false 0001723580 0001723580 2021-07-13 2021-07-13 0001723580 bfi:CommonStockParValue0.0001PerShare2Member 2021-07-13 2021-07-13 0001723580 bfi:RedeemableWarrantsEachExercisableForOneShareOfCommonStockAtAnExercisePriceOf11.50PerShare1Member 2021-07-13 2021-07-13

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 13, 2021

 

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

001-38417   Delaware   82-2418815
(Commission
File Number)
  (State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

105 US Highway 1

North Palm Beach, Florida

  33408
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

(561) 844-5528

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(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))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of Each Class

 

Trading
symbol(s)

 

Name of exchange
on which registered

Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share   BFI   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Redeemable warrants, each exercisable for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share   BFIIW   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

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.

(d)    The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of BurgerFi International Inc. (the “Company”) has appointed Vivian Lopez-Blanco to the Board as an independent Class B director, effective July 14, 2021, for a term until her successor is elected and qualified or until her earlier resignation or removal. Ms. Lopez-Blanco will be a nominee for election as a Class B director at the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders for a three-year term. Ms. Lopez-Blanco’s appointment follows the sudden passing of former board member and audit committee chair, Steven Berrard, which the Company announced on June 10, 2021. The Board has also named Ms. Lopez-Blanco as the chair of the Board’s Audit Committee and as a member of the Compensation Committee and Nominating Committee.

There were no arrangements or understandings between Ms. Lopez-Blanco and any other person, pursuant to which she was selected as a director. Ms. Lopez-Blanco has not had an interest in any transaction since January 1, 2019, or any currently proposed transaction, that requires disclosure pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Ms. Lopez-Blanco will participate in the standard, independent director compensation arrangements established by the Company. Ms. Lopez-Blanco has been granted 5,000 time-based restricted stock units (“RSUs”) under the Company’s 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which shall vest on December 31, 2021 and be settled in shares of common stock. In addition, Ms. Lopez-Blanco is entitled to receive annual cash compensation of $7,500 beginning in 2021, in her capacity as chair of the Audit Committee.

(e)    James Esposito Employment Agreement

On July 13, 2021, the Company entered into an employment agreement with James Esposito, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, for an initial term of one year, which shall automatically renew for successive one year terms, subject to earlier termination, as provided in the employment agreement. Under the terms of the employment agreement, Mr. Esposito shall earn a base salary of $200,000, subject to review by the Compensation Committee in consultation with the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman.

In addition, Mr. Esposito is eligible to receive up to 35,000 RSUs under the Plan. Such RSUs shall vest in four equal installments at the yearly anniversary of February 18, 2021 (the date that Mr. Esposito began providing services to


the Company) for each of the first four years of employment, subject to achievement of certain key performance indicators set forth in the employment agreement, for the prior fiscal year. Mr. Esposito is also eligible to receive up to 60,000 RSUs through the Plan upon the achievement of certain benchmarks set forth in the employment agreement (“Benchmark RSUs”). Such Benchmark RSUs shall vest in four equal installments during each of the first four years of employment, subject to the Company’s per share stock price achieving certain price thresholds for a period of time, as set forth in the grant agreement.

In connection with its approval of Mr. Esposito’s employment agreement, the Board approved the above-referenced grants to Mr. Esposito of 35,000 RSUs and 60,000 Benchmark RSUs pursuant to the terms of his employment agreement, his restricted stock grant agreements and the Plan. Mr. Esposito’s grant agreements are attached as Exhibits 10.2 and 10.3 hereto and are incorporated by reference herein.

Mr. Esposito will have the right to receive or participate in all employee benefit programs and perquisites generally established by the Company for similarly situated employees.

Upon a termination of Mr. Esposito’s employment without Cause (as defined in the Plan), all unearned RSUs and Benchmark RSUs for the year in which the termination occurs shall be deemed to have been earned and vested immediately before such termination.

During the term of Mr. Esposito’s employment agreement, Mr. Esposito will be bound by confidentiality and non-competition obligations. If there is a Change of Control (as defined in Mr. Esposito’s employment agreement) during the term of employment, all unearned RSUs and Benchmark RSUs shall be deemed to have been earned and vested immediately prior to the Change of Control.

The foregoing description of Mr. Esposito’s employment agreement is intended only as a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual terms of the employment agreement, which is attached as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.

Equity Grants to Other Executive Officers

On July 13, 2021, the Board also approved grants under the Plan to each of Ophir Sternberg, the Company’s Executive Chairman, Julio Ramirez, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael Rabinovitch, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, and Ross Goldstein, the Company’s Chief Legal Officer pursuant to the terms of their respective grant agreements, as follows:

Ophir Sternberg

Mr. Sternberg was granted 700,000 Benchmark RSUs. Under the terms of the grant agreement, 73% (511,000 shares) of the total Benchmark RSUs will not be issued (deemed or otherwise) under the Plan until the aggregate number of shares reserved for awards under the Plan is increased consistent with Section 5.1 of the Plan, which is scheduled to occur on January 1, 2022 (the “Evergreen Increase”). The Benchmark RSUs shall vest in five equal annual installments, subject to the Company achieving certain annual revenue targets starting in 2021. Mr. Sternberg was also granted 250,000 RSUs. The RSUs shall vest in five equal annual installments, with 20% vesting on the grant date and an additional 20% vesting on the first day of January for each of the ensuing four years, beginning January 1, 2022.

In the event of Mr. Sternberg’s Termination of Service (as defined in the Plan) by the Company without Cause or by his resignation due to Good Reason (as defined in the Employment Agreement dated December 16, 2020 between the Company and Mr. Sternberg), all unearned Benchmark RSUs and RSUs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service. Mr. Sternberg’s grant agreements are attached as Exhibits 10.4 and 10.5 hereto and are incorporated by reference herein.


Julio Ramirez

Mr. Ramirez was granted 100,000 Benchmark RSUs. Under the terms of the grant agreement, 100% (100,000 shares) of the total Benchmark RSUs will not be issued (deemed or otherwise) under the Plan until the effectiveness of the Evergreen Increase. The Benchmark RSUs shall vest in three installments of 25%, 25% and 50%, subject to the Company’s per share stock price achieving certain price thresholds for a period of time, as set forth in the grant agreement. Mr. Ramirez was also granted 250,000 RSUs. 36% (89,000 shares) of the total RSUs will not be issued (deemed or otherwise) under the Plan until the effectiveness of the Evergreen Increase. The RSUs shall vest in five equal annual installments at the yearly anniversary of December 16, 2020 (the date that Mr. Ramirez began providing services to the Company), subject to achievement of certain key performance indicators set forth in the grant agreement, for that respective fiscal year.

In the event of Mr. Ramirez’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause (as defined in Mr. Ramirez’s Employment Agreement), the unearned portion of the 250,000 RSUs which could be earned during the vesting year in which the Termination of Service occurs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service.

Mr. Ramirez’s grant agreements are attached as Exhibits 10.6 and 10.7 hereto and are incorporated by reference herein.

Michael Rabinovitch

Mr. Rabinovitch was granted 100,000 Benchmark RSUs. The Benchmark RSUs shall vest in four annual installments of 20,000, 20,000, 20,000 and 40,000 Benchmark RSUs, subject to the Company’s per share stock price achieving certain price thresholds for a period of time, as set forth in the grant agreement. Mr. Rabinovitch was also granted 130,000 RSUs. The RSUs shall vest in four annual installments of 25,000, 30,000, 35,000, and 40,000 RSUs beginning with the yearly anniversary of February 26, 2021, subject to achievement of certain key performance indicators set forth in the grant agreement, for the respective prior fiscal year.

In the event of Mr. Rabinovitch’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause or by his resignation due to Good Reason (as defined in the Employment Agreement dated February 26, 2021 (the date that Mr. Rabinovitch began providing services to the Company) between the Company and Mr. Rabinovitch, the unearned portion of the RSUs which could be earned during the vesting year in which the Termination of Service occurs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service.

Mr. Rabinovitch’s grant agreements are attached as Exhibits 10.8 and 10.9 hereto and are incorporated by reference herein.

Ross Goldstein

Mr. Goldstein was granted 60,000 Benchmark RSUs. The Benchmark RSUs shall vest in four equal annual installments, subject to the Company’s per share stock price achieving certain price thresholds for a period of time, as set forth in the grant agreement. Mr. Goldstein was also granted 35,000 RSUs. The RSUs shall vest in four equal annual installments beginning with the yearly anniversary of January 6, 2021 (the date of Mr. Goldstein’s employment agreement with the Company), subject to achievement of certain key performance indicators set forth in the grant agreement, for the respective prior fiscal year.

In the event of Mr. Goldstein’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause, all unearned RSUs which could be earned during the vesting year in which the Termination of Service occurs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service.

Mr. Goldstein’s grant agreements are attached as Exhibits 10.10 and 10.11 hereto and are incorporated by reference herein.

Except as set forth above, under all of the executives’ grant agreements, all RSUs and Benchmark RSUs that are held by the executive that are not vested as of the date of any Termination of Service (as defined in the Plan)


for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service. If there is a Change of Control (as defined in the Plan) prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned RSUs and Benchmark RSUs shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

In light of changes to the economic outlook of the foreseeable future and in the interest of fairness to the executive officers, the Compensation Committee approved certain revisions to the terms of the restricted stock grants contemplated in the applicable employment agreements of the executive officers, including clarifying that restricted stock grants were intended to be RSU grants, eliminating the post-vesting restrictions on transfer of shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting of RSUs, and providing that to the extent that the Company’s per share stock price does not achieve designated price thresholds for 2021, then applicable Benchmark RSUs for 2021 shall roll over into 2022 and shall vest if during 2022 the 2021 price thresholds are achieved.

