UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549

 

FORM 6-K

 

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the month of August 2021

 

Commission File Number: 001-40145

 

Jowell Global Ltd.

 

2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road

Yangpu District, Shanghai

China 200082

(Address of principal executive office)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:

 

Form 20-F ☒          Form 40-F ☐

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ☐

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ☐ 

 

 

 

 

 

  

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 thereunto duly authorized.

 

  Jowell Global Ltd.
   
Date: August 9, 2021 By: /s/ Zhiwei Xu
  Name:   Zhiwei Xu
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

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Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit
Number
  Description
99.1   Notice of Jowell Global Ltd.’s 2021 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement
99.2   Proxy Card

 

 

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Exhibit 99.1

 

Jowell Global Ltd.

2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road

Yangpu District, Shanghai, China 200082

 

August 9, 2021

 

Dear Stockholder:

 

You are cordially invited to attend the 2021 Annual General Meeting (the “Meeting”) of Stockholders of Jowell Global Ltd. (the “Company”) to be held at the corporate headquarters of the Company, located at 2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China 200082 on September 10, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. local time.

 

Information regarding each of the matters to be voted on at the Meeting is contained in the attached Proxy Statement and Notice of Annual General Meeting of Stockholders. We urge you to read the proxy statement carefully.

 

The proxy statement and proxy card are expected to be mailed to all stockholders of record on or about August 12, 2021.

 

Because it is important that your shares be voted at the Meeting, we urge you to complete, date and sign the enclosed proxy card and return it as promptly as possible in the accompanying envelope, whether or not you plan to attend in person. Even after returning your proxy, if you are a stockholder of record and do attend the meeting and wish to vote your shares in person, you still may do so.

 

We intend to hold the Annual General Meeting in person at the location specified above. However, we are actively monitoring the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic and we are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns our stockholders may have and the protocols that national and local governments may impose. In the event that it is not possible or advisable to hold the Annual General Meeting in person at the location specified above, we will announce on our website (http://ir.1juhao.com) and the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov) alternative arrangements for the meeting as promptly as practicable, which may include holding the meeting at an alternative location or by means of remote communication. Please monitor our website, and the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for updated information. As always, we encourage you to vote your shares by proxy or voting instruction prior to the Annual General Meeting.

 

Sincerely,

 

  /s/ Zhiwei Xu                                        
 

Zhiwei Xu

Chief Executive Officer and

Chairman of the Board of Directors

 

     

 

 

Jowell Global Ltd.

2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road

Yangpu District, Shanghai, China 200082

 

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To Be Held September 10, 2021

 

TO THE STOCKHOLDERS OF JOWELL GLOBAL LTD.:

 

NOTICE HEREBY IS GIVEN that the 2021 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders (the “Meeting”) of Jowell Global Ltd. (the “Company”) will be held at the corporate headquarters of the Company, located at 2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China 200082 on September 10, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. local time, to consider and act upon the following:

 

1.  To elect five directors, each to serve until the 2022 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders or until such person’s successor is qualified and elected;
   
2.   To ratify the appointment of Friedman, LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021;
   
3.   To adopt and approve Jowell Global Ltd. 2021 Omnibus Equity Plan; and
   
4. To transact such other business as properly may come before the annual general meeting or any adjournments thereof.  

 

Stockholders of record at the close of business on August 6, 2021 are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the 2021 Annual General Meeting and any adjournments thereof. A complete list of these stockholders will be open for the examination of any stockholder of record at the Company’s principal executive offices located at 2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China 200082 for a period of ten days prior to the Annual General Meeting. The list will also be available for the examination of any stockholder of record present at the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting may be adjourned or postponed from time to time without notice other than by announcement at the meeting.

 

 All stockholders must present a form of personal photo identification in order to be admitted to the Meeting.  In addition, if your shares are held in the name of your broker, bank or other nominee and you wish to attend the Meeting, you must bring an account statement or letter from the broker, bank or other nominee indicating that you were the owner of the ordinary shares on August 6, 2021.

 

We intend to hold the Annual General Meeting in person at the location specified above. However, we are actively monitoring the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic and we are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns our stockholders may have and the protocols that national and local governments may impose. In the event that it is not possible or advisable to hold the Annual General Meeting in person at the location specified above, we will announce on our website (http://ir.1juhao.com) and the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov) alternative arrangements for the meeting as promptly as practicable, which may include holding the meeting at an alternative location or by means of remote communication. Please monitor our website, and the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for updated information. As always, we encourage you to vote your shares by proxy or voting instruction prior to the Annual General Meeting.

 

By Order of the Board of Directors

 

  /s/ Zhiwei Xu
 

Zhiwei Xu

Chief Executive Officer and

Chairman of the Board of Directors

 

Shanghai, China

August 9, 2021

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2021:

 

WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND OUR 2021 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE PROXY MATERIALS TO VOTE YOUR PROXY VIA THE INTERNET OR BY EMAIL OR REQUEST AND PROMPTLY COMPLETE, EXECUTE AND RETURN THE PROXY CARD BY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PROXY CARD. IF YOU ATTEND OUR 2021 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, YOU MAY REVOKE YOUR PROXY AND VOTE IN PERSON IF YOU SO DESIRE.

 

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Jowell Global Ltd.

2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road

Yangpu District, Shanghai, China 200082

 

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

To Be Held September 10, 2021

 

GENERAL

 

The enclosed proxy is solicited on behalf of the board of directors (the “Board”) of Jowell Global Ltd., a Cayman Islands corporation (the “Company”), for use at the 2021 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders (the “Meeting”) to be held at the corporate headquarters of the Company, located at 2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China 200082, at 10:30 a.m. local time on September 10, 2021, or at any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) thereof, for the purposes set forth herein and in the accompanying Notice of Annual General Meeting of Stockholders (the “Meeting”).  This Proxy Statement and the accompanying form of proxy card are expected to be mailed on or about August 12, 2021, to the stockholders of the Company entitled to vote at the Meeting.

