UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Form 8-K

 

 

Current Report

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 12, 2017 (May 11, 2017)

 

 

Assurant, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Commission File Number: 001-31978

 

DE   39-1126612

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

28 Liberty Street, 41st Floor

New York, New York 10005

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(212) 859-7000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  ☐

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


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

(e) On May 11, 2017, Assurant, Inc. (the “Company”) held its 2017 annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) and the stockholders of the Company approved the adoption of the Assurant, Inc. 2017 Long Term Equity Incentive Plan (the “2017 ALTEIP”).

A summary of the 2017 ALTEIP was included as Proposal Five in the Company’s proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 24, 2017 (the “Proxy Statement”) and is incorporated by reference herein. The summary of the 2017 ALTEIP is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the 2017 ALTEIP, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

As described in the Proxy Statement, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) approved amendments to the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company (the “By-laws”), effective upon stockholder approval of the amendment to the Company’s certificate of incorporation (the “Charter”), which was received at the Annual Meeting, to eliminate two-thirds supermajority voting requirements. A supermajority vote of two-thirds of the Company’s outstanding common stock was required to alter, amend or repeal certain sections of the By-laws and the amendments to the By-laws reduce the supermajority voting threshold to a simple majority of shares of common stock outstanding.

In addition, on May 12, 2017, the Board approved amendments to the By-laws implementing proxy access with enhanced advance notice provisions. The amendments permit a stockholder, or a group of up to 20 stockholders, owning at least 3% of the Company’s outstanding common stock continuously for a period of at least three years to nominate and include in the Company’s proxy materials for its annual meeting of stockholders director nominees constituting up to the greater of two or 20% of the Board, provided that the stockholder(s) and nominee(s) satisfy the specified requirements. The By-laws were also amended to make certain clarifications and refinements to the advance notice provisions and implement certain other technical and administrative changes.

The foregoing summary of the amendments to the By-laws is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the By-laws, as amended, which is filed as Exhibit 3.2 and incorporated by reference herein.

Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s stockholders (1) elected each of the nominees listed below to the Company’s Board to serve until the 2018 Annual Meeting or until their respective successors are elected and qualified, (2) ratified the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2017, (3) approved, by non-binding advisory vote, the 2016 compensation paid to the Company’s named executive officers, (4) cast a non-binding advisory vote for an annual frequency of the advisory vote on executive compensation, (5) approved the Assurant, Inc. 2017 Long Term Equity Incentive Plan and (6) approved an amendment to the Company’s Charter eliminating supermajority voting requirements. The amended Charter is filed as Exhibit 3.1.

In accordance with the results on the frequency of the advisory vote on executive compensation in Proposal Four, the Company has decided that, until the next required vote on the frequency of voting on executive compensation, it will include an advisory vote on executive compensation in its proxy materials every year.

The following is a summary of the votes cast, as well as the number of abstentions and broker non-votes, as to each proposal, including a separate tabulation with respect to each nominee for director.

Proposal 1: Election of Directors.

 

Nominees:    Votes For      Votes Against      Abstentions      Broker Non-Votes  

Elaine D. Rosen

     46,954,646        571,043        71,994        2,865,519  

Howard L. Carver

     45,888,996        1,633,440        75,247        2,865,519  

Juan N. Cento

     46,681,460        844,171        72,052        2,865,519  

Alan B. Colberg

     46,958,042        564,684        74,957        2,865,519  

Elyse Douglas

     47,469,318        52,981        75,384        2,865,519  

Lawrence V. Jackson

     46,971,453        550,782        75,448        2,865,519  

Charles J. Koch

     46,486,950        1,013,485        97,248        2,865,519  

Jean-Paul L. Montupet

     45,497,618        2,019,346        80,719        2,865,519  


Paul J. Reilly

     47,470,898        54,223        72,562        2,865,519  

Robert W. Stein

     47,434,165        90,983        72,535        2,865,519  

Proposal 2: Ratification of Appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for Fiscal Year 2017.

 

Votes For   Votes Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
49,469,979   954,520   38,703   0

Proposal 3: Non-binding Advisory Vote on the 2016 Compensation of the Company’s Named Executive Officers.

 

Votes For   Votes Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
45,077,107   2,403,650   116,926   2,865,519

Proposal 4: Non-binding Advisory Vote on the Frequency of the Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation.

 

1 Year   2 Years   3 Years   Abstentions
41,695,242   13,700   5,872,316   16,425

Proposal 5: Approval of the Assurant, Inc. 2017 Long Term Equity Incentive Plan

 

Votes For   Votes Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
44,554,383   2,912,015   131,285   2,865,519

Proposal 6: Amendment to the Company’s Charter to Eliminate Supermajority Voting Requirements

 

Votes For   Votes Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
47,327,811   193,091   76,781   2,865,519

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

Exhibit 3.1.    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
Exhibit 3.2.    Amended and Restated By-laws
Exhibit 10.1.    Assurant, Inc. 2017 Long Term Equity Incentive Plan


SIGNATURES

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

 

Assurant, Inc.
By:  

/s/ Bart Schwartz

  Bart Schwartz
  Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Counsel and Secretary

Date: May 12, 2017

Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

ASSURANT, INC.

The present name of the corporation is Assurant, Inc. The corporation was incorporated under the name “Assurant, Inc.” by the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on October 10, 2003. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the corporation, which restates and further amends the provisions of the corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation as heretofore amended or supplemented, was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The Certificate of Incorporation of the corporation is hereby restated to read in its entirety as follows:

FIRST : The name of the corporation is Assurant, Inc.

SECOND : The registered office and registered agent of the corporation is Corporation Service Company, 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19808-1645.

THIRD : The purposes of the corporation are to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

FOURTH : (1) The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the corporation shall have authority to issue is 1,000,550,002, consisting of (a) 200,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share (“Preferred Stock”), (b) 800,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), (c) 150,001 shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Class B Common Stock”) and (d) 400,001 shares of Class C Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Class C Common Stock”).

(2) The Board of Directors is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions, to provide, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, the designation of each series of Preferred Stock and, with respect to each such series, to fix the number of shares constituting such series and fix the voting power, full or limited or no voting power, the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the shares of such series. The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each series of Preferred Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. The Series B Preferred Stock and the Series C Preferred Stock shall have the designations, rights and preferences set forth on Schedule 1 attached hereto and Schedule 2 attached hereto, respectively, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

(3) (a) Each holder of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder on all matters on which stockholders generally are entitled to vote; provided, however, that to the fullest extent permitted by law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall have no voting power with respect to, and shall not be entitled to vote on, any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the Class B Common Stock or the Class C Common Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series or classes, to vote thereon pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.


(b) Except as otherwise required by law, holders of a series of Preferred Stock, the Class B Common Stock or the Class C Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled only to such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to such series or class of stock).

(c) Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the Class B Common Stock or the Class C Common Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Common Stock with respect to the payment of dividends, dividends may be declared and paid on the Common Stock at such times and in such amounts as the Board of Directors in its discretion shall determine.

(d) Upon the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the corporation, subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the Class B Common Stock or the Class C Common Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Common Stock with respect to the distribution of assets of the corporation upon such dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the corporation, the holders of the Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to receive the assets of the corporation available for distribution to its stockholders ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by them.

(4) The Class B Common Stock and the Class C Common Stock shall have the powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions set forth on Schedule 3 attached hereto and Schedule 4 attached hereto, respectively, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Upon conversion of all shares of Class B Common Stock and all shares of Class C Common Stock into Common Stock, all such shares of Class B Common Stock and Class C Common Stock shall be retired and become authorized but unissued shares of Class B Common Stock and Class C Common Stock, as applicable, but such shares may not be reissued.

FIFTH : Except as otherwise provided in the By-Laws, the Board of Directors shall be authorized to make, amend, alter, change, add to or repeal the By-Laws of the corporation in any manner not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware, subject to the power of the stockholders to amend, alter, change, add to or repeal the By-Laws made by the Board of Directors.

SIXTH : Except as otherwise provided by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, no director of the corporation shall be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director to the fullest extent permitted by law. Any repeal or modification of this Article SIXTH by the stockholders of the corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.

SEVENTH : (1) The business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of a Board of Directors with the exact number of directors to be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors.

 

2


Beginning with the 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2011 Annual Meeting”), the directors of the corporation shall be elected annually at each Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the corporation, to hold office for a term of one year or until their respective successors are elected and qualified, subject to such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Upon the effectiveness of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the directors of the corporation shall no longer be divided into classes. The term of office of each director whose term of office does not expire at the 2011 Annual Meeting shall nonetheless expire at the 2011 Annual Meeting, such that the directors elected at the 2011 Annual Meeting shall commence their term of office for a term expiring at the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders, with each such director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

Any newly created directorship on the Board of Directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director elected to fill a vacancy not resulting from an increase in the number of directors shall have the same remaining term as that of his predecessor.

(2) Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the corporation, the Class B Common Stock or the Class C Common Stock shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) applicable thereto.

EIGHTH : Any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of the Common Stock of the corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such holders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such holders. Notwithstanding this Article EIGHTH, the holders of any series of Preferred Stock of the corporation shall be entitled to take action by written consent to such extent, if any, as may be provided in the terms of such series. Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the Class B Common Stock or the Class C Common Stock, special meetings of stockholders of the corporation may be called only by the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation or by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution approved by the Board of Directors.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Assurant, Inc. has caused this restated certificate to be signed by Bart R. Schwartz, its Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary, this 11th day of May, 2017.

 

ASSURANT, INC.
By:   /s/ Bart R. Schwartz
 

Name:    Bart R. Schwartz

Title:      Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

 

3


Schedule 1

CERTIFICATE

OF

DESIGNATION, RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES

OF THE

SERIES B PREFERRED STOCK

OF

ASSURANT, INC.

Pursuant to Section 151 of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

Assurant, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, does hereby certify that, pursuant to the provisions of Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, its Board of Directors duly adopted the following resolutions on December 12, 2003, which resolutions remain in full force and effect as of the date hereof:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that a series of Preferred Stock with the powers, designations, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions as provided herein is hereby authorized and established as follows:

1. Designation; Rank.

(a) Designation. There is hereby designated, out of the authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, a series thereof to consist of Nineteen Thousand One Hundred Sixty (19,160) shares, par value one dollar ($1.00) per share, with such series being known as “Series B Preferred Stock” (the “Series B Stock”). The Series B Stock has a liquidation preference of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per whole share (the “Liquidation Price”).


(b) Rank. The Series B Stock ranks, with respect to rights to receive dividends and distributions upon liquidation, winding up or dissolution of the Corporation (a) senior to the Corporation’s Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), the Corporation’s Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Class B Common Stock”) and the Corporation’s Class C Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Class C Common Stock,” and together with the Common Stock and the Class B Common Stock, the “Common Shares”), and any series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation whose terms provide specifically that such series will rank junior to the Series B Stock with respect to rights to receive payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation or whose terms fail to specify the ranking of such class or series relative to the Series B Stock with respect to rights to receive payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation (together with the Common Shares, the “Junior Securities”), and (b) on a parity with the Corporation’s Series C Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Series C Stock”), and any other series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation whose terms provide specifically that such series shall rank on a parity with the Series B Stock with respect to rights to receive payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation (collectively, the “Parity Securities”). Without the prior approval of the holders of a majority of the Series B Stock, the Corporation shall not issue any class or series of security whose terms provide that such security shall rank senior to the Series B Stock with respect to rights to receive payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation.

(c) No Fractional Shares. The Corporation shall not be required under any circumstances to issue any fractional shares of Series B Stock.

2. Dividends; Priority.

(a) Rate, Payment Date. The Holders of Series B Stock shall be entitled to receive, as declared by the Corporation, out of the funds of the Corporation legally available therefor under applicable Delaware law, cash dividends at the rate of four percent (4.0%) per share per annum (the “Dividend Rate”), multiplied by the Liquidation Price of such share. Such dividends shall be payable in arrears in equal amounts on a quarterly basis, within ten Business Days following each March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year (each of such dates being a “Dividend Payment Date” and each such quarterly period being a “Dividend Period”). Such dividends shall be cumulative from the Merger Effective Date, whether or not in any Dividend Period there shall be funds of the Corporation legally available for the payment of such dividends. Dividends payable on the Series B Stock for any period less than a full quarterly Dividend Period shall be computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and the actual number of days for such partial Dividend Period.

(b) Additional Dividends. For any Dividend Period commencing after the issuance of the Series B Stock with respect to which the dividend is not declared and fully paid in cash at the Dividend Rate on the Dividend Payment Date at the end of such Dividend Period, to the extent permitted by applicable law, such dividends shall be added (solely for the purpose of calculating dividends payable on the Series B Stock) to the Liquidation Price of the Series B Stock effective at the beginning of the Dividend Period next succeeding the Dividend Period as to which such dividends were not paid and shall thereafter accumulate additional dividends in respect thereof (“Additional Dividends”) at the Dividend Rate until such unpaid dividends have been paid in full.


(c) Record Date. Dividends shall be paid to the holders of record of shares of Series B Stock as they appear in the stock register of the Corporation at the close of business on the record date therefor, which record date shall be the tenth Business Day immediately preceding the Dividend Payment Date relating thereto.

3. Redemption.

(a) Optional Redemption by Holder. The shares of Series B Stock may be redeemed at the election of any holder thereof, to the extent that the Corporation has funds legally available therefor under applicable Delaware law, as follows:

(i) A holder may require that the Corporation redeem any or all of such holder’s shares of Series B Stock at any time after the fifth (5th) anniversary date of the Original Issue Date at a redemption price equal to the Liquidation Price per whole share, together with an amount equal to accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to the date of redemption (the “Redemption Price”). Such redemption may be for all or part of the shares of Series B Stock held by such holder, as requested by such holder, but if less than all such shares are being redeemed, such redemption on any one date must be for not less than the lesser of (1) 1,000 shares of Series B Stock or (2) the maximum number of shares of Series B Stock for which the Corporation has funds legally available to redeem.

(ii) If and whenever two consecutive quarterly dividends payable on the Series B Stock are in arrears and are not paid in full, a holder may require that the Corporation redeem all, but not less than all, of such holder’s shares of Series B Stock at the Redemption Price; provided, however, that such holder shall have given the Corporation a written notice that such dividends are in arrears and the Corporation shall not have paid such dividends within 10 days after receipt of the notice.

(iii) In the event that the Corporation’s Net Worth is less than $500,000,000 for any 30-day period, a holder may require that the Corporation redeem all, but not less than all, of such holder’s shares of Series B Stock at the Redemption Price.

The Corporation’s failure to redeem because it does not have funds legally available therefor under applicable Delaware law shall not excuse a breach by the Corporation of this Certificate and for failure to redeem.

(b) Optional Redemption by the Corporation. The shares of Series B Stock may be redeemed at the election of the Corporation, to the extent that the Corporation has funds legally available therefor under applicable Delaware law, as follows:

(i) The Corporation may redeem all outstanding shares of the Series B Stock at any time after the Original Issue Date in the event that the Corporation has submitted to its stockholders a proposed matter or action that entitles the holders of the Series B Stock, pursuant to applicable law, to vote as a class, separately or with the holders of other series of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock, on such matter or action, and such holders do not vote as requested by the Corporation. If such matter or action, if approved and consummated, would change a material term of this Certificate, then the redemption pursuant to this Section 3(b)(i) shall be at the Redemption Price, plus an amount equal to any of the following expenses that are


incurred by such holder solely and directly as a result of such redemption: federal, state or local income taxes, penalties and interest with respect to such income taxes, and reasonable accounting and legal fees (collectively, the “Early Redemption Expenses”). Otherwise, such redemption pursuant to this Section 3(b)(i) shall be at the Redemption Price. In any event, the Corporation must redeem all shares of the Series B Stock then outstanding.

(ii) The Corporation may redeem, at the Redemption Price, any or all of the outstanding shares of the Series B Stock at any time after the Original Issue Date in the event that the Corporation (or its predecessor) is entitled to be indemnified by the Initial Holders for a claim pursuant to the Merger Agreement. In such event, the Corporation shall be entitled to redeem a number of whole shares of the Series B Stock such that the aggregate Redemption Price thereof will be at least equal to the amount of the claim. The Corporation shall not be required to pay to the holders the Redemption Price in cash, but such amount shall be deemed applied to the amount of the outstanding indemnification claim.

(iii) The Corporation may redeem, at the Redemption Price, all outstanding shares of the Series B Stock at any time that such shares are owned by a Charitable Organization.

(iv) The Corporation may redeem all outstanding shares of the Series B Stock at any time after the Original Issue Date in its discretion; provided, however, that the Corporation must redeem all shares of the Series B Stock then outstanding, and the price for such redemption shall be the Redemption Price plus the Early Redemption Expenses.

(c) Mandatory Redemption. Within ninety days following the twentieth (20th) anniversary of the Original Issue Date, the Corporation shall redeem all shares of the Series B Stock then outstanding, to the extent that the Corporation has funds legally available therefor under applicable Delaware law, at the Redemption Price.

(d) Procedures.

(i) To exercise redemption rights pursuant to Section 3(a) above, a holder of Series B Stock shall deliver a written notice to the Corporation stating the number of shares of Series B Stock to be redeemed, the certificate number(s) representing such shares and the requested redemption date, which shall be no sooner than 90 days and no later than 120 days after the date of the notice.

(ii) To exercise redemption rights pursuant to Section 3(b) above, the Corporation shall deliver a written notice to each holder of Series B Stock stating the requested redemption date, which shall be no sooner than 90 days and no later than 120 days after the date of the notice and, in the case of a redemption pursuant to Section 3(b)(ii) or 3(b)(iii), the number of shares to be redeemed.

(iii) Upon the date specified for redemption in the applicable notice, and upon delivery to the Corporation of the certificate(s) representing the shares of Series B Stock to be so redeemed (executed for transfer in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Corporation), the Corporation shall (except as set forth in Section 3(b)(ii)) pay to each holder of such Series B Stock to be redeemed the requisite redemption amount in cash, by means of a wire transfer to an account specified in advance by such holder (or by means of a Corporation check if no such


account is specified). Simultaneously upon payment of the requisite redemption amount, the holder shall tender the redeemed shares of Series B Stock and shall execute and endorse the stock certificates and deliver them to the Corporation and take whatever other action is necessary to deliver to the Corporation good and marketable title to the shares, free and clear of any claims, options, charges, encumbrances or rights of others. The holder shall, in writing, represent and warrant to the Corporation that it is conveying such shares, with full warranties of good and marketable title, free and clear of any claims, options, charges, encumbrances or rights of others. If on such specified redemption date the certificate(s) representing the shares of Series B Stock to be redeemed have not been delivered to the Corporation with appropriate execution for transfer, the Corporation shall set aside the funds required for the redemption of such shares, separate and apart from its other funds, for the account of the holder of the shares to be so redeemed, and the Corporation will deliver such amount of funds (without any obligation to pay interest thereon) to the holder upon the Corporation’s receipt of the stock certificate(s) in accordance with this Section.

(iv) On and after the date specified for redemption in the applicable notice, the shares of Series B Stock to be redeemed shall be deemed cancelled, whether or not the certificate(s) representing such shares have been delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of this Section and shall not be entitled to any future dividends or liquidation distributions, but only the redemption amount as set out in this Section 3 plus accrued dividends to the specified redemption date. In case fewer than all of the shares represented by any certificate are redeemed, a new certificate representing the unredeemed shares shall be issued without cost to the holder thereof upon receipt by the Corporation of the original certificate.

(v) The Corporation shall not be required to redeem any fractional shares of Series B Stock. In the event that a redemption of whole shares pursuant to Section 3(b)(ii) results in a Redemption Price greater than the amount of the related indemnification claim, the Corporation shall pay to the holders any excess in cash.

(e) Status After Redemption. Shares of Series B Stock redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for value by the Corporation shall, after such acquisition, have the status of authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation and may be reissued by the Corporation at any time as shares of any series of Preferred Stock other than as shares of Series B Stock.

4. Liquidation Rights; Priority.

(a) In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary- or involuntary (a “Liquidation”), the holders of shares of the Series B Stock shall be entitled to receive, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, out of the remaining net assets of the Corporation, whether such assets are capital or surplus and whether or not any dividends as such are declared, the Liquidation Price of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per whole share, together with an amount equal to all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for distribution (collectively, the “Liquidation Amount”), before any distribution shall be made with respect to any Junior Securities.


(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 4, holders of Series B Stock shall not be entitled to any participation in any distribution of assets in the event of any Liquidation. For the purposes of this Section 4, neither the voluntary sale, lease, conveyance, exchange or transfer (for cash, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, nor the consolidation or merger of the Corporation with one or more Persons (as defined in Section 11 hereof), shall be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.

(c) If, upon any Liquidation, the Liquidation Amount is not paid in full, the holders of the Preferred Stock shall share in such distribution in accordance with the respective certificates of designation of such stock. If, upon any Liquidation, the amounts payable with respect to the Series B Stock and any Parity Securities are not paid in full, holders of the Series B Stock and holders of any Parity Securities will share ratably in any distribution of the assets of the Corporation in proportion to the respective amounts that would be payable per share if such assets were sufficient to permit payment in full.

(d) Written notice of any Liquidation stating a payment date and the place where the distributive amounts shall be payable, shall be given not less than thirty days prior to the payment date stated therein, to the holders of record of the Series B Stock at their respective addresses as the same shall appear on the books of the Corporation.

(e) Any liquidation payment with respect to each fractional share of the Series B Stock outstanding shall be equal to a ratably proportionate amount of the Liquidation Amount with respect to each outstanding whole share of Series B Stock.

5. Restricted Payments.

The Corporation may not directly or indirectly declare, pay or set apart for payment dividends on or make any payment on account of, or set apart for payment money for a sinking or other similar fund for the purchase, redemption or other acquisition of, or make any distribution in respect of, whether in cash, obligations or shares of the Corporation or other property, any Parity Securities or Junior Securities if at the time of such action, the Corporation is in arrears in the payment of dividends on the Series B Stock, meaning that full cumulative dividends at the Dividend Rate on the Series B Stock as of the then most recent Dividend Payment Date have not been declared and paid in full in cash. None of the foregoing restrictions shall apply to (i) the acquisition of Parity Securities or Junior Securities (or options, rights or warrants to acquire shares of Parity Securities or Junior Securities) in exchange for or upon conversion thereof into shares of Capital Stock (as defined in Section 11 hereof) of the Corporation or upon the exercise of options, rights or warrants to acquire such shares, (ii) the repurchase of Capital Stock of the Corporation from employees or former employees of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries (as defined in Section 11 hereof) pursuant to employee benefit plans, employment or consulting contracts or any agreement among the Corporation and its securityholders, (iii) the acquisition of any shares of Capital Stock of the Corporation or options, rights or warrants to acquire such shares in connection with a purchase price adjustment arising out of acquisitions by the Corporation (or its predecessor) pursuant to which such shares of Capital Stock or options, rights or warrants to acquire such shares were issued, (iv) the rescission of any agreement by the Corporation pursuant to which shares of Capital Stock of the


Corporation (or its predecessor) or options, rights or warrants to acquire such shares were issued subsequent to the Original Issue Date, or (v) a dividend on Parity Securities or Junior Securities at any time in additional shares of the respective Parity Security or Junior Security.

6. Restrictions on Transferability; Right of First Refusal.

(a) Restrictions on Transferability. Holders shall not be permitted to sell, give, assign, pledge, transfer, encumber or otherwise dispose of (each a “Transfer”) any or all of the shares of the Series B Stock except in accordance with this Section 6.

(b) Permitted Transfers. Each of the Initial Holders may Transfer any or all of such Initial Holder’s shares of Series B Stock to any of the following Persons (each a “Permitted Transferee”): (i) any member of such Initial Holder’s immediate family, which means any of such Initial Holder’s spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, siblings, mothers- and fathers-in-law, sons- and daughters-in-law, or brothers- and sisters-in-law, or any trust established for the benefit of any such Person or any DeLue Family Partnership; and (ii) any organization (a “Charitable Organization”) that is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor law thereto. A Transfer by an Initial Holder to any Person other than a Permitted Transferee shall be null and void, unless it is approved by the Corporation in advance.

(c) Right of First Refusal.

(i) Offer. If any holder desires to Transfer any of such holder’s Series B Stock to any Person other than a Permitted Transferee, such holder shall make a bona fide offer to sell to the Corporation all of such shares that it desires to Transfer for the lesser of the proposed purchase price or the Liquidation Price. Such offer shall be in writing and shall specify the nature of the Transfer in which such selling holder desires to engage, including the name or names of the other party or parties to such proposed transaction and the terms thereof, including the purchase price and payment terms and shall have attached a written copy of the proposed binding, bona fide and unconditional offer (containing all terms required for closing the proposed purchase) to or from the other party or parties to the proposed transaction (the “Bona Fide Offer”). The Corporation shall then be entitled to accept the offer from the selling holder at the same price as set forth in the Bona Fide Offer, and the Corporation may accept the offer only as to all of the shares that the holder desires to Transfer. If the Corporation rejects the offer or fails to accept the offer in writing within thirty days after receipt thereof, then all of such shares shall be released from the restrictions contained in Section 6(a) solely for the purpose of completing within ninety days the transaction contemplated in the above offer. Otherwise, the Series B Stock shall remain subject to Section 6(a) hereof. Any Person acquiring Series B Stock pursuant to a Transfer shall take such stock subject to all the provisions hereof, including, but not limited to, the provisions of this Section 6. The Corporation’s purchase of shares pursuant to this Section 6 shall in no way be deemed a redemption pursuant to Section 3(b)(iv).

(ii) Closing. The closing (the “Closing”) of a purchase by the Corporation pursuant to Section 6(c)(i) shall take place at a location and (subject to any time limitation set forth in this Certificate), on a date mutually agreed upon by the parties; provided, however, that such Closing may take place by exchanging documents by overnight mail or such other means as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties.


(iii) Payment of Purchase Price. Subject to the provisions of Section 6(c)(iv), the purchase price for the Series B Stock purchased by the Corporation pursuant to this Section 6(c) shall be paid by the Corporation either, at the Corporation’s election, in cash by means of a wire transfer to an account specified in advance by such holder (or by means of a Corporation check if no such account is specified), or in a form of consideration reasonably equivalent to the form specified in the Bona Fide Offer. Simultaneously upon payment of the purchase price, the selling holder shall tender such holder’s Series B Stock and shall execute and endorse the stock certificates and deliver them to the Corporation and take whatever other action is necessary to deliver to the Corporation good and marketable title to the shares, free and clear of any claims, options, charges, encumbrances or rights of others. The selling holder shall, in writing, represent and warrant to the Corporation that it is conveying such shares, with full warranties of good and marketable title, free and clear of any claims, options, charges, encumbrances or rights of others.