Equity Grants to Other Independent Directors

Also, on July 13, 2021, the Board granted the other independent directors of the Board (in addition to Ms. Lopez-Blanco) 5,000 time-based RSUs, which shall vest on December 31, 2021 and be settled in shares of common stock on or before March 15, 2021, on substantially the same terms for all such directors. If there is a Change of Control during the term of service, all unearned RSUs shall be deemed to have been earned and vested immediately prior to the Change of Control. The form of director grant agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.12 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.

The foregoing descriptions of the grant agreements are intended only as summaries and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual terms of the respective grant agreements attached to this Form 8-K.

 

Item 7.01.

Regulation FD Disclosure.

On July 15, 2021, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Ms. Lopez-Blanco to the Board and the Company’s compliance with the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC’s (“Nasdaq”) continued listing requirement as a result of her appointment to the Board. The press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

The information in this Item 7.01 (including Exhibit 99.1) shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities under that section and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

 

Item 8.01.

Other Events.

The Company previously announced that it had notified Nasdaq that as a result of the unexpected death of Steven Berrard, a valued member of the Company’s Board, Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating Committee, the Company was not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(c)(2)(A), which requires that the Company’s Audit Committee be comprised of at least three directors, all of whom are independent pursuant to the rules of Nasdaq and applicable law.

As detailed in Item 5.02 of this report, effective July 14, 2021, the Board appointed Ms. Lopez-Blanco as a member of the Board and as a member and chair of the Audit Committee. As a result of her appointment, the Company is again in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(c)(2)(A).


Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)    Exhibits.

 

Exhibit

No.

  

Description

10.1    Employment Agreement between James Esposito and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.2    Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between James Esposito and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.3    Benchmark Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between James Esposito and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.4    Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between Ophir Sternberg and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.5    Benchmark Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between Ophir Sternberg and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.6    Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between Julio Ramirez and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.7    Benchmark Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between Julio Ramirez and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.8    Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between Michael Rabinovitch and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.9    Benchmark Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between Michael Rabinovitch and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.10    Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between Ross Goldstein and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.11    Benchmark Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between Ross Goldstein and BurgerFi International Inc., dated July 13, 2021.
10.12    Form of Independent Director Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement with BurgerFi International Inc.
99.1    Press release, dated July 15, 2021*
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

*

Furnished but not filed.


SIGNATURES

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

Dated: July 16, 2021

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:  

/s/ Julio Ramirez

 

Name: Julio Ramirez

Title: Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 10.1

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made and entered into effective as of the 13 day of July, 2021, by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), and James Esposito (“Employee”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, on the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth, Company desires to engage Employee as its Chief Operating Officer, and Employee desires to work with Company, to render the Employee’s duties (set forth in Section 3 below) to Company.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises set forth herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

1. Recitals and Exhibits. The foregoing recitals and any exhibits referred to herein and attached hereto are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference.

2. Engagement. In exchange for the compensation set forth in Section 5 below and subject to the other terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, Company hereby engages Employee as Chief Operating Officer, on an exclusive basis, to render the Employee’s duties set forth in Section 3 hereof as an at-will Employee of Company and Employee hereby accepts such engagement.

3. Employee Duties. Subject to the terms and conditions herein, and for the Term of this Agreement, Employee shall serve as Company’s exclusive employee, working under the direction of the Executive Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer of Company.

3.1 Employee shall perform the duties consistent with Employee’s title and position and such other duties commensurate with such position and title as shall be specified or designated by Company from time to time. The principal place of performance by Employee of Employee’s duties hereunder shall be the Company’s corporate offices in Palm Beach County, Florida, or such other location of the corporate offices from time to time, although Employee may be required to reasonably travel outside of such area in connection with the performance of Employee’s duties.

3.2 Employee agrees to comply with all applicable laws and governmental rules, orders and regulations, and to conduct its business and activities so as to maintain and increase the goodwill and reputation of Company.

3.3 Employee acknowledges Company’s interest in maintaining and promoting Company’s reputation for quality and service. From time to time, Company may establish reasonable policies, procedures and requirements that will be applicable and disseminated to its Employees. Employee hereby agrees to strictly comply with all such policies, procedures and requirements.


3.4 Subject to the proviso below, Employee shall devote his entire business time, energy and skill to Employee’s services under this Agreement.

3.5 Employee will use his best efforts to promote and serve the interests of Company and perform Employee’s duties and obligations hereunder in a diligent, trustworthy, businesslike, efficient and lawful manner.

3.6 Employee will not engage in any activity that, directly or indirectly, impairs or conflicts with the performance of Employee’s obligations and duties to Company, provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent Employee from managing Employee’s personal affairs and passive personal investments and participating in charitable, civic, educational, professional or community affairs, so long as, in the aggregate, any such activities do not unreasonably interfere or conflict with Employee’s duties hereunder or create a potential business or fiduciary conflict with Company, as reasonably determined by Company.

4. Term. Employee’s employment hereunder shall commence on the date hereof (the “Commencement Date”) and shall continue for a one-year period thereafter (the “Initial Term”), subject to earlier termination exclusively as provided for in Section 6 below, and subject to extension as provided in the following sentence. Following the Initial Term, provided Employee’s employment has not previously been terminated, Employee’s employment hereunder shall automatically be extended for successive, one-year periods (each, a “Renewal Term”), subject to earlier termination exclusively as provided for in Section 6 below. For purposes of this Agreement, the “Term” at any given time shall mean the Initial Term as it may have been extended by one or more Renewal Terms as of such time (without regard to whether Employee’s employment is terminated prior to the end of such Term), and the “Employment Period” means the period of Employee’s employment hereunder (regardless of whether such period ends prior to the end of the Term and regardless of the reason for Employee’s termination of employment hereunder).

5. Compensation. As compensation in full for the performance of Employee’s duties hereunder, Employee shall receive the following:

5.1 Salary. An annual salary of $200,000.00, subject to applicable withholdings and deductions and paid in 24 or 26 installments, every other week or twice each month, as other employees of Company are paid, subject to review at the end of each Term by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman. Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee may be paid by a parent company or other affiliate of Company (“Paymaster”). Notwithstanding payment by Paymaster or reimbursement by an affiliate, Employee acknowledges and agrees that his sole contractual arrangement is with Company, Employee is not an employee of Paymaster or any affiliate, and Employee shall not have any claims against Paymaster or any affiliate relating to or arising out of Employee’s engagement by Company.

5.2 Restricted Stock Units. The ability to earn up to 35,000 shares of Company common stock through restricted stock unit grants through Company’s Omnibus Incentive Plan (collectively, the “Restricted Stock Unit Grants”). Such Restricted Stock Unit Grants shall vest in four equal installments equal amounts (i.e., 8,750 each) at the yearly anniversary of February 18, 2021, the

 

2


date that the Employee first began providing services to the Company as a contractor or employee, for each of the first four years of employment with Company, subject to Employee’s achievement of the Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit A hereto for the prior fiscal year, as determined in March of the year following such fiscal year, so long as Employee is still an employee in good standing at the time of each such anniversary, subject to the terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Unit Grant Agreement annexed hereto as Exhibit B. Shares issued upon vesting of each grant will be locked up for 12 months.

5.3 Benchmark Restricted Stock Units. Eligibility to receive up to an additional 60,000 shares of Company common stock through restricted stock unit grants (“Benchmark Restricted Stock Unit Grants”) upon achievement by Company of the following benchmarks: (i) 15,000 restricted stock units, if during calendar year 2021 the last reported closing price of Company’s common stock for any 20 trading days within any consecutive 30 trading day period is greater than or equal to $19.00 per share; provided, however, that if the vesting condition is not achieved during calendar year 2021, such 15,000 restricted stock units shall roll over to calendar year 2022 and shall vest, if during calendar year 2022 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any 20 trading days within any consecutive 30 day trading day period is greater than or equal to $19.00 per share; (ii) 15,000 restricted stock units, if during calendar year 2022 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any 20 trading days within any consecutive 30 trading day period is greater than or equal to $19.00 per share; (iii) 15,000 restricted stock units, if during calendar year 2023 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any 20 trading days within any consecutive 30 trading day period is greater than or equal to $22.00 per share; and (iv) 15,000 restricted stock units, if during calendar year 2024 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any 20 trading days within any consecutive 30 trading day period is greater than or equal to $25.00 per share. These Benchmark Restricted Stock Unit Grants may not be sold, transferred or conveyed for a twelve-month period following the date upon which they are earned (each, an “Earning Date”), provided that Employee is still an employee in good standing at the time of each such Earning Date, subject to the terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Unit Purchase Agreement.

5.4 Benefits. The right to receive or participate in all employee benefit programs and perquisites generally established by Company from time to time for employees similarly situated to Employee, subject to the general eligibility requirements and other terms of such programs and perquisites, and subject to Company’s right to amend, terminate or take other similar action with respect to any such programs and perquisites.

5.5 Vacation and Other Paid Time Off. Four (4) weeks of paid vacation, as well as sick days and any other paid time off, each year in accordance with then current Company policy. Employee shall be entitled to an additional week of paid vacation following the first anniversary of the Commencement Date and another week after the third anniversary.