 

VOTING RIGHTS AND OUTSTANDING SHARES

 

The Board has fixed the close of business on August 6, 2021 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for the determination of the stockholders entitled to receive notice and to vote at the Meeting or any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) thereof.  As of the Record Date, there were 25,470,854 ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”) and 750,000 preferred shares, par value US$0.0001 per share (“Preferred Shares”) issued and outstanding.  Each shareholder of Ordinary Shares on the Record Date is entitled to one (1) vote for each Ordinary Share then held and each shareholder of Preferred Shares on the Record Date is entitled to two (2) votes for each Preferred Share then held.  The shares represented by any proxy in the enclosed form will be voted in accordance with the instructions given on the proxy if the proxy is properly executed and is received by the Company prior to the close of voting at the Meeting or any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) thereof.  Any proxies returned without instructions will be voted FOR the proposals set forth on the Notice of Annual General Meeting of Stockholders.

 

A quorum of at least one-third of all of our shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the Meeting, present in person or by proxy, will be required to conduct the Meeting. If you choose to have your shares represented by proxy at the Meeting, you will be considered part of the quorum. Abstentions and broker non-votes, which occur when a broker has not received customer instructions and indicates that it does not have the discretionary authority to vote on a particular matter on the proxy card, will be included in determining the presence of a quorum at the Meeting.

 

Our Ordinary Shares are listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “JWEL”

 

REVOCABILITY OF PROXIES

 

A shareholder giving a proxy may revoke it at any time before it is exercised.  A proxy may be revoked by filing with the Chief Executive Officer of the Company at the Company’s corporate headquarters at 2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China 200082, a written notice of revocation by a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, or by attending the Meeting and voting in person.

 

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PROPOSAL ONE

 

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 

Our Board currently consists of five (5) members. All of our current directors will stand for re-election at the 2021 Annual General Meeting. Directors appointed to the Board serve until the annual general meeting of stockholders or until such director is otherwise removed or resigns.

 

The Board has nominated Zhiwei Xu, Dan Zhao, Yu Yun Tristan Kuo, William Morris and Haitao Wang. If duly appointed at this Meeting, each of the foregoing nominees will serve until the 2022 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders or whenever their successors are duly elected. Biographical information regarding each of the nominees, as of August 6, 2021, is set forth below, including their ages, positions with the Company, recent employment and other directorships.  No family relationships exist among any of our director nominees.

 

Unless the proxy is marked to indicate that such authorization is expressly withheld, the persons named in the enclosed proxy intend to vote the shares authorized thereby FOR the election of the following nominees.  It is expected that each nominee will be able to serve, but if before the election it develops that the nominee is unavailable, the persons named in the accompanying proxy will vote for the election of such substitute nominee as the current board of directors may recommend.  

 

Nominees for Election to the Company’s Board of Directors

 

Information concerning the nominees are set forth below:

 

Directors and Executive Officers   Age   Position/Title
Zhiwei Xu   67   Chief Executive Officer, Director, Chairman of the Board
Dan (Jessie) Zhao   48   Director and Vice President
Haitao Wang   52   Independent Director
Y. Tristan Kuo   66   Independent Director
William Morris   66   Independent Director

 

Biography

 

Zhiwei Xu. Mr. Zhiwei Xu was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) on August 16, 2019, and Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer of the Company on July 1, 2020. Since 1992, Mr. Xu has served as the Chairman of the board of directors of Jiangsu Longrich Group Co., Ltd. Since 2012, Mr. Xu has served as the Chairman of the board of directors of Shanghai Juhao Information Technology Co., Ltd. Since 2011, Mr. Xu has served as the Chairman of the board of directors of Suzhou Industrial Park Hongrun Rural Small Amount Loan Co., Ltd.  Mr. Xu graduated from EMBA program of Fudan Qiushi Continuing Education College in August 2002. The Board believes that Mr. Xu’s vision, leadership and extensive knowledge of the Company are essential to the development of the Company’s strategic plan and make him a valuable member of the board of directors. 

 

Dan (Jessie) Zhao. Ms. Zhao was appointed as a member of the Board on December 15, 2019 and vice president of finance of the Company on September 17, 2020. Since May 2019, Ms. Zhao has served as secretary of the board of directors of Shanghai Juhao Information Technology Co., Ltd. Since April 2019, Ms. Zhao has served as supervisor of Nantong Zhuama Bioscience Co., Ltd. Since September 2017, Ms. Zhao has served as legal representative and managing director of Suzhou GuanYunShang Investment Management Co., Ltd. which has no actual operation yet. From April 1996 to May 2019, Ms. Zhao served in various positions at Jiangsu Longrich Group Co., Ltd. including head of investment department, general manager of its subsidiary company, director of customer service department and director of planning and information department. Ms. Zhao received her bachelor degree in Economics from Nanjing Audit University in June 2007. Ms. Zhao received her Senior Customer Service Manager certificate from the American Certification Institute in August 2010. Ms. Zhao passed the fund practitioner test of the Asset Management Association of China in April 2017. The Board believes that Ms. Zhao’s extensive experience and knowledge of the Company and its business as well as the health and nutritional supplements and cosmetic markets in China make her a valuable member of the board of directors.