7. Voting Rights.

Each share of Series B Stock issued and outstanding from time to time shall be entitled to one vote on all matters upon which the holders of Common Stock of the Corporation are entitled to vote, and in all such matters, the holders of the Series B Stock shall vote with the holders of the Common Stock and not as a separate class. Such voting rights shall be in addition to any other voting rights to which the holders of Series B Stock may be entitled pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

8. No Conversion Rights.

The shares of Series B Stock shall not be convertible into Common Stock or any other equity security, derivative or otherwise, of the Corporation.

9. Reports.

The Corporation shall deliver to the holders of the Series B Stock (i) copies of its internally prepared quarterly balance sheet and income statement within sixty days after the end of each calendar quarter, and (ii) copies of its annual balance sheet and income statement, including any notes thereto and any auditors’ reports thereon, within one hundred twenty days after the end of each fiscal year.


10. Notices.

Any notice required or to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficient when (i) mailed by United States certified mail, return receipt requested, (ii) mailed by overnight express mail, (iii) sent by facsimile or telecopy machine, followed by confirmation mailed by first-class U.S. mail or overnight express mail, or (iv) delivered in person, at the address set forth below, or such other address as a Person may provide in accordance with the procedure for notices set forth in this Section:

 

If to the Corporation:   Assurant, Inc.
  One Chase Manhattan Plaza, 41st Floor
  New York, New York 10005
  Attn: General Counsel
  Telephone: 212-859-7021
  Telecopy: 212-859-7034
If to the Initial Holders:   Robert S. and Rita DeLue
  2486 Butternut Drive
  Hillsborough, CA 94010
  Telephone: 415-342-2252
With a copy (which shall   Anderlini, Finkelstein, Emerick & McSweeney
not constitute notice) to:   400 South El Camino Real, Suite 700
  San Mateo, CA 94402
  Attn: Brian J. McSweeney
  Telephone: 415-348-0102
  Telecopy: 415-348-0962

If to any permitted transferee of either such holder, to the address provided to the Corporation by such transferee.

11. Certain Definitions.

The following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

“Affiliate” means, when used with reference to any Person, any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with that Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is closed or any other day on which banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to be closed.

“Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock or any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation).

“Certificate” means this Certificate of Designation, Rights and Preferences of the Series B Preferred Stock of Assurant, Inc.

“DeLue Family Partnership” means a family limited partnership of which the Initial Holders hold a majority interest and the remaining interests are held by immediate family members of the Initial Holders.


“Initial Holders” means Robert S. DeLue and Rita DeLue, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship.

“Merger” means the merger of Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, with and into the Corporation.

“Merger Agreement” means collectively (i) the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated February 6, 1997, by and among Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, ACSIA Acquisition Corp., Associated California State Insurance Agencies, Inc. and the Initial Holders, and (ii) the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated February 6, 1997, by and among Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, Ardiel Acquisition Corp., Ardiel Insurance Services, Inc., and the Initial Holders.

“Merger Effective Date” means the effective date of the Merger, as defined in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, to be entered into by Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, and the Corporation.

“Net Worth” means total assets less total liabilities of the Corporation and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, as reflected on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and delivered pursuant to Section 10.

“Original Issue Date” means the date upon which the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement were consummated.

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited or general partnership, trust, association or other business entity of which an aggregate of 50% or more of the outstanding Capital Stock or other interests entitled to vote in the election of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the time, Capital Stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency), managers, trustees or other controlling Persons, or an equivalent controlling interest therein, of such Person is, at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by such Person and/or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

The following terms are defined in the following Section of this Certificate:

 

Term    Section
“Additional Dividends”    2(b)
“Charitable Organization”    6(b)
“Class B Common Stock”    l(b)
“Class C Common Stock”    1(b)
“Closing”    6(c)(ii)
“Common Shares”    1(b)
“Common Stock”    1(b)
“Dividend Payment Date”    2(a)
“Dividend Period”    2(a)
“Dividend Rate”    2(a)
“Early Redemption Expenses”    3(b)(i)


“Junior Securities”    1(b)
“Liquidation Amount”    4(a)
“Liquidation Price”    1(a)
“Parity Securities”    1(b)
“Permitted Transferee”    6(b)
“Redemption Price”    3(a)(i)
“Series B Stock”    1(c)
“Transfer”    6(a)

12. Binding Arbitration.

Any dispute among the parties with respect to this Certificate shall be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the provisions for binding arbitration set forth in Article 12 of the Merger Agreement.

AND FURTHER RESOLVED, that, before the Corporation shall issue any shares of the Series B Stock, a certificate pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware shall be made, executed, acknowledged, filed and recorded in accordance with the provisions of said Section 151, and the proper officers of the Corporation are hereby authorized and directed to do all acts and things which may be necessary or proper in their opinion to carry into effect the purposes of and intent of this and the foregoing resolutions.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Assurant, Inc. has caused this certificate to be signed by Katherine Greenzang, its Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, this 4th day of February, 2004.

 

ASSURANT, INC.,
a Delaware corporation
By:  

/s/ Katherine Greenzang

Name:   Katherine Greenzang
Title:   Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary


Schedule 2

CERTIFICATE

OF

DESIGNATION, RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES

OF THE

SERIES C PREFERRED STOCK

OF

ASSURANT, INC.

Pursuant to Section 151 of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

Assurant, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, does hereby certify that, pursuant to the provisions of Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, its Board of Directors duly adopted the following resolutions on December 12, 2003, which resolutions remain in full force and effect as of the date hereof:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that a series of Preferred Stock with the powers, designations, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions as provided herein is hereby authorized and established as follows:

1. Designation; Rank.

(a) Designation. There is hereby designated, out of the authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, a series thereof to consist of Five Thousand (5,000) shares, par value one dollar ($1.00) per share, with such series being known as “Series C Preferred Stock” (the “Series C Stock”). The Series C Stock has a liquidation preference of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per whole share (the “Liquidation Price”).

(b) Rank. The Series C Stock ranks, with respect to rights to receive dividends and distributions upon liquidation, winding up or dissolution of the Corporation (a) senior to the Corporation’s Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), the Corporation’s Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Class B Common Stock”)


and the Corporation’s Class C Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Class C Common Stock,” and together with the Common Stock and the Class B Common Stock, the “Common Shares”), and any series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation whose terms provide specifically that such series will rank junior to the Series C Stock with respect to rights to receive payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation or whose terms fail to specify the ranking of such class or series relative to the Series C Stock with respect to rights to receive payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation (together with the Common Shares, the “Junior Securities”), and (b) on a parity with the Corporation’s Series B Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Series B Stock”), and any other series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation whose terms provide specifically that such series shall rank on a parity with the Series C Stock with respect to rights to receive payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation (collectively, the “Parity Securities”). Without the prior approval of the holders of a majority of the Series C Stock, the Corporation shall not issue any class or series of security whose terms provide that such security shall rank senior to the Series C Stock with respect to rights to receive payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation.

(c) No Fractional Shares. The Corporation shall not be required under any circumstances to issue any fractional shares of Series C Stock.

2. Dividends; Priority.

(a) Rate, Payment Date. The Holders of Series C Stock shall be entitled to receive, as declared by the Corporation, out of the funds of the Corporation legally available therefor under applicable Delaware law, cash dividends at the rate of four and one-half percent (4.5%) per share per annum (the “Dividend Rate”), multiplied by the Liquidation Price of such share. Such dividends shall be payable in arrears in equal amounts on a quarterly basis, within ten Business Days following each March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year (each of such dates being a “Dividend Payment Date” and each such quarterly period being a “Dividend Period”). Such dividends shall be cumulative from the Merger Effective Date, whether or not in any Dividend Period there shall be funds of the Corporation legally available for the payment of such dividends. Dividends payable on the Series C Stock for any period less than a full quarterly Dividend Period shall be computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and the actual number of days for such partial Dividend Period.

(b) Additional Dividends. For any Dividend Period commencing after the issuance of the Series C Stock with respect to which the dividend is not declared and fully paid in cash at the Dividend Rate on the Dividend Payment Date at the end of such Dividend Period, to the extent permitted by applicable law, such dividends shall be added (solely for the purpose of calculating dividends payable on the Series C Stock) to the Liquidation Price of the Series C Stock effective at the beginning of the Dividend Period next succeeding the Dividend Period as to which such dividends were not paid and shall thereafter accumulate additional dividends in respect thereof (“Additional Dividends”) at the Dividend Rate until such unpaid dividends have been paid in full.

(c) Record Date. Dividends shall be paid to the holders of record of shares of Series C Stock as they appear in the stock register of the Corporation at the close of business on the record date therefor, which record date shall be the tenth Business Day immediately preceding the Dividend Payment Date relating thereto.


3. Redemption.

(a) Optional Redemption by Holder. The shares of Series C Stock may be redeemed at the election of any holder thereof, to the extent that the Corporation has funds legally available therefor under applicable Delaware law, as follows:

(i) A holder may require that the Corporation redeem any or all of such holder’s shares of Series C Stock at any time after the earlier of (1) the twenty-fifth (25th) anniversary date of the Original Issue Date or (2) the date of death of the last to die of Robert S. DeLue and Rita DeLue, at a redemption price equal to the Liquidation Price per whole share, together with an amount equal to accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to the date of redemption (the “Redemption Price”). Such redemption may be for all or part of the shares of Series C Stock held by such holder, as requested by such holder, but if less than all such shares are being redeemed, such redemption on any one date must be for not less than the lesser of (1) 1,000 shares of Series C Stock or (2) the maximum number of shares of Series C Stock for which the Corporation has funds legally available to redeem.

(ii) If and whenever two consecutive quarterly dividends payable on the Series C Stock are in arrears and are not paid in full, a holder may require that the Corporation redeem all, but not less than all, of such holder’s shares of Series C Stock at the Redemption Price; provided, however, that such holder shall have given the Corporation a written notice that such dividends are in arrears and the Corporation shall not have paid such dividends within 10 days after receipt of the notice.

(iii) In the event that the Corporation’s Net Worth is less than $500,000,000 for any 30-day period, a holder may require that the Corporation redeem all, but not less than all, of such holder’s shares of Series C Stock at the Redemption Price.

The Corporation’s failure to redeem because it does not have funds legally available therefor under applicable Delaware law shall not excuse a breach by the Corporation of this Certificate and for failure to redeem.

(b) Optional Redemption by the Corporation. The shares of Series C Stock may be redeemed at the election of the Corporation, to the extent that the Corporation has funds legally available therefor under applicable Delaware law, as follows:

(i) The Corporation may redeem all outstanding shares of the Series C Stock at any time after the Original Issue Date in the event that the Corporation has submitted to its stockholders a proposed matter or action that entitles the holders of the Series C Stock, pursuant to applicable law, to vote as a class, separately or with the holders of other series of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock, on such matter or action, and such holders do not vote as requested by the Corporation. If such matter or action, if approved and consummated, would change a material term of this Certificate, then the redemption pursuant to this Section 3(b)(i) shall be at the Redemption Price, plus an amount equal to


any of the following expenses that are incurred by such holder solely and directly as a result of such redemption: federal, state or local income taxes, penalties and interest with respect to such income taxes, and reasonable accounting and legal fees (collectively, the “Early Redemption Expenses”). Otherwise, such-redemption pursuant to this Section 3(b)(i) shall be at the Redemption Price. In any event, the Corporation must redeem all shares of the Series C Stock then outstanding.

(ii) The Corporation may redeem, at the Redemption Price, all outstanding shares of the Series C Stock at any time that such shares are owned by a Charitable Organization.

(iii) The Corporation may redeem all outstanding shares of the Series C Stock at any time after the Original Issue Date in its discretion; provided, however, that the Corporation must redeem all shares of the Series C Stock then outstanding, and the price for such redemption shall be the Redemption Price plus the Early Redemption Expenses.

(c) Mandatory Redemption. Within ninety days following the thirtieth (30th) anniversary of the Original Issue Date, the Corporation shall redeem all shares of the Series C Stock then outstanding, to the extent that the Corporation has funds legally available therefor under applicable Delaware law, at the Redemption Price.

(d) Procedures.

(i) To exercise redemption rights pursuant to Section 3(a) above, a holder of Series C Stock shall deliver a written notice to the Corporation stating the number of shares of Series C Stock to be redeemed, the certificate number(s) representing such shares and the requested redemption date, which shall be no sooner than 90 days and no later than 120 days after the date of the notice.

(ii) To exercise redemption rights pursuant to Section 3(b) above, the Corporation shall deliver a written notice to each holder of Series C Stock stating the requested redemption date, which shall be no sooner than 90 days and no later than 120 days after the date of the notice and, in the case of a redemption pursuant to Section 3(b)(ii) or 3(b)(iii), the number of shares to be redeemed.

(iii) Upon the date specified for redemption in the applicable notice, and upon delivery to the Corporation of the certificate(s) representing the shares of Series C Stock to be so redeemed (executed for transfer in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Corporation), the Corporation shall (except as set forth in Section 3(b)(ii)) pay to each holder of such Series C Stock to be redeemed the requisite redemption amount in cash, by means of a wire transfer to an account specified in advance by such holder (or by means of a Corporation check if no such account is specified). Simultaneously upon payment of the requisite redemption amount, the holder shall tender the redeemed shares of Series C Stock and shall execute and endorse the stock certificates and deliver them to the Corporation and take whatever other action is necessary to deliver to the Corporation good and marketable title to the shares, free and clear of any claims, options, charges., encumbrances or rights of others. The holder shall, in writing, represent and warrant to


the Corporation that it is conveying such shares, with full warranties of good and marketable title, free and clear of any claims, options, charges, encumbrances or rights of others. If on such specified redemption date the certificate(s) representing the shares of Series C Stock to be redeemed have not been delivered to the Corporation with appropriate execution for transfer, the Corporation shall set aside the funds required for the redemption of such shares, separate and apart from its other funds, for the account of the holder of the shares to be so redeemed, and the Corporation will deliver such amount of funds (without any obligation to pay interest thereon) to the holder upon the Corporation’s receipt of the stock certificate(s) in accordance with this Section.

(iv) On and after the date specified for redemption in the applicable notice, the shares of Series C Stock to be redeemed shall be deemed cancelled, whether or not the certificate(s) representing such shares have been delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of this Section and shall not be entitled to any future dividends or liquidation distributions, but only the redemption amount as set out in this Section 3 plus accrued dividends to the specified redemption date. In case fewer than all of the shares represented by any certificate are redeemed, a new certificate representing the unredeemed shares shall be issued without cost to the holder thereof upon receipt by the Corporation of the original certificate.

(v) The Corporation shall not be required to redeem any fractional shares of Series C Stock. In the event that a redemption of whole shares pursuant to Section 3(b)(ii) results in a Redemption Price greater than the amount of the related indemnification claim, the Corporation shall pay to the holders any excess in cash.

(e) Status After Redemption. Shares of Series C Stock redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for value by the Corporation shall, after such acquisition, have the status of authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation and may be reissued by the Corporation at any time as shares of any series of Preferred Stock other than as shares of Series C Stock.

4. Liquidation Rights; Priority.

(a) In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary (a “Liquidation”), the holders of shares of the Series C Stock shall be entitled to receive, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, out of the remaining net assets of the Corporation, whether such assets are capital or surplus and whether or not any dividends as such are declared, the Liquidation Price of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per whole share, together with an amount equal to all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for distribution (collectively, the “Liquidation Amount”), before any distribution shall be made with respect to any Junior Securities.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 4, holders of Series C Stock shall not be entitled to any participation in any distribution of assets in the event of any Liquidation. For the purposes of this Section 4, neither the voluntary sale, lease, conveyance, exchange or transfer (for cash, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the assets of the


Corporation, nor the consolidation or merger of the Corporation with one or more Persons (as defined in Section 11 hereof), shall be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.

(c) If, upon any Liquidation, the Liquidation Amount is not paid in full, the holders of the Preferred Stock shall share in such distribution in accordance with the respective certificates of designation of such stock. If, upon any Liquidation, the amounts payable with respect to the Series C Stock and any Parity Securities are not paid in full, holders of the Series C Stock and holders of any Parity Securities will share ratably in any distribution of the assets of the Corporation in proportion to the respective amounts that would be payable per share if such assets were sufficient to permit payment in full.

(d) Written notice of any Liquidation stating a payment date and the place where the distributive amounts shall be payable, shall be given not less than thirty days prior to the payment date stated therein, to the holders of record of the Series C Stock at their respective addresses as the same shall appear on the books of the Corporation.

(e) Any liquidation payment with respect to each fractional share of the Series C Stock outstanding shall be equal to a ratably proportionate amount of the Liquidation Amount with respect to each outstanding whole share of Series C Stock.

5. Restricted Payments.

The Corporation may not directly or indirectly declare, pay or set apart for payment dividends on or make any payment on account of, or set apart for payment money for a sinking or other similar fund for the purchase, redemption or other acquisition of, or make any distribution in respect of, whether in cash, obligations or shares of the Corporation or other property, any Parity Securities or Junior Securities if at the time of such action, the Corporation is in arrears in the payment of dividends on the Series C Stock, meaning that full cumulative dividends at the Dividend Rate on the Series C Stock as of the then most recent Dividend Payment Date have not been declared and paid in full in cash. None of the foregoing restrictions shall apply to: (i) the acquisition of Parity Securities or Junior Securities (or options, rights or warrants to acquire shares of Parity Securities or Junior Securities) in exchange for or upon conversion thereof into shares of Capital Stock (as defined in Section 11 hereof) of the Corporation or upon the exercise of options, rights or warrants to acquire such shares; (ii) the repurchase of Capital Stock of the Corporation from employees or former employees of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries (as defined in Section 11 hereof) pursuant to employee benefit plans, employment or consulting contracts or any agreement among the Corporation and its securityholders; (iii) the acquisition of any shares of Capital Stock of the Corporation or options, rights or warrants to acquire such shares in connection with a purchase price adjustment arising out of acquisitions by the Corporation (or its predecessor) pursuant to which such shares of Capital Stock or options, rights or warrants to acquire such shares were issued; (iv) the rescission of any agreement by the Corporation pursuant to which shares of Capital Stock of the Corporation (or its predecessor) or options, rights or warrants to acquire such shares were issued subsequent to the Original Issue Date; or (v) a dividend on Parity Securities or Junior Securities at any time in additional shares of the respective Parity Security or Junior Security.


6. Restrictions on Transferability; Right of First Refusal.

(a) Restrictions on Transferability. Holders shall not be permitted to sell, give, assign, pledge, transfer, encumber or otherwise dispose of (each a “Transfer”) any or all of the shares of the Series C Stock except in accordance with this Section 6.

(b) Permitted Transfers. Each of the Initial Holders may Transfer any or all of such Initial Holder’s shares of Series C Stock to any of the following Persons (each a “Permitted Transferee”): (i) any member of such Initial Holder’s immediate family, which means any of such Initial Holder’s spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, siblings, mothers- and fathers-in-law, sons- and daughters-in-law, or brothers- and sisters-in-law, or any trust established for the benefit of any such Person or any DeLue Family Partnership, and (ii) any organization (a “Charitable Organization”) that is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor law thereto. A Transfer by an Initial Holder to any Person other than a Permitted Transferee shall be null and void, unless it is approved by the Corporation in advance.

(c) Right of First Refusal.

(i) Offer. If any holder desires to Transfer any of such holder’s Series C Stock to any Person other than a Permitted Transferee, such holder shall make a bona fide offer to sell to the Corporation all of such shares that it desires to Transfer for the lesser of the proposed purchase price or the Liquidation Price. Such offer shall be in writing and shall specify the nature of the Transfer in which such selling holder desires to engage, including the name or names of the other party or parties to such proposed transaction and the terms thereof, including the purchase price and payment terms and shall have attached a written copy of the proposed binding, bona fide and unconditional offer (containing all terms required for closing the proposed purchase) to or from the other party or parties to the proposed transaction (the “Bona Fide Offer”). The Corporation shall then be entitled to accept the offer from the selling holder at the same price as set forth in the Bona Fide Offer, and the Corporation may accept the offer only as to all of the shares that the holder desires to Transfer. If the Corporation rejects the offer or fails to accept the offer in writing within thirty days after receipt thereof, then all of such shares shall be released from the restrictions contained in Section 6(a) solely for the purpose of completing within ninety days the transaction contemplated in the above offer. Otherwise, the Series C Stock shall remain subject to Section 6(a) hereof. Any Person acquiring Series C Stock pursuant to a Transfer shall take such stock subject to all the provisions hereof, including, but not limited to, the provisions of this Section 6. The Corporation’s purchase of shares pursuant to this Section 6 shall in no way be deemed a redemption pursuant to Section 3(b)(iv).

(ii) Closing. The closing (the “Closing”) of a purchase by the Corporation pursuant to Section 6(c)(i) shall take place at a location and (subject to any time limitation set forth in this Certificate), on a date mutually agreed upon by the parties; provided, however, that such Closing may take place by exchanging documents by overnight mail or such other means as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties.


(iii) Payment of Purchase Price. Subject to the provisions of Section 6(c)(iv), the purchase price for the Series C Stock purchased by the Corporation pursuant to this Section 6(c) shall be paid by the Corporation either, at the Corporation’s election, in cash by means of a wire transfer to an account specified in advance by such holder (or by means of a Corporation check if no such account is specified), or in a form of consideration reasonably equivalent to the form specified in the Bona Fide Offer. Simultaneously upon payment of the purchase price, the selling holder shall tender such holder’s Series C Stock and shall execute and endorse the stock certificates and deliver them to the Corporation and take whatever other action is necessary to deliver to the Corporation good and marketable title to the shares, free and clear -of any claims, options, charges, encumbrances or rights of others. The selling holder shall, in writing, represent and warrant to the Corporation that it is conveying such shares, with full warranties of good and marketable title, free and clear of any claims, options, charges, encumbrances or rights of others.

7. Voting Rights.

Each share of Series C Stock issued and outstanding from time to time shall be entitled to one vote on all matters upon which the holders of Common Stock of the Corporation are entitled to vote, and in all such matters, the holders of the Series C Stock shall vote with the holders of the Common Stock and not as a separate class. Such voting rights shall be in addition to any other voting rights to which the holders of Series C Stock may be entitled pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

8. No Conversion Rights.

The shares of Series C Stock shall not be convertible into Common Stock or any other equity security, derivative or otherwise, of the Corporation.

9. Reports.

The Corporation shall deliver to the holders of the Series C Stock (i) copies of its internally prepared quarterly balance sheet and income statement within sixty days after the end of each calendar quarter, and (ii) copies of its annual balance sheet and income statement, including any notes thereto and any auditors’ reports thereon, within one hundred twenty days after the end of each fiscal year.

10. Notices.

Any notice required or to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficient when (i) mailed by United States certified mail, return receipt requested, (ii) mailed by overnight express mail, (iii) sent by facsimile or telecopy machine, followed by confirmation mailed by first-class U.S. mail or overnight express mail, or (iv) delivered in person, at the address set forth below, or such other address as a Person may provide in accordance with the procedure for notices set forth in this Section:

 

If to the Corporation:    Assurant, Inc.
   One Chase Manhattan Plaza, 41st Floor
   New York, New York 10005
   Attn: General Counsel
   Telephone: 212-859-7021
   Telecopy: 212-859-7034


If to the Initial Holders:    Robert S. and Rita DeLue
   2486 Butternut Drive
   Hillsborough, CA 94010
   Telephone: 415-342-2252
With a copy (which shall    Anderlini, Finkelstein, Emerick & McSweeney
not constitute notice) to:    400 South El Camino Real, Suite 700
   San Mateo, CA 94402
   Attn: Brian J. McSweeney
   Telephone: 415-348-0102
   Telecopy: 415-348-0962

If to any permitted transferee of either such holder, to the address provided to the Corporation by such transferee.

11. Certain Definitions.

The following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

“Affiliate” means, when used with reference to any Person, any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with that Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is closed or any other day on which banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to be closed.

“Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock or any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation).

“Certificate” means this Certificate of Designation, Rights and Preferences of the Series C Preferred Stock of Assurant, Inc.

“DeLue Family Partnership” means a family limited partnership of which the Initial Holders hold a majority interest and the remaining interests are held by immediate family members of the Initial Holders.

“Initial Holders” means Robert S. DeLue and Rita DeLue, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship.


“Merger” means the merger of Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, with and into the Corporation.

“Merger Agreement” means collectively (i) the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated February 6, 1997, by and among Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, ACSIA Acquisition Corp., Associated California State Insurance Agencies, Inc., and the Initial Holders, and (ii) the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated February 6, 1997, by and among Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, Ardiel Acquisition Corp., Ardiel Insurance Services, Inc., and the Initial Holders.

“Merger Effective Date” means the effective date of the Merger, as defined in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, to be entered into by Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, and the Corporation.

“Net Worth” means total assets less total liabilities of the Corporation and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, as reflected on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and delivered pursuant to Section 9.

“Original Issue Date” means the date upon which the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement were consummated.

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited or general partnership, trust, association or other business entity of which an aggregate of 50% or more of the outstanding Capital Stock or other interests entitled to vote in the election of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the time, Capital Stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency), managers, trustees or other controlling Persons, or an equivalent controlling interest therein, of such Person is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by such Person and/or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

The following terms are defined in the following Section of this Certificate:

 

Term    Section
“Additional Dividends”    2(b)
“Charitable Organization”    6(b)
“Class B Common Stock”    1(b)
“Class C Common Stock”    1(b)
“Closing”    6(c)(ii)
“Common Shares”    1(b)
“Common Stock”    1(b)
“Dividend Payment Date”    2(a)
“Dividend Period”    2(a)
“Dividend Rate”    2(a)
“Early Redemption Expenses”    3(b)(i)
“Junior Securities”    1(b)


“Liquidation Amount”    4(a)
“Liquidation Price”    1(a)
“Parity Securities”    1(b)
“Permitted Transferee’”    6(b)
“Redemption Price”    3(a)(i)
“Series C Stock”    1(b)
“Transfer”    6(a)

12. Binding Arbitration.

Any dispute among the parties with respect to this Certificate shall be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the provisions for binding arbitration set forth in Article 12 of the Merger Agreement.