5.6 Car Allowance. A car allowance of $1,200 per month.

5.7 Change in Control. If there is a Change of Control during the time Employee is still an employee in good standing, all unearned Restricted Stock Unit Grants and Benchmark Restricted Stock Unit Grants shall be deemed to have been earned and vested immediately prior to the Change

 

3


of Control. A “Change of Control” means the sale of all or substantially all the assets of Company; any merger, consolidation or acquisition of Company with, by or into another corporation, entity or person; or any change in the ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting capital stock of Company in one or more related transactions

6. Termination. This Agreement shall be for at-will employment and shall continue until the earlier of (i) expiration of the Term or (ii) the occurrence of one of the below events. Upon the termination of Employee’s engagement hereunder, Company shall have no further liability hereunder, except to pay Employee all compensation earned by Employee as of the date of termination and as set forth in Section 6.3 below.

6.1 Employee’s engagement and rights hereunder may be terminated as follows:

(i) By Company or Employee, as the case may be, immediately upon a breach of this Agreement that, if possible to be cured, has gone uncured for at least 30 days following written notice thereof; or

(ii) By Company, following at least thirty (30) days’ written notice to Employee; or

(iii) By Employee, following at least thirty (30) days’ written notice to Company; or

(iv) By the written agreement of Employee and Company.

6.2 Upon termination, Employee shall:

(i) Deliver to Company all documents, data, records, and all other materials which are provided by Company to Employee, including any Confidential Information;

(ii) Take all such reasonable actions as shall be requested in writing from time to time by Company consistent with the foregoing and for the orderly transition of the services provided by Employee to either Company or to a new employee, in the discretion of Company.

6.3 Upon termination by Company without cause all unearned Restricted Stock Unit Grants and Benchmark Restricted Stock Unit Grants for the year in which termination occurs shall be deemed to have been earned and vested immediately before such termination. This Section 6.3 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and Employee’s engagement hereunder.

7. Confidential Information and Competition. Employee has entered into that certain Agreement Regarding Confidential Information and Prohibiting Competition attached hereto as Exhibit C, the terms and conditions of which are hereby incorporated by this reference, and agrees that nothing herein shall limit or restrict the obligations of Employee thereunder or enforcement of the terms thereof. As used herein, the term “Confidential Information” shall have the meaning set forth in the Agreement Regarding Confidential Information and Prohibiting Competition. This Section 7 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and Employee’s engagement hereunder.

 

4


8. Trade Names and Trademarks. Employee agrees that he will use only such trade names, trademarks or other designations of Company or any simulations thereof as may be authorized in writing by Company. All such use shall be in accordance with Company’s instructions and any such authorization may be withdrawn or modified at any time. Employee will, in the event this Agreement is terminated, cease all use of any of Company’s trade names, trademarks or other designations or other simulations thereof. Employee will not register or attempt to register or assert any right of ownership in any of Company’s trade names, trademarks or other designations or any simulations thereof. Employee shall immediately notify Company in writing upon learning of any potential or actual infringement of any trademark, patent, copyright or other proprietary right owned by or licensed to Company, or of any actual or potential infringement by Company of the rights of any third party.

9. Miscellaneous.

9.1 Notices. Any notice required or permitted to be delivered to any party under the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) upon hand delivery thereof, (b) upon telefax or email and written confirmation of transmission, (c) upon proof of delivery and receipt of any overnight deliveries, or (d) on the third (3rd) business day after mailing United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to each party as follows:

 

To Company:   

105 U.S. Highway One

North Palm Beach, FL 33408

Attn: Chief Legal Officer

To Employee:    to the address set forth on the signature page

or to such other address or such other person as any party shall designate, in writing, to the others for such purposes and in the manner set forth in this Section.

9.2 Accuracy of Statements. No representation or warranty contained in this Agreement, and no statement delivered, or information supplied to any party pursuant hereto, contains an untrue statement of material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements or information contained herein or therein not misleading. The representations and warranties made in this Agreement will be continued and will remain true and complete in all material respects and will survive the execution of the transactions contemplated hereby.

9.3 Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth all the promises, covenants, agreements, conditions and understandings between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings, inducements or conditions, expressed or implied, oral or written, except as herein contained.

9.4 Binding Effect; Assignment. This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto, their heirs, administrators, successors and assigns. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, no party may assign or transfer its interests herein, or delegate its duties hereunder, without the written consent of the other party. Any assignment or delegation of duties in violation of this provision shall be null and void.

 

5


9.5 Amendment. The parties hereby irrevocably agree that no attempted amendment, modification, termination, discharge or change of this Agreement shall be valid and effective, unless the parties shall unanimously agree in writing to such amendment.

9.6 No Waiver. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by the party against whom it is asserted, and any such written waiver shall only be applicable to the specific instance to which it relates and shall not be deemed to be a continuing or future waiver.

9.7 Gender and Use of Singular and Plural. All pronouns shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular or plural, as the identity of the party or parties, or their personal Employees, successors and assigns may require.

9.8 Headings. The article and section headings contained in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of the Agreement.

9.9 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida and any proceeding arising between the parties in any manner pertaining or related to this Agreement shall, to the extent permitted by law, be held in Palm Beach County, Florida.

9.10 Further Assurances. The parties hereto will execute and deliver such further instruments and do such further acts and things as may be reasonably required to carry out the intent and purposes of this Agreement.

9.11 Litigation. If any party hereto is required to take any action or engage in litigation against any other party hereto, either as plaintiff or as defendant, in order to enforce or defend any rights under this Agreement, and such litigation results in a final judgment in favor of such party, then the party or parties against whom said final judgment is obtained shall reimburse the prevailing party for all direct, indirect or incidental expenses incurred, including, but not limited to, all attorneys’ fees, court costs and other expenses incurred throughout all negotiations, trials or appeals undertaken in order to enforce the prevailing party’s rights hereunder.

9.12 Mediation. Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by a mediation administered by a mutually agreed upon mediator and, except as set forth below, the cost of any such mediation shall be shared equally by all parties thereto. Any judgment on the award rendered by the mediator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. During any mediation related to the Agreement, the parties shall continue to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement. The prevailing party in any enforcement of this Agreement shall be entitled to recover all costs and expenses of such enforcement, including costs of litigation, and attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses, at trial through appeal.

 

6


9.13 Indemnification; D&O Insurance.

(i) Company hereby agrees to indemnify Employee and to defend and hold him harmless to the fullest extent permitted by law and under the by-laws of the Company against and in respect to any and all actions, suits, proceedings, claims, demands, judgments, costs, expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees at all levels of proceedings), losses, and damages resulting from Employee’s good faith performance of his duties and obligations hereunder. This Section 9.13 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and Employee’s engagement hereunder.

(ii) Company shall purchase and maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and Employee while serving in such capacity to Company or on behalf of Company as an officer or director or employee of any affiliate of Company.

9.14 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts and by facsimile and/or e-mail .pdf, each of which shall constitute originals and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute the same original instrument, legally binding all parties to this Agreement.

With full power and authority and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

COMPANY:
BurgerFi International, Inc.
By:  

/s/ Julio Ramirez

  Julio Ramirez, Chief Executive Officer
EMPLOYEE:
By:  

/s/ James Esposito

Name:   James Esposito
Address:   **********

 

7


EXHIBIT A

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Vesting of the installments of the Restricted Stock Unit Grants shall also be subject to meeting the following performance criteria. Each performance measure listed below is to be measured from January 1 to December 31 of each year.

 

  1.

Thirty percent (30%) based on achievement of at least seventy percent (70%) of the Company’s adjusted EBITDA1 target for the prior fiscal year.

 

  2.

Up to twenty percent (20%) shall vest proportionate to achieving between seventy percent (70%) and one hundred percent (100%) of the new store openings plan (owned and franchised) for the prior fiscal year.2

 

  3.

With respect to the units that vest in 2022, thirty percent (30%) based on achievement of increase in store operating margin3 of at least one and one-half percent (1.5%) for the 2021 fiscal year. With respect to the units that vest in all other years, thirty percent (30%) will vest based on achievement of the Company’s budgeted target store operating margin for the prior fiscal year.

 

  4.

Twenty percent (20%) based on achievement of at least twenty-five percent (25%) diversity4 of direct reports of the Employee during the prior fiscal year.

 

 

1 

Calculated as net income calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, adjusted to exclude the adverse impact of items attributable to (a) income taxes, (b) costs or losses attributable to the issuance of debt, equity or acquisitions or dispositions of stock or assets, (c) any changes in accounting standards or treatments that may be required or permitted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or adopted by the Company after the adjusted EBITDA goal is established, (d) restructuring activities, (e) impairment or disposals of long-lived assets, goodwill or other intangible assets, (f) any business interruption event, (g) negative impacts of legal settlement and defense costs, including tax matters, (h) costs associated with replacing information technology systems, (i) pre-opening costs and (j) negative impacts related to the finalization of purchase price allocation of acquired entities.

2 

Including new Company-owned restaurants, new franchised restaurants and licensed restaurants; excluding ghost kitchens, acquired existing franchisee’s locations and closed locations.

3 

To be calculated as the decrease in store operating costs, measured as a percentage of Company-owned restaurant sales.

4 

Measured as either the percentage or number of women, minorities and any protected employment class of employees.


EXHIBIT B

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT AGREEMENT

To be provided by Company to Employee as soon as possible


EXHIBIT C

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

AGREEMENT REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

AND

PROHIBITING COMPETITION

I, the undersigned employee of BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), am entering into this Agreement in consideration of my employment by the Company. The Company is in the business of operating gourmet fast food and quick service casual restaurants focused on all-natural hamburgers, vegetarian burgers, hormone-free chicken, and other complementary food offerings (the “Company’s Business”). I hereby acknowledge that, in conjunction with the performance of my duties as an employee of the Company, I will be exposed to, making use of, acquiring and adding to confidential information of a special and unique nature and value affecting and relating to the Company and its financial operations, including, but not limited to: the Company’s Business, the identity of the Company’s clients, the prices being charged by the Company to such clients, the Company’s contracts, business records and other records, the Company’s trade secrets, customer lists, vendors and vendor lists, recipes, billing forms, methods, and procedures, trade names, manuals, photographs, samples, literature, sales aids of every kind, software, advertising methods and strategies, information regarding advertising locations, style and wording of all advertising, plans for expansion or marketing strategies, and other similar information relating to the Company and the Company’s Business (all the foregoing being hereinafter referred to collectively as “Confidential Information”). I agree that the Confidential Information is a trade secret of, and is owned solely by, the Company.

