflicts of interest), or (j)(4)(vi) (payment of employment taxes):

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

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

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

(e) GRANTS TO EMPLOYEES OF AFFILIATES . Eligible Participants who are service providers to an Affiliate may be granted Options or SARs under this Plan only if the Affiliate qualifies as an “eligible issuer of service recipient stock” within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E) of the final regulations under Section 409A of the Code.

(f) FAIR MARKET VALUE OF UNLISTED SHARES . If the Shares are not listed on a securities exchange, the Fair Market Value of the Shares as of any given date shall, for purposes of the Plan and any Award, be determined by such method as the Committee determines in good faith to be reasonable and in compliance with Section 409A of the Code.

(g) DESIGN LIMITS ON OPTIONS AND SARS . Notwithstanding anything in this Plan or any Award Certificate, no Option or SAR granted under this Plan shall (i) provide for Dividend Equivalents or (ii) have any feature for the deferral of compensation other than the deferral of recognition of income until the exercise or disposition of the Option or SAR.

 

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(h) TIMING OF DISTRIBUTION OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS . Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Certificate, any Dividend Equivalents granted with respect to an Award hereunder will be paid or distributed no later than the 15th day of the 3rd month following the later of (i) the calendar year in which the corresponding dividends were paid to shareholders, or (ii) the first calendar year in which the Participant’s right to such Dividends Equivalents is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture.

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

(j) TIMING OF RELEASE OF CLAIMS . Whenever an Award conditions a payment or benefit on the Participant’s execution and non-revocation of a release of claims, such release must be executed and all revocation periods shall have expired within 60 days after the date of termination of the Participant’s employment; failing which such payment or benefit shall be forfeited. If such payment or benefit is exempt from Section 409A of the Code, the Company may elect to make or commence payment at any time during such 60-day period. If such payment or benefit constitutes Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation, then, subject to subsection (d) above, (i) if such 60-day period begins and ends in a single calendar year, the Company may make or commence payment at any time during such period at its discretion, and (ii) if such 60-day period begins in one calendar year and ends in the next calendar year, the payment shall be made or commence during the second such calendar year (or any later date specified for such payment under the applicable Award), even if such signing and non-revocation of the release occur during the first such calendar year included within such 60-day period.

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

The foregoing is hereby acknowledged as being the Amended and Restated CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan as adopted by the Board on October 25, 2013.

 

CATCHMARK TIMBER TRUST, INC.
By:   /s/ B RIAN M. D AVIS
Name:   Brian M. Davis
Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary

 

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EXHIBIT 10.3

CATCHMARK TIMBER TRUST, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR COMPENSATION PLAN

ARTICLE 1

PURPOSE

1.1. BACKGROUND . The Plan is considered to be and shall be operated as a subplan of the Equity Incentive Plan.

1.2. PURPOSE . The purpose of the Plan is to attract, retain and compensate highly-qualified individuals who are not employees of the Company or any of its Affiliates for service as members of the Board by providing them with competitive compensation and an ownership interest in the Stock of the Company. The Company intends that the Plan will benefit the Company and its stockholders by allowing Independent Directors to have a personal financial stake in the Company through an ownership interest in the Stock and will closely associate the interests of Independent Directors with that of the Company’s stockholders.

1.3. ELIGIBILITY . Independent Directors of the Company who are Eligible Participants, as defined below, shall automatically be participants in the Plan.

ARTICLE 2

DEFINITIONS

2.1. DEFINITIONS . Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given such terms in the Equity Incentive Plan. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

  (a) “Annual Stock Retainer” means with respect to each Independent Director for each Plan Year, the dollar value to be delivered in the form of annual stock awards under the Plan, as established from time to time by the Board and set forth in Schedule I hereto.

 

  (b) “Base Cash Retainer” means the annual cash retainer (excluding any Supplemental Cash Retainer, Meeting Fees and expenses) payable by the Company to an Independent Director pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof for service as a director of the Company; as established from time to time by the Board and set forth in Schedule I hereto.