AND FURTHER RESOLVED, that, before the Corporation shall issue any shares of the Series C Stock, a certificate pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware shall be made, executed, acknowledged, filed and recorded in accordance with the provisions of said Section 151, and the proper officers of the Corporation are hereby authorized and directed to do all acts and things which may be necessary or proper in their opinion to carry into effect the purposes of and intent of this and the foregoing resolutions.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Assurant, Inc. has caused this certificate to be signed by Katherine Greenzang, its Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, this 4th day of February, 2004.

 

ASSURANT, INC.,

a Delaware corporation

By:  

/s/ Katherine Greenzang

Name:   Katherine Greenzang
Title:   Senior Vice President, General Counsel
  and Secretary


Schedule 3

TERMS OF

CLASS B COMMON STOCK

of

ASSURANT, INC.

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01 Definitions. In this Schedule 3 to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, unless the context otherwise requires:

“AFFILIATE” means, with respect to a specified Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person.

“BOARD OF DIRECTORS” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

“BOOK-ENTRY INTEREST” means a beneficial ownership in the Class B Shares, ownership and transfers of which are maintained through book entries of the Registrar as set forth in Section 9.04(b) of this Schedule 1.

“BUSINESS DAY” means any day on which commercial and foreign exchange markets settle payments in each of London, England, New York, New York and Chicago, Illinois.

“CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION” means the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation.

“CLASS B SHARE LIQUIDATION AMOUNT” means, with respect to each Class B Share, an amount equal to the greater of (i) its liquidation preference of US$1,000, plus an amount (whether or not declared) equal to US$1,000 multiplied by the Class B Share Indicative Rate multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the current Dividend Period that have passed prior to the date on which the liquidation occurs and the denominator of which is the total number of days in the current Dividend Period and (ii) an amount equal to the amount that would be payable with respect to such Class B Share if, immediately prior to the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, such Class B Share were converted into the Corresponding Number of Junior Shares.

“CLASS B SHARES” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01.

“CLASS C SHARES” means the Class C Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation.


“CLEARING AGENCY” means the clearing agency with respect to the Class B Shares.

“CODE” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“COMMON SHARES” means the shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation.

“CORPORATION” means Assurant, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

“DEPOSITARY” means the Depositary Trust Company.

“DIVIDEND” means a cash distribution to holders of the Class B Shares from the Corporation with respect to any applicable Dividend Period and payable on an applicable Dividend Date.

“DIVIDEND DATE” means the 1st day of March and September in each year (or the next Business Day if such day is not a Business Day) commencing March 1, 2004, with respect to Dividends on the Class B Shares.

“DIVIDEND PERIOD” means a period from September 1, 2003 (in case of the first Dividend Period) or, in all other cases, a period from a Dividend Date with respect to the Class B Shares to but excluding the next succeeding Dividend Date for the Class B Shares.

“FORTIS INSURANCE” means Fortis Insurance N.V., a company with limited liability incorporated as naamloze vennootschap under Dutch law.

“IAI” means a Person that is an “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act or the analog provisions of any successor rule.

“INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING” means the initial public offering of the Corporation pursuant to which Fortis Insurance is selling Common Shares registered pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on a broadly distributed basis, not limited to sophisticated investors, pursuant to a firm-commitment or best-efforts underwriting arrangement.

“IPO PRICE” means the price per share at which the Common Shares will be initially offered to the public in the Initial Public Offering as set forth on the cover page to the prospectus with respect thereto.

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

“LIBOR DETERMINATION DATE” means the LIBOR Determination Date with respect to the Class B Shares, initially March 1, 2005, and thereafter will be two Business Days prior to each Dividend Date occurring thereafter.

“MERGER EFFECTIVE DATE” means the effective date of the merger of Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, with and into the Corporation, as defined in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, to be entered into by Fortis, Inc. and the Corporation.

 

2


“MINIMUM NET WORTH AMOUNT” initially means $1.6 billion. The Minimum Net Worth Amount will be increased by the proceeds paid to the Corporation in consideration for the issuance and sale of additional Class B Shares or Class C Shares or any of its preferred stock ranking pari passu with or senior to the Class B Shares or Class C Shares with respect to the payment of dividends or amounts payable upon liquidation. The Minimum Net Worth Amount will be reduced by the amounts paid to purchase or redeem any Class B Shares or Class C Shares or any of its preferred stock ranking pari passu with or senior to the Class B Shares or the Class C Shares, but only by an amount equal to the liquidation preference of such shares. The net worth of the Corporation will be determined in accordance with US GAAP.

“1940 ACT” means the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

“OUTSTANDING”, when used with reference to shares of stock, means issued shares, excluding shares held by the Corporation or a subsidiary.

“PARTNERSHIP I” means Fortis (US) Funding Partners I LP, a Delaware limited partnership.

“PARTNERSHIP TAX EVENT” means any one of the following: (i) Trust I or Partnership I becoming subject to more than a de minimis amount of taxes or similar assessments, (ii) RegCaPS I Payments are not effectively deductible in computing the taxable income of Fortis Insurance for Dutch corporate income tax purposes; (iii) Dividends received by Partnership I are included in the taxable income of Fortis Insurance for Dutch income tax purposes; or (iv) RegCaPS I Payments are subject to withholding tax in The Netherlands.

“PERSON” means any individual, corporation, association, partnership (general or limited), joint venture, trust, estate, limited liability company, or other legal entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

“PREFERRED STOCK” means the 19,160 shares of Series B Preferred Stock of the Corporation to be issued on the Merger Effective Date and the 5,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock of the Corporation to be issued on the Merger Effective Date.

“QIB” means a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

“REGCAPS I” means the regulatory capital partnership securities of Partnership 1.

“REGCAPS I PAYMENT DATE” means the 1st day of March and September in each year (or the next Business Day if such Day is not a Business Day) commencing September 1, 2000 with respect to the RegCaPS I Payments (as defined below).

“REGCAPS I PAYMENT PERIOD” means a period from and including the date of the original issuance of the RegCaPS I in the case of the first RegCaPS I Payment Period or, in all other cases, a RegCaPS 1 Payment Date with respect to the RegCaPS I to but excluding the next succeeding RegCaPS I Payment Date for the RegCaPS I.

 

3


“REGCAPS I PAYMENTS” means cash distributions to the holders of the RegCaPS I from Partnership I with respect to any applicable RegCaPS I Payment Period and payable on an applicable RegCaPS I Payment Date.

“SECURITIES ACT” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“SERIES B PREFERRED STOCK” means the Series B Preferred Stock of the Corporation, liquidation preference $1,000 per share.

“SERIES C PREFERRED STOCK” means the Series C Preferred Stock of the Corporation, liquidation preference $1,000 per share.

“SIX-MONTH LIBOR” means with respect to any LIBOR Determination Date, a rate determined on the basis of the offered rates for six-month United States dollar deposits of not less than a principal amount equal to that which is representative for a single transaction in such market at such time, commencing on the second Business Day immediately following such LIBOR Determination Date, which appears on US LIBOR Telerate Page 3750 (or a successor page) as of approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date.

If on any LIBOR Determination Date no rate appears on US LIBOR Telerate Page 3750 (or a successor page) as of approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, the Paying Agent shall on such LIBOR Determination Date request the four major reference banks in the London interbank market selected by the Paying Agent to provide the Paying Agent with a quotation of the rate at which six-month deposits in United States dollars, commencing on the second Business Day immediately following such LIBOR Determination Date, are offered by it to prime banks in the London interbank market as of approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date and in a principal amount equal to that which is representative for a single transaction in such market at such time. If at least two such quotations are provided, Six-Month LIBOR for such LIBOR Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of such quotations as calculated by the Paying Agent. If fewer than two quotations are provided, Six-Month LIBOR for such LIBOR Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of the rates quoted as of approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date by three major banks in the London interbank market selected by the Paying Agent for loans in United States dollars to leading European banks, having a six-month maturity commencing on the second Business Day immediately following such LIBOR Determination Date and in a principal amount equal to that which is representative for a single transaction in such market at such time; provided, however, that, if the banks selected as aforesaid by the Paying Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, Six-Month LIBOR for such LIBOR Determination Date will be Six-Month LIBOR determined with respect to (i) the immediately preceding Dividend Period for purposes of the Class B Shares and (ii) the immediately preceding RegCaPS I Payment Period for purposes of the RegCaPS I.

 

4


“SPECIAL INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS” means the independent directors of the Corporation elected by the holders of the Class B Shares upon the failure of the Corporation to pay Dividends for five consecutive Dividend Periods.

“TRANSFER AGENT” means the transfer agent with respect to the Class B Shares which shall initially be the Corporation.

“TRUST I” means Fortis (US) RegCaPS Funding Trust I, a Delaware statutory business trust.

“TRUST CAPITAL SECURITIES I” means 150,000 trust capital securities, liquidation preference US$1,000 each, representing undivided beneficial ownership interests in Trust I.

“TRUST SECURITIES I” means the Trust Capital Securities I, together with the Trust Common Securities I, liquidation preference US$100 each, representing undivided beneficial ownership interests in Trust I.

“US GAAP” means the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

ARTICLE 2

NUMBER AND DESIGNATION

SECTION 2.01 Number and Designation. The Class B Common Stock of the Corporation shall consist of 150,001 shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation and shall be designated as CLASS B COMMON STOCK (the “CLASS B SHARES”). The Class B Shares shall have a liquidation preference of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per share.

ARTICLE 3

RANK

SECTION 3.01 Rank. (a) The Class B Shares shall, only with respect to payments of dividends at the Class B Share Indicative Rate (as defined below) and with respect to the payment of the Class B Share Liquidation Amount upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Corporation, rank senior to all of the Common Shares. In all other respects, the Class B Shares shall rank pari passu with the Common Shares and participate equally with the Common Shares with respect to dividends and other distributions paid by the Corporation and with respect to any amounts payable upon its liquidation, dissolution or winding up. The Class B Shares will rank junior in all respects to any indebtedness of the Corporation, and to the Preferred Stock. The Class B Shares shall rank pari passu with the Class C Shares for all purposes. All securities of the Corporation to which the Class B Shares ranks prior (whether with respect to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, winding up or otherwise), including the Common Shares, are collectively referred to herein as the “JUNIOR SHARES.” The definition of Junior Shares shall also include any rights or options exercisable for or convertible into any of the Junior Shares.

 

5


(b) Without prior consent of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding Class B Shares, the Corporation shall not issue any class or series of equity securities whose terms provide that such securities rank senior or pari passu with the Class B Shares with respect to the rights to receive dividends and other distributions or with respect to any amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up. If the Corporation has paid in full the lesser of (i) each of its last four Dividends in full at the Class B Share Indicative Rate on their respective Dividend Payment Dates or (ii) prior to the fourth scheduled Dividend Payment Date, all Dividends that could have been paid on the Class B Shares, the Corporation may issue an unlimited amount of additional Class B Shares and other equity securities ranking pari passu with the Class B Shares without the consent of the holders of the Class B Shares.

ARTICLE 4

DIVIDENDS

SECTION 4.01 Rate; Dividend Date. (a) Each Class B Share shall be entitled to receive cash Dividends on a non-cumulative basis, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends on each Dividend Date commencing March 1, 2004. The Corporation expects that the Dividend will be declared initially at a rate at least equal to a fixed rate of 7.48% of the stated liquidation preference of $1,000 per Class B Share and after March 1, 2005, at a variable rate of Six-Month LIBOR plus 1.10%, reset semiannually (the “CLASS B SHARE INDICATIVE RATE”). The amount of Dividends will be computed on the basis of a 365- or 366-day year, as the case may be, and the actual number of days in such Dividend Period divided by 365 or 366, as the case may be. When Dividends are paid on the Class B Shares at less than the Class B Share Indicative Rate, all Dividends declared on the Class B Shares will be paid pro rata.

(b) The Paying Agent will calculate Six-Month LIBOR as of each LIBOR Determination Date and shall make such rate calculation available to holders of Class B Shares. The Paying Agent also shall determine the Dividends payable on each Dividend Date and give notice thereof (including the applicable rate, amount, the applicable period and payment) to the holders of Class B Shares. The notices set forth in this paragraph shall be sent by first class mail to the address of each holder of Class B Shares as it appears on the register kept by the Registrar and shall be available at the offices of the Paying Agent.

SECTION 4.02 Dividend Restrictions. (a) No cash dividend or other distribution may be declared or paid or set apart for payment on any Junior Shares and neither the Corporation nor any of its Affiliates may purchase or redeem for cash any outstanding Junior Shares, unless:

(i) full Dividends have been declared and paid or set apart for payment on the Class B Shares in an amount at least equal to the greater of (A) the Dividends payable during such Dividend Period at the Class B Share Indicative Rate or (B) the dividend paid by the Corporation on the Corresponding Number of Junior Shares (as defined below) during such Dividend Period (treating any cash payment in connection with a purchase or redemption of Junior Shares by the Corporation as a cash dividend);

 

6


(ii) Partnership I has paid the full amount of RegCaPS I Payments for the current RegCaPS I Payment Period; and

(iii) such repurchase or redemption does not cause the net worth of the Corporation to be less than the Minimum Net Worth Amount.

(b) (i) If a Dividend is paid on the Class B Shares during any Dividend Period at a rate less than the Class B Share Indicative Rate, the Corporation may not make any dividend payments on the Junior Shares and may only make dividend payments on its other securities that rank pari passu with the Class B Shares, if any, in the same proportion as the partial Dividend paid on the Class B Shares for the current Dividend Period bears to the full Dividend payment determined for such Dividend Period at the Class B Share Indicative Rate.

(ii) For so long as the RegCaPS I are outstanding, if a partial RegCaPS I Payment is made for any RegCaPS I Payment Period, the Corporation may not make any dividend payments on its Junior Shares and may only make dividend payments on its other securities that rank pari passu with the Class B Shares in the same proportion as the lesser of (i) the proportion the partial RegCaPS I Payment made for the current RegCaPS I Payment Period bears to the RegCaPS I Payment determined for such RegCaPS I Payment Period and (ii) the proportion the partial Dividend paid on the Class B Shares for the corresponding Dividend Period bears to the Dividend payment determined for such Dividend Period at the Class B Share Indicative Rate.

Additionally, for so long as the Trust Capital Securities I, RegCaPS I or Class B Shares are outstanding, all shares of common or preferred stock issued by majority-owned subsidiaries of the Corporation which shares are not beneficially owned by the Corporation or its wholly-owned subsidiaries will be subject to the restrictions set forth above on the payment of dividends and other payments.

(c) The various payment restrictions and obligations described in Section 4.02 above and applicable in respect of any Dividend Period or RegCaPS I Payment Period in which a Dividend on the Class B Shares is not paid in any amount at least equal to the Class B Share Indicative Rate or the full amount of RegCaPS I Payments is not paid shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the extent that any Gross-Up Payment (as defined below) to Qualified Investors (as defined below) is not declared and paid or set apart for payment as and when due in respect of a fiscal year; provided that such payment restrictions and obligations will remain in effect, not only during the current Dividend Period or RegCaPS I Payment Period, but until such Gross-Up Payment is declared and paid or set apart for payment.

(d) For purposes of determining whether the Dividends paid or set apart for payment on the Class B Shares for a Dividend Period are sufficient to permit a cash dividend or other distribution on the Junior Shares or a purchase or redemption of Junior Shares for cash, each Class B Share will correspond to a specific number of Junior Shares (the “CORRESPONDING NUMBER OF JUNIOR SHARES”). The initial Corresponding Number of Junior Shares will be 2.2996

 

7


Common Shares, which the Board of Directors has determined reflects the fair value of a single Class B Share relative to the fair value of a single Junior Share, and will be subject to adjustment if the Corporation (A) pays all or a portion of a dividend or other distribution with respect to any class of Junior Shares by issuing additional Junior Shares, (B) subdivides or splits the outstanding shares of any class of its Junior Shares into a larger number of shares, (C) combines the outstanding shares of any class of its Junior Shares into a smaller number of shares or (D) issues by reclassification of the shares of any class of its Junior Shares any shares of any other class of Junior Shares. In any such event, the Corresponding Number of Junior Shares will be multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Junior Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of Junior Shares outstanding immediately before such event. If, as a result of such event, any class of Junior Shares other than Common Shares is outstanding, the number of such other Junior Shares equivalent to one Common Share shall be determined by the Board of Directors in good faith for purposes of making the foregoing adjustment to the Corresponding Number of Junior Shares.

(e) The Corporation intends that the holders of the RegCaPS I and the Trust Capital Securities I shall be third party beneficiaries of, and entitled to enforce, the provisions of this Section 4.02, as if such provisions constituted a contract between the Corporation and the holders of the Class B Shares, and the holders of the RegCaPS I and the Trust Capital Securities I were third-party beneficiaries to such contract.

SECTION 4.03 Issuance, Purchase and Redemption of Junior Shares. Other than in the circumstances described in Section 4.02 above, the Corporation shall not issue any Junior Shares or purchase or redeem any outstanding Junior Shares unless, prior to such issuance, purchase or redemption, the Board of Directors determines in good faith that the terms of such issuance, purchase or redemption reflect the fair value of the Junior Shares to be issued, purchased or redeemed. In addition, the Corporation will not purchase or redeem any Junior Shares if such purchase or redemption would cause the net worth of the Corporation (determined in accordance with US GAAP), as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter and after giving affect to such purchase or redemption, to be less than the Minimum Net Worth Amount.

SECTION 4.04 Payment of Dividends. Dividends and other payments on the Class B Shares will be payable to the holders thereof as they appear on the books and records of the Corporation on the relevant record dates, which will be one Business Day prior to the relevant Dividend Date or other payment date. Such Dividends will be paid through the Paying Agent who will hold amounts received from the Corporation in respect of the Class B Shares for the benefit of the holders of the Class B Shares. In the event that any Class B Shares do not remain in book-entry only form, the relevant record dates shall be the 15th day of the month of the relevant Dividend Date or other payment date. In the event that any Dividend Date is not a Business Day, payment of the Dividends payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day (without any interest or other payment in respect of the dividends subject to such delay), except that, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day, in each case with the same force and effect as if made on such date. If a Dividend is not paid in full on the applicable Dividend Date, notice of the failure to pay such Dividend will be sent to each holder of Class B Shares by first-class mail to such holder’s address as shown in the register kept by the Registrar.

 

8


SECTION 4.05 Intentionally Omitted.

SECTION 4.06 Earnings and Profits Gross-up Payments. (a) To the extent that dividends paid with respect to the Class B Shares or Common Shares exceed the Corporation’s earnings and profits as calculated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, they will not constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes and will not qualify for the dividends-received deduction. In such event, additional distributions will be made by the Corporation to place each holder of the Class B Shares in the same position it would have been in if all dividends from the Corporation were paid from such earnings and profits, assuming for these purposes that such holder was eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

(b) If any Dividend on the Class B Shares with respect to any fiscal year (including any Gross-Up Payment (as defined below)) constitutes, in whole or in part, a return of capital (or is treated as gain from the sale or exchange of the Class B Shares) (a “QUALIFYING DIVIDEND”), the Corporation will pay (if declared), within 180 days after the end of such fiscal year, out of funds legally available therefor, an amount equal to the aggregate Gross-Up Payments to Qualified Investors (as defined below) with respect to all Qualifying Dividends on the Class B Shares during such fiscal year. A “QUALIFIED INVESTOR” with respect to a Qualifying Dividend during a fiscal year means a person who was entitled to receive such Qualifying Dividend.

(c) A “GROSS-UP PAYMENT” to a Qualified Investor with respect to all Qualifying Dividends during a fiscal year means an additional Dividend on the Class B Shares to a Qualifying Investor in an amount which, when taken together with the aggregate Qualifying Dividends paid to such Qualified Investor during such fiscal year, would cause such Qualified Investor’s net yield in dollars (after U.S. federal income tax consequences and treating, for purposes of calculating net yield in dollars, the sum of that portion of the Qualifying Dividends and the Gross-Up Payment otherwise treated as a return of capital as capital gain recognized upon the taxable sale or exchange of Class B Shares) from the aggregate of both the Qualifying Dividends and the Gross-Up Payment to be equal to the net yield in dollars (after U.S. federal income tax consequences) which would have been received by such Qualified Investor if the entire amount of the aggregate Qualifying Dividends had instead been treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Such Gross-Up Payment shall be calculated using the applicable maximum marginal U.S federal corporate income tax rate applicable to ordinary income and capital gains, as the case may be, and, where applicable, the dividends-received deduction, as specified in Section 243(a)(i) of the Code or any successor provision, without consideration being given to the time value of money, the U.S. federal income tax situation of any specific Qualified Investor, or any state or local tax consequences that may arise. The Corporation shall make a determination, based upon the reasonably estimated earnings and profits of that portion, if any, of a Qualifying Dividend for a fiscal year that will be treated as dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and such determination shall be final and binding for purposes of calculating the amount of the Gross-Up Payments with respect to all Qualifying Dividends for such fiscal year.

 

9


ARTICLE 5

LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE

SECTION 5.01 Liquidation Preference. (a) In the event of any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for the liabilities of the Corporation and the expenses of such dissolution, liquidation or winding up, the holders of the outstanding Class B Shares will be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Corporation or proceeds thereof available for distribution to holders of Class B Shares, before any payment or distribution of assets is made to holders of the Common Shares or any other Junior Shares, the Class B Share Liquidation Amount. If the assets of the Corporation available for distribution in such event are insufficient to pay in full the aggregate amount payable to holders of the Class B Shares and holders of all other classes or series of equity securities of the Corporation, if any, ranking, as to the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, on a parity with the Class B Shares, the assets will be distributed to the holders of Class B Shares and holders of such other equity interests pro rata, based on the full respective preferential amounts to which they are entitled. After payment of the full amount of the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation to which they are entitled, the holders of Class B Shares will not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of assets by the Corporation.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 5.01(a) above, holders of Class B Shares will not be entitled to be paid any amount in respect of a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation until holders of any classes or series of securities of the Corporation ranking, as to the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, prior to the Class B Shares have been paid all amounts to which such classes or series are entitled. At the time of issuance of the Class B Shares, no class or series of securities of the Corporation ranking prior to the Class B Shares with respect to the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation exists other than the Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock.

(c) Notwithstanding anything else in this Schedule 1, neither the sale, lease or exchange (for cash, shares of stock, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation, nor the merger, consolidation or combination of the Corporation into or with any other person or the merger, consolidation or combination of any other person into or with the Corporation, shall be deemed to be a dissolution, liquidation or winding up, voluntary or involuntary, for the purposes of this Section 5.01.

ARTICLE 6

REDEMPTION

SECTION 6.01 Optional Redemption. (a) The Class B Shares will not be subject to mandatory redemption at any time. Prior to March 1, 2030, Class B Shares will not be subject to optional redemption. On or after March 1, 2030, Class B Shares may be redeemed at the option of the Corporation at any time, in whole but not in part, at their fair market value (the “REDEMPTION AMOUNT”) as determined by a nationally recognized investment bank retained by

 

10


the Corporation, based on the amount that would have been payable with respect to such Class B Share if the Corporation were liquidated as of the applicable redemption date and, immediately prior to such liquidation, such Class B Share were converted into the Corresponding Number of Junior Shares.

SECTION 6.02 Procedure for Redemption. (a) Notice of any redemption of the Class B Shares (a “REDEMPTION NOTICE”) will be given by the Corporation by mail to each holder of Class B Shares not fewer than 30 nor more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. For purposes of the calculation of the date of redemption and the dates on which notices are given pursuant to this Section 6.02(a), a Redemption Notice shall be deemed to be given on the day such notice is first mailed, by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to holders of the Class B Shares. Each Redemption Notice shall be addressed to the holders of Class B Shares at the address of each such holder appearing in the books and records of the Corporation. No defect in the Redemption Notice or in the mailing thereof with respect to any holder of Class B Shares shall affect the validity of the redemption proceedings with respect to any other holder of Class B Shares.

(b) If the Corporation gives a Redemption Notice (which notice will be irrevocable), then by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the redemption date, the Corporation (A) if the Class B Shares are in book-entry form with the Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”), will deposit irrevocably with DTC funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Amount and will give DTC irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the Redemption Amount in respect of the Class B Shares held through DTC in global form or (B) if the Class B Shares are held in certificated form (each such certificate a “CLASS B SHARE CERTIFICATE”), will deposit with the Paying Agent, funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Amount of any such Class B Shares and will give to the Paying Agent irrevocable instructions and authority to pay such amounts to the holders of Class B Shares, upon surrender of their certificates, by delivery of check, mailed to the address of the relevant holder appearing on the books and records of the Corporation on the redemption date. For these purposes, the applicable Redemption Amount shall not include Dividends which are being paid to holders of Class B Shares who were holders of Class B Shares on a relevant record date. Upon satisfaction of the foregoing conditions, then immediately prior to the close of business on the date of such deposit or payment, all rights of holders of Class B Shares so called for redemption will cease, except the right of the holders of Class B Shares to receive the Redemption Amount, but without interest on such Redemption Amount, and from and after the date fixed for redemption, such Class B Shares will not receive dividends or bear interest.

(c) In the event that any date fixed for redemption of Class B Shares is not a Business Day, then payment of the Redemption Amount payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding Business Day (and without any interest in respect of any such delay), except that, if such Business Day falls in the next calendar year, such payment will be made on the immediately preceding Business Day in each case, with the same force and effect as if made on such date fixed for redemption. In the event that payment of the Redemption Amount is improperly withheld or refused and not paid by the Corporation, Dividends on the Class B Shares called for redemption will continue to be payable in accordance with the terms hereof from the original redemption date until the Redemption Amount is actually paid.

 

11


(d) The Corporation shall not be required to register or cause to be registered the transfer of any Class B Shares which have been called for redemption.

(e) Except as provided in Article 10, the Class B Shares which have been issued and reacquired in any manner, including shares purchased or redeemed, shall (upon compliance with any applicable provisions of the laws of the State of Delaware) have the status of authorized and unissued Class B Shares and may be reissued.

ARTICLE 7

VOTING RIGHTS

SECTION 7.01 Voting Rights. (a) The holders of the Class B Shares will be entitled to one vote per share and will be entitled to vote with the Common Shares as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the Common Shares (other than those matters affecting only the Common Shares). Except as provided in Article 10, prior to transferring ownership of any Class B Shares to a transferee other than Partnership I or Trust I, such Class B Shares shall be converted to the same number of shares of a class of stock of the Corporation (the “CONVERSION SHARES”) having rights, preferences and privileges substantially identical to the Class B Shares except that the Conversion Shares will be entitled to no voting rights other than as required by law and other than with respect to adverse amendments to the terms of the Conversion Shares and the issuance of equity securities that rank senior to or pari passu with the Conversion Shares with respect to the payment of dividends or amounts upon liquidation.