 

Haitao Wang. Mr. Haitao Wang was appointed as a member of the Board on December 15, 2019. Since August 2016, Mr. Wang has served as the vice president of Qichen (Shenzhen) Fund Management Co. Ltd. and supervisor of Shanghai Xiandai Industrial Co., Ltd. From September 2010 to July 2016, Mr. Wang served as vice president of Beijing Hongtianxia Agriculture Development Joint-Stock Company. Mr. Wang graduated from Heilongjiang Finance School in 1990 with a major in in planning and statistics. The Board believes that Mr. Wang’s significant financial, operational and management expertise make him a valuable member of the board of directors and its committees.

 

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Y. Tristan Kuo. Mr. Kuo was appointed as a member of our board of directors on December 23, 2020. Since July 2021, Mr. Kuo has served as a board member of BM Group. Since November 1, 2019, Mr. Kuo has served as a board member, chairman of the audit committee and a member of compensation committee and corporate governance and nominating committee of Oriental Culture Holding LTD. (Nasdaq: OCG). Since April 2017, Mr. Kuo has served as chief financial officer of Aerkomm Inc. (EuroNext-Paris: AKOM, OTCQX: AKOM). From April 2016 to February 2020, Mr. Kuo served as vice president of investor relations and board secretary of Nutrastar International, Inc. From August 2015 to April 2017, Mr. Kuo served as chief financial officer of Success Holding Group International, Inc. From December 2014 to August 2015, Mr. Kuo served as Engagement Partner of Tatum. From August 2014 to May 2015, Mr. Kuo served as a member of board of directors and chairman of the audit committee of KBS Fashion Group Limited (NASDAQ: KBSF). From June 2012 to November 2013, Mr. Kuo served as chief financial officer of Crown Bioscience, Inc. Mr. Kuo was the chief financial officer of China Biologic Products (NASDAQ: CBPO) from June 2008 to May 2012 and was the vice president-finance of China Biologic Products September 2007 to May 2008. Mr. Kuo received Master of Arts in Accounting from The Ohio State University in February 1982 and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Soochow University in Taiwan in May 1977. The Board believes Mr. Kuo’s expertise and knowledge of accounting and management, as well as experiences in public listed companies, will benefit the Company’s operations and make him a valuable member of the board of directors and its committees.

 

William Morris. Mr. Morris was appointed as a member of the Board on July 1, 2020. Since December 2018, Mr. Morris has served as the managing director of WJM Trading Strategies LLC. From December 2015 to February 2018, Mr. Morris was the Chief Investment Officer of Dividend Trade Fund LLC. From October 2010 to July 2012, Mr. Morris served as Options Market Maker for V Trader Pro. Mr. Morris received his bachelor of arts degree in Psychology from the University of Dayton in 1975. The Board believes that Mr. Morris’s expertise and knowledge of investment and capital market will benefit the Company and make him a valuable member of the board of directors and its committees.

 

The following committees of the Board all consist of independent directors:

 

  Audit Committee. The Board established an Audit Committee, which is responsible for reviewing the Company’s accounting controls and the appointment of the Company’s outside auditors. The Audit Committee currently consists of Yu Yun Tristan Kuo (Chair), William Morris and Haitao Wang.

 

  Compensation Committee. The Board established a Compensation Committee, which is responsible for overseeing and making recommendations to the board of directors regarding the salaries and other compensation of our executive officers and general employees and providing assistance and recommendations with respect to our compensation policies and practices. The Compensation Committee currently consists of William Morris (Chair), Yu Yun Tristan Kuo and Haitao Wang.

 

  Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee. The Board established a Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, which is responsible for identifying and proposing new potential director nominees to the board of directors for consideration and reviewing our corporate governance policies. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee currently consists of Haitao Wang (Chair), William Morris and Yu Yun Tristan Kuo. 

 

In the event that the nominees are duly elected as members of our Board, each of them will be appointed to serve on the committee(s) of which such nominee is currently a member.

 

Required Vote.  Approval of Proposal One will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by holders of shares entitled to vote on the proposal in person or by proxy at the Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes have no impact on the appointment of director nominees pursuant to this proposal.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDES A VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE APPOINTMENT OF EACH OF THE NOMINEES.  UNLESS REVOKED AS PROVIDED ABOVE, PROXIES RECEIVED BY MANAGEMENT WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF SUCH PROPOSED DIRECTORS UNLESS A CONTRARY VOTE IS SPECIFIED.

 

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PROPOSAL TWO

 

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

The Board is submitting for ratification at the Meeting the selection of Friedman LLP (“Friedman”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. Friedman was appointed as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm by the Audit Committee of the Board on August 2, 2021.

 

Friedman has advised the Company that it does not have any direct or indirect financial interest in the Company, nor has such firm had any such interest in connection with the Company other than in its capacity as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.

 

All services rendered by Friedman are subject to review by the Audit Committee.

 

Required Vote.  Approval of Proposal Two will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by holders of shares entitled to vote on the proposal in person or by proxy at the Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes have no impact on this proposal.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED A VOTE FOR RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF FRIEDMAN LLP AS THE INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM OF THE COMPANY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021.  UNLESS REVOKED AS PROVIDED ABOVE, PROXIES RECEIVED BY MANAGEMENT WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF SUCH RATIFICATION UNLESS A CONTRARY VOTE IS SPECIFIED.

 

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PROPOSAL THREE

APPROVAL OF JOWELL GLOBAL LTD. 2021 OMNIBUS EQUITY PLAN

 

Background

 

Our stockholders are being asked to consider and vote on this proposal to approve the Jowell Global Ltd. 2021 Omnibus Equity Plan (the “Equity Plan”).

 

The Equity Plan’s purpose is to attract and retain high caliber employees, directors, consultants and independent contractors; motivate participants to achieve long-range goals; provide competitive incentive compensation opportunities; and align the participants’ interests with the interests of the stockholders by offering the participants compensation that is based on our ordinary shares.