 

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

 

  (d) “Charter” means the articles of incorporation of the Company, as such articles of incorporation may be amended from time to time

 

  (e) “Company” means CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation, or any successor corporation.

 

  (f) “Effective Date” of the Plan means January 1, 2014.

 

  (g) “Eligible Participant” means any person who is an Independent Director on the Effective Date or becomes an Independent Director while this Plan is in effect.

 

  (h) “Equity Award” means stock options, stock awards, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, or other awards based on or derived from the Stock which are authorized under the Equity Incentive Plan for award to Independent Directors.


  (i) “Equity Incentive Plan” means the CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. Amended and Restated Long-Term Incentive Plan, and any subsequent equity compensation plan approved by the stockholders and designated by the Board as the Equity Incentive Plan for purposes of this Plan.

 

  (j) “Independent Director” has the meaning given such term in the Charter.

 

  (k) “Meeting Fees” means fees for attending a meeting of the Board or one of its committees as set forth in Section 5.3 hereof.

 

  (l) “Non-Executive Chair” means the Independent Director who has been designated by the Board as the Non-Executive Chair under the Company’s Bylaws.

 

  (m) “Plan” means this CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. Amended and Restated Independent Director Compensation Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

  (n) “Plan Year(s)” means the approximate twelve-month periods between annual meetings of the stockholders of the Company, which, for purposes of the Plan, are the periods for which annual retainers are earned; provided that the first Plan Year shall begin on the Effective Date and extend until the first annual stockholders meeting.

 

  (o) “Stock” means the Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

 

  (p) “Supplemental Cash Retainer” means the supplemental annual cash retainer (excluding Base Cash Retainer, Meeting Fees and expenses) payable by the Company to an Independent Director pursuant to Section 5.2 hereof for service as Non-Executive Chair or chair of a committee of the Board; as established from time to time by the Board and set forth in Schedule I hereto.

ARTICLE 3

ADMINISTRATION

3.1. ADMINISTRATION . The Plan shall be administered by the Board. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall be authorized to interpret the Plan, to establish, amend and rescind any rules and regulations relating to the Plan, and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. The Board’s interpretation of the Plan, and all actions taken and determinations made by the Board pursuant to the powers vested in it hereunder, shall be conclusive and binding upon all parties concerned including the Company, its stockholders and persons granted awards under the Plan. The Board may appoint a plan administrator to carry out the ministerial functions of the Plan, but the administrator shall have no other authority or powers of the Board.

3.2. RELIANCE . In administering the Plan, the Board may rely upon any information furnished by the Company, its public accountants and other experts. No individual will have personal liability by reason of anything done or omitted to be done by the Company or the Board in connection with the Plan. This limitation of liability shall not be exclusive of any other limitation of liability to which any such person may be entitled under the Company’s articles of incorporation or otherwise.

 

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3.3. INDEMNIFICATION . Each person who is or has been a member of the Board or who otherwise participates in the administration or operation of this Plan shall be indemnified by the Company against, and held harmless from, any loss, cost, liability or expense that may be imposed upon or incurred by him or her in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which such person may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under the Plan and shall be fully reimbursed by the Company for any and all amounts paid by such person in satisfaction of judgment against him or her in any such action, suit or proceeding, provided he or she will give the Company an opportunity, by written notice to the Board, to defend the same at the Company’s own expense before he or she undertakes to defend it on his or her own behalf. This right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which any such person may be entitled under the Company’s Charter, bylaws, contract or Maryland law.

ARTICLE 4

SHARES

4.1. SOURCE OF SHARES FOR THE PLAN . The shares of Stock and/or Equity Awards that may be issued pursuant to the Plan shall be issued under the Equity Incentive Plan, subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Equity Incentive Plan. The terms contained in the Equity Incentive Plan are incorporated into and made a part of this Plan with respect to Equity Awards granted pursuant hereto, and any such awards shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Equity Incentive Plan. In the event of any actual or alleged conflict between the provisions of the Equity Incentive Plan and the provisions of this Plan, the provisions of the Equity Incentive Plan shall be controlling and determinative. This Plan does not constitute a separate source of shares for the grant of the Equity Awards described herein.