I acknowledge that the disclosure of Confidential Information to competitors of the Company would cause the Company irreparable injury. Because I have been and will be exposed to Confidential Information, the Company requires, as a condition to my employment with the Company, that I, the undersigned, execute and deliver to the Company this legally binding agreement (“Agreement”), which is intended to protect the Company from my unauthorized use of the Confidential Information and to prohibit the Company’s competitors from receiving the benefits of my knowledge of the Company’s Business or the specialized training that the Company has provided or will provide to me. This Agreement does not obligate the Company to employ or retain me for any specific length of time. Although the Company seeks to retain valued employees and independent contractors, employment with the Company remains terminable by the Company “at will.”

I agree that all Confidential Information is owned exclusively by the Company, that I may use the Confidential Information only when permitted by the Company and only for the benefit of the Company, that at all times during and subsequent to my employment with the Company, I will not disclose any Confidential Information to any other person or entity for any reason whatsoever, and that I will at all times take such actions as shall be necessary to maintain the confidentiality of the Confidential Information and to prevent its unauthorized disclosure.

I agree that, upon the Company’s demand, whether verbal or written, I will promptly deliver as directed, without retaining copies, all materials and media in my possession that contain


Confidential Information or that relate to the Company’s Business. I agree that the fact that I had knowledge, or that others may have had knowledge, of Confidential Information prior to the execution of this Agreement shall not in any way limit or affect my obligations under this Agreement.

I agree that all copyrightable, patentable or unpatentable business information, and other proprietary information, inventions, techniques, know-how, materials and Confidential Information created by me during my employment with the Company, together with all rights relating to said property, are the exclusive property of the Company and its assigns. I further agree that this Agreement constitutes a “Work for Hire” with respect to any copyrightable works created by me during my employment with the Company. I agree to execute all documents, including, but not limited to, assignments of rights, that the Company may request to assist in establishing its ownership of such property.

During the term of my employment with the Company, I will not directly or indirectly, in any location, operate, organize, maintain, establish, manage, own, participate in, or in any manner whatsoever, individually or through any corporation, firm or organization of which I shall be affiliated in any manner whatsoever, have any interest in, whether as owner, investor, operator, partner, stockholder, director, trustee, officer, mortgagee, employee, independent contractor, principal, agent, consultant or otherwise, any other business or venture which engages in the Company’s Business, or is otherwise in competition with Company or any assigns of the Company, unless such activity shall have been previously agreed to in writing by Company and its successors and assigns (I acknowledge that the Company’s Business is advertised and conducted throughout the United States, and accordingly that this covenant against competition shall extend to the entire United States). Further, during the term of my employment with the Company and for a period of two (2) years thereafter (the “Restricted Period”), I will not: (i) directly or indirectly, divert from the Company or its successors or assigns, any proprietary product or service of the Company, or cause any client or account of the Company to cease using or acquiring the Company’s products or services; or (ii) directly or indirectly, solicit for employment, employ or otherwise engage the services of, any employees, independent contractors, vendors, agents, or consultants of the Company or its successors or assigns; provided, however, that nothing set forth herein shall limit Employee’s right to compete with Company and to work for any competitor of Company after termination of this Agreement.

I acknowledge that I may be performing services at one or more locations that are shared facilities with other entities that may be affiliates of the Company (“Affiliated Entities”). The Affiliated Entities each have their own respective confidential information like that described as the Company’s Confidential Information, and that the Affiliated Entities intend that such confidential information remain confidential under agreements like this agreement. If I should be exposed to or learn of any such confidential information, I agree that it is protected information that shall be owned by the Affiliated Entities in the same manner as the Confidential Information is owned and protected by the Company. Further, I agree that in no event shall any such confidential information be used by me for the purpose of competing with, or to solicit customers, employees, agents or independent contractors of, the Company or any Affiliated Entity. The Affiliated Entities are intended third party beneficiaries for the purpose of enforcing the foregoing.

 

C-2


I agree that if I breach or threaten to breach this Agreement, the Company will be entitled to receive, in addition to all other remedies to which it may be entitled at law or in equity, temporary and permanent injunctions prohibiting any breach of this Agreement by me, or by my partners, agents, representatives, servants, employers, employees, independent contractors and all persons directly or indirectly acting for or with me. In the event the Company obtains a temporary or permanent injunction, I agree that any such injunction shall compute the two (2) year restriction from the date the injunction is entered. The Company shall also be entitled to receive from me reimbursement of all its reasonable attorneys’ and other legal fees and costs that it incurs in enforcing this Agreement, inclusive of all such fees and costs incurred with respect to all negotiations, trial and appellate proceedings. This Agreement shall be interpreted under the laws of the State of Florida, and the venue for any proceedings under this Agreement shall be Palm Beach County, Florida. I hereby submit to the jurisdiction of any state or federal courts in Palm Beach County, Florida for purposes of the foregoing. The terms of this Agreement shall survive the termination of my employment by the Company.

Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by a mediation administered by a mutually agreed upon mediator and, except as set forth below, the cost of any such mediation shall be shared equally by all parties thereto. Any judgment on the award rendered by the mediator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. During any mediation related to the Agreement, the parties shall continue to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement. The prevailing party in any enforcement of this Agreement shall be entitled to recover all costs and expenses of such enforcement, including costs of litigation, and attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses, at trial through appeal.

I agree that the restrictions contained in this Agreement are fair and reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate business interests of the Company, and will not unfairly restrict my ability to find gainful work in my field. I also agree that if a court determines that any of the restrictions in this Agreement are unenforceable, the court, in so establishing a substitute restriction, shall recognize that I agree that the restrictions described above be imposed and maintained to the maximum lawful extent. I hereby certify that no representative or agent of the Company has represented, expressly or otherwise, that the Company would not seek to enforce this Agreement. The provisions contained herein shall be binding upon me as an independent obligation and shall be enforceable even if there is or is claimed to be a breach of this Agreement or any other agreement, understanding, commitment or promise by the Company. The Company’s failure or refusal to enforce any of the terms contained in this Agreement against any other employee or independent contractor or former employee or independent contractor for any reason, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement of this Agreement against me.

I agree that I will not at any time (during or after my employment with the Company) disparage the reputation of the Company, or its customers, vendors, merchants, officers, members, manager, directors, agents, employees or independent contractors.

 

C-3


By executing this Agreement in the space provided below I confirm that I have read, understand and agree to all the provisions of this Agreement and that I agree to be legally bound by the terms of this Agreement. This Agreement is for the benefit of and may be enforced by the Company, its successors and assigns. This Agreement shall supercede and replace any prior confidentiality and non-competition agreements entered into between Company and Employee.

 

Agreed to this 13 day of July, 2021

/s/ James Esposito

SIGNATURE

James Esposito

PRINT NAME
ADDRESS:

**********

Phone:  

**********

Email:  

**********

Exhibit 10.2

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Legal Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

a.

    

Legal Grant Date:

 

July 13, 2021

b.

    

Participant Name:

 

James Esposito

c.

    

Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:

  35,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (a “Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, Restricted Stock Units subject to this grant shall vest as follows:

(a) 8,750 Restricted Stock Units shall vest on the one year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto;

(b) 8,750 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the two year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto;

(c) 8,750 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the three year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto;

(d) 8,750 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the four year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto.


For purposes of this Section, “Commencement Date” shall mean February 18, 2021, which is the date the Participant began providing services to the Company, and the period of time between each anniversary of the Commencement Date shall be referred to as the “Vesting Year”.

In the event of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement that could be earned during the Vesting Year in which the Termination of Service occurs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service.

Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

 

4.

Termination of Employment; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date; provided that the Company may withhold a sufficient number of Shares deliverable in satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Unit(s) to be settled to satisfy all or a portion of the tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting and settlement of such units. In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

Withholding Taxes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct from compensation payable to the Participant any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Company (the “Withholding Obligation”), including withholding from vested Shares to be issued by the Company in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit (or portion thereof) that has vested, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the Withholding Obligation. In the alternative, the Company may require the Participant to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company. If the Participant is required to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation due shall be delivered to the

 

2


  Company within thirty (30) days following the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. If the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement described in the first sentence hereof, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting of Restricted Stock Units to issue the vested Shares otherwise deliverable upon such vesting until payment of the Withholding Obligation has been received or otherwise satisfied.

 

7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Additional Commitments. If applicable, the Participant agrees, prior to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award Agreement that he or she shall deliver to the Secretary of the Company or the Secretary’s office, or such other place as may be determined by the Committee, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation, if the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement in the first sentence of Section 6 hereof.

(b) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

 

3


(c) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(d) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

(e) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(e), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(f) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(g) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(h) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

(i) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

 

4


(j) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(k) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.     PARTICIPANT
By:  

/s/ Julio Ramirez

   

/s/ James Esposito

Name:   Julio Ramirez     James Esposito
Title:   Chief Executive Officer    

 

6


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN


EXHIBIT B

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR JAMES ESPOSITO

FOR FISCAL YEARS 2021-2025

Vesting of the installments of the Restricted Stock Award shall also be subject to meeting the following performance criteria. Each performance measure listed below is to be measured from January 1 to December 31 of each year.