 

The description of the Equity Plan below is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the provisions of the Equity Plan, which is attached as Annex A to this proxy statement. Capitalized terms used in the summary but otherwise not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Equity Plan.

 

The Board of Directors of the Company approved and adopted the Equity Plan on August 2, 2021, subject to stockholders’ approval.

 

Description of the Equity Plan

 

Administration. The Equity Plan requires that a committee of non-employee directors to administer the Equity Plan. Currently, our Compensation Committee, which we refer to in this proposal as the Committee, administers the Equity Plan. Among other powers and duties, the Committee determines the employees who will be eligible to receive awards and establishes the terms and conditions of all awards. Unless prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules of a stock exchange, the Committee may delegate its authority and administrative duties under the Equity Plan.

 

Shares Subject to the Equity Plan. The shares issuable under the Equity Plan are our ordinary shares that are authorized but unissued or reacquired ordinary shares, including shares repurchased by the Company as treasury shares. The total aggregate ordinary shares of the Company authorized for issuance during the term of the Equity Plan is limited to 4,000,000 shares. The Committee must equitably adjust awards and the number of shares available under the Equity Plan in the event of a recapitalization, stock split, stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, split-up, spin-off, reclassification, combination or other exchange of shares.

 

Types of Awards and Eligibility. The Equity Plan provides for five types of awards. The Eligible Persons under the Equity Plan include Employees, Outside Directors, Consultants and New Hires of the Company or its subsidiaries, as selected by our Board or the designated committee thereof.  As of August 6, 2021, 254 individuals (consisting of 3 executive officers, 3 directors who are not executive officers, and 248 employees who are not executive officers) are eligible to receive awards under the Equity Plan. The closing price of Company’s ordinary shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market was $5.03 per share as of August 6, 2021.

 

Stock Options. Incentive Stock Options (“ISOs”) are options that are intended to qualify as, and that satisfy the requirements applicable to, an “incentive stock option” described in Code § 422(b). NSO shall mean an Option that is not intended to be, or does not qualify as, an Incentive Stock Option and is commonly referred to as a “Non-Statutory Stock Option”.

 

Option Grant: The grant of an Option entitles the Participant to purchase the number of Shares designated in the Award Agreement for such Option at an Exercise Price established by the Committee. Options may be either Incentive Stock Options or Non-Statutory Stock Options, as determined in the discretion of the Committee. Each Option shall be evidenced by and conditional on an Award Agreement in the form approved by the Committee, which Award Agreement shall specify whether the Option is an ISO or NSO. No ISO may be granted to any person more than ten (10) years after the Effective Date of the Equity Plan. Award Agreements need not be identical, but shall include the terms specified in and be subject to the provisions of the Equity Plan applicable to such Options. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares (determined as of the respective date or dates of grant), subject to ISOs granted to any Participant under the Equity Plan and any other option plan of the Corporation or any Related Corporation that first become exercisable in any calendar year, including any ISOs which become exercisable on an accelerated basis during such year, exceeds the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000), such excess Options shall be treated as NSOs.

 

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Exercise of Options: The Exercise Price shall be fixed by the Committee, provided that the Exercise Price for any Option shall never be less than one hundred percent (100%) (or, in the case of a 10% Stockholder receiving an ISO, 110%) of the Fair Market Value per share of Stock on the Option grant date. Fair Market Value shall be determined in a manner compliant with Code Section 409A.

 

Payment of Exercise Price: The exercise price is payable in cash; by tendering ordinary shares owned by the participant; by withholding shares that would be acquired on exercise; by broker-assisted cashless exercise; or by any other form of legal consideration acceptable by the Committee (so long as it does not result in deferral of compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A). Options are subject to the conditions, restrictions and contingencies specified by the Committee.

 

Option Term: The maximum term of any option is ten years from the date of grant and, with respect to ISOs granted to an individual who owns 10% of the voting power of our stock, the maximum term is five years from the date of grant.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights. A Stock Appreciation Right (“SAR”) entitles the Participant to receive, with respect to each Share subject to the SAR, the appreciation in the Fair Market Value over a base price established by the Committee, payable in cash or Stock, or a combination of both, as determined by the Committee at the time of payment. Each SAR shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in the form approved by the Committee. Award Agreements evidencing SARs need not be identical, but shall include the terms specified below and be subject to the provisions of the Equity Plan applicable to such SARs.

 

SARs Grant: Each award of SARs will be evidenced by an award agreement that will specify the base price, the term of the SAR, and such other provisions as the Committee determines, and which are not inconsistent with the terms of the Equity Plan (which need not be the same for each award for each recipient).

 

Base Price of SAR: The base price of each SAR granted under the Equity Plan will be at least equal to the fair market value of a share of our ordinary shares on the date of grant.

 

Settlement of SARs: The Participant may exercise the SAR by delivering a written notice of exercise to the Corporation, in the form and manner designated by the Committee. To the extent the Committee determines that the Participant will receive cash upon exercise of a SAR, the Corporation shall deliver the cash amount which becomes due upon exercise of a SAR as soon as administratively practicable after the Corporation’s receipt of the Participant’s properly completed notice of exercise. To the extent the Committee determines that Shares will be delivered to the Participant upon exercise of a SAR, the Shares shall be subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Committee may establish, except that such conditions may not cause the deferral of recognition of income.

 

SAR Term: The maximum term of any SAR is ten years from the date of grant.

 

Unrestricted Stock. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, award unrestricted stock to any participant as a stock bonus or otherwise pursuant to which such participant may receive shares of stock free of restrictions or limitations.