ARTICLE 5

CASH COMPENSATION

5.1. BASE CASH RETAINER . Each Eligible Participant shall be paid a Base Cash Retainer for service as a director during each Plan Year, payable in such form as shall be elected by the Eligible Participant in accordance with Section 7.1. The amount of the Base Cash Retainer shall be established from time to time by the Board. The amount of the Base Cash Retainer is set forth in Schedule I, as amended from time to time by the Board. The Base Cash Retainer shall be payable in approximately equal quarterly installments in advance, beginning on the date of the annual stockholders meeting; provided, however, that for the first Plan Year, the first installment shall begin on the Effective Date and be prorated based on the number of full months in such quarter after the Effective Date. Each person who first becomes an Eligible Participant on a date other than the Effective Date or an annual meeting date shall be paid a pro rata amount of the Base Cash Retainer for that Plan Year to reflect the actual number of days served in the Plan Year.

5.2. SUPPLEMENTAL CASH RETAINER . The Non-Executive Chair and the chairs of each committee of the Board may be paid a Supplemental Cash Retainer during a Plan Year, payable at the same times [and in the same form] as installments of the Base Cash Retainer are paid. The amount of the Supplemental Cash Retainers shall be established from time to time by the Board, and shall be set forth in Schedule I, as amended from time to time by the Board. A prorata Supplemental Cash Retainer will be paid to any Eligible Participant who is elected by the Board to a position eligible for a Supplemental Cash Retainer on a date other than the beginning of a Plan Year, to reflect the actual number of days served in such eligible capacity during the Plan Year.

 

3


5.3. MEETING FEES. Each Eligible Participant shall be paid a meeting fee for each meeting of the Board or committee thereof in which he or she participates, payable in such form as shall be elected by the Eligible Participant in accordance with Section 7.3. The amount of the fees shall be established from time to time by the Board and shall be set forth in Schedule I, as amended from time to time by the Board. For purposes of this provision, casual or unscheduled conferences among directors shall not constitute an official meeting. Meeting Fees shall be payable within thirty (30) days following the date of the applicable meeting(s) to which they relate.

5.4. EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT . All Eligible Participants shall be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses in connection with attendance at meetings of the Board and its committees, or other Company functions at which the Chief Executive Officer or the Non-Executive Chair requests the director to participate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company’s reimbursement obligations pursuant to this Section 5.4 shall be limited to expenses incurred while the Independent Director serves on the Board in the capacity as an Independent Director. Such payments will be made within thirty (30) days after delivery of the Independent Director’s written requests for payment, accompanied by such evidence of expenses incurred as the Company may reasonably require, but in no event later than the December 31 following the year in which the expense was incurred. The amount reimbursable in any one tax year shall not affect the amount reimbursable in any other tax year. Independent Directors’ right to reimbursement pursuant to this Section 5.4 shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

ARTICLE 6

EQUITY COMPENSATION

6.1. STOCK AWARDS . Subject to share availability under the Equity Incentive Plan, on the day following an annual stockholders meeting, each Eligible Participant in service on such date shall receive an award of Restricted Stock (the “Annual Stock Grant”). The Annual Stock Grant shall have the following terms and conditions:

(a) Number of Shares . The number of shares in the Annual Stock Grant to an Eligible Participant shall be determined by multiplying the Proration Factor (as defined below) by the amount determined by (A) dividing the Annual Stock Retainer as in effect for that Plan Year, by the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the Grant Date, and (B) rounding to the nearest whole number. The Proration Factor is a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of full months of service as an Independent Director between the Grant Date and the next annual stockholders’ meeting date, and the denominator of which is 12.