 

  1.

Thirty percent (30%) based on achievement of at least seventy percent (70%) of the Company’s adjusted EBITDA1 target for the prior fiscal year.

 

  2.

Up to twenty percent (20%) shall vest proportionate to achieving between seventy percent (70%) and one hundred percent (100%) of the new store openings plan (owned and franchised) for the prior fiscal year.2

 

  3.

With respect to the units that vest in 2022, thirty percent (30%) based on achievement of increase in store operating margin3 of at least one and one-half percent (1.5%) for the 2021 fiscal year. With respect to the units that vest in all other years, thirty percent (30%) will vest based on achievement of the Company’s budgeted target store operating margin for the prior fiscal year.

 

  4.

Twenty percent (20%) based on achievement of at least twenty-five percent (25%) diversity4 of direct reports of the Participant during the prior fiscal year.

 

 

1 

Calculated as net income calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, adjusted to exclude the adverse impact of items attributable to (a) income taxes, (b) costs or losses attributable to the issuance of debt, equity or acquisitions or dispositions of stock or assets, (c) any changes in accounting standards or treatments that may be required or permitted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or adopted by the Company after the adjusted EBITDA goal is established, (d) restructuring activities, (e) impairment or disposals of long-lived assets, goodwill or other intangible assets, (f) any business interruption event, (g) negative impacts of legal settlement and defense costs, including tax matters, (h) costs associated with replacing information technology systems, (i) pre-opening costs and (j) negative impacts related to the finalization of purchase price allocation of acquired entities.

2 

Including new Company-owned restaurants, new franchised restaurants and licensed restaurants; excluding ghost kitchens, acquired existing franchisee’s locations and closed locations.

3 

To be calculated as the decrease in store operating costs, measured as a percentage of Company-owned restaurant sales.

4 

Measured as either the percentage or number of women, minorities and any protected employment class of employees.

Exhibit 10.3

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Legal Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

a.   

Legal Grant Date:

  July 13, 2021
b.   

Participant Name:

  James Esposito
c.   

Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:

  60,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (a “Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, Restricted Stock Units subject to this grant shall vest as follows:

(a) 15,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2021 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period is greater than or equal to $19.00 per share; provided, however, that if the vesting condition is not achieved during calendar year 2021, the 15,000 Restricted Stock Units discussed in this Section 3(a) shall roll over to calendar year 2022 and shall vest, if during calendar year 2022 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period is greater than or equal to $19.00 per share;

(b) 15,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2022 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period equals or exceeds $19.00 per share;

(c) 15,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2023 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period is greater than or equal to $22.00 per share; and


(d) 15,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2024 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading period is greater than or equal to $25.00 per share.

In the event of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement that could vest during the calendar year in which the Termination of Service occurs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service; provided, that in no event shall the number of unearned Restricted Stock Units that can vest in 2022 in accordance with this Section exceed 15,000 Restricted Stock Units.

Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

 

4.

Termination of Employment; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date; provided that the Company may withhold a sufficient number of Shares deliverable in satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Unit(s) to be settled to satisfy all or a portion of the tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting and settlement of such units. In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

Withholding Taxes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct from compensation payable to the Participant any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Company (the “Withholding Obligation”), including withholding from vested Shares to be issued by the Company in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit (or portion thereof) that has vested, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the Withholding Obligation. In the alternative, the Company may require the Participant to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company. If the Participant is required to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method

 

2


  as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation due shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days following the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. If the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement described in the first sentence hereof, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting of Restricted Stock Units to issue the vested Shares otherwise deliverable upon such vesting until payment of the Withholding Obligation has been received or otherwise satisfied.

 

7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Additional Commitments. If applicable, the Participant agrees, prior to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award Agreement that he or she shall deliver to the Secretary of the Company or the Secretary’s office, or such other place as may be determined by the Committee, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation, if the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement in the first sentence of Section 6 hereof.

(b) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

 

3


(c) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(d) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

(e) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(e), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(f) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(g) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(h) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

(i) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

 

4


(j) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(k) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.     PARTICIPANT
By:  

/s/ Julio Ramirez

   

/s/ James Esposito

Name:   Julio Ramirez     James Esposito
Title:   Chief Executive Officer    

 

6


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

Exhibit 10.4

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Legal Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

  a.   Legal Grant Date:   July 13, 2021
  b.   Participant Name:   Ophir Sternberg
  c.   Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:   250,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (a “Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, Restricted Stock Units subject to this grant shall vest in five equal installments, with twenty percent (20%) of the Restricted Stock Units vesting on the Grant Date and an additional twenty percent (20%) of the Restricted Stock Units vesting on the first day of January for each of the ensuing four years beginning on January 1, 2022, provided that the Participant remains continuously employed by the Company on such dates.

In the event of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause or by resignation of the Participant due to Good Reason (as defined in the Employment Agreement dated December 16, 2020 between the Company and the Participant), all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service.

Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.


4.

Termination of Employment; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date; provided that the Company may withhold a sufficient number of Shares deliverable in satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Unit(s) to be settled to satisfy all or a portion of the tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting and settlement of such units. In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after such vesting date, but in no event later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

Withholding Taxes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct from compensation payable to the Participant any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Company (the “Withholding Obligation”), including withholding from vested Shares to be issued by the Company in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit (or portion thereof) that has vested, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the Withholding Obligation. In the alternative, the Company may require the Participant to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company. If the Participant is required to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation due shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days following the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. If the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement described in the first sentence hereof, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting of Restricted Stock Units to issue the vested Shares otherwise deliverable upon such vesting until payment of the Withholding Obligation has been received or otherwise satisfied.

 

7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The

 

2


  Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Additional Commitments. If applicable, the Participant agrees, prior to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award Agreement that he or she shall deliver to the Secretary of the Company or the Secretary’s office, or such other place as may be determined by the Committee, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation, if the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement in the first sentence of Section 6 hereof.

(b) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

(c) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(d) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

 

3


(e) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(e), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(f) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(g) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(h) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

(i) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

(j) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(k) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock

 

4


Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.       PARTICIPANT
By:  

/s/ Julio Ramirez

     

/s/ Ophir Sternberg

Name:   Julio Ramirez       Ophir Sternberg
Title:   Chief Executive Officer      

 

6


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

Exhibit 10.5

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Legal Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

  a.    Legal Grant Date:   July 13, 2021
  b.    Participant Name:   Ophir Sternberg
  c.    Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:   700,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (“Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference, provided; however, that 73% (511,000 shares) of the total Restricted Stock Units will not be issued (deemed or otherwise) under the Plan until the aggregate number of shares reserved for Awards under the Plan is increased consistent with Section 5.1 of the Plan, which is scheduled to occur on January 1, 2022. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares or cash with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, Restricted Stock Units subject to this grant shall vest as follows:

(a) 20%, or 140,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest if the Company Revenue1 for fiscal year 2021 is 10% or greater than Company Revenue for fiscal year 2020 (the “Base Year Revenue”);

(b) 20%, or 140,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest if the Company Revenue for fiscal year 2022 is 20% or greater than the Base Year Revenue;

(c) 20%, or 140,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest if the Company Revenue for fiscal year 2023 is 30% or greater than the Base Year Revenue;

 

 

1 

As used herein, the term “Company Revenue” shall mean Total Revenue as calculated and presented in the Company’s audited financial statements included in the form 10-K report for the relevant year. The term “Base Year Revenue” shall equal $34,382,000.


(d) 20%, or 140,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest if the Company Revenue for fiscal year 2024 is 40% or greater than the Base Year Revenue; and

(e) 20%, or 140,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest if the Company Revenue for fiscal year 2025 is 50% or greater than the Base Year Revenue.

In the event of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause or by resignation of the Participant due to Good Reason (as defined in the Employment Agreement dated December 16, 2020 between the Company and the Participant), all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service.

Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

 

4.

Termination of Employment; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date; provided that the Company may withhold a sufficient number of Shares deliverable in satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Unit(s) to be settled to satisfy all or a portion of the tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting and settlement of such units. In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

Withholding Taxes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct from compensation payable to the Participant any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Company (the “Withholding Obligation”), including withholding from vested Shares to be issued by the Company in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit (or portion thereof) that has vested, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the Withholding Obligation. In the alternative, the Company may require the Participant to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company. If the Participant is required to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company, payment

 

2


  in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation due shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days following the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. If the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement described in the first sentence hereof, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting of Restricted Stock Units to issue the vested Shares otherwise deliverable upon such vesting until payment of the Withholding Obligation has been received or otherwise satisfied.

 

7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Additional Commitments. If applicable, the Participant agrees, prior to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award Agreement that he or she shall deliver to the Secretary of the Company or the Secretary’s office, or such other place as may be determined by the Committee, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation if the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement in the first sentence of Section 6 hereof.

 

3


(b) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

(c) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(d) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

(e) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(e), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(f) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(g) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(h) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

 

4


(i) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

(j) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(k) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.       PARTICIPANT
By:  

/s/ Julio Ramirez

     

/s/ Ophir Sternberg

Name:   Julio Ramirez       Ophir Sternberg
Title:   Chief Executive Officer      

 

6


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

Exhibit 10.6

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Legal Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

a.        Legal Grant Date:   July 13, 2021
b.        Participant Name:   Julio Ramirez
c.        Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:   250,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (“Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference, provided; however, that 36% (89,000 Shares) of the total Restricted Stock Units will not be issued (deemed or otherwise) under the Plan until the aggregate number of shares reserved for Awards under the Plan is increased consistent with Section 5.1 of the Plan, which is scheduled to occur on January 1, 2022. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares or cash with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, Restricted Stock Units subject to this grant shall vest as follows:

(a) 20%, or 50,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the one year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto for fiscal year 2021;

(b) 20%, or 50,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the two year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto for fiscal year 2022;

(c) 20%, or 50,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the three year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto for fiscal year 2023;


(d) 20%, or 50,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the four year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto for fiscal year 2024; and

(e) 20%, or 50,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the fifth year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto for fiscal year 2025.