(b) The holders of the Class B Shares and the Conversion Shares will be entitled to vote separately as a single class on the matters described in this paragraph. The consent of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding Class B Shares and Conversion Shares, voting as a single class, is required (i) to amend, alter, supplement or repeal the terms of the Class B Shares and the Conversion Shares (it being a condition to any such amendment, alteration, supplement or repeal that it have a substantially identical effect on the rights, preferences and privileges of both the Class B Shares and the Conversion Shares), or (ii) if the Corporation has not paid in full the lesser of (A) each of the last four Dividends on their respective Dividend Payment Dates or (B) prior to the fourth scheduled Dividend Payment Date, all Dividends that could have been paid on the Class B Shares and the Conversion Shares, for the Corporation to issue, or to increase the authorized amount of, the Class B Shares or the Conversion Shares or any other equity securities that rank pari passu with or senior to the Class B Shares and the Conversion Shares. Further, if the Corporation has paid in full the lesser of (A) each of the last four Dividends at the Class B Share Indicative Rate on their respective Dividend Payment Dates or (B) prior to the fourth scheduled Dividend Payment Date, all Dividends that could have been paid on the Class B Shares and the Conversion Shares, the Corporation may issue an unlimited amount of additional Class B Shares and Conversion Shares and other equity securities that rank pari passu with the Class B Shares and the Conversion Shares without the consent of the holders of the Class B Shares or the Conversion Shares.

(c) Whenever Dividends on the Class B Shares and the Conversion Shares are in arrears for five or more consecutive Dividend Periods, the holders of Class B Shares and the Conversion Shares, voting as a single class will be entitled, subject to any necessary regulatory

 

12


actions, to elect two Special Independent Directors to the Board of Directors, subject to any necessary regulatory actions, at a special meeting called by the holders of record of at least 25% of the Class B Shares and the Conversion Shares in the aggregate. The Special Independent Directors shall vacate office if Dividends are resumed and are paid regularly for at least two consecutive Dividend Periods.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall have the right, without the prior consent of the holders of Class B Shares, to amend, alter, supplement or repeal any terms of the Class B Shares (i) to cure any ambiguity, or to cure, correct or supplement any defective provision thereof or (ii) to make any other provision with respect to matters or questions arising with respect to the Class B Shares that is not inconsistent with the provisions thereof so long as such action does not materially and adversely affect any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of Class B Shares, provided, however, that any increase in the amount of authorized or issued Class B Shares will be deemed not to materially and adversely affect any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of Class B Shares.

(e) The consent or votes required in Section 7.01(b) and (c) above shall be in addition to any approval of stockholders of the Corporation which may be required by law or pursuant to any provision of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws, which approval shall be obtained by vote of the stockholders of the Corporation in the manner provided in Section 7.01(a) above.

SECTION 7.02 No Affiliate Voting. (a) Notwithstanding that holders of Class B Shares are entitled to vote or consent under any of the circumstances described above, any of the Class B Shares at such time that are beneficially owned by the Corporation or by any entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, the Corporation shall not be entitled to vote or consent and shall, for purposes of such vote or consent, be treated as if they were not outstanding, provided, however, that persons (other than Affiliates of the Corporation) to whom the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries have pledged Class B Shares may vote or consent with respect to such pledged Class B Shares pursuant to the terms of such pledge; provided, further, that any Class B Shares held in the trust may be voted in accordance with this Certificate; provided that any Class B Shares held by Partnership I or Trust I may be voted in accordance with the terms of the Class B Shares by Trust I or Partnership I, respectively.

ARTICLE 8

MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR AMALGAMATION OF THE CORPORATION

SECTION 8.01 Merger, Consolidation or Amalgamation of the Corporation. The Corporation may not consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, any corporation or other entity, except as described below. The Corporation may, with the consent of at least one of the Special Independent Directors, if any, on the Board of Directors at the time the issue is considered and without the consent of the holders of the Class B Shares, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced by a corporation organized as such under the laws of any State of the United States; provided, that:

(a) if the Corporation is not the survivor, such successor entity either (x) expressly assumes all of the obligations of the Corporation under the Class B Shares or (y) substitutes securities for the Class B Shares (the “SUCCESSOR SECURITIES”), so long as the Successor Securities rank the same as the Class B Shares rank with respect to Dividends and other payments thereon;

 

13


(b) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement does not adversely affect any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the Class B shares (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect;

(c) prior to such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement, the Corporation has received an opinion of a nationally recognized law firm experienced in such matters to the effect that (i) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement will not adversely affect any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the Class B Shares (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect and (ii) following such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement, the Corporation (or such successor entity) will not be required to register under the 1940 Act; and

(d) distributions with respect to the Successor Securities would be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

ARTICLE 9

TRANSFER OF CLASS B SHARES

SECTION 9.01 General. The Corporation shall provide for the registration of Class B Share Certificates and for transfers of Class B Share Certificates. Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Class B Share Certificate, the Corporation shall cause one or more new Class B Share Certificates to be issued in the name of the designated transferee or transferees. Every Class B Share Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer shall be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Corporation duly executed by the holder of such Class B Shares or his or her attorney duly authorized in writing. Each Class B Share Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer shall be cancelled by the Corporation. A transferee of a Class B Share Certificate shall be entitled to the rights and subject to the obligations of a holder of Class B Shares hereunder upon the receipt by the transferee of a Class B Share Certificate, which receipt shall be deemed to constitute a request by such transferee that the books and records of the Corporation reflect such transferee as a holder of Class B Shares.

SECTION 9.02 Definitive Certificates. Unless and until the Corporation issues a global Class B Share Certificate pursuant to Section 9.03(a), the Corporation shall only issue definitive Class B Share Certificates to the holders of Class B Shares. The Corporation may treat the Person in whose name any Class B Share Certificate shall be registered on the books and records of the Corporation as the sole holder of such Class B Share Certificate and of the Class B Shares represented by such Class B Share Certificate for purposes of receiving Dividends and for all other purposes whatsoever (including without limitation, tax returns and information reports) and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in

 

14


such Class B Share Certificate or in the Class B Shares represented by such Class B Share Certificate on the part of any other Person, whether or not the Corporation shall have actual or other notice thereof.

SECTION 9.03 Book Entry Provisions.

(a) General. The provisions of this Section 9.03(a) shall apply only in the event that the Class B Shares are distributed to the holders of RegCaPS I or Trust Securities I in connection with the involuntary or voluntary dissolution, winding up or liquidation of Partnership 1 or of Trust I. Upon the occurrence of such event, a global Class B Share Certificate representing the Book-Entry Interests shall be delivered to DTC, the initial Clearing Agency, by, or on behalf of, the Corporation and any previously issued and still outstanding definitive Class B Share Certificates shall be of no further force and effect. The global Class B Share Certificate shall initially be registered on the books and records of the Corporation in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of DTC, and no holder of Class B Shares will receive a new definitive Class B Share Certificate representing such holder’s interests in such Class B Share Certificate, except as provided in Section 9.03(c). In connection with the involuntary or voluntary dissolution, winding up or liquidation of Partnership I and of Trust I, Cede & Co., the nominee of DTC, shall automatically be deemed to be the holder of all of the Class B Shares. Unless and until new definitive, fully registered Class B Share Certificates (the “DEFINITIVE CLASS B SHARE CERTIFICATES”) have been issued to the holders of Class B Shares pursuant to Section 9.03(c):

(i) The provisions of this Section shall be in full force and effect;

(ii) The Corporation shall be entitled to deal with the Clearing Agency for all purposes of this Certificate (including the payment of Dividends, Redemption Amounts and liquidation proceeds on the Class B Share Certificates and receiving approvals, votes or consents hereunder) as the sole holder of the Class B Share Certificates and shall have no obligation to the holders of Class B Shares;

(iii) None of the Corporation, the Board of Directors, or any Special Independent Director or any agents of any of the foregoing shall have any liability or responsibility for any aspect of the records relating to or Dividends made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a global Class B Share Certificate for such beneficial ownership interests or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests; and

(iv) Except as provided in Section 9.03(c) below, the holders of Class B Shares will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of the Class B Shares in definitive form and will not be considered holders thereof for any purpose under this Certificate of Designations, and no global Class B Share Certificate representing Class B Shares shall be exchangeable, except for another global Class B Share Certificate of like denomination and tenor to be registered in the name of DTC or Cede & Co., or to a successor Depositary or its nominee. Accordingly, each holder of Class B Shares must rely on the procedures of DTC or if such person is not a Participant, on the procedures of the Participant through which such person owns its interest to exercise any rights of a holder under this Certificate of Designations.

 

15


(b) Notices to Clearing Agency. Whenever a notice or other communication to the holders of Class B Shares is required under the Partnership Agreement, unless and until definitive Class B Share Certificates shall have been issued to the holders of Class B Shares pursuant to Section 9.03(c), the Corporation shall give all such notices and communications specified herein to be given to the holders of Class B Shares to the Clearing Agency, and shall have no obligations to the holders of Class B Shares.

(c) Definitive Class B Share Certificates. Definitive Class B Share Certificates shall be prepared by the Corporation and exchangeable for the global Class B Share Certificate or Certificates if and only if (i) the Depositary notifies the Corporation that it is unwilling or unable to continue its services as a securities Depositary and no successor Depositary shall have been appointed, (ii) the Depositary, at any time, ceases to be a Clearing Agency registered under the Exchange Act at such time as the Depositary is required to be so registered to act as such Depositary and no successor Depositary shall have been appointed, or (iii) the Corporation, in its sole discretion, determines that such global Class B Share Certificate shall be so exchangeable. Upon surrender of the global Class B Share Certificate or Certificates representing the Book-Entry Interests by the Clearing Agency, accompanied by registration instructions, the Corporation shall cause definitive Class B Share Certificates to be delivered to holders of Class B Shares in accordance with the instructions of the Clearing Agency. The Corporation shall not be liable for any delay in delivery of such instructions and may conclusively rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, such instructions. The definitive Class B Share Certificates shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or may be produced in any other manner as may be required by any national securities exchange on which Class B Shares may be listed and is reasonably acceptable to the Corporation, as evidenced by its execution thereof

SECTION 9.04 Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying Agent.

(a) The Corporation will act as Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying Agent for the Class B Shares for so long as the Class B Shares are held by Partnership I or, if Partnership I is liquidated in connection with a Partnership Tax Event, for so long as the Class B Shares remain in book-entry only form.

(b) Except in such case where the Corporation shall act as Registrar or Paying Agent pursuant to Section 9.04(a) hereof, the Corporation shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, State of New York (i) an office or agency where Class B Shares may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (“REGISTRAR”) and (ii) an office or agency where Class B Shares may be presented for payment (“PAYING AGENT”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Class B Shares and of their transfer and exchange. The Corporation may appoint the Registrar and the Paying Agent and may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents in such other locations as it shall determine. The term “PAYING AGENT” includes any additional paying agent. The Corporation may change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without prior notice to any holder. If the Corporation fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar or Paying Agent, the Corporation shall act as such.

 

16


(c) Registration of transfers of Class B Shares shall be effected without charge by or on behalf of the Corporation, but upon payment (with the giving of such indemnity as the Corporation may require) in respect of any tax or other governmental charges that may be imposed.

SECTION 9.05 Transfer Restrictions. The Class B Shares may only be transferred (i) to QIBs and (ii) to IAIs who, if they are not QIBs, prior to such transfer, furnish to the Corporation or the Transfer Agent a signed letter containing certain representations and agreements relating to restrictions on transfer by such IAI. The foregoing restriction may be waived if the Corporation, in its sole discretion, determines such restrictions are no longer necessary to preserve the Corporation’s exemptions from registration requirements under the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act and the 1940 Act. Any purported purchase or transfer of the Class B Shares in violation of such restrictions will be null and void. Furthermore the Corporation may also require the sale of Class B Shares held by holders who fail to comply with the foregoing.

ARTICLE 10

CONVERSION OF CLASS B SHARES

SECTION 10.01 Conversion of Class B Shares. Upon closing of the Initial Public Offering, each issued and outstanding Class B Share shall convert automatically (without any action required on the part of the holder) into a number of Common Shares equal to the amount provided in clause (i) of the definition of Class B Share Liquidation Amount divided by the IPO Price. The Class B Shares which have been converted shall be retired and become authorized but unissued shares of Class B Common Stock, but such shares may not be reissued.

ARTICLE 11

GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 11.01 General Provisions. The headings of the paragraphs, subparagraphs. clauses and subclauses of this Certificate of Designations are for convenience of reference only and shall not define, limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

17


Schedule 4

TERMS OF

CLASS C COMMON STOCK

of

ASSURANT, INC.

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01 Definitions. In this Schedule 4 to Restated Certificate of Incorporation, unless the context otherwise requires:

“AFFILIATE” means, with respect to a specified Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person.

“BOARD OF DIRECTORS” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

“BOOK-ENTRY INTEREST” means a beneficial ownership in the Class C Shares, ownership and transfers of which are maintained through book entries of the Registrar as set forth in Section 9.04(b) of this Schedule 2.

“BUSINESS DAY” means any day on which commercial and foreign exchange markets settle payments in each of London, England, New York, New York and Chicago, Illinois.

“CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION” means the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation.

“CLASS B SHARES” means shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation.

“CLASS C SHARES” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01.

“CLASS C SHARE LIQUIDATION AMOUNT” means, with respect to each Class C Share, an amount equal to the greater of (i) its liquidation preference of US$1,000, plus an amount (whether or not declared) equal to US$1,000 multiplied by the Class C Share Indicative Rate multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the current Dividend Period that have passed prior to the date on which the liquidation occurs and the denominator of which is the total number of days in the current Dividend Period and (ii) an amount equal to the amount that would be payable with respect to such Class C Share if, immediately prior to the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, such Class C Share were converted into the Corresponding Number of Junior Shares.


“CLEARING AGENCY” means the clearing agency with respect to the Class C Shares.

“CODE” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“COMMON SHARES” means the shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation.

“CORPORATION” means Assurant, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

“DEPOSITARY” means the Depositary Trust Company.

“DIVIDEND” means a cash distribution to holders of the Class C Shares from the Corporation with respect to any applicable Dividend Period and payable on an applicable Dividend Date.

“DIVIDEND DATE” means the 1st day of March and September in each year (or the next Business Day if such day is not a Business Day) commencing March 1, 2004, with respect to Dividends on the Class C Shares.

“DIVIDEND PERIOD” means a period from September 1, 2003 (in case of the first Dividend Period) or, in all other cases, a period from a Dividend Date with respect to the Class C Shares to but excluding the next succeeding Dividend Date for the Class C Shares.

“FORTIS INSURANCE” means Fortis Insurance N.V., a company with limited liability incorporated as naamloze vennootschap under Dutch law.

“IAI” means a Person that is an “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act or the analog provisions of any successor rule.

“INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING” means the initial public offering of the Corporation pursuant to which Fortis Insurance is selling Common Shares registered pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on a broadly distributed basis, not limited to sophisticated investors, pursuant to a firm-commitment or best-efforts underwriting arrangement.

“IPO PRICE” means the price per share at which the Common Shares will be initially offered to the public in the Initial Public Offering as set forth on the cover page to the prospectus with respect thereto.

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

“LIBOR DETERMINATION DATE” means the LIBOR Determination Date with respect to the Class C Shares, initially March 1, 2010, and thereafter will be two Business Days prior to each Dividend Date occurring thereafter.

“MERGER EFFECTIVE DATE” means the effective date of the merger of Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, with and into the Corporation, as defined in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, to be entered into by Fortis, Inc. and the Corporation.

 

2


“MINIMUM NET WORTH AMOUNT” initially means $1.6 billion. The Minimum Net Worth Amount will be increased by the proceeds paid to the Corporation in consideration for the issuance and sale of additional Class C Shares or Class B Shares or any of its preferred stock ranking pari passu with or senior to the Class C Shares or Class B Shares with respect to the payment of dividends or amounts payable upon liquidation. The Minimum Net Worth Amount will be reduced by the amounts paid to purchase or redeem any Class C Shares or Class B Shares or any of its preferred stock ranking pari passu with or senior to the Class C Shares or the Class B Shares, but only by an amount equal to the liquidation preference of such shares. The net worth of the Corporation will be determined in accordance with US GAAP.

“1940 ACT” means the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

“OUTSTANDING”, when used with reference to shares of stock, means issued shares, excluding shares held by the Corporation or a subsidiary.

“PARTNERSHIP II” means Fortis (US) Funding Partners II LP, a Delaware limited partnership.

“PARTNERSHIP TAX EVENT” means any one of the following: (i) Trust II or Partnership II becoming subject to more than a de minimis amount of taxes or similar assessments; (ii) RegCaPS II Payments are not effectively deductible in computing the taxable income of Fortis Insurance for Dutch corporate income tax purposes; (iii) Dividends received by Partnership II are included in the taxable income of Fortis Insurance for Dutch income tax purposes; or (iv) RegCaPS II Payments are subject to withholding tax in The Netherlands.

“PERSON” means any individual, corporation, association, partnership (general or limited), joint venture, trust, estate, limited liability company, or other legal entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

“PREFERRED STOCK” means the 19,160 shares of Series B Preferred Stock of the Corporation to be issued on the Merger Effective Date and the 5,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock of the Corporation to be issued on the Merger Effective Date.

“QIB” means a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

“REGCAPS II” means the regulatory capital partnership securities of Partnership II.

“REGCAPS II PAYMENT DATE” means the 1st day of March and September in each year (or the next Business Day if such Day is not a Business Day) commencing September 1, 2000 with respect to the RegCaPS II Payments (as defined below).

“REGCAPS II PAYMENT PERIOD” means a period from and including the date of the original issuance of the RegCaPS II in the case of the first RegCaPS II Payment Period or, in all other cases, a RegCaPS II Payment Date with respect to the RegCaPS II to but excluding the next succeeding RegCaPS II Payment Date for the RegCaPS II.

 

3


“REGCAPS II PAYMENTS” means cash distributions to the holders of the RegCaPS II from Partnership II with respect to any applicable RegCaPS II Payment Period and payable on an applicable RegCaPS II Payment Date.

“SECURITIES ACT” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“SERIES B PREFERRED STOCK” means the Series B Preferred Stock of the Corporation, liquidation preference $1,000 per share.

“SERIES C PREFERRED STOCK” means the Series C Preferred Stock of the Corporation, liquidation preference $1,000 per share.

“SIX-MONTH LIBOR” means with respect to any LIBOR Determination Date, a rate determined on the basis of the offered rates for six-month United States dollar deposits of not less than a principal amount equal to that which is representative for a single transaction in such market at such time, commencing on the second Business Day immediately following such LIBOR Determination Date, which appears on US LIBOR Telerate Page 3750 (or a successor page) as of approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date.

If on any LIBOR Determination Date no rate appears on US LIBOR Telerate Page 3750 (or a successor page) as of approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, the Paying Agent shall on such LIBOR Determination Date request the four major reference banks in the London interbank market selected by the Paying Agent to provide the Paying Agent with a quotation of the rate at which six-month deposits in United States dollars, commencing on the second Business Day immediately following such LIBOR Determination Date, are offered by it to prime banks in the London interbank market as of approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date and in a principal amount equal to that which is representative for a single transaction in such market at such time. If at least two such quotations are provided, Six-Month LIBOR for such LIBOR Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of such quotations as calculated by the Paying Agent. If fewer than two quotations are provided, Six-Month LIBOR for such LIBOR Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of the rates quoted as of approximately 11:00 a. m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date by three major banks in the London interbank market selected by the Paying Agent for loans in United States dollars to leading European banks, having a six-month maturity commencing on the second Business Day immediately following such LIBOR Determination Date and in a principal amount equal to that which is representative for a single transaction in such market at such time; provided, however, that, if the banks selected as aforesaid by the Paying Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, Six-Month LIBOR for such LIBOR Determination Date will be Six-Month LIBOR determined with respect to (i) the immediately preceding Dividend Period for purposes of the Class C Shares and (ii) the immediately preceding RegCaPS II Payment Period for purposes of the RegCaPS II.

 

4


“SPECIAL INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS” means the independent directors of the Corporation elected by the holders of the Class C Shares upon the failure of the Corporation to pay Dividends for five consecutive Dividend Periods.

“TRANSFER AGENT” means the transfer agent with respect to the Class C Shares which shall initially be the Corporation.

“TRUST II” means Fortis (US) RegCaPS Funding Trust II, a Delaware statutory business trust.

“TRUST CAPITAL SECURITIES II” means the 400,000 trust capital securities, liquidation preference US$1,000 each, representing undivided beneficial ownership interests in Trust II.

“TRUST SECURITIES II” means the Trust Capital Securities II, together with the Trust Common Securities II, liquidation preference US$100 each, representing undivided beneficial ownership interests in Trust II.

“US GAAP” means the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

ARTICLE 2

NUMBER AND DESIGNATION

SECTION 2.01 Number and Designation. The Class C Common Stock of the Corporation shall consist of 400,001 shares of Class C Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation and shall be designated as CLASS C COMMON STOCK (the “CLASS C SHARES”). The Class C Shares shall have a liquidation preference of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per share.

ARTICLE 3

RANK

SECTION 3.01 Rank. (a) The Class C Shares shall, only with respect to payments of dividends at the Class C Share Indicative Rate (as defined below) and with respect to the payment of the Class C Share Liquidation Amount upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Corporation, rank senior to all of the Common Shares. In all other respects, the Class C Shares shall rank pari passu with the Common Shares and participate equally with the Common Shares with respect to dividends and other distributions paid by the Corporation and with respect to any amounts payable upon its liquidation, dissolution or winding up. The Class C Shares will rank junior in all respects to any indebtedness of the Corporation, and to the Preferred Stock. The Class C Shares shall rank pari passu with the Class B Shares for all purposes. All securities of the Corporation to which the Class C Shares ranks prior (whether with respect to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, winding up or otherwise), including the Common Shares, are collectively referred to herein as the “JUNIOR SHARES”. The definition of Junior Shares shall also include any rights or options exercisable for or convertible into any of the Junior Shares.

 

5


(b) Without prior consent of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding Class C Shares, the Corporation shall not issue any class or series of equity securities whose terms provide that such securities rank senior or pari passu with the Class C Shares with respect to the rights to receive dividends and other distributions or with respect to any amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up. If the Corporation has paid in full the lesser of (i) each of its last four Dividends in full at the Class C Share Indicative Rate on their respective Dividend Payment Dates or (ii) prior to the fourth scheduled Dividend Payment Date, all Dividends that could have been paid on the Class C Shares, the Corporation may issue an unlimited amount of additional Class C Shares and other equity securities ranking pari passu with the Class C Shares without the consent of the holders of the Class C Shares.

ARTICLE 4

DIVIDENDS

SECTION 4.01 Rate; Dividend Date. (a) Each Class C Share shall be entitled to receive cash Dividends on a non-cumulative basis, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends on each Dividend Date commencing March 1, 2004. The Corporation expects that the Dividend will be declared initially at a rate at least equal to a fixed rate of 7.68% of the stated liquidation preference of $1,000 per Class C Share and after March 1, 2010, at a variable rate of Six-Month LIBOR plus 1.25%, reset semiannually (the “CLASS C SHARE INDICATIVE RATE”). The amount of Dividends will be computed on the basis of a 365- or 366-day year, as the case may be, and the actual number of days in such Dividend Period divided by 365 or 366, as the case may be. When Dividends are paid on the Class C Shares at less than the Class C Share Indicative Rate, all Dividends declared on the Class C Shares will be paid pro rata.

(b) The Paying Agent will calculate Six-Month LIBOR as of each LIBOR Determination Date and shall make such rate calculation available to holders of Class C Shares. The Paying Agent also shall determine the Dividends payable on each Dividend Date and give notice thereof (including the applicable rate, amount, the applicable period and payment) to the holders of Class C Shares. The notices set forth in this paragraph shall be sent by first class mail to the address of each holder of Class C Shares as it appears on the register kept by the Registrar and shall be available at the offices of the Paying Agent.

SECTION 4.02 Dividend Restrictions. (a) No cash dividend or other distribution may be declared or paid or set apart for payment on any Junior Shares and neither the Corporation nor any of its Affiliates may purchase or redeem for cash any outstanding Junior Shares, unless:

(i) full Dividends have been declared and paid or set apart for payment on the Class C Shares in an amount at least equal to the greater of (A) the Dividends payable during such Dividend Period at the Class C Share Indicative Rate or (B) the dividends paid by the Corporation on the Corresponding Number of Junior Shares (as defined below) during such Dividend Period (treating any cash payment in connection with a purchase or redemption of Junior Shares by the Corporation as a cash dividend);

 

6


(ii) Partnership II has paid the full amount of RegCaPS II Payments for the current RegCaPS II Payment Period; and

(iii) such repurchase or redemption does not cause the net worth of the Corporation to be less than the Minimum Net Worth Amount.

(b) (i) If a Dividend is paid on the Class C Shares during any Dividend Period at a rate less than the Class C Share Indicative Rate, the Corporation may not make any dividend payments on the Junior Shares and may only make dividend payments on its other securities that rank pari passu with the Class C Shares, if any, in the same proportion as the partial Dividend paid on the Class C Shares for the current Dividend Period bears to the full Dividend payment determined for such Dividend Period at the Class C Share Indicative Rate.

(ii) For so long as the RegCaPS II are outstanding, if a partial RegCaPS II Payment is made for any RegCaPS II Payment Period, the Corporation may not make any dividend payments on its Junior Shares and may only make dividend payments on its other securities that rank pari passu with the Class C Shares in the same proportion as the lesser of (i) the proportion the partial RegCaPS II Payment made for the current RegCaPS II Payment Period bears to the RegCaPS II Payment determined for such RegCaPS II Payment Period and (ii) the proportion the partial Dividend paid on the Class C Shares for the corresponding Dividend Period bears to the Dividend payment determined for such Dividend Period at the Class C Share Indicative Rate.

Additionally, for so long as the Trust Capital Securities II, RegCaPS II or Class C Shares are outstanding, all shares of common or preferred stock issued by majority-owned subsidiaries of the Corporation which shares are not beneficially owned by the Corporation or its wholly-owned subsidiaries will be subject to the restrictions set forth above on the payment of dividends and other payments.

(c) The various payment restrictions and obligations described in Section 4.02 above and applicable in respect of any Dividend Period or RegCaPS II Payment Period in which a Dividend on the Class C Shares is not paid in any amount at least equal to the Class C Share Indicative Rate or the full amount of RegCaPS II Payments is not paid shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the extent that any Gross-Up Payment (as defined below) to Qualified Investors (as defined below) is not declared and paid or set apart for payment as and when due in respect of a fiscal year, provided that such payment restrictions and obligations will remain in effect, not only during the current Dividend Period or RegCaPS II Payment Period, but until such Gross-Up Payment is declared and paid or set apart for payment.