(b) Vesting . Unless and until provided otherwise by the Board, the Restricted Stock granted pursuant to Section 6.1(a) shall vest and become non-forfeitable as to one-third (1/3) of the shares on each of the first three (3) anniversaries of the Grant Date; provided, however, that the shares of Restricted Stock shall become fully vested on the earlier occurrence of (i) the termination of the Independent Director’s service as a director of the Company due to his or her death, Disability or termination without Cause (as defined in the Equity Incentive Plan) or (ii) a Change in Control of the Company (as defined in the Equity Incentive Plan). If the Independent Director’s service as a director of the Company terminates other than as described in clause (i) of the foregoing sentence, then the Independent Director shall forfeit all of his or her right, title and interest in and to any unvested shares of Restricted Stock as of the date of such termination from the Board and such Restricted Stock shall be reconveyed to the Company without further consideration or any act or action by the Independent Director.

(c) Other Plan Conditions . To the extent not specified herein, the Stock Grants shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Equity Incentive Plan.

 

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6.2. ADJUSTMENTS . For the avoidance of doubt, the adjustment provisions of the Equity Incentive Plan (along with all of the other provisions of the Equity Incentive Plan) shall apply with respect to all Equity Awards granted pursuant to this Plan.

6.3. AWARD CERTIFICATES . All unvested Equity Awards granted pursuant to this Plan shall be evidenced by a written award certificate, which shall include such provisions, not inconsistent with the Plan or the Equity Incentive Plan, as may be specified by the Board.

ARTICLE 7

ALTERNATIVE FORM OF PAYMENT

FOR RETAINERS AND MEETING FEES

7.1. PAYMENT OF BASE CASH RETAINER . At the election of each Eligible Participant, the Base Cash Retainer for a given Plan Year shall be either (i) payable in cash, in equal quarterly payments payable on the date of the annual stockholders meeting (i.e., the first day of the Plan Year) and on the three, six and nine month anniversaries thereof, or (ii) subject to share availability under the Equity Incentive Plan, payable by a grant on the day following the annual shareholders meeting (the “Base Cash Retainer Stock Grant Date”) of a number of Shares determined by (A) dividing the Base Cash Retainer as in effect for that Plan Year, by the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the Base Cash Retainer Stock Grant Date, and (B) rounding to the nearest whole number. Any Shares granted under the Plan as the Base Cash Retainer under clause (ii) above will be 100% vested and nonforfeitable as of the Base Cash Retainer Stock Grant Date, and the Eligible Participant receiving such Shares (or his or her custodian, if any) will have immediate rights of ownership in the Shares, including the right to vote the Shares and the right to receive dividends or other distributions thereon.

7.2. PAYMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL CASH RETAINER . At the election of each Eligible Participant, the Supplemental Cash Retainer for a given Plan Year shall be either (i) payable in cash, in equal quarterly payments payable on the date of the annual stockholders meeting (i.e., the first day of the Plan Year) and on the three, six and nine month anniversaries thereof, or (ii) subject to share availability under the Equity Incentive Plan, payable by a grant on the day following the annual shareholders meeting (the “Supplemental Cash Retainer Stock Grant Date”) of a number of Shares determined by (A) dividing the Supplemental Cash Retainer as in effect for that Plan Year, by the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the Supplemental Cash Retainer Stock Grant Date, and (B) rounding to the nearest whole number. Any Shares granted under the Plan as the Base Cash Retainer under clause (ii) above will be 100% vested and nonforfeitable as of the Base Cash Retainer Stock Grant Date, and the Eligible Participant receiving such Shares (or his or her custodian, if any) will have immediate rights of ownership in the Shares, including the right to vote the Shares and the right to receive dividends or other distributions thereon.