For purposes of this Section, “Commencement Date” shall mean December 16, 2020, which is the date the Participant began employment with the Company, and the period of time between each anniversary of the Commencement Date shall be referred to as the “Vesting Year”.

In the event of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement that could be earned during the Vesting Year in which the Termination of Service occurs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service.

Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

 

4.

Termination of Employment; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date; provided that the Company may withhold a sufficient number of Shares deliverable in satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Unit(s) to be settled to satisfy all or a portion of the tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting and settlement of such units. In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

Withholding Taxes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct from compensation payable to the Participant any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the

 

2


  settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Company (the “Withholding Obligation”), including withholding from vested Shares to be issued by the Company in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit (or portion thereof) that has vested, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the Withholding Obligation. In the alternative, the Company may require the Participant to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company. If the Participant is required to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation due shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days following the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. If the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement described in the first sentence hereof, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting of Restricted Stock Units to issue the vested Shares otherwise deliverable upon such vesting until payment of the Withholding Obligation has been received or otherwise satisfied.

 

7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Additional Commitments. If applicable, the Participant agrees, prior to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award Agreement that he or she shall deliver to the Secretary of the Company or the Secretary’s office, or such other place as may be determined by the Committee, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation if the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement in the first sentence of Section 6 hereof.

 

3


(b) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

(c) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(d) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

(e) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(e), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(f) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(g) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(h) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

 

4


(i) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

(j) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(k) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.       PARTICIPANT
By:  

/s/ Ophir Sternberg

     

/s/ Julio Ramirez

Name:   Ophir Sternberg       Julio Ramirez
Title:   Executive Chairman of the Board      

 

6


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN


EXHIBIT B

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR JULIO RAMIREZ

FOR FISCAL YEARS 2021-2025

Vesting of the installments of the Restricted Stock Award shall also be subject to meeting the following performance criteria. Each performance measure listed below is to be measured from January 1 to December 31 of each year.

 

  1.

Thirty percent (30%) based on achievement of at least seventy percent (70%) of the Company’s adjusted EBITDA1 target for the fiscal year.

 

  2.

Up to thirty percent (30%) shall vest proportionate to achieving between seventy percent (70%) and one hundred percent (100%) of the new store openings plan (owned and franchised) for the fiscal year.2

 

  3.

With respect to the units that vest in 2021, twenty percent (20%) based on achievement of increase in store operating margin3 of at least one and one-half percent (1.5%) for the 2021 fiscal year. With respect to the units that vest in all other years, twenty percent (20%) will vest based on achievement of the Company’s budgeted target store operating margin for the fiscal year in which such units vest.

 

  4.

Twenty percent (20%) based on achievement of adding two (2) diverse4 franchisees during the fiscal year.

 

 

1 

Calculated as net income calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, adjusted to exclude the adverse impact of items attributable to (a) income taxes, (b) costs or losses attributable to the issuance of debt, equity or acquisitions or dispositions of stock or assets, (c) any changes in accounting standards or treatments that may be required or permitted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or adopted by the Company after the adjusted EBITDA goal is established, (d) restructuring activities, (e) impairment or disposals of long-lived assets, goodwill or other intangible assets, (f) any business interruption event, (g) negative impacts of legal settlement and defense costs, including tax matters, (h) costs associated with replacing information technology systems, (i) pre-opening costs and (j) negative impacts related to the finalization of purchase price allocation of acquired entities.

2 

Including new Company-owned restaurants, new franchised restaurants and licensed restaurants; excluding ghost kitchens, acquired existing franchisee’s locations and closed locations.

3 

To be calculated as the decrease in store operating costs, measured as a percentage of Company-owned restaurant sales.

4 

The term “diverse” refers to women, minorities and any individual in a protected employment class.

Exhibit 10.7

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Legal Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

a.

    

Legal Grant Date:

 

July 13, 2021

b.

    

Participant Name:

 

Julio Ramirez

c.

    

Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:

  100,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (“Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference; provided, however, that 100% (100,000 Shares) of the total Restricted Stock Units will not be issued (deemed or otherwise) under the Plan until the aggregate number of shares reserved for Awards under the Plan is increased consistent with Section 5.1 of the Plan, which is scheduled to occur on January 1, 2022. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares or cash with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, Restricted Stock Units subject to this grant shall vest as follows:

(a) 25%, or 25,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest when the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) day trading period is greater than or equal to $19.00 per share;

(b) 25%, or 25,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest when the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) day trading period is greater than or equal to $22.00 per share; and

(c) 50%, or 50,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest when the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period is greater than or equal to $25.00 per share.

 


Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

 

4.

Termination of Employment; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date; provided that the Company may withhold a sufficient number of Shares deliverable in satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Unit(s) to be settled to satisfy all or a portion of the tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting and settlement of such units. In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than by the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

Withholding Taxes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct from compensation payable to the Participant any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Company (the “Withholding Obligation”), including withholding from vested Shares to be issued by the Company in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit (or portion thereof) that has vested, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the Withholding Obligation. In the alternative, the Company may require the Participant to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company. If the Participant is required to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation due shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days following the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. If the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement described in the first sentence hereof, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting of Restricted Stock Units to issue the vested Shares otherwise deliverable upon such vesting until payment of the Withholding Obligation has been received or otherwise satisfied.

 

2


7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Additional Commitments. If applicable, the Participant agrees, prior to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award Agreement that he or she shall deliver to the Secretary of the Company or the Secretary’s office, or such other place as may be determined by the Committee, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation if the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement in the first sentence of Section 6 hereof.

(b) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

(c) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(d) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with

 

3


respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

(e) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(e), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(f) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(g) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(h) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

(i) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

(j) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(k) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and

 

4


administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.     PARTICIPANT
By:  

/s/ Ophir Sternberg

   

/s/ Julio Ramirez

Name:   Ophir Sternberg     Julio Ramirez
Title:   Executive Chairman of the Board    

 

6


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

Exhibit 10.8

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Legal Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

a.    Legal Grant Date:   July 13, 2021
b.    Participant Name:   Michael Rabinovitch
c.    Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:   130,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (a “Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, Restricted Stock Units subject to this grant shall vest as follows:

(a) 25,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest on the one year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto;

(b) 30,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the two year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto;

(c) 35,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the three year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto;

(d) 40,000 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the four year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto.


For purposes of this Section, “Commencement Date” shall mean February 26, 2021, which is the date the Participant began employment with the Company, and the period of time between each anniversary of the Commencement Date shall be referred to as the “Vesting Year”.

In the event of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause or by resignation of the Participant due to Good Reason (as defined in the Employment Agreement dated February 26, 2021 between the Company and the Participant), all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement that could be earned during the Vesting Year in which the Termination of Service occurs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service.

Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

 

4.

Termination of Employment; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date; provided that the Company may withhold a sufficient number of Shares deliverable in satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Unit(s) to be settled to satisfy all or a portion of the tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting and settlement of such units.    In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

Withholding Taxes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct from compensation payable to the Participant any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Company (the “Withholding Obligation”), including withholding from vested Shares to be issued by the Company in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit (or portion thereof) that has vested, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the Withholding Obligation. In the alternative, the Company may require the Participant to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company. If the Participant is required to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method

 

2


  as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation due shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days following the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. If the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement described in the first sentence hereof, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting of Restricted Stock Units to issue the vested Shares otherwise deliverable upon such vesting until payment of the Withholding Obligation has been received or otherwise satisfied.

 

7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Additional Commitments. If applicable, the Participant agrees, prior to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award Agreement that he or she shall deliver to the Secretary of the Company or the Secretary’s office, or such other place as may be determined by the Committee, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation, if the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement in the first sentence of Section 6 hereof.

(b) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

 

 

3


(c) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(d) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

(e) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(e), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(f) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(g) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(h) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

(i) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

 

4


(j) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(k) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.       PARTICIPANT
By:  

/s/ Julio Ramirez

          

/s/ Michael Rabinovitch

Name:   Julio Ramirez       Michael Rabinovitch
Title:   Chief Executive Officer      

 

6


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN


EXHIBIT B

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR MICHAEL RABINOVITCH

FOR FISCAL YEARS 2021-2025

Vesting of the installments of the Restricted Stock Award shall also be subject to meeting the following performance criteria. Each performance measure listed below is to be measured from January 1 to December 31 of each year.

 

  1.

Fifty percent (50%) based on achievement of at least seventy percent (70%) of the Company’s adjusted EBITDA1 target for the prior fiscal year.

 

  2.

Forty percent (40%) annual vesting on anniversary of employment.

 

  3.

Ten percent (10%) based on achievement of at least fifty percent (50%) diversity2 of the department of the Participant during the prior fiscal year.

 

 

1 

Calculated as net income calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, adjusted to exclude the adverse impact of items attributable to (a) income taxes, (b) costs or losses attributable to the issuance of debt, equity or acquisitions or dispositions of stock or assets, (c) any changes in accounting standards or treatments that may be required or permitted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or adopted by the Company after the adjusted EBITDA goal is established, (d) restructuring activities, (e) impairment or disposals of long-lived assets, goodwill or other intangible assets, (f) any business interruption event, (g) negative impacts of legal settlement and defense costs, including tax matters, (h) costs associated with replacing information technology systems, (i) pre-opening costs and (j) negative impacts related to the finalization of purchase price allocation of acquired entities.