(d) For purposes of determining whether the Dividends paid or set apart for payment on the Class C Shares for a Dividend Period are sufficient to permit a cash dividend or other distribution on the Junior Shares or a purchase or redemption of Junior Shares for cash, each Class C Share will correspond to a specific number of Junior Shares (the “CORRESPONDING NUMBER OF JUNIOR SHARES”). The initial Corresponding Number of Junior Shares will be 2.2996

 

7


Common Shares, which the Board of Directors has determined reflects the fair value of a single Class C Share relative to the fair value of a single Junior Share, and will be subject to adjustment if the Corporation (A) pays all or a portion of a dividend or other distribution with respect to any class of Junior Shares by issuing additional Junior Shares, (B) subdivides or splits the outstanding shares of any class of its Junior Shares into a larger number of shares, (C) combines the outstanding shares of any class of its Junior Shares into a smaller number of shares or (D) issues by reclassification of the shares of any class of its Junior Shares any shares of any other class of Junior Shares. In any such event, the Corresponding Number of Junior Shares will be multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Junior Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of Junior Shares outstanding immediately before such event. If, as a result of such event, any class of Junior Shares other than Common Shares is outstanding, the number of such other Junior Shares equivalent to one Common Share shall be determined by the Board of Directors in good faith for purposes of making the foregoing adjustment to the Corresponding Number of Junior Shares.

(e) The Corporation intends that the holders of the RegCaPS II and the Trust Capital Securities II shall be third party beneficiaries of, and entitled to enforce, the provisions of this Section 4.02, as if such provisions constituted a contract between the Corporation and the holders of the Class C Shares, and the holders of the RegCaPS II and the Trust Capital Securities II were third-party beneficiaries to such contract.

SECTION 4.03 Issuance, Purchase and Redemption of Junior Shares. Other than in the circumstances described in Section 4.02 above, the Corporation shall not issue any Junior Shares or purchase or redeem any outstanding Junior Shares unless, prior to such issuance, purchase or redemption, the Board of Directors determines in good faith that the terms of such issuance, purchase or redemption reflect the fair value of the Junior Shares to be issued, purchased or redeemed. In addition, the Corporation will not purchase or redeem any Junior Shares if such purchase or redemption would cause the net worth of the Corporation (determined in accordance with US GAAP), as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter and after giving affect to such purchase or redemption, to be less than the Minimum Net Worth Amount.

SECTION 4.04 Payment of Dividends. Dividends and other payments on the Class C Shares will be payable to the holders thereof as they appear on the books and records of the Corporation on the relevant record dates, which will be one Business Day prior to the relevant Dividend Date or other payment date. Such Dividends will be paid through the Paying Agent who will hold amounts received from the Corporation in respect of the Class C Shares for the benefit of the holders of the Class C Shares. In the event that any Class C Shares do not remain in book-entry only form, the relevant record dates shall be the 15th day of the month of the relevant Dividend Date or other payment date. In the event that any Dividend Date is not a Business Day, payment of the Dividends payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day (without any interest or other payment in respect of the dividends subject to such delay), except that, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day, in each case with the same force and effect as if made on such date. If a Dividend is not paid in full on the applicable Dividend Date, notice of the failure to pay such Dividend will be sent to each holder of Class C Shares by first-class mail to such holder’s address as shown in the register kept by the Registrar.

 

8


SECTION 4.05 Intentionally Omitted.

SECTION 4.06 Earnings and Profits Gross-up Payments. (a) To the extent that dividends paid with respect to the Class C Shares or Common Shares exceed the Corporation’s earnings and profits as calculated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, they will not constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes and will not qualify for the dividends-received deduction. In such event, additional distributions will be made by the Corporation to place each holder of the Class C Shares in the same position it would have been in if all dividends from the Corporation were paid from such earnings and profits, assuming for these purposes that such holder was eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

(b) If any Dividend on the Class C Shares with respect to any fiscal year (including any Gross-Up Payment (as defined below)) constitutes, in whole or in part, a return of capital (or is treated as gain from the sale or exchange of the Class C Shares) (a “QUALIFYING DIVIDEND”), the Corporation will pay (if declared), within 180 days after the end of such fiscal year, out of funds legally available therefor, an amount equal to the aggregate Gross-Up Payments to Qualified Investors (as defined below) with respect to all Qualifying Dividends on the Class C Shares during such fiscal year. A “QUALIFIED INVESTOR” with respect to a Qualifying Dividend during a fiscal year means a person who was entitled to receive such Qualifying Dividend.

(c) A “GROSS-UP PAYMENT” to a Qualified Investor with respect to all Qualifying Dividends during a fiscal year means an additional Dividend on the Class C Shares to a Qualifying Investor in an amount which, when taken together with the aggregate Qualifying Dividends paid to such Qualified Investor during such fiscal year, would cause such Qualified Investor’s net yield in dollars (after U.S. federal income tax consequences and treating, for purposes of calculating net yield in dollars, the sum of that portion of the Qualifying Dividends and the Gross-Up Payment otherwise treated as a return of capital as capital gain recognized upon the taxable sale or exchange of Class C Shares) from the aggregate of both the Qualifying Dividends and the Gross-Up Payment to be equal to the net yield in dollars (after U.S. federal income tax consequences) which would have been received by such Qualified Investor if the entire amount of the aggregate Qualifying Dividends had instead been treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Such Gross-Up Payment shall be calculated using the applicable maximum marginal U.S. federal corporate income tax rate applicable to ordinary income and capital gains, as the case may be, and, where applicable, the dividends-received deduction, as specified in Section 243(a)(i) of the Code or any successor provision, without consideration being given to the time value of money, the U.S. federal income tax situation of any specific Qualified Investor, or any state or local tax consequences that may arise. The Corporation shall make a determination, based upon the reasonably estimated earnings and profits of that portion, if any, of a Qualifying Dividend for a fiscal year that will be treated as dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and such determination shall be final and binding for purposes of calculating the amount of the Gross-Up Payments with respect to all Qualifying Dividends for such fiscal year.

 

9


ARTICLE 5

LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE

SECTION 5.01 Liquidation Preference. (a) In the event of any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for the liabilities of the Corporation and the expenses of such dissolution, liquidation or winding up, the holders of the outstanding Class C Shares will be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Corporation or proceeds thereof available for distribution to holders of Class C Shares, before any payment or distribution of assets is made to holders of the Common Shares or any other Junior Shares, the Class C Share Liquidation Amount. If the assets of the Corporation available for distribution in such event are insufficient to pay in full the aggregate amount payable to holders of the Class C Shares and holders of all other classes or series of equity securities of the Corporation, if any, ranking, as to the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, on a parity with the Class C Shares, the assets will be distributed to the holders of Class C Shares and holders of such other equity interests pro rata, based on the full respective preferential amounts to which they are entitled. After payment of the full amount of the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation to which they are entitled, the holders of Class C Shares will not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of assets by the Corporation.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 5.01(a) above, holders of Class C Shares will not be entitled to be paid any amount in respect of a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation until holders of any classes or series of securities of the Corporation ranking, as to the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, prior to the Class C Shares have been paid all amounts to which such classes or series are entitled. At the time of issuance of the Class C Shares, no class or series of securities of the Corporation ranking prior to the Class C Shares with respect to the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation exists other than the Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock.

(c) Notwithstanding anything else in this Schedule 2, neither the sale, lease or exchange (for cash, shares of stock, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation, nor the merger, consolidation or combination of the Corporation into or with any other person or the merger, consolidation or combination of any other. person into or with the Corporation, shall be deemed to be a dissolution, liquidation or winding up, voluntary or involuntary, for the purposes of this Section 5.01.

ARTICLE 6

REDEMPTION

SECTION 6.01 Optional Redemption. (a) The Class C Shares will not be subject to mandatory redemption at any time. Prior to March 1, 2030, Class C Shares will not be subject to optional redemption. On or after March 1, 2030, Class C Shares may be redeemed at the option of the Corporation at any time, in whole but not in part, at their fair market value (the “REDEMPTION AMOUNT”) as determined by a nationally recognized investment bank retained by

 

10


the Corporation, based on the amount that would have been payable with respect to such Class C Share if the Corporation were liquidated as of the applicable redemption date and, immediately prior to such liquidation, such Class C Share were converted into the Corresponding Number of Junior Shares.

SECTION 6.02 Procedure for Redemption. (a) Notice of any redemption of the Class C Shares (a “REDEMPTION NOTICE”) will be given by the Corporation by mail to each holder of Class C Shares not fewer than 30 nor more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. For purposes of the calculation of the date of redemption and the dates on which notices are given pursuant to this Section 6.02(a), a Redemption Notice shall be deemed to be given on the day such notice is first mailed, by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to holders of the Class C Shares. Each Redemption Notice shall be addressed to the holders of Class C Shares at the address of each such holder appearing in the books and records of the Corporation. No defect in the Redemption Notice or in the mailing thereof with respect to any holder of Class C Shares shall affect the validity of the redemption proceedings with respect to any other holder of Class C Shares.

(b) If the Corporation gives a Redemption Notice (which notice will be irrevocable), then by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the redemption date, the Corporation (A) if the Class C Shares are in book-entry form with the Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”), will deposit irrevocably with DTC funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Amount and will give DTC irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the Redemption Amount in respect of the Class C Shares held through DTC in global form or (B) if the Class C Shares are held in certificated form (each such certificate a “Class C Share Certificate”), will deposit with the Paying Agent, funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Amount of any such Class C Shares and will give to the Paying Agent irrevocable instructions and authority to pay such amounts to the holders of Class C Shares, upon surrender of their certificates, by delivery of check, mailed to the address of the relevant holder appearing on the books and records of the Corporation on the redemption date. For these purposes, the applicable Redemption Amount shall not include Dividends which are being paid to holders of Class C Shares who were holders of Class C Shares on a relevant record date. Upon satisfaction of the foregoing conditions, then immediately prior to the close of business on the date of such deposit or payment, all rights of holders of Class C Shares so called for redemption will cease, except the right of the holders of Class C Shares to receive the Redemption Amount, but without interest on such Redemption Amount, and from and after the date fixed for redemption, such Class C Shares will not receive dividends or bear interest.

(c) In the event that any date fixed for redemption of Class C Shares is not a Business Day, then payment of the Redemption Amount payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding Business Day (and without any interest in respect of any such delay), except that, if such Business Day falls in the next calendar year, such payment will be made on the immediately preceding Business Day in each case, with the same force and effect as if made on such date fixed for redemption. In the event that payment of the Redemption Amount is improperly withheld or refused and not paid by the Corporation, Dividends on the Class C Shares called for redemption will continue to be payable in accordance with the terms hereof from the original redemption date until the Redemption Amount is actually paid.

 

11


(d) The Corporation shall not be required to register or cause to be registered the transfer of any Class C Shares which have been called for redemption.

(e) Except as provided in Article 10, the Class C Shares which have been issued and reacquired in any manner, including shares purchased or redeemed, shall (upon compliance with any applicable provisions of the laws of the State of Delaware) have the status of authorized and unissued Class C Shares and may be reissued.

ARTICLE 7

VOTING RIGHTS

SECTION 7.01 Voting Rights. (a) The holders of the Class C Shares will be entitled to one vote per share and will be entitled to vote with the Common Shares as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the Common Shares (other than those matters affecting only the Common Shares). Except as provided in Article 10, prior to transferring ownership of any Class C Shares to a transferee other than Partnership II or Trust II, such Class C Shares shall be converted to the same number of shares of a class of stock of the Corporation (the “CONVERSION SHARES”) having rights, preferences and privileges substantially identical to the Class C Shares except that the Conversion Shares will be entitled to no voting rights other than as required by law and other than with respect to adverse amendments to the terms of the Conversion Shares and the issuance of equity securities that rank senior to or pari passu with the Conversion Shares with respect to the payment of dividends or amounts upon liquidation.

(b) The holders of the Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares will be entitled to vote separately as a single class on the matters described in this paragraph. The consent of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding Class C Shares and Conversion Shares, voting as a single class, is required (i) to amend, alter, supplement or repeal the terms of the Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares (it being a condition to any such amendment, alteration, supplement or repeal that it have a substantially identical effect on the rights, preferences and privileges of both the Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares), or (ii) if the Corporation has not paid in full the lesser of (A) each of the last four Dividends on their respective Dividend Payment Dates or (B) prior to the fourth scheduled Dividend Payment Date, all Dividends that could have been paid on the Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares, for the Corporation to issue, or to increase the authorized amount of, the Class C Shares or the Conversion Shares or any other equity securities that rank pari passu with or senior to the Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares. Further, if the Corporation has paid in full the lesser of (A) each of the last four Dividends at the Class C Share Indicative Rate on their respective Dividend Payment Dates or (B) prior to the fourth scheduled Dividend Payment Date, all Dividends that could have been paid on the Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares, the Corporation may issue an unlimited amount of additional Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares and other equity securities that rank pari passu with the Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares without the consent of the holders of the Class C Shares or the Conversion Shares.

(c) Whenever Dividends on the Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares are in arrears for five or more consecutive Dividend Periods, the holders of Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares, voting as a single class, will be entitled, subject to any necessary regulatory

 

12


actions, to elect two Special Independent Directors to the Board of Directors, subject to any necessary regulatory actions, at a special meeting called by the holders of record of at least 25% of the Class C Shares and the Conversion Shares in the aggregate. The Special Independent Directors shall vacate office if Dividends are resumed and are paid regularly for at least two consecutive Dividend Periods.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall have the right, without the prior consent of the holders of Class C Shares, to amend, alter, supplement or repeal any terms of the Class C Shares (i) to cure any ambiguity, or to cure, correct or supplement any defective provision thereof or (ii) to make any other provision with respect to matters or questions arising with respect to the Class C Shares that is not inconsistent with the provisions thereof so long as such action does not materially and adversely affect any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of Class C Shares; provided however, that any increase in the amount of authorized or issued Class C Shares will be deemed not to materially and adversely affect any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of Class C Shares.

(e) The consent or votes required in Section 7.01(b) and (c) above shall be in addition to any approval of stockholders of the Corporation which may be required by law or pursuant to any provision of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws, which approval shall be obtained by vote of the stockholders of the Corporation in the manner provided in Section 7.01(a) above.

SECTION 7.02 No Affiliate Voting. Notwithstanding that holders of Class C Shares are entitled to vote or consent under any of the circumstances described above, any of the Class C Shares at such time that are beneficially owned by the Corporation or by any entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, the Corporation shall not be entitled to vote or consent and shall, for purposes of such vote or consent, be treated as if they were not outstanding; provided, however, that persons (other than Affiliates of the Corporation) to whom the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries have pledged Class C Shares may vote or consent with respect to such pledged Class C Shares pursuant to the terms of such pledge; provided, further, that any Class C Shares held in the trust may be voted in accordance with this Certificate; provided that any Class C Shares held by Partnership II or Trust II may be voted in accordance with the terms of the Class C Shares by Trust II or Partnership II, respectively.

ARTICLE 8

MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR AMALGAMATION OF THE CORPORATION

SECTION 8.01 Merger, Consolidation or Amalgamation of the Corporation. The Corporation may not consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, any corporation or other entity, except as described below. The Corporation may, with the consent of at least one of the Special Independent Directors, if any, on the Board of Directors at the time the issue is considered and without the consent of the holders of the Class C Shares, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced by a corporation organized as such under the laws of any State of the United States; provided, that:

(a) if the Corporation is not the survivor, such successor entity either (x) expressly assumes all of the obligations of the Corporation under the Class C Shares or (y) substitutes securities for the Class C Shares (the “SUCCESSOR SECURITIES”), so long as the Successor Securities rank the same as the Class C Shares rank with respect to Dividends and other payments thereon;

 

13


(b) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement does not adversely affect any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the Class C shares (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect;

(c) prior to such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement, the Corporation has received an opinion of a nationally recognized law firm experienced in such matters to the effect that: (i) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement will not adversely affect any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the Class C Shares (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect and (ii) following such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement, the Corporation (or such successor entity) will not be required to register under the 1940 Act; and

(d) distributions with respect to the Successor Securities would be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

ARTICLE 9

TRANSFER OF CLASS C SHARES

SECTION 9.01 General. The Corporation shall provide for the registration of Class C Share Certificates and for transfers of Class C Share Certificates. Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Class C Share Certificate, the Corporation shall cause one or more new Class C Share Certificates to be issued in the name of the designated transferee or transferees. Every Class C Share Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer shall be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Corporation duly executed by the holder of such Class C Shares or his or her attorney duly authorized in writing. Each Class C Share Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer shall be cancelled by the Corporation. A transferee of a Class C Share Certificate shall be entitled to the rights and subject to the obligations of a holder of Class C Shares hereunder upon the receipt by the transferee of a Class C Share Certificate, which receipt shall be deemed to constitute a request by such transferee that the books and records of the Corporation reflect such transferee as a holder of Class C Shares.

SECTION 9.02 Definitive Certificates. Unless and until the Corporation issues a global Class C Share Certificate pursuant to Section 9.03(a) the Corporation shall only issue definitive Class C Share Certificates to the holders of Class C Shares. The Corporation may treat the Person in whose name any Class C Share Certificate shall be registered on the books and records of the Corporation as the sole holder of such Class C Share Certificate and of the Class C Shares represented by such Class C Share Certificate for purposes of receiving Dividends and for all other purposes whatsoever (including without limitation, tax returns and information reports) and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in

 

14


such Class C Share Certificate or in the Class C Shares represented by such Class C Share Certificate on the part of any other Person, whether or not the Corporation shall have actual or other notice thereof

SECTION 9.03 Book Entry Provisions.

(a) General. The provisions of this Section 9.03(a) shall apply only in the event that the Class C Shares are distributed to the holders of RegCaPS II or Trust Securities II in connection with the involuntary or voluntary dissolution, winding up or liquidation of Partnership II or of Trust II. Upon the occurrence of such event, a global Class C Share Certificate representing the Book-Entry Interests shall be delivered to DTC, the initial Clearing Agency, by, or on behalf of the Corporation and any previously issued and still outstanding definitive Class C Share Certificates shall be of no further force and effect. The global Class C Share Certificate shall initially be registered on the books and records of the Corporation in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of DTC, and no holder of Class C Shares will receive a new definitive Class C Share Certificate representing such holder’s interests in such Class C Share Certificate, except as provided in Section 9.03(c). In connection with the involuntary or voluntary dissolution, winding up or liquidation of Partnership II and of Trust II, Cede & Co., the nominee of DTC, shall automatically be deemed to be the holder of all of the Class C Shares. Unless and until new definitive, fully registered Class C Share Certificates (the “DEFINITIVE CLASS C SHARE CERTIFICATES”) have been issued to the holders of Class C Shares pursuant to Section 9.03(c):

(i) The provisions of this Section shall be in full force and effect;

(ii) The Corporation shall be entitled to deal with the Clearing Agency for all purposes of this Certificate (including the payment of Dividends, Redemption Amounts and liquidation proceeds on the Class C Share Certificates and receiving approvals, votes or consents hereunder) as the sole holder of the Class C Share Certificates and shall have no obligation to the holders of Class C Shares;

(iii) None of the Corporation, the Board of Directors, or any Special Independent Director or any agents of any of the foregoing shall have any liability or responsibility for any aspect of the records relating to or Dividends made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a global Class C Share Certificate for such beneficial ownership interests or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests; and

(iv) Except as provided in Section 9.03(c) below, the holders of Class C Shares will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of the Class C Shares in definitive form and will not be considered holders thereof for any purpose under this Certificate of Designations, and no global Class C Share Certificate representing Class C Shares shall be exchangeable, except for another global Class C Share Certificate of like denomination and tenor to be registered in the name of DTC or Cede & Co., or to a successor Depositary or its nominee. Accordingly, each holder of Class C Shares must rely on the procedures of DTC or if such person is not a Participant, on the procedures of the Participant through which such person owns its interest to exercise any rights of a holder under this Certificate of Designations.

 

15


(b) Notices to Clearing Agency. Whenever a notice or other communication to the holders of Class C Shares is required under the Partnership Agreement, unless and until definitive Class C Share Certificates shall have been issued to the holders of Class C Shares pursuant to Section 9.03(c) the Corporation shall give all such notices and communications specified herein to be given to the holders of Class C Shares to the Clearing Agency, and shall have no obligations to the holders of Class C Shares.

(c) Definitive Class C Share Certificates. Definitive Class C Share Certificates shall be prepared by the Corporation and exchangeable for the global Class C Share Certificate or Certificates if and only if (i) the Depositary notifies the Corporation that it is unwilling or unable to continue its services as a securities Depositary and no successor Depositary shall have been appointed, (ii) the Depositary, at any time, ceases to be a Clearing Agency registered under the Exchange Act at such time as the Depositary is required to be so registered to act as such Depositary and no successor Depositary shall have been appointed, or (iii) the Corporation, in its sole discretion, determines that such global Class C Share Certificate shall be so exchangeable. Upon surrender of the global Class C Share Certificate or Certificates representing the Book-Entry Interests by the Clearing Agency, accompanied by registration instructions, the Corporation shall cause definitive Class C Share Certificates to be delivered to holders of Class C Shares in accordance with the instructions of the Clearing Agency. The Corporation shall not be liable for any delay in delivery of such instructions and may conclusively rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, such instructions. The definitive Class C Share Certificates shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or may be produced in any other manner as may be required by any national securities exchange on which Class C Shares may be listed and is reasonably acceptable to the Corporation, as evidenced by its execution thereof.

SECTION 9.04 Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying Agent.

(a) The Corporation will act as Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying Agent for the Class C Shares for so long as the Class C Shares are held by Partnership II or, if Partnership II is liquidated in connection with a Partnership Tax Event, for so long as the Class C Shares remain in book-entry only form.

(b) Except in such case where the Corporation shall act as Registrar or Paying Agent pursuant to Section 9.04(a) hereof, the Corporation shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, State of New York (i) an office or agency where Class C Shares may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (“REGISTRAR”) and (ii) an office or agency where Class C Shares may be presented for payment (“PAYING AGENT”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Class C Shares and of their transfer and exchange. The Corporation may appoint the Registrar and the Paying Agent and may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents in such other locations as it shall determine. The term “PAYING AGENT” includes any additional paying agent. The Corporation may change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without prior notice to any holder. If the Corporation fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar or Paying Agent, the Corporation shall act as such.

(c) Registration of transfers of Class C Shares shall be effected without charge by or on behalf of the Corporation, but upon payment (with the giving of such indemnity as the Corporation may require) in respect of any tax or other governmental charges that may be imposed.

 

16


SECTION 9.05 Transfer Restrictions. The Class C Shares may only be transferred (i) to QIBs and (ii) to IAIs who, if they are not QIBs, prior to such transfer, furnish to the Corporation or the Transfer Agent a signed letter containing certain representations and agreements relating to restrictions on transfer by such IAI. The foregoing restriction may be waived if the Corporation, in its sole discretion, determines such restrictions are no longer necessary to preserve the Corporation’s exemptions from registration requirements under the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act and the 1940 Act. Any purported purchase or transfer of the Class C Shares in violation of such restrictions will be null and void. Furthermore the Corporation may also require the sale of Class C Shares held by holders who fail to comply with the foregoing.

ARTICLE 10

CONVERSION OF CLASS C SHARES

SECTION 10.01 Conversion of Class C Shares. Upon closing of the Initial Public Offering, each issued and outstanding Class C Share shall convert automatically (without any action required on the part of the holder) into a number of Common Shares equal to the amount provided in clause (i) of the definition of Class C Share Liquidation Amount divided by the IPO Price. The Class C Shares which have been converted shall be retired and become authorized but unissued shares of Class C Common Stock, but such shares may not be reissued.

ARTICLE 11

GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 11.01 General Provisions. The headings of the paragraphs, subparagraphs, clauses and subclauses of this Certificate of Designations are for convenience of reference only and shall not define, limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

17

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED

BY-LAWS

OF

ASSURANT, INC.

 

 

ARTICLE I.

STOCKHOLDERS

Section 1. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the corporation for the purpose of electing directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting shall be held on such date, and at such time and place, if any, within or without the State of Delaware as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the Class B Common Stock or the Class C Common Stock, special meetings of stockholders of the corporation may be called only by the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation or by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution approved by the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Except as otherwise provided by law, notice of the time, place, if any, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes of the meeting of stockholders shall be given not earlier than sixty, nor less than ten, days previous thereto, to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting at such address as appears on the records of the corporation.

Section 4. The holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business, except as otherwise provided by statute or by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Restated Certificate of Incorporation”); but if at any meeting of stockholders there shall be less than a quorum present, the stockholders present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice other than announcement at the meeting until a quorum shall be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or if, after the adjournment, a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.

Adopted May 12, 2017


Section 5. The Chairman of the Board, or in the Chairman’s absence or at the Chairman’s direction, the Chief Executive Officer, or in the Chief Executive Officer’s absence or at the Chief Executive Officer’s direction, any officer of the corporation shall call all meetings of the stockholders to order and shall act as Chairman of such meeting. The Secretary of the corporation or, in such officer’s absence, an Assistant Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting. If neither the Secretary nor an Assistant Secretary is present, the Chairman of the meeting shall appoint a secretary of the meeting. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors prior to the meeting, the Chairman of the meeting shall determine the order of business and shall have the authority in his or her discretion to regulate the conduct of any such meeting, including, without limitation, by imposing restrictions on the persons (other than stockholders of the corporation or their duly appointed proxies) who may attend any such meeting, whether any stockholder or stockholders’ proxy may be excluded from any meeting of stockholders based upon any determination by the Chairman, in his or her sole discretion, that any such person has unduly disrupted or is likely to disrupt the proceedings thereat, and the circumstances in which any person may make a statement or ask questions at any meeting of stockholders.

Section 6. At all meetings of stockholders, any stockholder entitled to vote thereat shall be entitled to vote in person or by proxy, but no proxy shall be voted after three years from its date, unless such proxy provides for a longer period. Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for the stockholder as proxy pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the following shall constitute a valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority: (1) a stockholder may execute a writing authorizing another person or persons to act for the stockholder as proxy, and execution of the writing may be accomplished by the stockholder or the stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent signing such writing or causing his or her signature to be affixed to such writing by any reasonable means including, but not limited to, by facsimile signature; or (2) a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for the stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of a telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission, provided that any such telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder. If it is determined that such telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmissions are valid, the inspectors or, if there are no such inspectors, such other persons making that determination shall specify the information upon which they relied.

Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission created pursuant to the preceding paragraph of this Section 6 may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.

 

2


Proxies shall be filed with the Secretary of the meeting prior to or at the commencement of the meeting to which they relate.

Section 7. When a quorum is present at any meeting, the vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the matter shall decide any question brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which by express provision of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, these By-Laws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the corporation, or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the corporation or its securities, a different vote is required, in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question.

Section 8. In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders (a) entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof or (b) entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date (i) in the case of clause (a) above, shall not be more than sixty nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting and (ii) in the case of clause (b) above, shall not be more than sixty days prior to such action. If for any reason the Board of Directors shall not have fixed a record date for any such purpose, the record date for such purpose shall be determined as provided by law. Only those stockholders of record on the date so fixed or determined shall be entitled to any of the foregoing rights, notwithstanding the transfer of any such stock on the books of the corporation after any such record date so fixed or determined.

Section 9. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the corporation shall prepare and make at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, at the principal place of business of the corporation. The list shall also be produced at the time and kept at the place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.

Section 10. The corporation, in advance of all meetings of the stockholders, shall appoint one or more inspectors, who may be employees of the corporation or stockholders or their proxies, but not directors of the corporation or candidates for office. In the event that the corporation fails to so appoint inspectors or, in the event that one or more inspectors previously designated by the corporation fails to appear or act at the meeting of stockholders, the Chairman of the meeting may appoint one or more inspectors to fill such vacancy or vacancies. Inspectors appointed to act at any meeting of the stockholders, before entering upon the discharge of their duties, shall be sworn faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of their ability and the oath so taken shall be subscribed by them by statute. Inspectors shall, subject to the power of the Chairman of the meeting to open and close the polls, take charge of the polls, and, after the voting, shall make a certificate of the result of the vote taken.

 

3


Section 11. (A)  Annual Meetings of Stockholders . (1) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the corporation and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders only (a) pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) delivered pursuant to Article I, Section 3 of these By-Laws, (b) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (c) by any stockholder of the corporation who is entitled to vote on such election or such business at the meeting, who complied with the notice procedures set forth in subparagraphs (2) and (3) of this paragraph (A) of this By-Law and who was a stockholder of record at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary of the corporation or (d) in the case of stockholder nominations to be included in the corporation’s proxy statement for an annual meeting, by a Nominating Stockholder (as defined in Article II, Section 10 of these By-Laws) who satisfies the notice, ownership and other requirements of Article II, Section 10 of these By-Laws.

(2) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to Section 11(A) (1) (c), the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the corporation, and, in the case of business other than nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors, such other business must be a proper matter for stockholder action. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided , however , that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than twenty days, or delayed by more than seventy days, from such anniversary date, to be timely, notice by the stockholder must be delivered not earlier than the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made; and provided further , that for purposes of the application of Rule 14a-4(c) of the Exchange Act (or any successor provision), the date for notice specified in this paragraph shall be the earlier of the date calculated as hereinbefore provided or the date specified in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 14a-4.

Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth (a) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected; (b) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the By-Laws of the corporation, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; (c) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) the class and number of shares of the corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner; (iii) a representation that the stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination; and (iv) a representation whether the stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (A) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (B) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination; (v) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the nomination or proposal and/or the voting of shares of any class or series of stock of the corporation between or among the stockholder giving the notice, the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, any of their respective affiliates or associates and/or any others acting in concert with any of the foregoing (collectively, “proponent persons”); and (vi) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including without limitation any contract to purchase or sell, any acquisition or grant of any option, right or warrant to purchase or sell; or any swap or other instrument), the intent or effect of which may be (A) to transfer to or from any proponent person, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security of the corporation, (B) to increase or decrease the voting power of any proponent person with respect to shares of any class or series of stock of the corporation and/or (C) to provide any proponent person, directly or indirectly, with the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from, or to otherwise benefit economically from, any increase or decrease in the value of any security of the corporation. A stockholder providing notice of a proposed nomination for election to the Board of Directors or other business proposed to be brought before a meeting (whether given pursuant to this paragraph (A)(2) or paragraph (B) of this By-Law) shall update and supplement such notice from time to time to the extent necessary so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 15 days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof; such update and supplement shall be delivered in writing to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than 5 days after the record date for the meeting (in the case of any update and supplement required to be made as of the record date), and not later than 10 days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of any update and supplement required to be made as of 15 days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). The corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the corporation.

 

4


(3) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of the corporation is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by the corporation at least eighty days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this By-Law 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 offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the corporation before the meeting: provided that, if no such announcement is made at least ten days before the meeting, then no such notice shall be required.

 

5


(A)  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 pursuant to Article I, Section 2 of these By-Laws. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting (a) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (b) by any stockholder of the corporation who is entitled to vote at the meeting, who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 11 and who is a stockholder of record at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary of the corporation. Nominations of stockholders of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders if a stockholder’s notice containing the information that would be required in a notice for an annual meeting under paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth 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.

(B)  General. Subject to Article II hereof, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this By-Law shall be eligible to serve 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 the procedures set forth in this By-Law. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, the Chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made in accordance with the procedures set forth in this By-Law and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with this By-Law, to declare that such defective nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the corporation to present a nomination or business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the corporation. For purposes of this Section 11, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.

(1) For purposes of this By-Law, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

6


(2) For purposes of this By-Law, no adjournment or postponement nor notice of adjournment or postponement of any meeting shall be deemed to constitute a new notice of such meeting for purposes of this Section 11, and in order for any notification required to be delivered by a stockholder pursuant to this Section 11 to be timely, such notification must be delivered within the periods set forth above with respect to the originally scheduled meeting.

(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this By-Law, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this By-Law. Nothing in this By-Law shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or the rights of the holders of any class or series of capital stock to elect directors pursuant to any provision of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

ARTICLE II.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. Except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors of the corporation shall consist of such number of directors as shall from time to time be fixed exclusively by resolution of the Board of Directors. The Directors shall be elected annually for a term of one year or until their respective successors are elected and qualified, as set forth in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the corporation. Directors shall (except as hereinafter provided for the filling of vacancies and newly created directorships) be elected by the holders of a majority of votes cast; provided, however, that if the number of director nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected, the director nominees shall be elected by a plurality of the voting power present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote. For purposes of this Section 1, a majority of votes cast means that the number of shares voted “for” a director’s election must exceed the number of votes cast “against” that director’s election. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors has established guidelines pursuant to which any incumbent director who is not elected shall promptly offer to tender his or her resignation for consideration by the Board of Directors. A majority of the total number of directors then in office (but not less than one-third of the number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and, except as otherwise provided by law or by the corporation’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation or by these By-Laws, the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors. Directors need not be stockholders.

Section 2. Unless otherwise required by law and except as provided in the next succeeding sentence or Section 4 of this Article II, newly created directorships in the Board of Directors that result from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors may be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director; and the directors so chosen shall hold office for a term as set forth in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the corporation.

 

7


Section 3. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such place within or without the State of Delaware as may from time to time be fixed by resolution of the Board or as may be specified in the notice of any meeting. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times as may from time to time be fixed by resolution of the Board and special meetings may be held at any time upon the call of the Chairman of the Board or the President, or written notice including, telegraph, telex or transmission of a telecopy, e-mail or other means of transmission, duly served on or sent or mailed to each director to such director’s address or telecopy number as shown on the books of the corporation not less than 24 hours before the meeting. The notice of any meeting need not specify the purposes thereof. A meeting of the Board may be held without notice immediately after the annual meeting of stockholders at the same place at which such meeting is held. Notice need not be given of regular meetings of the Board held at times fixed by resolution of the Board. Notice of any meeting need not be given to any director who shall attend such meeting in person (except when the director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened), or who shall waive notice thereof, before or after such meeting, in writing.

Section 4. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock, the Class B Common Stock or the Class C Common Stock issued by the corporation shall have the right, voting separately by series or class, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal, and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of the Certificate of Designation or Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as the case may be, applicable thereto. The number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock, the Class B Common Stock or the Class C Common Stock, if any, shall be in addition to the number fixed by or pursuant to the By-Laws. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the terms of such series or class, the number of directors that may be so elected by the holders of any such series or class of stock shall be elected for terms expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders, and vacancies among directors so elected by the separate vote of the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock, the Class B Common Stock or the Class C Common Stock shall be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors elected by such series or class, or, if there are no such remaining directors, by the holders of such series or class in the same manner in which such series or class initially elected a director.

Section 5. If at any meeting for the election of directors, the corporation has outstanding more than one class of stock, and one or more such classes or series thereof are entitled to vote separately as a class, and there shall be a quorum of only one such class or series of stock, that class or series of stock shall be entitled to elect its quota of directors notwithstanding absence of a quorum of the other class or series of stock.

Section 6. The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of the committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he, she or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent permitted by law shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the corporation.

 

8


Section 7. Unless otherwise restricted by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors in accordance with applicable law.

Section 8. The members of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee, as the case may be, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this subsection shall constitute presence in person at such a meeting.

Section 9. The Board of Directors may establish policies for the compensation of directors and for the reimbursement of the expenses of directors, in each case, in connection with services provided by directors to the corporation.

Section 10. Stockholder Nominations Included in the Corporation’s Proxy Materials.

(a) Inclusion of Nominee in Proxy Statement . Subject to the provisions of this Section 10, if expressly requested in the relevant Nomination Notice (as defined below), the corporation shall include in its proxy statement for any annual meeting of stockholders:

(i) the name of any person or persons nominated for election (each a “Nominee”), which shall also be included on the corporation’s form of proxy and ballot, by any Eligible Holder (as defined below) or group of up to 20 Eligible Holders that has (individually and collectively, in the case of a group) satisfied, as determined by the Board of Directors, all applicable conditions and complied with all applicable procedures set forth in this Section 10 (such Eligible Holder or group of Eligible Holders being a “Nominating Stockholder’’);

(ii) disclosure about each Nominee and the Nominating Stockholder required under the rules of the SEC or other applicable law to be included in the proxy statement;

(iii) any statement included by the Nominating Stockholder in the Nomination Notice for inclusion in the proxy statement in support of each Nominee’s election to the Board of Directors (subject, without limitation, to Section 10 (e)(ii)), if such statement does not exceed 500 words and fully complies with Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Rule 14a-9 (the “Supporting Statement”), and

(iv) any other information that the corporation or the Board of Directors determines, in its discretion, to include in the proxy statement relating to the nomination of each Nominee, including, without limitation, any statement in opposition to the nomination, any of the information provided pursuant to this Section and any solicitation materials or related information with respect to a Nominee.

 

9


For purposes of this Section 10, any determination to be made by the Board of Directors may be made by the Board of Directors, a committee of the Board of Directors or any officer of the corporation designated by the Board of Directors or a committee of the Board of Directors, and shall be final and binding on the corporation, any Eligible Holder, any Nominating Stockholder, any Nominee and any other person so long as made in good faith (without any further requirements). The Chair of any annual meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall have the power and duty to determine whether a Nominee has been nominated in accordance with the requirements of this Section 10 and, if not so nominated, shall direct and declare at the meeting that such Nominee shall not be considered.

 

(b) Maximum Number of Nominees .

(i) The corporation shall not be required to include in the proxy statement for an annual meeting of stockholders more Nominees than that number of directors constituting the greater of (i) two or (ii) 20% of the total number of directors of the corporation on the last day on which a Nomination Notice may be submitted pursuant to this Section 10 (rounded down to the nearest whole number) (the “Maximum Number”). The Maximum Number for a particular annual meeting shall be reduced by: (1) Nominees who the Board of Directors itself decides to nominate for election at such annual meeting; (2) the number of individuals who will be included in the corporation’s proxy materials as nominees recommended by the Board of Directors pursuant to an agreement, arrangement or other understanding with a shareholder or group of shareholders (other than any such agreement, arrangement or understanding entered into in connection with an acquisition of shares from the corporation by such shareholder or group of shareholders); (3) Nominees who cease to satisfy, or Nominees of Nominating Stockholders that cease to satisfy, the eligibility requirements in this Section 10, as determined by the Board of Directors; (4) Nominees whose nomination is withdrawn by the Nominating Stockholder or who become unwilling to serve on the Board of Directors; and (5) the number of incumbent directors who had been Nominees with respect to any of the preceding two annual meetings of stockholders and whose reelection at the upcoming annual meeting is being recommended by the Board of Directors.

(ii) In the event that one or more vacancies for any reason occur on the Board of Directors after the deadline set forth in subsection (d) of this Section 10, but before the date of the annual meeting, and the Board of Directors resolves to reduce the size of the Board in connection therewith, the Maximum Number shall be calculated based on the number of Directors in office as so reduced.

Any Nominating Stockholder submitting more than one Nominee for inclusion in the Proxy Statement pursuant to this Section 10 shall rank such Nominees based on the order that the Nominating Stockholder desires such Nominees to be selected for inclusion in the proxy statement. In the event that the total number of Nominees submitted by Nominating Stockholders exceeds the Maximum Number, the highest ranking Nominee submitted by each Nominating Stockholder pursuant to this Section 10 will be selected for inclusion in the proxy statement until the Maximum Number is reached, going in order of the amount (largest to smallest) of the qualifying ownership position as disclosed in each Nominating Stockholder’s Nomination Notice, with the process repeated as necessary with respect to the next highest ranking Nominee of each Nominating Stockholder until the Maximum Number is reached. If, after the deadline for submitting a Nomination Notice as set forth in subsection (d) of this Section 10, a Nominating Stockholder becomes ineligible or withdraws its nomination or a Nominee becomes unwilling or unable to serve on the Board of Directors, whether before or after the mailing or other distribution of the definitive proxy statement, then the nomination shall be disregarded, and the corporation (A) shall not be required to include in its proxy statement or on any ballot or form of proxy the disregarded Nominee or any successor or replacement nominee proposed by the Nominating Stockholder or by any other Nominating Stockholder and (B) may otherwise communicate to its stockholders, including without limitation by amending or supplementing its proxy statement or ballot or form of proxy, that the Nominee will not be included as a Nominee in the proxy statement or on any ballot or form of proxy and such Nominee’s election will not be voted on at the annual meeting.

 

10


(c) Eligibility of Nominating Stockholder .

(i) An “Eligible Holder” is a person who has either (1) been a record holder of the shares of common stock used to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 10(c) continuously for the three-year period specified in Subsection (ii) below or (2) provides to the Secretary of the corporation, within the time period referred to in Section 10(d), evidence of continuous ownership of such shares for such three-year period from one or more securities intermediaries in a form that the Board of Directors determines would be deemed acceptable for purposes of a shareholder proposal under Rule 14a-8(b)(2) under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule).

(ii) An Eligible Holder or group of up to 20 Eligible Holders may submit a nomination in accordance with this Section 10 only if the person or group (in the aggregate) has continuously owned at least the Minimum Number (as defined below) of shares of the corporation’s common stock throughout the three-year period preceding and including the date of submission of the Nomination Notice, and continues to own at least the Minimum Number through the date of the annual meeting. Two or more funds that are (x) under common management and investment control, (y) under common management and funded primarily by a single employer, or (z) a “group of investment companies,” as such term is defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, shall be treated as one Eligible Holder if such Eligible Holder shall provide together with the Nomination Notice documentation reasonably satisfactory to the corporation that demonstrates that the funds meet the criteria set forth in (x), (y), or (z) hereof. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a nomination by a group of Eligible Holders, any and all requirements and obligations for an individual Eligible Holder that are set forth in this Section 10, including the minimum holding period, shall apply to each member of such group; provided, however, that the Minimum Number shall apply to the ownership of the group in the aggregate. Should any stockholder cease to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 10, as determined by the Board of Directors, or withdraw from a group of Eligible Holders at any time prior to the annual meeting of stockholders, the group of Eligible Stockholders shall only be deemed to own the shares held by the remaining members of the group.

 

11


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

(iv) For purposes of this Section 10, an Eligible Holder “owns” only those outstanding shares of the corporation as to which the Eligible Holder possesses both:

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

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

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

An Eligible Holder “owns” shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the Eligible Holder retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of directors and possesses the full economic interest in the shares. An Eligible Holder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the Eligible Holder has delegated any voting power by means of a proxy, power of attorney, or other similar instrument or arrangement that is revocable at any time by the Eligible Holder. An Eligible Holder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the Eligible Holder has loaned such shares provided that the Eligible Holder has the power to recall such loaned shares on five business days’ notice and, after being notified that any of its nominees will be included in the Company’s proxy materials, has recalled such loaned shares no later than the record date, and continues to hold such shares through the date of the annual meeting. The terms “owned,” “owning” and other variations of the word “own” shall have correlative meanings. Whether outstanding shares of the corporation are “owned” for these purposes shall be determined by the Board.

 

12


(v) No Eligible Holder shall be permitted to be in more than one group constituting a Nominating Stockholder, and if any Eligible Holder appears as a member of more than one group, it shall be deemed to be a member of the group that has the largest qualifying ownership position as reflected in the Nomination Notice.

(d) Nomination Notice . To nominate a Nominee, the Nominating Stockholder must have given timely notice thereof, in proper written form. To be timely, the notice must be delivered, or mailed and received, by the Secretary of the corporation at the principal executive office of the corporation, no earlier than 150 calendar days and no later than 120 calendar days before the anniversary of the date that the corporation distributed its proxy statement for the prior year’s annual meeting of stockholders. All of the following information and documents (collectively, the “Nomination Notice”) must be delivered; provided, however, that if (and only if) the annual meeting is not scheduled to be held within a period that commences 30 days before such anniversary date and ends 30 days after such anniversary date (an annual meeting date outside such period being referred to herein as an “Other Meeting Date”), the Nomination Notice shall be given in the manner provided herein by the later of the close of business on the date that is 180 days prior to such Other Meeting Date or the tenth day following the date such Other Meeting Date is first publicly announced or disclosed:

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

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

(A) the information required with respect to the nomination of directors pursuant to Article I, Section 11 (A) (2) of these Bylaws (advance notice Bylaws) ;

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

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

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

(E) a representation and warranty that each Nominee:

 

13


(1) does not have any direct or indirect relationship with the corporation that would cause such Nominee to be considered not independent pursuant to the corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and Director Independence Standards as most recently published on its website and otherwise qualifies as independent under the rules of the primary stock exchange on which the corporation’s shares of common stock are traded;

(2) meets the audit committee and compensation committee independence requirements under the rules of the primary stock exchange on which the corporation’s shares of common stock are traded; ·

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

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

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

(F) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder satisfies the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 10(c) and has provided evidence of ownership to the extent required by Section 10(c)(i);

(G) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder intends to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 10(c) through the date of the annual meeting and a statement regarding the Nominating Stockholder’s intent with respect to continued ownership of the Minimum Number of shares for at least one year following the annual meeting.

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

(I) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder will not engage in a “solicitation” within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) (without reference to the exception in Section 14a-1(l)(2)(iv)) (or any successor rules) with respect to the annual meeting, other than with respect to a Nominee or any nominee of the Board;

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

(K) if desired, a Supporting Statement, and

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

 

14


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

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

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

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

(D) to indemnify and hold harmless (jointly with all other group members, in the case of a group member) the corporation and each of its directors, officers and employees individually against any liability, loss, damages, expenses or other costs (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the corporation or any of its directors, officers or employees arising out of or relating to a failure or alleged failure of the Nominating Stockholder or any of its Nominees to comply with, or any breach or alleged breach of, its or their obligations, agreements or representations under this Section 10;

(E) in the event that any information included in the Nomination Notice, or any other communication by the Nominating Stockholder (including with respect to any group member), with the corporation, its stockholders or any other person in connection with the nomination or election ceases to be true and accurate in all material respects (or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made not misleading), or that the Nominating Stockholder (including any group member) has failed to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 10(c), to promptly (and in any event within 48 hours of discovering such misstatement, omission or failure) notify the corporation and any other recipient of such communication of (A) the misstatement or omission in such previously provided information and of the information that is required to correct the misstatement or omission or (B) such failure; and

(iv) An executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors, by each Nominee:

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

(B) that such Nominee consents to be named in the proxy statement as a nominee, to serve as a director if elected, and to the public disclosure of the information provided pursuant to this paragraph;

 

15


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

(D) that such Nominee has read and agrees, if elected, to serve as a member of the Board of Directors, to adhere to the corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Ethics, Related Party Transaction Policy, and any other corporation policies and guidelines applicable to directors; and

(E) that such Nominee is not and will not become a party to (i) any compensatory, payment or other financial agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity in connection with his or her nomination service or action as a director of the corporation that has not been disclosed to the corporation, (ii) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity as to how such Nominee would vote or act on any issue or question as a director (a “Voting Commitment”) that has not been disclosed to the corporation or (iii) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such Nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the corporation, with its fiduciary duties under applicable law.

        The information and documents required by this Section 10(d) to be provided by the Nominating Stockholder shall be: (i) provided with respect to and executed by each group member, in the case of information applicable to group members; and (ii) provided with respect to the persons specified in Instruction 1 to Items 6(c) and (d) of Schedule 14N (or any successor item) in the case of a Nominating Stockholder or group member that is an entity. The Nomination Notice shall be deemed submitted on the date on which all the information and documents referred to in this Section 10(d) (other than such information and documents contemplated to be provided after the date the Nomination Notice is provided) have been delivered to or, if sent by mail, received by the Secretary of the corporation.

(e) Exceptions .

(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 10, the corporation may omit from its proxy statement any Nominee and any information concerning such Nominee (including a Nominating Stockholder’s Supporting Statement) and no vote on such Nominee will occur (notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the corporation), and the Nominating Stockholder may not, after the last day on which a Nomination Notice would be timely, cure in any way any defect preventing the nomination of such Nominee, if:

(A) the corporation receives a notice pursuant to Article I, Section 11 (A) (2) of these By-Laws that a stockholder intends to nominate a candidate for director at the annual meeting, whether or not such notice is subsequently withdrawn or made the subject of a settlement with the corporation;

 

16


(B) the Nominating Stockholder or the designated lead group member, as applicable, or any qualified representative thereof, does not appear at the meeting of stockholders to present the nomination submitted pursuant to this Section 10, the Nominating Stockholder withdraws its nomination or the Chair of the annual meeting declares that such nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures prescribed by this Section 10 and shall therefore be disregarded;

(C) the Board of Directors determines that such Nominee’s nomination or election to the Board of Directors would result in the corporation violating or failing to be in compliance with the corporation’s By-Laws or certificate of incorporation or any applicable law, rule or regulation to which the corporation is subject, including any rules or regulations of the primary stock exchange on which the corporation’s common stock traded;

(D) such Nominee was included in the corporation’s proxy materials for either of the two most recent annual meetings of the corporation but either (i) withdrew from or became ineligible or unavailable for election at one or more of such annual meetings, or (ii) failed to receive at least 25% of the votes cast “for” the Nominee’s election at one or more of such annual meetings;

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

(F) the corporation is notified, or the Board of Directors determines, that the Nominating Stockholder or such Nominee has failed to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 10 (c), any of the representations and warranties made in the Nomination Notice ceases to be true and accurate in all material respects (or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made not misleading), such Nominee becomes unwilling or unable to serve on the Board of Directors or any material violation or breach occurs of the obligations, agreements, representations or warranties of such Nominating Stockholder or such Nominee under this Section 10;

(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 10, the corporation may omit from its proxy statement, or may supplement or correct, any information, including all or any portion of the Supporting Statement or any other statement in support of a Nominee included in the Nomination Notice, if the Board of Directors determines that:

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

(B) such information directly or indirectly impugns the character, integrity or personal reputation of, or directly or indirectly makes charges concerning improper, illegal or immoral conduct or associations, without factual foundation, with respect to, any person; or

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

 

17


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

ARTICLE III.

OFFICERS

Section 1. The Board of Directors, after each annual meeting of the stockholders, shall elect officers of the corporation, including a President and a Secretary. The Board of Directors may also from time to time elect such other officers (including one or more Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, one or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries and one or more Assistant Treasurers) as it may deem proper or may delegate to any elected officer of the corporation the power to appoint and remove any such other officers and to prescribe their respective terms of office, authorities and duties. Any Vice President may be designated Executive, Senior or Corporate, or may be given such other designation or combination of designations as the Board of Directors may determine. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person. The Board of Directors may also elect or appoint a Chairman of the Board who may or may not be an officer of the corporation.

Section 2. All officers of the corporation elected by the Board of Directors shall hold office for such term as may be determined by the Board of Directors or until their respective successors are chosen and qualified. Any officer may be removed from office at any time either with or without cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board then in office, or, in the case of appointed officers, by any elected officer upon whom such power of removal shall have been conferred by the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Each of the officers of the corporation elected by the Board of Directors or appointed by an officer in accordance with these By-Laws shall have the powers and duties prescribed by law, by the By-Laws or by the Board of Directors and, in the case of appointed officers, the powers and duties prescribed by the appointing officer, and, unless otherwise prescribed by the By-Laws or by the Board of Directors or such appointing officer, shall have such further powers and duties as ordinarily pertain to that office. The President, as determined by the Board of Directors, shall be the Chief Executive Officer and shall have the general direction of the affairs of the corporation.

Section 4. Unless otherwise provided in these By-Laws, in the absence or disability of any officer of the corporation, the Board of Directors may, during such period, delegate such officer’s powers and duties to any other officer or to any director and the person to whom such powers and duties are delegated shall, for the time being, hold such office.

ARTICLE IV.

CERTIFICATES OF STOCK

Section 1. The shares of stock of the corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of the corporation’s stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the corporation. Notwithstanding the adoption of such a resolution by the Board of Directors, every holder of stock represented by certificates and upon request every holder of uncertificated shares shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the corporation by the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, or the President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the corporation, or as otherwise permitted by law, representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. Any or all the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile.

 

18


Section 2. Transfers of stock shall be made on the books of the corporation by the holder of the shares in person or by such holder’s attorney upon surrender and cancellation of certificates for a like number of shares, or as otherwise provided by law with respect to uncertificated shares.

Section 3. No certificate for shares of stock in the corporation shall be issued in place of any certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, except upon production of such evidence of such loss, theft or destruction and upon delivery to the corporation of a bond of indemnity in such amount, upon such terms and secured by such surety, as the Board of Directors in its discretion may require.

ARTICLE V.

CORPORATE BOOKS

The books of the corporation may be kept outside of the State of Delaware at such place or places as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.

ARTICLE VI.