 

Restricted Stock. A Restricted Stock Award is a grant of Shares subject to conditions and restrictions as determined by the Committee. Each Restricted Stock Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in the form approved by the Committee. Award Agreements evidencing Restricted Stock Awards need not be identical, but shall include the terms specified in and be subject to the provisions of the Equity Plan applicable to such Restricted Stock Awards. Each Restricted Stock Award shall be, for the applicable Period of Restriction determined by the Committee, subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Committee shall determine. Lapse of restrictions may be conditioned on the continued performance of Services or the achievement of performance conditions measured on an individual, corporate or other basis, or any combination thereof.

 

Restricted Stock Units. A Restricted Stock Unit Award entitles the Participant to receive Shares upon the vesting of the Award. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in the form approved by the Committee. Subject to the terms of the Equity Plan, Restricted Stock Units may be granted to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee. Award Agreements evidencing Restricted Stock Unit Awards need not be identical, but shall include the terms specified in and be subject to the provisions of the Equity Plan applicable to Restricted Stock Unit Awards. As soon as practicable following the date each Restricted Stock Unit vests, the Corporation shall deliver to the Participant the Share underlying such Restricted Stock Unit, subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Committee may establish.

 

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Performance-Based Compensation. At its discretion, the Committee may make Awards to Participants intended to be the performance-based compensation. In such event, the number of shares becoming exercisable or transferable or amounts payable with respect to grants of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, and/or awards of Restricted Stock, Unrestricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units may be determined based on the attainment of written performance goals based on the performance measures set forth in Article 7 of the Equity Plan and which have been approved by the Committee for a specified performance period. The performance goals shall state, in terms of an objective formula or standard, the method of computing the amount of compensation payable to the Participant if the goal is attained. The performance goals must be established by the Committee in writing no more than ninety (90) days after the commencement of the performance period or, if less, the number of days that is equal to 25% of the relevant performance period.

 

Limitations on Awards. The maximum aggregate cash amount payable under the Plan for any Awards intended to constitute performance-based compensation to any Participant in any single calendar year shall not exceed $1,000,000. Subject to adjustment as provided in Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares (including Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, and RSUs) that may be granted to any Participant in any calendar year shall be 1,000,000 Shares.

 

Vesting and Forfeiture. The Committee determines the time and conditions under which the award will vest or the period of time after which the restriction shall lapse as part of making an award. Vesting or the lapse of the period of restriction may, in the Committee’s discretion, be based solely upon continued employment or service for a specified period of time, or may be based upon the achievement of specific performance goals (individual, corporation or other basis), or both. Vesting means the time at which an option, SAR or RSU holder may exercise his or her award at the end of the period of restriction that applies to Restricted Stock. Vesting or lapse provisions need not be uniform among awards granted at the same time or to persons similarly-situated. Vesting and lapse requirements will be set forth in the applicable award agreement. The Committee, in its discretion, may accelerate vesting of any award at any time. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, when a participant terminates employment or service with us, all unexercised or unvested awards are forfeited, and if the termination is without cause, all outstanding vested options and SARs will continue to be exercisable until the earlier of the expiration term or the date that is three months after such termination date.

 

Extension Exercise Period. The Committee, in its discretion, may extend the period of time for which an option or SAR is to remain exercisable following a termination of service, but in no event beyond the expiration of the option or SAR.

 

Prohibition on Repricing. Except as required or permitted pursuant to a corporate transaction (including, without limitation, any recapitalization or reorganization), in no event will an option or SAR be amended to reduce the exercise or base price or be canceled in exchange for cash, other awards or options or SARs with an exercise price or base price less than the exercise price of the original option or base price of the original SAR without shareholder approval.

 

Limits on Transfers of Awards/Beneficiary Designation. All awards are exercisable only by the participant during the participant’s lifetime, and are transferable only by will or by the laws of descent and distribution; provided, however, that the Committee may permit a transfer of an award, other than an ISO, to a family member of an individual, subject to such restrictions as the Committee may provide. Participants may designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive their benefits under the Equity Plan if they die before receiving any or all of such benefit. 

 

Recapitalization. Upon a recapitalization, the Committee must adjust the number and kind of shares issuable and maximum limits for each type of award, adjust the number and kind of shares subject to outstanding awards, adjust the exercise or base price of outstanding options or SARs, and make any other equitable adjustments.

 

Reorganization. Upon a reorganization, the Committee may decide that awards will apply to securities of the resulting corporation (with appropriate adjustment as determined by the Committee), that some or all options and SARs will be immediately exercisable (to the extent permitted under federal or state securities laws), that some or all options and SARs will be immediately exercisable and terminate after at least 30 days’ notice to holders (to the extent permitted under federal or state securities laws), and/or that some or all awards of restricted stock or RSUs will become immediately fully vested.

 

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Amendment and Termination. Our Board of Directors may amend, suspend or terminate the Equity Plan, without consent of stockholders or participants, provided, however, that amendments must be submitted to the stockholders for approval if shareholder approval is required by applicable law, and any amendment or termination that may adversely affect the rights of participants with outstanding awards requires the consent of such participants. The Committee may amend any award agreement, provided the amendment is not to re-price or constructively re-price any award. 

 

Term. The Equity Plan is effective immediately upon the adoption by our Board of Directors, subject to shareholder approval, and will terminate on the earliest to occur of (i) the 10th anniversary of the Equity Plan’s effective date, or (ii) the date on which all shares available for issuance under the Equity Plan shall have been issued as fully-vested shares. Options may be granted at any time on or after the date the Board of Directors adopt the Equity Plan, however, until the stockholders approve the Equity Plan, no options or SARs may be exercised, no restricted stock may be issued, and no award may be settled in stock. If shareholder approval is not obtained within 12 months after the adoption by our Board of Directors, all awards will be null and void.