2 

Measured as either the percentage or number of women, minorities and any protected employment class of employees.

Exhibit 10.9

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Legal Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

a.

   Legal Grant Date:   July 13, 2021

b.

   Participant Name:   Michael Rabinovitch

c.

   Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:   100,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (a “Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, Restricted Stock Units subject to this grant shall vest as follows:

(a) 20,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2021 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period is greater than or equal to $19.00 per share; provided, however, that if the vesting condition is not achieved during calendar year 2021, the 20,000 Restricted Stock Units discussed in this Section 3(a) shall roll over to calendar year 2022 and shall vest, if during calendar year 2022 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period is greater than or equal to $19.00 per share;

(b) 20,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2022 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period equals or exceeds $19.00 per share;

(c) 20,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2023 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period is greater than or equal to $22.00 per share; and


(d) 40,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2024 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading period is greater than or equal to $25.00 per share.

In the event of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause or by resignation of the Participant due to Good Reason (as defined in the Employment Agreement dated February 26, 2021 between the Company and the Participant), all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement that could vest during the calendar year in which the Termination of Service occurs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service; provided, that in no event shall the number of unearned Restricted Stock units that can vest in 2022 in accordance with this Section exceed 20,000 Restricted Stock Units.

Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

 

4.

Termination of Employment; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date; provided that the Company may withhold a sufficient number of Shares deliverable in satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Unit(s) to be settled to satisfy all or a portion of the tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting and settlement of such units. In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than by the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

Withholding Taxes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct from compensation payable to the Participant any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Company (the “Withholding Obligation”), including withholding from vested Shares to be issued by the Company in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit (or portion thereof) that has vested, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the Withholding Obligation. In the alternative, the Company may require the Participant to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company.

 

2


If the Participant is required to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation due shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days following the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. If the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement described in the first sentence hereof, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting of Restricted Stock Units to issue the vested Shares otherwise deliverable upon such vesting until payment of the Withholding Obligation has been received or otherwise satisfied.

 

7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Additional Commitments. If applicable, the Participant agrees, prior to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award Agreement that he or she shall deliver to the Secretary of the Company or the Secretary’s office, or such other place as may be determined by the Committee, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation, if the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement in the first sentence of Section 6 hereof.

(b) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

 

3


(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

(c) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(d) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

(e) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(e), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(f) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(g) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(h) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

(i) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

 

4


(j) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(k) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.       PARTICIPANT
By:  

/s/ Julio Ramirez

          

/s/ Michael Rabinovitch

Name:   Julio Ramirez       Michael Rabinovitch
Title:   Chief Executive Officer      

 

6


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

Exhibit 10.10

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Legal Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

  a.   Legal Grant Date:   July 13, 2021
  b.   Participant Name:   Ross Goldstein
  c.   Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:   35,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (a “Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, Restricted Stock Units subject to this grant shall vest as follows:

(a) 8,750 Restricted Stock Units shall vest on the one year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto;

(b) 8,750 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the two year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto;

(c) 8,750 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the three year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto;

(d) 8,750 Restricted Stock Units, shall vest on the four year anniversary of the Commencement Date subject to the Participant achieving certain Key Performance Indicators set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto.


For purposes of this Section, “Commencement Date” shall mean January 6, 2021, which is the date the Participant began employment with the Company, and the period of time between each anniversary of the Commencement Date shall be referred to as the “Vesting Year”.

In the event of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement that could be earned during the Vesting Year in which the Termination of Service occurs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service.

Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

 

4.

Termination of Employment; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date; provided that the Company may withhold a sufficient number of Shares deliverable in satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Unit(s) to be settled to satisfy all or a portion of the tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting and settlement of such units. In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

Withholding Taxes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct from compensation payable to the Participant any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Company (the “Withholding Obligation”), including withholding from vested Shares to be issued by the Company in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit (or portion thereof) that has vested, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the Withholding Obligation. In the alternative, the Company may require the Participant to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company. If the Participant is required to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation due shall be delivered to the

 

2


Company within thirty (30) days following the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. If the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement described in the first sentence hereof, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting of Restricted Stock Units to issue the vested Shares otherwise deliverable upon such vesting until payment of the Withholding Obligation has been received or otherwise satisfied.

 

7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Additional Commitments. If applicable, the Participant agrees, prior to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award Agreement that he or she shall deliver to the Secretary of the Company or the Secretary’s office, or such other place as may be determined by the Committee, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation, if the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement in the first sentence of Section 6 hereof.

(b) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

 

3


(c) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(d) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

(e) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(e), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(f) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(g) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(h) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

(i) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

 

4


(j) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(k) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.     PARTICIPANT
By:  

/s/ Julio Ramirez

     

/s/ Ross Goldstein

Name:   Julio Ramirez       Ross Goldstein
Title:   Chief Executive Officer      

 

6


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN


EXHIBIT B

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR ROSS GOLDSTEIN

FOR FISCAL YEARS 2021-2025

Vesting of the installments of the Restricted Stock Award shall also be subject to meeting the following performance criteria. Each performance measure listed below is to be measured from January 1 to December 31 of each year.

 

  1.

Twenty percent (20%) based on achievement of at least seventy percent (70%) of the Company’s adjusted EBITDA1 target for the prior fiscal year.

 

  2.

Up to thirty-five percent (35%) shall vest proportionate to achieving between seventy percent (70%) and one hundred percent (100%) of the new store openings plan (owned and franchised) for the prior fiscal year.2

 

  3.

With respect to the units that vest in 2022, twenty-five percent (25%) based on achievement of increase in store operating margin3 of at least one and one-half percent (1.5%) for the 2021 fiscal year. With respect to the units that vest in all other years, twenty-five percent (25%) will vest based on achievement of the Company’s budgeted target store operating margin for the prior fiscal year.

 

  4.

Twenty percent (20%) based on achievement of at least fifty percent (50%) diversity4 of outside counsel during the prior fiscal year.

 

 

1 

Calculated as net income calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, adjusted to exclude the adverse impact of items attributable to (a) income taxes, (b) costs or losses attributable to the issuance of debt, equity or acquisitions or dispositions of stock or assets, (c) any changes in accounting standards or treatments that may be required or permitted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or adopted by the Company after the adjusted EBITDA goal is established, (d) restructuring activities, (e) impairment or disposals of long-lived assets, goodwill or other intangible assets, (f) any business interruption event, (g) negative impacts of legal settlement and defense costs, including tax matters, (h) costs associated with replacing information technology systems, (i) pre-opening costs and (j) negative impacts related to the finalization of purchase price allocation of acquired entities.

2 

Including new Company-owned restaurants, new franchised restaurants and licensed restaurants; excluding ghost kitchens, acquired existing franchisee’s locations and closed locations.

3 

To be calculated as the decrease in store operating costs, measured as a percentage of Company-owned restaurant sales.

4 

Measured as either the percentage or number of women, minorities and individuals belonging to a protected employment class.

Exhibit 10.11

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Legal Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

a.   

Legal Grant Date:

  July 13, 2021
b.   

Participant Name:

  Ross Goldstein
c.   

Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:

  60,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (a “Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, Restricted Stock Units subject to this grant shall vest as follows:

(a) 15,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2021 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period is greater than or equal to $19.00 per share; provided, however, that if the vesting condition is not achieved during calendar year 2021, the 15,000 Restricted Stock Units discussed in this Section 3(a) shall roll over to calendar year 2022 and shall vest, if during calendar year 2022 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period is greater than or equal to $19.00 per share;

(b) 15,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2022 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period equals or exceeds $19.00 per share;

(c) 15,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2023 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading day period is greater than or equal to $22.00 per share; and


(d) 15,000 Restricted Stock Units shall vest, if during calendar year 2024 the last reported closing price of the Company’s common stock for any twenty (20) trading days within any consecutive thirty (30) trading period is greater than or equal to $25.00 per share.

In the event of the Participant’s Termination of Service by the Company without Cause, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement that could vest during the calendar year in which the Termination of Service occurs shall vest immediately prior to the Termination of Service; provided, that in no event shall the number of unearned Restricted Stock Units that can vest in 2022 in accordance with this Section exceed 15,000 restricted Stock Units.

Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

 

4.

Termination of Employment; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date; provided that the Company may withhold a sufficient number of Shares deliverable in satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Unit(s) to be settled to satisfy all or a portion of the tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting and settlement of such units. In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than by the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

Withholding Taxes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct from compensation payable to the Participant any sums required by federal, state, or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Company (the “Withholding Obligation”), including withholding from vested Shares to be issued by the Company in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit (or portion thereof) that has vested, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the Withholding Obligation. In the alternative, the Company may require the Participant to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company. If the Participant is required to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method

 

2


  as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation due shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days following the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. If the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement described in the first sentence hereof, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation shall be delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting of Restricted Stock Units to issue the vested Shares otherwise deliverable upon such vesting until payment of the Withholding Obligation has been received or otherwise satisfied.

 

7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Additional Commitments. If applicable, the Participant agrees, prior to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award Agreement that he or she shall deliver to the Secretary of the Company or the Secretary’s office, or such other place as may be determined by the Committee, payment in cash (via cashier’s check or such other form acceptable to the Company), or such other method as the Committee may approve, for the Withholding Obligation, if the Participant desires to pay the Withholding Obligation in lieu of the Company exercising its entitlement in the first sentence of Section 6 hereof.