CHECKS, NOTES, PROXIES, ETC.

All checks and drafts on the corporation’s bank accounts and all bills of exchange and promissory notes, and all acceptances, obligations and other instruments for the payment of money, shall be signed by such officer or officers or agent or agents as shall be authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors. Proxies to vote and consents with respect to securities of other corporations owned by or standing in the name of the corporation may be executed and delivered from time to time on behalf of the corporation by the Chairman of the Board, the President, or by such officers as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.

ARTICLE VII.

FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of the corporation shall begin on the first day of January in each year and shall end on the thirty-first day of December following.

 

19


ARTICLE VIII.

CORPORATE SEAL

The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the corporation. In lieu of the corporate seal, when so authorized by the Board of Directors or a duly empowered committee thereof, a facsimile thereof may be impressed or affixed or reproduced.

ARTICLE IX.

AMENDMENTS

Except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws, these By-Laws may be amended, added to, rescinded or repealed at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of the stockholders. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these By-Laws or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote of the stockholders, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of all outstanding voting power of the corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required in order for the stockholders to alter, amend or repeal Section 2 and Section 11 of Article I, Sections 1, 6 and 7 of Article II, Article X or this proviso to this Article IX of these By-Laws or to adopt any provision inconsistent with any of such Sections or with this proviso.

ARTICLE X.

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 1. The corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any person (a “Covered Person”) who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the corporation or, while a director or officer of the corporation, is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred by such Covered Person. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 3 of this Article X, the corporation shall be required to indemnify a Covered Person in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) commenced by such Covered Person only if the commencement of such proceeding (or part thereof) by the Covered Person was authorized in the specific case by the Board of Directors of the corporation.

Section 2. The corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a Covered Person in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, provided, however, that, to the extent required by law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the Covered Person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the Covered Person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article X or otherwise.

 

20


Section 3. If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding) or advancement of expenses under this Article X is not paid in full within thirty days after a written claim therefor by the Covered Person has been received by the corporation, the Covered Person may file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim. In any such action the corporation shall have the burden of proving that the Covered Person is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses under applicable law.

Section 4. The rights conferred on any Covered Person by this Article X shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such Covered Person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, these By-Laws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

Section 5. The corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or to advance expenses to any Covered Person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity shall be reduced by any amount such Covered Person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.

Section 6. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article X shall not adversely affect any right or protection hereunder of any Covered Person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

Section 7. This Article X shall not limit the right of the corporation, to the extent and in the manner permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than Covered Persons when and as authorized by appropriate corporate action.

ARTICLE XI.

DELAWARE EXCLUSIVE FORUM

Unless the corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or other agent of the corporation to the corporation or the corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XI.

 

21

Exhibit 10.1

ASSURANT, INC. 2017

LONG TERM EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

SECTION 1. Purpose; Definitions.

1.1. Purpose. The purpose of this Assurant, Inc. 2017 Long Term Equity Incentive Plan is to give the Company a competitive advantage in attracting, retaining, and motivating officers, employees, directors, and consultants, and to provide the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates with a long term incentive plan providing incentives directly linked to stockholder value.

1.2. Definitions. Certain terms used herein have definitions given to them in the first place in which they are used. In addition, for purposes of this Plan, the following terms are defined as set forth below:

(a) “ Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, any regulations promulgated thereunder, and any successor thereto.

(b) “ Administrator ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.

(c) “ Affiliate ” means any Subsidiary and any other corporation or other entity controlled by, controlling, or under common control with, the Company, as determined by the Committee.

(d) “ Applicable Exchange ” means the New York Stock Exchange or such other securities exchange as may at the applicable time be the principal market for the Common Stock.

(e) “ Award ” means an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Unrestricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Share, or Performance Unit granted pursuant to the terms of this Plan.

(f) “ 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 Award or series of Awards under the Plan. The Committee may provide for the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper Award Certificates, and the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper means for the acceptance thereof and actions thereunder by a Participant.

(g) “ Beneficial Owner ” has the meaning given in Rule 13d-3, promulgated pursuant to the Act.

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

(i) “ Cause ” means, unless otherwise provided in an Award Certificate, (i) “Cause” as defined in any Individual Agreement to which the applicable Participant is a party and which is operative at the time of the Participant’s termination of employment, or (ii) if there is no such Individual Agreement, or if such Individual Award Agreement does not define “Cause,” the Committee’s good faith determination that any of the following have occurred: (A) Participant’s commission of, indictment for, conviction of, pleading guilty to, confessing to, or entering of a plea of nolo contendere to any felony or any crime involving fraud, dishonesty, theft, embezzlement, moral turpitude, or a breach of trust, (B) failure on the part of the Participant to perform substantially such Participant’s employment duties in any material respect, (C) Participant’s prolonged absence from duty, unless pursuant to Company policy and/or applicable law regarding employee leaves of absence, or otherwise with the consent of the Company, (D) breach by the Participant of any duty or contractual obligation owed by Participant to the Company, (E) material violation by Participant of any policy or procedure of the Company, (F) Participant’s negligent or willful misconduct or malfeasance of duty which is reasonably determined to be detrimental to the Company, or (G) to the extent not covered by another subsection of this definition, Participant intentionally engaging in any activity that is reasonably determined by the Committee to be in conflict with or adverse to the business or other interests of the Company.

(j) “ Change of Control ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.2.

(k) “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor thereto, regulations promulgated thereunder, and other relevant interpretive guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service or the Treasury Department. Reference to any specific section of the Code shall be deemed to include such regulations and guidance, as well as any successor provision of the Code.

(l) “ Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency.


(m) “ Committee ” means a committee or subcommittee of the Board, appointed from time to time by the Board, which committee or subcommittee shall consist of two or more non-employee directors, each of whom is intended to be (i) a “non-employee director” as defined in Rule 16b-3, (ii) an “outside director” as defined under Section 162(m) of the Code, and (iii) an “independent” director under the applicable rules of the Applicable Exchange. Initially, and unless and until otherwise determined by the Board, “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board.

(n) “ Common Stock ” means common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, and such other securities of the Company as may be substituted for Common Stock pursuant to Section 3.6.

(o) “ Company ” means Assurant, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto.

(p) “ Continuous Service ” 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 “Continuous Service” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, as applicable, pursuant to applicable tax regulations. Continuous Service shall not be considered interrupted in the following cases: (i) a Participant transfers employment between the Company and an Affiliate or between Affiliates, (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, (iii) a Participant transfers from being an employee of the Company or an Affiliate to being a director of the Company or of an Affiliate, or vice versa, (iv) in the discretion of the Committee as specified at or prior to such occurrence, a Participant transfers from being an employee of the Company or an Affiliate to being a consultant to the Company or of an Affiliate, or vice versa, or (v) any 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 Nonqualified Option. Whether military, government or other service or other leave of absence shall constitute a termination of Continuous Service shall be determined in each case by the Committee at its discretion, and any determination by the Committee shall be final and conclusive; provided , however , that for purposes of any Award that is subject to Code Section 409A, the determination of a leave of absence must comply with the requirements of a “bona fide leave of absence” as provided in Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(h).

(q) “ Disability ” means (i) “Disability” as defined in the long term disability plan or policy maintained or most recently maintained by the Company or, if applicable, an Affiliate or Subsidiary, for any Participant, whether or not such Participant actually receives disability benefits under such plan or policy, or (ii) if there is no such long term disability plan, “Disability” as defined by any Individual Agreement to which the Participant is a party and which is operative at the time in question, or (iii) if there is no such long term disability plan or Individual Agreement or if the applicable long term disability plan and Individual Agreement do not define “Disability,” the Participant (i) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Participant’s employer. In the event of a dispute, the determination whether a Participant has a Disability will be made by the Committee and may be supported by such medical or other evidence as the Committee deems necessary to judge the nature of the Participant’s condition. Notwithstanding the foregoing: (1) if the determination of Disability relates to an Incentive Stock Option, Disability shall mean “permanent and total disability” as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, and (2) if the determination of Disability relates to any Award subject to Section 409A of the Code, Disability shall mean “disability” as defined within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

(r) “ Disaffiliation ” means a Subsidiary’s or Affiliate’s ceasing to be a Subsidiary or Affiliate for any reason (including, without limitation, as a result of a public offering, or a spinoff or sale by the Company, of the stock of the Subsidiary or Affiliate) or a sale of a division of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate.

(s) “ Dividend Equivalent ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.


(t) “ Effective Date ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 11.1.

(u) “ Eligible Individuals ” means directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate.

(v) “ Fair Market Value ” means the closing price of a share of Common Stock on the Applicable Exchange on the date of measurement or, if Shares were not traded on the Applicable Exchange on such measurement date, on the next preceding date on which Shares were traded, all as reported by such source as the Committee may select. If the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange, Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Committee in its good faith discretion, taking into account, to the extent appropriate, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

(w) “ Full-Value Award ” means an Award other than in the form of an Option or SAR, and which is settled by the issuance of Common Stock (or at the discretion of the Committee, settled in cash valued by reference to Common Stock value).

(x) “ Grant Date ” means (i) the date on which the Committee by resolution selects an Eligible Individual to receive a grant of an Award and determines the number of Shares to be subject to such Award, or (ii) such later date as the Committee shall provide in such resolution. Notice of the grant shall be provided to the grantee within a reasonable time after the Grant Date.

(y) “ Good Reason ” (or a similar term denoting constructive termination) has the meaning, if any, assigned such term in the employment, consulting, severance or similar agreement, if any, between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate; provided, however, that if there is no such employment, consulting, severance or similar agreement in which such term is defined, “Good Reason” shall have the meaning, if any, given such term in the applicable Award Certificate. If not defined in either such document, the term “Good Reason” as used herein shall not apply to a particular Award.

(z) “ Incentive Stock Option ” means any Option that is designated in the applicable Award Certificate as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto, and that in fact so qualifies.

(aa) “ Individual Agreement ” means an employment, consulting, severance, change of control severance, or similar agreement between a Participant and the Company or between the Participant and any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or Affiliates. For purposes of this Plan, an Individual Agreement shall be considered “operative” during its term; provided , that an Individual Agreement under which severance or other substantive protections, compensation and/or benefits are provided only following a change of control or termination of employment in anticipation of a change of control shall not be considered “operative” until the occurrence of a change of control or termination of employment in anticipation of a change of control, as applicable.

(bb) “ ISO Eligible Employee ” means an employee of the Company, any subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code), or parent corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code).

(cc) “ Non-Employee Director ” means a director of the Company who is not a common law employee of the Company or an Affiliate.

(dd) “ Nonqualified Option ” means any Option that either (i) is not designated as an Incentive Stock Option or (ii) is so designated but fails to qualify as such.

(ee) “ Option ” means an Award granted under Section 5.1 of the Plan to purchase Common Stock at a specified price during specified time periods. An Option may be either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Option.

(ff) “ Participant ” means an Eligible Individual to whom an Award is or has been granted; provided that in the case of the death of a Participant, the term “Participant” refers to a beneficiary designated pursuant to Section 13.7 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.

(gg) “ Performance Goals ” means the performance goals established by the Committee in connection with the grant of an Award. In the case of Qualified Performance-Based Awards, (i) such goals shall be based on the attainment of specified levels of one or more of the following measures: overall or selected sales growth, expense efficiency ratios (ratio of expenses to income), market share, customer service measures or


indices, underwriting efficiency and/or quality, persistency factors, return on net assets, economic value added, stockholder value added, embedded value added, combined ratio, expense ratio, loss ratio, premiums, risk based capital, revenues, revenue growth, earnings (including earnings before taxes; earnings before interest and taxes; and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), earnings per share, book value per share, net operating earnings per share, operating income (including non-pension operating income), pre- or after-tax income, net income, cash flow (before or after dividends), cash flow per share (before or after dividends), gross margin, return on equity, return on capital (including return on total capital or return on invested capital), cash flow return on investment, return on assets or operating assets, economic value added (or an equivalent metric), stock price appreciation, total stockholder return (measured in terms of stock price appreciation and dividend-related returns), cost control, gross profit, net operating income, cash generation, unit volume, stock price, market share, sales, asset quality, cost saving levels, marketing-spending efficiency, core non-interest income, or change in working capital with respect to the Company or any one or more Subsidiaries, Affiliates, divisions, business units, or business segments of the Company, either in absolute terms or relative to the performance of one or more other companies or an index covering multiple companies, and (ii) such Performance Goals shall be set by the Committee within the time period prescribed by Section 162(m) of the Code and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

(hh) “ Performance Period ” means that period established by the Committee at the time any Award is granted or at any time thereafter during which any Performance Goal specified by the Committee with respect to such Award is to be measured.

(ii) “ Performance Shares ” shall have the meaning given in Section 6.1.

(jj) “ Performance Units ” shall have the meaning given in Section 7.1.

(kk) “ Plan ” means this Assurant, Inc. 2017 Long Term Equity Incentive Plan, as set forth herein and as hereafter amended from time to time.

(ll) “ Prior Plan ” means the Amended and Restated Assurant, Inc. Long Term Equity Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

(mm) “ Qualified Performance-Based Award ” means an Award intended to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, as provided in Section 10.

(nn) “ Restricted Stock ” means an Award granted under Section 6.

(oo) “ Restricted Stock Units ” means an Award granted under Section 7.

(pp) “Recoupment Policy ” means the Assurant, Inc. Executive Compensation Recoupment Policy adopted by the Committee, effective as of January 1, 2012, as the same may be amended from time to time.

(qq) “ Retirement ” shall have the meaning given to that term in the Assurant Pension Plan (as restated effective January 1, 2013), as amended from time to time.

(rr) “ Section 162(m) Exemption ” means the exemption from the limitation on deductibility imposed by Section 162(m) of the Code that is set forth in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code.

(ss) “ Share ” means a share of Common Stock. If there has been an adjustment or substitution with respect to the Shares (whether or not pursuant to Article 3.4), the term “Shares” shall also include any shares of stock or other securities that are substituted for Shares or into which Shares are adjusted.

(tt) “ Stock Appreciation Right ” or “ SAR ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.3.

(uu) “ Subsidiary ” means any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, or other entity during any period in which at least a 50% voting or profits interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or any successor to the Company.

(vv) “ Ten Percent Stockholder ” means a person owning stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, any subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code), or parent corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code).

(ww) “ Term ” means the maximum period during which an Option or Stock Appreciation Right may remain outstanding, subject to earlier termination as specified in the applicable Award Certificate.

(xx) “ Unrestricted Stock ” shall have the meaning given in Section 6.1.


SECTION 2. Administration.

2.1. Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee or a duly designated Administrator, as defined herein. The Committee shall, subject to Section 10, have plenary authority to grant Awards to Eligible Individuals pursuant to the terms of the Plan. Among other things, the Committee shall have the authority, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan:

(a) To select the Eligible Individuals to whom Awards may be granted;

(b) To determine whether and to what extent Awards are to be granted hereunder;

(c) To determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted under the Plan;

(d) To determine the terms and conditions of each Award granted hereunder, based on such factors as the Committee shall determine;

(e) To adopt, alter, or repeal such administrative rules, guidelines, and practices governing the Plan as the Committee shall from time to time deem advisable;

(f) To interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan and any Award issued under the Plan (and any agreement relating thereto);

(g) Subject to Section 11, to accelerate the vesting or lapse of restrictions of any outstanding Award upon the termination of service of a Participant or in connection with a Change of Control, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion may determine;

(h) To correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award in the manner and to the extent it deems necessary to carry out the intent of the Plan;

(i) To decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;

(j) To determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, and other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award under this Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant; and

(k) To otherwise administer the Plan.

Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, grants of Awards to Non-Employee Directors under the Plan shall be made only in accordance with the terms, conditions and parameters of a plan, program or policy for the compensation of Non-Employee Directors that is approved and administered by a committee of the Board consisting solely of Independent Directors.

2.2. Committee Procedures; Board Authority. The Committee shall exercise its authority under the Plan as follows:

(a) The Committee may act only with the assent of a majority of its members then in office, except that the Committee may, except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the listing standards of the Applicable Exchange, allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any one or more of its members and may delegate all or any part of its responsibilities and powers to any person or persons selected by it (the “ Administrator ”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may not so delegate any responsibility or power to the extent that such delegation would cause a Qualified Performance-Based Award hereunder not to qualify for the Section 162(m) exemption, or make any Award hereunder subject to (and not exempt from) the short-swing recovery rules of Section 16(b) of the Act. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee may not delegate its responsibilities and powers to grant, establish the terms and conditions of, and otherwise administer Qualified Performance-Based Awards in accordance with Section 10 below, nor its responsibilities and powers to grant and establish the terms and conditions of Awards to Participants who are subject to Section 16(b) of the Act.

(b) Any authority granted to the Committee may also be exercised by the full Board. To the extent that any permitted action taken by the Board conflicts with action taken by the Committee, the Board action shall control. 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 and protections of the Committee hereunder, and any reference herein to the Committee (other than in this Section 2.2(b)) shall include the Board.


2.3. Discretion of Committee. Any determination made by the Committee or by the Administrator under the provisions of the Plan with respect to any Award shall be made in the sole discretion of the Committee or the Administrator at the time of the grant of the Award or, unless in contravention of any express term of the Plan, at any time thereafter. All decisions made by the Committee or the Administrator shall be final and binding on all persons, including the Company, Participants, and Eligible Individuals. 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 or the Committee to assist in the administration of the Plan. No member of the Committee will be liable for any good faith determination, act or omission in connection with the Plan or any Award.

2.4. Award Certificates. The terms and conditions of each Award, as determined by the Committee, shall be set forth in a written Award Certificate, which shall be delivered to the Participant receiving such Award upon, or as promptly as is reasonably practicable following, the grant of such Award. Award Certificates may be amended only in accordance with Section 11 hereof.

SECTION 3. Common Stock Subject to Plan; Limitations on Awards; Adjustment Provisions.

3.1. Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 3.6, the aggregate number of Shares reserved and available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall be 1,500,000, plus a number of additional Shares underlying awards outstanding as of the Effective Date under the Prior Plan that thereafter terminate or expire unexercised, or are cancelled, forfeited or lapse for any reason. The maximum number of Shares that may be issued upon exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan shall be 1,500,000. From and after the Effective Date, no further awards shall be granted under the Prior Plan and the Prior Plan shall remain in effect only so long as awards granted thereunder shall remain outstanding.

3.2. Share Counting. Shares covered by an Award shall be subtracted from the Plan share reserve as of the Grant Date, but shall be added back to the Plan share reserve or otherwise treated in accordance with this Section 3.2.

(a) The full number of Shares subject to the Option shall count against the number of Shares remaining available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan, even if the exercise price of an Option is satisfied through net-settlement or by delivering Shares to the Company (by either actual delivery or attestation).

(b) Upon exercise of Stock Appreciation Rights that are settled in Shares, the full number of Stock Appreciation Rights (rather than any lesser number based on the net number of Shares actually delivered upon exercise) shall count against the number of Shares remaining available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.

(c) Shares withheld from an Option or SAR to satisfy tax withholding requirements shall count against the number of Shares remaining available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan, and Shares delivered by a participant to satisfy tax withholding requirements with respect to an Option or SAR shall not be added to the Plan share reserve.

(d) Shares withheld from a Full-Value Award to satisfy tax withholding requirements shall not count against the number of Shares remaining available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan, and Shares delivered by a participant to satisfy tax withholding requirements with respect to a Full-Value Award shall be added to the Plan share reserve.

(e) To the extent that an Award is canceled, terminates, expires, is forfeited or lapses for any reason, any unissued or forfeited Shares subject to the Award will be added back to the Plan share reserve and again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.

(f) Shares subject to Awards settled in cash will be added back to the Plan share reserve and again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.

(g) To the extent that the full number of Shares subject to a Full Value Award is not issued for any reason, including by reason of failure to achieve maximum performance goals, the unissued Shares originally subject to the Award will be added back to the Plan share reserve and again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.


(h) Subject to applicable Exchange requirements, shares available under a stockholder-approved plan of a company acquired by the Company (as appropriately adjusted to Shares to reflect the transaction) may be issued under the Plan pursuant to Awards granted to individuals who were not employees of the Company or its Affiliates immediately before such transaction and will not count against the maximum share limitation specified in Section 3.1.

3.3. Stock Distributed. Any Stock distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Stock, treasury Stock or Stock purchased on the open market.

3.4. Limitation on Awards. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary (but subject to adjustment as provided in Section 3.6):

(a) Options . The maximum number of Options granted under the Plan in any calendar year to any one Participant shall be for 300,000 Shares.

(b) SARs . The maximum number of Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan in any calendar year to any one Participant shall be with respect to 300,000 Shares.

(c) Performance Awards . With respect to any calendar year (i) the maximum amount that may be paid to any one Participant for performance-based Awards payable in cash or property other than Shares shall be $7,500,000, and (ii) the maximum number of Shares that may be paid to any one Participant for performance-based Awards shall be 300,000 Shares. For purposes of applying these limits in the case of multi-year performance periods, the amount of cash or property or number of Shares deemed paid with respect to any calendar year is the total amount payable or Shares earned for the performance period divided by the number of calendar years in the performance period.

(d) Awards to Non-Employee Directors . The maximum number of Shares subject to Non-Employee Director Awards that may be granted to any Non-Employee Director in any calendar year shall be limited to a number that, combined with any cash fees or other compensation paid to such Non-Employee Director, shall not exceed $600,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Non-Employee Director Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes); provided, that the Board may make exceptions to this limit for individual Non-Employee Directors in extraordinary circumstances as the Board may determine in its sole discretion, so long as (i) the aggregate limit does not exceed $800,000 in total value during a fiscal year and (ii) the Non-Employee Director receiving such additional compensation does not participate in the decision to award such compensation or in other contemporaneous compensation decisions involving Non-Employee Directors.

3.5. Minimum Vesting Requirements. Subject to the following sentence, Full Value Awards, Options and SARs granted under the Plan shall be subject to a minimum vesting period of three years (which may include graduated vesting within such three-year period; provided, however, that no portion of any Award subject to graduated vesting shall vest earlier than one year after grant), or one year if the vesting is based on performance criteria other than continued service. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Committee may permit and authorize acceleration of vesting of such Full Value Awards, Options or SARs in the event of the Participant’s termination of service, or the occurrence of a Change in Control (subject to the requirements of Section 10 in the case of Qualified Performance-Based Awards), and (ii) the Committee may grant Full Value Awards, Options and SARs without respect to the above-described minimum vesting requirements with respect to Awards covering 5% or fewer of the total number of Shares authorized under the Plan.

3.6. Adjustment Provisions. The Committee shall have authority to make adjustments under the Plan as provided below:

(a) In the event of a merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, stock rights offering, liquidation, separation, spinoff, Disaffiliation, extraordinary dividend of cash or other property, or similar event affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (a “ Corporate Transaction ”), the Committee, or the Board may in its discretion make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to (i) the aggregate number and kind of Shares or other securities reserved for issuance and delivery under the Plan, (ii) the various maximum limitations set forth in Sections 3.1 and 3.4, (iii) the number and kind of Shares or other securities subject to outstanding Awards, and (iv) the exercise price of outstanding Awards.


(b) In the event of a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders that causes the per-share value of the Common Stock to change (including, without limitation, a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, share combination, spin-off, rights offering recapitalization, or similar event affecting the capital structure of the Company), the Committee or the Board shall make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights immediately resulting from such transaction. Action by the Committee or Board may include adjustments to (i) the aggregate number and kind of Shares or other securities reserved for issuance and delivery under the Plan, (ii) the various maximum limitations set forth in Sections 3.1 and 3.4, (iii) the number and kind of Shares or other securities subject to outstanding Awards, and (iv) the exercise price of outstanding Awards.

(c) In the case of Corporate Transactions, such adjustments may include, without limitation, (i) the cancellation of outstanding Awards in exchange for payments of cash, property, or a combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of such Awards, as determined by the Committee or the Board in its sole discretion (it being understood that, in the case of a Corporate Transaction with respect to which stockholders of Common Stock receive consideration other than publicly traded equity securities of the Surviving Entity (as defined below in Section 9.2), any such determination by the Committee that the value of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall for this purpose be deemed to equal the excess, if any, of the value of the consideration being paid for each Share pursuant to such Corporate Transaction over the exercise price of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall conclusively be deemed valid), (ii) the substitution of other property (including, without limitation, cash or other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company) for the Shares subject to outstanding Awards, and (iii) in connection with any Disaffiliation, arranging for the assumption of Awards, or replacement of Awards with new awards based on other property or other securities (including, without limitation, other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company), by the affected Subsidiary, Affiliate, or division of the Company or by the entity that controls such Subsidiary, Affiliate, or division of the Company following such Disaffiliation (as well as any corresponding adjustments to Awards that remain based upon Company securities).

(d) The Committee may adjust the Performance Goals applicable to any Awards to reflect any unusual or non-recurring events and other extraordinary items, including without limitation impact of charges for restructurings, discontinued operations, and the cumulative effects of accounting or tax changes, each as defined by generally accepted accounting principles or as identified in the Company’s financial statements, notes to the financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis, or other public filings, provided that, in the case of Performance Goals applicable to any Qualified Performance-Based Awards, such adjustment does not cause an Award to fail to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption.

3.7. Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing: (a) any adjustments made pursuant to Section 3.6 to Awards that are considered “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code shall be made in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, (b) any adjustments made pursuant to Section 3.6 to Awards that are not considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be made in such a manner as to ensure that, after such adjustment, the Awards either (i) continue not to be subject to Section 409A of the Code, or (ii) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and (c) in any event, the Board, the Committee, and the Administrator shall not have any authority to make any adjustments pursuant to Section 3.6 to the extent the existence of such authority would cause an Award that is not intended to be subject to Section 409A of the Code at the Grant Date to be subject thereto as of the Grant Date.

SECTION 4. Eligibility.

4.1. Eligible Individuals; Incentive Stock Options. Awards may be granted under the Plan to Eligible Individuals; provided , however, that Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries or parent corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code). Eligible Individuals 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 §1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E) of the final regulations under Code Section 409A.

SECTION 5. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights.

5.1. Types of Options. Options may be of two types: Incentive Stock Options and Nonqualified Options. The Award Certificate for an Option shall indicate whether the Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option or


a Nonqualified Option; provided, that any Option that is designated as an Incentive Stock Option but fails to meet the requirements therefore (as described in Section 5.2 or otherwise), and any Option that is not expressly designated as intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Option.