 

U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

 

The following summary of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of awards under the Equity Plan is based on current U.S. federal income tax laws and regulations and is designed to provide a general understanding of the consequences as of the date of this proxy statement. Laws and regulations may change in the future and affect the income tax consequences of your award under the Equity Plan. In addition, the impact of the laws and regulations may vary based on your individual circumstances. This summary does not constitute tax advice and does not address taxation of your award under the laws of any municipality, state or foreign country. You are urged to consult your own tax advisor as to the specific tax impact of any award to you.

 

Incentive Stock Options. An employee participant will generally have no tax consequences when he or she receives the grant of an ISO. In most cases, an employee participant also will not have income tax consequences when he or she exercises an ISO. An employee participant may have income tax consequences when exercising an ISO if the aggregate fair market value (determined at the time of grant) of the ordinary shares subject to the ISO that first become exercisable in any one calendar year exceeds $100,000. If this occurs, the excess shares (the number of shares the fair market value of which exceeds $100,000 in the year first exercisable) will be treated as though they are NQSOs instead of ISOs. Additionally, subject to certain exceptions for death or disability, if an employee participant exercises an ISO more than three months after termination of employment, the exercise of the option will be taxed as the exercise of a NQSO. Any shares recharacterized as NQSOs will have the tax consequences described below with respect to the exercise of NQSOs.

  

An employee participant recognizes income when selling or exchanging the shares acquired from the exercise of an ISO in the amount of the difference between the fair market value at the time of the sale or exchange and the exercise price the participant paid for those shares. This income will be taxed at the applicable capital gains rate if the sale or exchange occurs after the expiration of the requisite holding periods. Generally, the required holding periods expire two years after the date of grant of the ISO and one year after the date the ordinary share is acquired by the exercise of the ISO. Further, the amount by which the fair market value of an ordinary share at the time of exercise of the ISO exceeds the exercise price will likely be included in determining a participant’s alternative minimum taxable income and may cause the participant to incur an alternative minimum tax liability in the year of exercise.

 

If an employee participant disposes of the ordinary shares acquired by exercising an ISO before the holding periods expire, the participant will recognize ordinary income. The amount of income will equal the difference between the option exercise price and the lesser of (i) the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise and (ii) the price at which the shares are sold. This amount will be taxed at ordinary income rates and be subject to employment taxes. If the sale price of the shares is greater than the fair market value on the date of exercise, the participant will recognize the difference as gain and will be taxed at the applicable capital gains rate. If the sale price of the shares is less than the exercise price, the participant will recognize a capital loss equal to the excess of the exercise price over the sale price.

 

Using shares acquired by exercising an ISO to pay the exercise price of another option (whether or not it is an ISO) will be considered a disposition of the shares for federal tax purposes. If this disposition occurs before the expiration of the required holding periods, the employee option-holder will have the same tax consequences as are described above in the preceding paragraph. If the option holder transfers any of these shares after holding them for the required holding periods or transfers shares acquired by exercising an NQSO or on the open market, he or she generally will not recognize any income upon exercise. Whether or not the transferred shares were acquired by exercising an ISO and regardless of how long the option holder has held those shares, the basis of the new shares received from the exercise will be calculated in two steps. In the first step, a number of new shares equal to the number of older shares tendered (in payment of the option’s exercise) is considered exchanged under Code Section 1036 and the related rulings; these new shares receive the same holding period and the same basis the option holder had in the old tendered shares, if any, plus the amount included in income from the deemed sale of the old shares and the amount of cash or other non-stock consideration paid for the new shares, if any. In the second step, the number of new shares received by the option holder in excess of the old tendered shares receives a basis of zero, and the option holder’s holding period with respect to such shares commences upon exercise.

 

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There will be no tax consequences to the Company when it grants an ISO or, generally, when an employee participant exercises an ISO. However, to the extent that an option holder recognizes ordinary income when he or she exercises, as described above, the Company generally will have a tax deduction in the same amount and at the same time.

 

Nonqualified Stock Options. A participant generally has no income tax consequences from the grant of NQSOs. Generally, in the tax year when the participant exercises the NQSO, he or she recognizes ordinary income in the amount by which the fair market value of the shares at the time of exercise exceeds the exercise price for the shares, and that amount will be subject to withholding and employment taxes.

 

If a participant exercises a NQSO by paying the exercise price with previously acquired ordinary shares, he or she will have federal income tax consequences (relative to the new shares received) in two steps. In the first step, a number of new shares equivalent to the number of older shares tendered (in payment of the NQSO exercised) is considered to have been exchanged in accordance with Code Section 1036 and related rulings, and no gain or loss is recognized. In the second step, with respect to the number of new shares acquired in excess of the number of old shares tendered, the participant recognizes income on those new shares equal to their fair market value less any non-stock consideration tendered. The new shares equal to the number of the old shares tendered will have the same basis the participant had in the old shares and the holding period with respect to the tendered older shares will apply to the new shares. The excess new shares received will have a basis equal to the amount of income recognized on exercise, increased by any non-stock consideration tendered. The holding period begins on the exercise of the option.

 

The gain, if any, realized at the later disposition of the ordinary shares will either be short- or long-term capital gain, depending on the holding period.

 

There will be no tax consequences to the Company when granting a NQSO. The Company generally will have a tax deduction in the same amount and at the same time as the ordinary income recognized by the participant.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights. Neither the participant nor the Company has income tax consequences from the issuance of a SAR. The participant recognizes taxable income at the time the SAR is exercised in an amount equal to the amount by which the cash and/or the fair market value of the shares of the ordinary shares received upon that exercise exceeds the base price. The income recognized on exercise of a SAR will be taxable at ordinary income tax rates and be subject to employment taxes. The Company generally will be entitled to a tax deduction with respect to the exercise of a SAR in the same amount and at the same time as the ordinary income recognized by the participant.