(b) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

 

3


(c) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(d) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

(e) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(e), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(f) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(g) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(h) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

(i) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

 

4


(j) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(k) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of employment shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.       PARTICIPANT
By:  

/s/ Julio Ramirez

     

/s/ Ross Goldstein

Name:   Julio Ramirez       Ross Goldstein
Title:   Chief Executive Officer      

 

6


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

Exhibit 10.12

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (“Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” or “Award Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the Grant Date (as defined below), by and between BurgerFi International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant (the “Participant”) named below. Any capitalized term used but not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the BurgerFi International, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

Award Information.

 

a.   

Grant Date:

  July [    ], 2021
b.   

Participant Name:

  [                    ]
c.   

Number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) Awarded:

  5,000

 

2.

Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company hereby grants to the Participant the total number of Restricted Stock Unit(s) (a “Restricted Stock Unit”) set forth above subject to the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference. A Restricted Stock Unit represents an unsecured and unfunded promise by the Company to deliver, in accordance with the terms of the Plan, Shares with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit. The Restricted Stock Units have been credited to a bookkeeping account on the Participant’s behalf. All amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall continue to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units shall be earned in whole, or in part, or not at all, as provided herein.

 

3.

Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, the Restricted Stock Units shall become one hundred percent (100%) vested on December 31, 2021, provided that the Participant continuously serves as a Director until such time.

Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if there is a Change of Control prior to a Termination of Service, all unearned Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement shall vest immediately prior to the Change of Control.

 

4.

Termination of Service; Additional Forfeiture.

(a) All Restricted Stock Units that are held by the Participant that are not vested as of the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall automatically, and without notice, terminate and be forfeited upon the Termination of Service.

(b) All or a portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder may be forfeited pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan.

(c) The Participant shall have no right or interest in any Restricted Stock Units that are forfeited and neither the Company nor any affiliate shall have any further obligations to the Participant under this Award Agreement.


(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture of any or all Restricted Stock Units granted under this Award Agreement in accordance with the Plan.

 

5.

Settlement of Awards; Delivery of Shares. The Company shall fully settle the vested Restricted Stock Units consistent with Article X of the Plan by delivering Shares or cash in respect of each Restricted Stock Unit that has so vested as soon as practicable after such vesting date. In no event shall the Participant be entitled to receive any Shares with respect to any unvested or forfeited portion of the Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder. Such distribution shall be made as soon as practicable after the vesting date, but in no event later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested.

 

6.

No Withholding of Taxes. Except as may be required by applicable law, the Company shall not be responsible to withhold from any amounts due or payable to the Participant (or secure payment from the Participant in lieu of withholding) the amount of any federal, state, and/or local tax, payroll/social security taxes, unemployment insurance, or other similar costs due in connection with the grant, vesting or payment of the Restricted Stock Units. The Participant assumes full liability for any and all taxes which may be owed by the Participant in connection with the grant, vesting or payment of the Restricted Stock Units.

 

7.

Participant Representation. By signing this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees to execute, upon request, any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Participant has reviewed this Award Agreement and the Plan in its entirety, had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the Restricted Stock Units are granted and may be settled, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The Participant hereby acknowledges receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. The Participant further agrees not to sell any shares of Stock acquired pursuant to this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement at a time when applicable laws, regulations or the Company’s or any applicable underwriter’s trading policies prohibit such sale.

 

8.

Other Provisions.

(a) Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.

(i) The Participant agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, the Company may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and that, if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.

 

2


(ii) The Company shall not be required: (A) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, or (B) to treat as owner of such Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such shares shall have been so transferred.

(b) Adjustment. The number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms of any agreement of merger, liquidation, reorganization or sale in the event the Company is the subject of such a transaction.

(c) Unsecured Obligation. The award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Award Agreement is unfunded, and the Participant shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or make any payment pursuant to this Award Agreement. Nothing contained in this Award Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Participant and the Company or any other person.

(d) Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Award Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company at its principal executive offices in care of the Secretary of the Company, and any notice to be given to the Participant shall be addressed to the Participant at the most recent address for the Participant shown in the Company’s records. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 8(d), either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

(e) Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

(f) Governing Law; Severability. This Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Should any provision of this Award Agreement be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.

(g) Conformity to Laws and Policies. This Award Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required and the Company may cancel the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement if it determines that such Restricted Stock Units awarded hereunder would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Award Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

(h) Stockholder Rights. Neither the Participant, nor the Participant’s estate or heirs, have any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Restricted Stock Units become vested and non-forfeitable and if Shares are delivered to the Participant in accordance with this Award Agreement.

 

3


(i) Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon the Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Restricted Stock Units are not assignable or transferable by the Participant other than to (i) a beneficiary, (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (iii) to family members or entities (including trusts) established for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s family members.

(j) Section 409A. This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), to the extent applicable, and shall be construed and administered such that the Restricted Stock Units either (i) qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or (ii) satisfy the requirements of Section 409A. If a Restricted Stock Unit is subject to Section 409A, (i) distributions shall only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted under Section 409A, (ii) payments to be made upon a termination of service shall only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A, (iii) and in no event shall the Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year in which a distribution is made except in accordance with Section 409A. Any Restricted Stock Unit that is subject to Section 409A and that is to be distributed to a “specified employee,” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) upon separation from service shall be administered so that any distribution with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit shall be postponed for six (6) months following the date of the Participant’s separation from service, if required by Section 409A. If a distribution is delayed pursuant to Section 409A, the distribution shall be paid within fifteen (15) days after the end of the six (6)-month period. If the Participant dies during such six (6)-month period, any postponed amounts shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death. The determination of a specified employee, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Board or its delegate each year in accordance with Section 416(i) of the Code and the “specified employee” requirements of Section 409A.

(Signature page follows.)

 

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first stated above.

 

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.       PARTICIPANT
By:  

                                                                                              

     

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

      [Name]
Title:  

 

     

 

5


EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

BurgerFi Appoints Vivian Lopez-Blanco to its Board of Directors

PALM BEACH, FL – July 15, 2021 - BurgerFi International, Inc. (Nasdaq: BFI, BFIIW) (“BurgerFi” or the “Company”), one of the nation’s fastest-growing premium fast-casual concepts, has appointed Vivian Lopez-Blanco to its board of directors, effective July 14, 2021. Lopez-Blanco’s appointment follows the sudden passing of board member Steven Berrard announced on June 10, 2021. Lopez-Blanco has also been named as the chair of the audit committee and will be serving on the compensation committee and nominating governance committee.

Lopez-Blanco is an experienced board member and seasoned finance executive with expertise in organizational transformations and driving profitable growth. Currently, she serves as a board member of Jumptuit Health, Inc. and previously served as an advisory board member of BBVA, South Florida operations. Prior to her board positions, Lopez-Blanco served as the chief financial officer for Mednax, Inc. (NYSE: MD), a national medical group specializing in prenatal, neonatal and pediatric services. Before that, Lopez-Blanco was the chief financial officer for the Hispanic restaurants division of Carrols Corporation (Nasdaq: TAST), one of the largest restaurant franchisees in North America.

Early in her career, Lopez-Blanco spent several years at Arthur Andersen, an international accounting firm, progressing through different management roles and gaining deep experience in public company reporting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Florida International University and is a certified public accountant.

“After an extensive search process to fill Steve’s position on our board and to lead our audit committee, we could not be happier to have Vivian join us,” said Ophir Sternberg, executive chairman of BurgerFi. “As BurgerFi embarks on its next chapter of growth and seeks to capitalize on its expansion plans, Vivian brings a wealth of knowledge to our board given her public-company expertise and proven track record leading organizations from a financial perspective through periods of growth. We are confident she will be a valuable asset to the board and look forward to the guidance she will provide.”

Commenting on her appointment, Lopez-Blanco stated: “I am extremely pleased to join the board of this dynamic concept with tremendous growth potential and collaborate alongside such a seasoned management team that contains proven veterans in the sector.”

The appointment of Lopez-Blanco to BurgerFi’s board of directors has satisfied the Nasdaq continued listing requirement discussed in the 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 25, 2021.

About BurgerFi International (Nasdaq: BFI, BFIIW)

Established in 2011, BurgerFi is among the nation’s fastest-growing better burger concepts with approximately 120 BurgerFi restaurants domestically and internationally. The concept is chef-founded and is committed to serving fresh food of transparent quality. BurgerFi uses 100% American angus beef with no steroids, antibiotics, growth hormones, chemicals or additives. BurgerFi’s menu also includes high quality wagyu beef, antibiotic and cage-free chicken offerings, fresh, hand-cut sides and custard shakes and concretes. BurgerFi was named QSR Magazine’s Breakout Brand of 2020, Fast Casual’s 2021 #1 Brand of the Year, was named “Best Burger Joint” by Consumer Reports and fellow public interest organizations in the 2019 Chain Reaction Study, listed as a “Top Restaurant Brand to Watch” by Nation’s Restaurant News in 2019 and is included in Inc. Magazine’s Fastest Growing Private Companies List. To learn more about BurgerFi or to find a full list of locations, please visit www.burgerfi.com. Download the BurgerFi App on iOS or Android devices for rewards and ‘Like’ BurgerFi on Facebook or follow @BurgerFi on Instagram and Twitter.

BurgerFi® is a Registered Trademark of BurgerFi IP, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BurgerFi.


LOGO

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to BurgerFi’s estimates of its future business outlook, prospects or financial results. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and those discussed in other documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

Investor Relations Contact:

Gateway Investor Relations

Cody Slach or Cody Cree

(949) 574-3860

BFI@GatewayIR.com

Company Contact:

BurgerFi International Inc.

IR@burgerfi.com

Media Relations Contact:

Quinn PR

Laura Neroulias, burgerfi@quinn.pr