5.2. Incentive Stock Option Limitations. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value, determined at the time of grant, of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time during any calendar year under the Plan or any other stock option plan of the Company, any subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code), or parent corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code) exceeds $100,000, such Options shall be deemed Nonqualified Options. If an ISO Eligible Employee does not remain employed by the Company, any subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code), or parent corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code) at all times from the time an Incentive Stock Option is granted until 3 months prior to the date of exercise thereof (or such other period as required by applicable law), such Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option. Should any provision of the Plan not be necessary in order for any Options to qualify as Incentive Stock Options, or should any additional provisions be required, the Committee may amend the Plan accordingly, without the necessity of obtaining the approval of the stockholders of the Company.

5.3. Nature of Stock Appreciation Rights. Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Participant shall be entitled to receive an amount in cash, Shares, or both, in value equal to the product of (a) the excess of the Fair Market Value of one Share over the exercise price of the applicable Stock Appreciation Right, multiplied by (b) the number of Shares in respect of which the Stock Appreciation Right has been exercised. The applicable Award Certificate shall specify whether such payment is to be made in cash or Common Stock or both, or shall reserve to the Committee or the Participant the right to make that determination prior to or upon the exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right.

5.4. Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share subject to an Option or SAR shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Certificate, and shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a share of the Common Stock on the applicable Grant Date; provided , however, that if an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, the exercise price shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the applicable Grant Date.

5.5. Term. The Term of each Option and SAR shall be fixed by the Committee, but shall not exceed 10 years from the Grant Date.

5.6. Vesting and Exercisability. Subject to Section 3.5, Options and SARs shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Committee.

5.7. Method of Exercise. Subject to the provisions of this Section 5, Options and SARs may be exercised, in whole or in part, at any time during the applicable Term by giving written notice of exercise to the Company specifying the number of Shares as to which the Option or SAR is being exercised; provided , however, that, unless otherwise permitted by the Committee, any such exercise must be with respect to a portion of the applicable Option or SAR relating to no less than the lesser of the number of Shares then subject to such Option or SAR or 50 Shares. In the case of the exercise of an Option, such notice shall be accompanied by payment in full of the purchase price (which shall equal the product of such number of shares multiplied by the applicable exercise price) by certified or bank check or such other instrument as the Company may accept. If approved by the Committee, payment, in full or in part, may also be made as follows:

(a) Payments may be made in the form of Shares (by delivery of such shares or by attestation) of the same class as the Common Stock subject to the Option already owned by the Participant (based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the Option is exercised); provided , however, that, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the right to make a payment in the form of already owned Shares of the same class as the Common Stock subject to the Option may be authorized only at the time the Option is granted.

(b) To the extent permitted by applicable law, payment may be made by delivering a properly executed exercise notice to the Company, together with a copy of irrevocable instructions to a broker to deliver promptly to the Company the amount of sale or loan proceeds necessary to pay the purchase price, and, if requested, the amount of any federal, state, local, or foreign withholding taxes. To facilitate the foregoing, the


Company may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, enter into agreements for coordinated procedures with one or more brokerage firms.

(c) Payment may be made by instructing the Company to withhold a number of Shares having a Fair Market Value (based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the applicable Option is exercised) equal to the product of (i) the exercise price multiplied by (ii) the number of Shares in respect of which the Option shall have been exercised.

5.8. Delivery; Rights of Stockholders. No Shares shall be delivered pursuant to the exercise of an Option until the exercise price therefor has been fully paid and applicable taxes have been withheld. The applicable Participant shall have all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company holding the class or series of Common Stock that is subject to the Option or Stock Appreciation Right (including, if applicable, the right to vote the applicable Shares and the right to receive dividends), when (a) the Company has received a written notice from the Participant of exercise that complies with all procedures established under this Plan for effective exercise, including, without limitation, completion and delivery of all required forms, (b) the Participant has, if requested, given the representation described in Section 13.1, and (c) in the case of an Option, the Participant has paid in full for such Shares.

5.9. Nontransferability of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. No Option or SAR shall be transferable by a Participant other than, for no value or consideration, (a) by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, or (b) in the case of a Nonqualified Option or SAR, as otherwise expressly permitted by the Committee including, if so permitted, pursuant to a transfer to the Participant’s family members, whether directly or indirectly or by means of a trust or partnership or otherwise. For purposes of this Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, “family member” shall have the meaning given to such term in General Instructions A.1(a)(5) to Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto. Any Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable, subject to the terms of this Plan, only by the applicable Participant, the guardian or legal representative of such Participant, or any person to whom such Option or Stock Appreciation Right is permissibly transferred pursuant to this Section 5.9, it being understood that the term “Participant” includes such guardian, legal representative and other transferee; provided , however, that the term “Continuous Service” shall continue to refer to the original Participant’s service as an employee, officer, consultant or director of the Company or any Affiliate, as applicable.

5.10. No Deferral Feature. No Option or SAR shall provide for 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.

5.11. No Dividend Equivalents. No Option or SAR shall provide for Dividend Equivalents.

5.12. No Repricing . Except for adjustments made pursuant to Section 3.6 of the Plan, the exercise price of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan may not be decreased, directly or indirectly, after the date of grant nor may any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right with an exercise price in excess of Fair Market Value be surrendered to the Company as consideration for cash, the grant of a new Option or Stock Appreciation Right with a lower exercise price, or the grant of another Award without the approval of the Company’s stockholders.

SECTION 6. Restricted Stock (Including Performance Shares) and Unrestricted Stock.

6.1. Nature of Award; Certificates. Shares of Restricted Stock and Unrestricted Stock are actual Shares issued to a Participant, and shall be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration or issuance of one or more stock certificates. Shares of “ Restricted Stock ” are Shares that are subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, for example, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Stock or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Stock). 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. Shares of “ Unrestricted Stock ,” the grant of which are subject to Section 3.5, are Shares not otherwise subject to conditions on grant, vesting, or transferability. “ Performance Shares ” are Shares of Restricted Stock, the vesting of which is subject to the attainment of Performance Goals. Any certificate issued in respect of Shares of Restricted Stock or Unrestricted Stock shall be registered in the name of the applicable


Participant and, in the case of Restricted Stock, shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Award, substantially in the following form:

“The transferability of this certificate and the shares of stock represented hereby are subject to the terms and conditions (including forfeiture) of the Assurant, Inc. 2017 Long Term Equity Incentive Plan and an Award Certificate. Copies of such Plan and Certificate are on file at the offices of Assurant, Inc., 28 Liberty Street, 41st Floor, New York, New York 10005.”

The Committee may require that the certificates evidencing such shares be held in custody by the Company until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed and that, as a condition of any Award of Restricted Stock, the applicable Participant shall have delivered a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to the Common Stock covered by such Award.

6.2. Terms and Conditions. Shares of Restricted Stock shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

(a) The Committee shall, prior to or at the time of grant, condition (i) the vesting or transferability of an Award of Restricted Stock upon the continued service of the applicable Participant or (ii) the grant, vesting, or transferability of an Award of Restricted Stock upon the attainment of Performance Goals, or the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant. In the event that the Committee conditions the grant or vesting of an Award of Restricted Stock upon the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant, the Committee may, prior to or at the time of grant, designate such an Award as a Qualified Performance-Based Award. The conditions for grant, vesting, or transferability and the other provisions of Restricted Stock Awards (including without limitation any Performance Goals applicable to Performance Shares) need not be the same with respect to each Participant.

(b) Subject to the provisions of the Plan and the applicable Award Certificate, during the period, if any, set by the Committee, commencing with the date of such Restricted Stock Award for which such vesting restrictions apply and until the expiration of such vesting restrictions (the “ Restriction Period ”), the Participant shall not be permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge, or otherwise encumber Shares of Restricted Stock.

(c) If any applicable Performance Goals are satisfied and the Restriction Period expires without a prior forfeiture of the Shares of Restricted Stock for which legended certificates have been issued, either (i) unlegended certificates for such Shares shall be delivered to the Participant upon surrender of the legended certificates, or (ii) such Shares shall be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration.

6.3. Rights of Stockholders. Except as provided in the applicable Award Certificate, the applicable Participant shall have, with respect to Shares of Restricted Stock and Unrestricted Stock, all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company holding the class or series of Common Stock that is the subject of the Restricted Stock or Unrestricted Stock, including, if applicable, the right to vote the Shares and the right to receive any dividends and other distributions.

SECTION 7. Restricted Stock Units (Including Performance Units).

7.1. Nature of Award. Restricted Stock Units are Awards denominated in Shares that will be settled, subject to the terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Units, (a) in cash, based upon the Fair Market Value of a specified number of Shares, (b) in Shares, or (c) a combination thereof. “ Performance Units ” are Restricted Stock Units, the vesting of which is subject to the attainment of Performance Goals.

7.2. Terms and Conditions. Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

(a) The Committee may, prior to or at the time of grant, condition (i) the grant, vesting, or transferability of Restricted Stock Units upon the continued service of the applicable Participant or (ii) the grant, vesting, or transferability of Restricted Stock Units upon the attainment of Performance Goals, or the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant. In the event that the Committee grants Performance Units or conditions the grant or vesting of Restricted Stock Units upon the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant, the Committee may, prior to or at


the time of grant, designate such Performance Units or Restricted Stock Units as a Qualified Performance-Based Awards. The conditions for grant, vesting or transferability and the other provisions of Restricted Stock Units (including without limitation any Performance Goals applicable to Performance Units) need not be the same with respect to each Participant. An Award of Restricted Stock Units shall be settled as and when the Restricted Stock Units vest or at a later time specified by the Committee or in accordance with an election of the Participant, if the Committee so permits.

(b) Subject to the provisions of the Plan and the applicable Award Certificate, during the period, if any, set by the Committee, commencing with the date of such Restricted Stock Units for which such vesting restrictions apply and until the expiration of such vesting restrictions (the “ Restriction Period ”), the Participant shall not be permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge, or otherwise encumber Restricted Stock Units.

(c) The Award Certificate for Restricted Stock Units may specify whether, to what extent, and on what terms and conditions the applicable Participant shall be entitled to receive current or deferred payments of cash, Shares, or other property corresponding to the dividends payable on the Company’s Stock (subject to Section 13.5 below).

SECTION 8. Dividend Equivalents.

8.1. Nature of Award. The Committee is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents with respect to Full-Value Awards granted hereunder, subject to such terms and conditions as the may be selected by the Committee. Dividend Equivalents shall entitle the Participant to receive payments having a value equal to the dividends that would be payable with respect to all or a portion of the number of Shares subject to a Full-Value Award, as determined by the Committee.

8.2. Terms and Conditions. Dividend Equivalents shall be subject to such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Dividend Equivalents may be made subject to vesting conditions that are the same as, or different from the vesting conditions of the other Award to which they relate; may be payable in cash, Shares or other property or any combination thereof; and may be payable at the same time as the related actual dividends are paid to stockholders, or deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares or otherwise deferred (subject to compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code).

SECTION 9. Change of Control Provisions.

9.1. Impact of Event. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Certificate, notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, upon a Change of Control (as defined below):

(a) 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 his or her outstanding Awards shall lapse, and (iii) the payout level under all of that Participant’s performance-based Awards that were outstanding immediately prior to effective time of the Change in Control shall be determined and deemed to have been earned as of the date of termination based upon the greater of: (A) an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the “target” level pro-rated based upon the length of time within the performance period that has elapsed prior to the termination of employment date, or (B) the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals (measured as of the latest date immediately preceding the date of termination for which performance can, as a practical matter, be determined), and, in either such case, there shall be a payout to such Participant within sixty (60) days following the termination of employment date (unless a later date is required by Section 13.23 hereof). 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 Code Section 422(d), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonqualified Options.

(b) 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 the greater of: (A) an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the “target” level pro-rated based upon the length of time within the performance period that has elapsed prior to the Change in Control, or (B) the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals (measured as of the latest date immediately preceding the Change in Control for which performance can, as a practical matter, be determined), and, in either such case, there shall be a payout to Participants within sixty (60) days following the Change in Control (unless a later date is required by Section 13.23 hereof). 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 Code Section 422(d), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonqualified Stock Options.

9.2. Definition of Change of Control. For purposes of the Plan, a “ Change of Control ” shall mean any of the following events:

(a) Individuals who, on the Effective Date, constitute the Board (the “ Incumbent Directors ”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided that any person becoming a director and whose election or nomination for election is 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 or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act (a “ Person ”), other than the Board, including by reason of any agreement, shall be deemed an Incumbent Director;

(b) Any person is or becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of either (i) 30% or more of the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or (ii) securities representing 30% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then-outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of directors (“ Company Voting Securities ”); provided , however, that for purposes of this subsection (b), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (1) an acquisition directly from the Company or any Subsidiary; (2) an acquisition by the Company or a Subsidiary; (3) an acquisition by a Person who is on the Effective Date the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of directors; (4) an acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary; or (5) an acquisition pursuant to a transaction that complies with Sections 9.2(c)(i), 9.2(c)(ii), and 9.2(c)(iii) below;

(c) The consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar corporate transaction involving the Company or a Subsidiary, the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another corporation (a “ Transaction ”), unless immediately following the Transaction: (i) all or substantially all of the individuals who were Beneficial Owners, respectively, of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company and outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of directors immediately prior to the Transaction beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of, respectively, the outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the outstanding securities entitled to vote in the election of directors of the corporation resulting from the Transaction (the “ Surviving Entity ”), in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to the Transaction, of the outstanding common stock of the Company and the outstanding securities eligible to vote in the election of directors of the Company; (ii) no Person (other than the Company, a Subsidiary, the Surviving Entity, or any employee benefit plan or related trust sponsored or maintained by the foregoing) is or becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 30% or more of the outstanding common stock or 30% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of directors of the Surviving Entity; and (iii) at least a majority of the


members of the board of the Surviving Entity were Incumbent Directors at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for the Transaction; or

(d) Approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

SECTION 10. Qualified Performance-Based Awards.

10.1. Qualified Performance-Based Awards. The provisions of this Plan are intended to ensure that all Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted hereunder to any Participant who is or may be a “covered employee” (within the meaning of Section 162(m)(3) of the Code) in the tax year in which such Option or Stock Appreciation Right is expected to be deductible to the Company qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, and all such Awards shall therefore be considered Qualified Performance-Based Awards and this Plan shall be interpreted and operated consistent with that intention. When granting any Award other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, the Committee may designate such Award as a Qualified Performance-Based Award, based upon a determination that (a) the recipient is or may be a “covered employee” (within the meaning of Section 162(m)(3) of the Code) with respect to such Award, and (b) the Committee wishes such Award to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, and the terms of any such Award (and of the grant thereof) shall be consistent with such designation. Within 90 days after the commencement of a Performance Period or, if earlier, by the expiration of 25% of a Performance Period, the Committee will designate one or more Performance Periods, determine the Participants for the Performance Periods, and establish the Performance Goals for the Performance Periods.

10.2. Performance Goals and Other Conditions. Each Qualified Performance-Based Award (other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right) shall be earned, vested, and/or payable (as applicable) upon the achievement of one or more Performance Goals, together with the satisfaction of any other conditions, such as continued employment, as the Committee may determine to be appropriate. Moreover, no Qualified Performance-Based Award may be amended, nor may the Committee exercise any discretionary authority it may otherwise have under this Plan with respect to a Qualified Performance-Based Award under this Plan, in any manner that would cause the Qualified Performance-Based Award to cease to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption; provided , however, that (i) the Committee may provide, either in connection with the grant of the applicable Award or by amendment thereafter, that achievement of such Performance Goals will be waived upon the death or Disability of the Participant (or under any other circumstance with respect to which the existence of such possible waiver will not cause the Award to fail to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption), and (ii) the provisions of Section 9 shall apply notwithstanding this Section 10.2.

10.3. Inclusions and Exclusions from Performance Goals. The Committee may provide in any Qualified Performance-Based Award, at the time the Performance Goals are established, that any evaluation of performance shall exclude or otherwise objectively adjust for any specified circumstance or event that occurs during a performance period, including by way of example but without limitation the following: (a) asset write-downs or impairment charges; (b) litigation or claim judgments or settlements; (c) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles or other laws or provisions affecting reported results; (d) accruals for reorganization and restructuring programs; (e) extraordinary nonrecurring items as described in then-current accounting principles; (f) extraordinary nonrecurring items as described in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report to stockholders for the applicable year; (g) acquisitions or divestitures; and (h) foreign exchange gains and losses. To the extent such inclusions or exclusions affect Awards to Covered Employees, they shall be prescribed in a form that meets the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for deductibility.

10.4. Certification of Performance Goals. Any payment of a Qualified Performance-Based Award granted with Performance Goals pursuant to this Section 10 shall be conditioned on the written certification of the Committee in each case that the applicable Performance Goals and any other material conditions were satisfied. Except as specifically provided in Section 10.2, no Qualified Performance-Based Award held by a Covered Employee or by an employee who in the reasonable judgment of the Committee may be a Covered Employee on the date of payment, may be amended, nor may the Committee exercise any discretionary authority it may otherwise have under the Plan with respect to a Qualified Performance-Based Award under the Plan, in any manner to waive the achievement of the applicable Performance Goal based on Performance Goals or to increase the amount payable


pursuant thereto or the value thereof, or otherwise in a manner that would cause the Qualified Performance-Based Award to cease to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption.

10.5. Award Limits. Section 3.4 sets forth (i) the maximum number of Shares that may be granted in any one-year period to a Participant in designated forms of stock-based Awards, and (ii) the maximum aggregate dollar amount that may be paid with respect to cash-based Awards under the Plan to any one Participant in any fiscal year of the Company.

SECTION 11. Term, Amendment, and Termination.

11.1. Effectiveness. The Plan is effective as of May 11, 2017 (the “ Effective Date ”), which is the date the Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders.

11.2. Termination. Unless earlier terminated as provided herein, the Plan will terminate on the 10th anniversary of the Effective Date or, if the stockholders approve an amendment to the Plan that increases the number of Shares subject to the Plan, the tenth anniversary of the date of such approval. Awards outstanding as of such date hall not be affected or impaired by the termination of the Plan.

11.3. Amendment of Plan. The Board or the Committee may amend, alter, or discontinue the Plan, but no amendment, alteration, or discontinuation shall be made which would materially impair the rights of any Participant with respect to a previously granted Award without such Participant’s consent, except such an amendment made to comply with applicable law, including, without limitation, Section 409A of the Code, stock exchange rules, or accounting rules. In addition, no such amendment shall be made without the approval of the Company’s stockholders (a) to the extent that such approval is required (i) by applicable law or by the listing standards of the Applicable Exchange as in effect as of the Effective Date or (ii) by applicable law or under the listing standards of the Applicable Exchange as may be required after the Effective Date, (b) to the extent that such amendment would materially increase the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan, (c) to the extent that such amendment would materially increase the number of securities which may be issued under the Plan, or (d) to the extent that such amendment would materially modify the requirements for participation in the Plan.

11.4. Amendment of Awards. Subject to Section 5.12, the Committee may unilaterally amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted, but no such amendment shall cause a Qualified Performance-Based Award to cease to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, nor shall any such amendment, without the Participant’s consent, materially impair the rights of any Participant with respect to an Award, except such an amendment made to cause the Plan or Award to comply with applicable law, stock exchange rules, or accounting rules.

SECTION 12. Unfunded Status of Plan.

12.1. Unfunded Status; Committee Authority. It is presently intended that the Plan will constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. The Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or other arrangements to meet the obligations created under the Plan to deliver Shares or make payments; provided , however, that unless the Committee otherwise determines, the existence of such trusts or other arrangements is consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan.

SECTION 13. General Provisions.

13.1. Conditions for Issuance. The Committee may require each person purchasing or receiving Shares pursuant to an Award to represent to and agree with the Company in writing that such person is acquiring the Shares without a view to the distribution thereof. The certificates for such Shares may include any legend which the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or agreements made pursuant thereto, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for Shares under the Plan prior to fulfillment of all of the following conditions: (i) listing or approval for listing upon notice of issuance of such Shares on the Applicable Exchange, (ii) any registration or other qualification of such Shares of the Company under any state or federal law or regulation, or the maintaining in effect of any such registration or other qualification which the Committee shall, in its absolute discretion upon the advice of counsel, deem necessary or advisable, and (iii) obtaining any other consent, approval, or permit from any state or federal governmental agency which the Committee shall, in its absolute discretion after receiving the advice of counsel, determine to be necessary or advisable.


13.2. Additional Compensation Arrangements. Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements for its employees.

13.3. No Contract of Employment. The Plan shall not constitute a contract of employment, and adoption of the Plan shall not confer upon any employee any right to continued employment, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate to terminate the employment of any employee at any time.

13.4. Required Taxes. No later than the date as of which an amount first becomes includible in the gross income of a Participant for federal, state, local, or foreign income or employment or other tax purposes with respect to any Award under the Plan, such Participant shall pay to the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Company regarding the payment of, any federal, state, local, or foreign taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to such amount. Unless otherwise determined by the Company, withholding obligations may be settled with Shares, including Shares that are part of the Award that gives rise to the withholding requirement, having a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding equal to the amount required to be withheld for tax purposes, all in accordance with such procedures as the Committee establishes. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be conditioned on such payment or arrangements, and the Company and its Affiliates shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment otherwise due to such Participant. The Committee may establish such procedures as it deems appropriate, including making irrevocable elections, for the settlement of withholding obligations with Common Stock.

13.5. Limit on Dividend Reinvestment and Dividend Equivalents. Reinvestment of dividends in additional Restricted Stock Units to be settled in Shares, and the payment of Shares with respect to dividends to Participants holding Awards of Restricted Stock Units, shall only be permissible if sufficient Shares are available under Section 3 for such reinvestment or payment (taking into account then outstanding Awards). In the event that sufficient Shares are not available for such reinvestment or payment, such reinvestment or payment shall be made in the form of a grant of Restricted Stock Units equal in number to the Restricted Stock Units or Shares that would have been obtained by such payment or reinvestment, the terms of which Restricted Stock Units shall provide for settlement in cash and for dividend equivalent reinvestment in further Restricted Stock Units on the terms contemplated by this Section 13.5.

13.6. Written Materials; Electronic Documents. Electronic documents may be substituted for any written materials required by the terms of the Plan, including, without limitation, Award Certificates.

13.7. Designation of Death Beneficiary. The Committee shall establish such procedures as it deems appropriate for a Participant to designate a beneficiary to whom any amounts payable in the event of such Participant’s death are to be paid or by whom any rights of such Participant after such Participant’s death may be exercised. If no beneficiary designation is in effect for a Participant at the time or his or her death, any such amounts shall be paid to, and any such rights may be exercised by, the estate of the Participant.

13.8. Subsidiary Employees. In the case of a grant of an Award to any employee of a Subsidiary of the Company, the Company may, if the Committee so directs, issue or transfer the Shares, if any, covered by the Award to the Subsidiary, for such lawful consideration as the Committee may specify, upon the condition or understanding that the Subsidiary will transfer the Shares to the employee in accordance with the terms of the Award specified by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. All Shares underlying Awards that are forfeited or canceled shall revert to the Company.

13.9. Governing Law. The Plan and all Awards made and actions taken thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to principles of conflict of laws.

13.10. Non-Transferability. Except as otherwise provided in Section 5.9 or by the Committee, Awards under the Plan are not transferable except by will or by laws of descent and distribution.

13.11. Foreign Employees and Foreign Law Considerations. The Committee may grant Awards to Eligible Individuals who are foreign nationals, who are located outside the United States, or who are not compensated from a payroll maintained in the United States, or who are otherwise subject to (or could cause the


Company to be subject to) legal or regulatory provisions of countries or jurisdictions outside the United States, on such terms and conditions different from those specified in the Plan as may, in the judgment of the Committee, be necessary or desirable to foster and promote achievement of the purposes of the Plan, and, in furtherance of such purposes, the Committee may make such modifications, amendments, procedures, or subplans as may be necessary or advisable to comply with such legal or regulatory provisions.

13.12. No Rights to Awards; Non-Uniform Determinations. No Participant or Eligible Individual shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan. The Company, its Affiliates, or the Committee shall not be obligated to treat Participants or Eligible Individuals uniformly, and determinations made under the Plan may be made by the Committee selectively among Participants and/or Eligible Individuals, whether or not such Participants and Eligible Individuals are similarly situated.

13.13. Indemnification. To the extent allowable under applicable law, each member of the Committee shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense (including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which such member may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act under the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by such member in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided he or she gives 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. 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 Certificate 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.

13.14. 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 plan.

13.15. Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries or Affiliates.

13.16. 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.

13.17. Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued, and the Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional Shares or, subject to Section 3, whether such fractional Shares shall be eliminated by rounding up or down.

13.18. Government and Other Regulations. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan:

(a) 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 regulations promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933 (the “ 1933 Act ”)), offer or sell such Shares, unless such offer and sale are 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 requirements of the 1933 Act, such as that set forth in Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act.

(b) If at any time the Committee shall determine that the registration, listing, or qualification of the Shares covered by an Award upon the Applicable 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.

13.19. 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.

13.20. No Limitations on Rights of the Company. The grant of any Award shall not in any way affect the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassifications, 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, grant, or assume Awards, other than under the Plan, with respect to any person.

13.21. Blackout Periods. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan or any Award to the contrary, the Company shall have the authority to establish any “blackout” period that the Company deems necessary or advisable with respect to any or all Awards.

13.22 Recoupment Policy. The Company has established a Recoupment Policy with respect to excess incentive-based compensation provided to current and former “executive officers” (as defined in the Recoupment Policy) of the Company. All performance-based Awards granted under this Plan on or after January 1, 2012 and held by any such person are subject to the terms and conditions of the Recoupment Policy, and, as a condition of participation in this Plan, each such person is deemed to have agreed to the terms of the Recoupment Policy. The terms of the Recoupment Policy are incorporated into this Plan by reference.

13.23. Special Provisions Relating 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 (other than in his or her capacity as a Participant) 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 Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation 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 affect the dollar amount or 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, or the application of a different form of payment of any amount or benefit, such payment or distribution shall be made at the time and in the form that would have applied absent the non-409A-conforming event.

(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 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


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 Code Section 409A 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 Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) 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) 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).

(f) 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. In other words, a Participant is not permitted to influence the calendar year of payment based on the timing of signing the release.

(g) 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).


The foregoing is hereby acknowledged as being the Assurant, Inc. 2017 Long Term Equity Incentive Plan as adopted by the Board on March 10, 2017 and by the stockholders on May 11, 2017.

 

ASSURANT, INC.

By:

 

/s/ Robyn Price Stonehill

Name:

  Robyn Price Stonehill

Title:

  Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Office