  

Restricted Stock. A holder of restricted stock will not recognize income at the time of the award, unless he or she specifically makes an election to do so under Code Section 83(b) within thirty days of such award. Unless the holder has made such an election, he or she will realize ordinary income and be subject to employment taxes in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares on the date the restrictions on the shares lapse, reduced by the amount, if any, he or she paid for such stock. The Company will generally be entitled to a corresponding deduction in the same amount and at the same time as the holder recognizes ordinary income. Upon the otherwise taxable disposition of the shares awarded after ordinary income has been recognized, the holder will realize a capital gain or loss (which will be long-term or short-term depending upon how long the shares are held after the restrictions lapse).

 

If the holder made a timely election under Code Section 83(b), he or she will recognize ordinary income for the taxable year in which an award of restricted stock is received on an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares of restricted stock awarded for which the election is being made (even if the shares are subject to forfeiture). That income will be taxable at ordinary income tax rates and be subject to employment taxes. At the time of disposition of the shares, if such an election was made, the holder will recognize gain in an amount equal to the difference between the sales price and the fair market value of the shares at the time of the award. Such gain will be taxable at the applicable capital gains rate. The Company will generally be entitled to a tax deduction in the same amount and at the same time as the ordinary income recognized by the participant.

 

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Restricted Stock Units. A holder of RSUs generally will not recognize income at the time of the award. Upon delivery of the shares due upon settlement of an RSU, a holder will realize ordinary income and be subject to employment taxes in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares distributed. The Company will generally be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction in the same amount and at the same time as the holder recognizes income. When the holder later disposes of his or her shares, the difference between the amount realized on sale and the amount recognized by the holder upon settlement of the RSU will be a capital gain or loss (which will be long-term or short-term depending upon how long the shares are held).

 

Unrestricted Stock. Generally, the participant will, in the year that the unrestricted stock award is granted, recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income equal to the fair market value of the shares on the date of the award. The Company normally will receive a corresponding deduction equal to the amount of compensation the recipient is required to recognize as ordinary taxable income, and must comply with applicable tax withholding requirements.

 

Limitation on Company Deductions. No federal income tax deduction is allowed for the Company for any compensation paid to a “covered employee” in any taxable year of the Company to the extent that his or her compensation exceeds $1,000,000. For this purpose, “covered employees” are generally the chief executive officer and principal financial officer of the Company, the three other most highly compensated officers of the Company other than the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer for the taxable year and any “covered employee” of the Company (or any predecessor) for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2016, and the term “compensation” generally includes amounts includable in gross income as a result of the exercise of stock options or SARs, payments pursuant to performance shares or units, or the receipt of restricted or unrestricted stock. This deduction limitation, however, does not apply to compensation that is compensation which would not be includable in an employee’s gross income.

 

Effect of Code Section 280G. Code Section 280G limits the deductibility of certain payments that are contingent upon a change of control if the total amount of such payments equals or exceeds three times the individual’s “base amount” (i.e., generally, annualized five-year W-2 compensation). If payment or settlement of an award is accelerated upon a change of control, a portion of such payment attributable to the value of the acceleration is considered a payment that is contingent upon a change of control. In addition, the affected individual must pay an excise tax (in addition to any income tax) equal to 20% of such amount. 

 

Impact of Code Section 409A. Code Section 409A provides that all amounts deferred under a nonqualified deferred compensation plan are includible in a service provider’s gross income to the extent such amounts are not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, unless certain requirements are satisfied. If the requirements are not satisfied, in addition to current income inclusion, interest at the underpayment rate plus 1% will be imposed on the service provider’s underpayments that would have occurred had the deferred compensation been includible in gross income for the taxable year in which first deferred or, if later, the first taxable year in which such deferred compensation is not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. The amount required to be included in income is also subject to an additional 20% tax. While most awards under the Plan are anticipated to be exempt from the requirements of Code Section 409A, awards not exempt from Code Section 409A are intended to comply with Code Section 409A.

 

Other Information

 

Subject to the terms and provisions of the Equity Plan, the individuals that receive awards and the terms and conditions of such awards are determined at the discretion of the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has not yet made any determination as to which eligible employees will receive awards under the Equity Plan in the future, or the value of awards to be made to any eligible individual, and therefore, it is not possible to determine for any persons or groups the benefits or amounts that will be received in the future under the Equity Plan.

 

Required Vote. Approval of Proposal Three will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by holders of shares entitled to vote on the proposal in person or by proxy at the Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes have no impact on this proposal.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS APPROVED AND UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE APPROVAL OF THE JOWELL GLOBAL LTD. 2021 OMNIBUS EQUITY PLAN. UNLESS REVOKED AS PROVIDED ABOVE, PROXIES RECEIVED BY MANAGEMENT WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF SUCH APPROVAL UNLESS A CONTRARY VOTE IS SPECIFIED.

 

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SOLICITATION

 

The cost of preparing and soliciting proxies will be borne by the Company.  Solicitation will be made primarily by mail, but stockholders may be solicited by telephone, telegraph, electronic mail or personal contact.

 

OTHER MATTERS

 

No other matters are expected to be presented for action at the Meeting.  Should any additional matter come before the Meeting, it is intended that proxies in the accompanying form will be voted in accordance with the judgment of the person or persons named in the proxy.