7.3. PAYMENT OF MEETING FEES . At the election of each Eligible Participant, the Meeting Fees to be earned during a Plan Year shall be either (i) payable in cash at each meeting date or such other date(s) on which such fees are normally paid, or (ii) subject to share availability under the Equity Incentive Plan, payable by a grant on the day following each meeting date (the “Meeting Fee Stock Grant Date”) of that number of Shares determined by (A) dividing the applicable Meeting Fee(s), by the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the Meeting Fee Stock Grant Date, and (B) rounding to the nearest whole number. Any Shares granted under the Plan as Meeting Fees under clause (ii) above will be 100% vested and nonforfeitable as of the Meeting Fee Stock Grant Date, and the Eligible Participant receiving such Shares (or his or her custodian, if any) will have immediate rights of ownership in the Shares, including the right to vote the Shares and the right to receive dividends or other distributions thereon.

 

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7.4. TIMING AND MANNER OF PAYMENT ELECTION . Each Eligible Participant shall elect the form of payment desired for his or her Base Cash Retainer, Supplemental Cash Retainer and Meeting Fees for a Plan Year by delivering a valid Election Form to the [Secretary] of the Company prior to the beginning of such Plan Year, which will be effective as of the first day of the Plan Year beginning after the [Secretary] receives the Eligible Participant’s Election Form. The Election Form signed by the Eligible Participant prior to the Plan Year will be irrevocable for the coming Plan Year. However, prior to the commencement of the following Plan Year, an Eligible Participant may change his or her election for future Plan Years by executing and delivering a new Election Form. If an Eligible Participant fails to deliver a new Election Form prior to the commencement of the new Plan Year, his or her Election Form in effect during the previous Plan Year shall continue in effect during the new Plan Year. If no Election Form is filed or effective, the Base Cash Retainer, Supplemental Cash Retainer and Meeting Fees will be paid in cash.

ARTICLE 8

AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION

8.1. AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION . The Board may terminate or suspend the Plan at any time, without stockholder approval. The Board may amend the Plan at any time and for any reason without stockholder approval; provided, however, that the Board may condition any amendment on the approval of stockholders of the Company if such approval is necessary or deemed advisable with respect to tax, securities or other applicable laws, policies or regulations. No termination, modification or amendment of the Plan may, without the consent of an Independent Director, adversely affect an Independent Director’s rights under an award granted prior thereto.

ARTICLE 9

GENERAL PROVISIONS

9.1. DURATION OF THE PLAN . The Plan shall remain in effect until terminated by the Board or the earlier termination or expiration of the Equity Incentive Plan, including any successor plans.

9.2. EXPENSES OF THE PLAN . The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company.

The foregoing is hereby acknowledged as being the CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. Amended and Restated Independent Director Compensation Plan, adopted by the Board on October 24, 2013.

 

CATCHMARK TIMBER TRUST, INC.
By:   / S / B RIAN M. D AVIS
Its:  

Senior Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer

 

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SCHEDULE I

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION SCHEDULE

The following shall remain in effect until changed by the Board:

Annual Retainer:

 

Position Held

   Base
Cash Retainer
     Supplemental
Cash Retainer
     Annual Stock
Retainer (FMV)
 

Non-Executive Chair

   $ 30,000       $ 20,000       $ 30,000   

Audit Committee Chair

   $ 30,000       $ 10,000       $ 30,000   

Compensation Committee Chair

   $ 30,000       $ 7,500       $ 30,000   

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Chair

   $ 30,000       $ 5,000       $ 30,000   

Other Independent Directors

   $ 30,000         —         $ 30,000   

Meeting Fees:

Board meeting attended in-person: $2,000

Committee meeting attended in-person: $1,500 (or $2,500 for an Audit Committee meeting)

 

SII-1

Exhibit 23.2

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated March 13, 2013 (September 23, 2013 as to the effects of the change of the name of the Company described in Note 14 and October 25, 2013 as to the effects of the ten to one reverse stock split and stock dividend described in Note 1), relating to the consolidated financial statements of CatchMark Timber Trust , Inc., formerly Wells Timberland REIT, Inc., and subsidiaries (the “Company”) appearing in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 25, 2013.

Atlanta, Georgia

October 25, 2013