 

REPORTS TO STOCKHOLDERS

 

The Company’s latest annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 (the “Annual Report”) and this Proxy Statement are available on the Company’s website at http://ir.1juhao.com.  Upon request, and without charge, the Company will furnish each person to whom this Proxy Statement is delivered with a copy of the Company’s Annual Report.  To request a copy, please email to Jessie Zhao, at:  ir@1juhao.com or write to Investor Relations, Jowell Global Ltd. at 2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China 200082.

 

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT

 

You are cordially invited to attend the 2021 Annual General Meeting. However, to ensure that your shares are represented at the meeting, please submit your proxy or voting instructions. Please see the instructions on the proxy and voting instruction card. Submitting a proxy or voting instructions will not prevent you from attending the 2021 Annual General Meeting and voting in person, if you so desire, but will help the Company secure a quorum and reduce the expense of additional proxy solicitation.

 

In the event that it is not possible or advisable for you to travel to China to attend the 2021 Annual General Meeting in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you must vote your shares prior to 2021 Annual General Meeting by returning an executed form of proxy as described above. Additionally, you may revoke a previously submitted form of proxy at any time by re-submitting the form of proxy by mail or email before the Meeting or vote in person at the Meeting.

  

  BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
   
August 9, 2021 /s/ Zhiwei Xu
  Zhiwei Xu
  Chairman of the Board and CEO

 

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ANNEX A 

 

jowell global ltd.

2021 OMNIBUS EQUITY PLAN

 

ARTICLE 1

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

1.1. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN.

 

The Jowell Global Ltd. 2021 Omnibus Equity Plan has been established by Jowell Global Ltd. to (a) attract and retain high caliber employees, directors, consultants and independent contractors; (b) motivate Participants, by means of appropriate incentives, to achieve long-range goals; (c) provide incentive compensation opportunities that are competitive with those of other similarly-situated companies; and (d) further align Participants’ interests with those of the Corporation’s stockholders through compensation that is based on the Corporation’s ordinary shares; and thereby promote the long-term financial interest of the Corporation, including the growth in value of the Corporation’s equity and enhancement of long-term stockholder return.

 

Capitalized terms shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in Section 9 of the Plan.

 

1.2. TYPES OF AWARDS AVAILABLE UNDER THE PLAN.

 

The Plan provides for five types of Awards:

 

Options - the Option Grant Program under which Eligible Persons may be granted Incentive Stock Options or Non-Statutory Stock Options to purchase Shares is set forth in Article 2;

 

Stock Appreciation Rights - the Stock Appreciation Rights Program under which Eligible Persons may be granted a right to receive the appreciation in the Fair Market Value of Shares in the form of cash or Stock is set forth in Article 3;

 

Restricted Stock - the Restricted Stock Program under which Eligible Persons may be issued Shares, subject to certain conditions and restrictions, is set forth in Article 4; and

 

Unrestricted Stock: the Unrestricted Stock Program under which Eligible Persons may be issued Shares, is set forth in Article 5; and

 

Restricted Stock Units - the Restricted Stock Unit Program under which Eligible Persons may be granted a right to receive Stock upon the satisfaction of certain conditions and restrictions is set forth in Article 6.

 

The provisions of Articles 1, 7 (to the extent applicable), 8 and 9 apply to each type of Award made under the Plan and govern the interests of all persons under the Plan.

 

1.3. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN.

 

(a) General Administration. The Plan shall be administered and interpreted by the Committee (as designated pursuant to Paragraph (b)). Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have authority to interpret the Plan, to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, to determine the terms and provisions of the Award Agreements by which Awards shall be evidenced (which shall not be inconsistent with the terms of the Plan), and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan, all of which determinations shall be final, binding and conclusive.

 

(b) Appointment of Committee. The Board shall appoint the Committee from among its nonemployee members to serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Board from time to time may remove members from, or add members to, the Committee and shall fill all vacancies thereon. The Committee at all times shall be composed of two or more nonemployee directors who shall meet all of the following requirements:

 

  (i) Disinterested Administration for Rule 16b-3 Exemption. During the period any director is serving on the Committee, he shall (A) not be an officer of the Corporation or a parent or subsidiary of the Corporation, or otherwise currently employed by the Corporation or a parent or subsidiary of the Corporation; (B) not receive compensation, either directly or indirectly, from the Corporation or a parent or subsidiary of the Corporation for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity other than as a director, except for an amount that does not exceed the dollar amount for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Rule 404(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; (C) not possess an interest in any other transaction for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Rule 404(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and (D) not be engaged in a business relationship for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Rule 404(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The requirements of this subsection are intended to comply with Rule 16b-3 under Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and shall be interpreted and construed in a manner which assures compliance with said Rule 16b-3. To the extent said Rule 16b-3 is modified to reduce or increase the restrictions on who may serve on the Committee, the Plan shall be deemed modified in a similar manner;

 

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  (ii) Outside Director. No director serving on the Committee may be a current employee of the Corporation or a former employee of the Corporation (or any corporation affiliated with the Corporation under Code §1504) receiving compensation for prior services (other than benefits under a tax-qualified retirement plan) during each taxable year during which the director serves on the Committee. Furthermore, no director serving on the Committee shall be or have ever been an officer of the Corporation (or any Code §1504 affiliated corporation), or shall receive remuneration (directly or indirectly) from such a corporation in any capacity other than as a director.

 

  (iii) Independent Director Rule for Stock Exchange. During the period any director is serving on the Committee, he shall satisfy all requirements to qualify as an independent director for purposes of the rules of the exchange on which the Stock is traded.

 

(c) Organization. The Committee may select one of its members as its chairman and shall hold its meetings at such times and at such places as it shall deem advisable. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. Actions may be taken by a majority of the Committee at a meeting or by unanimous written consent of all Committee members in lieu of a meeting. The Committee shall keep minutes of its proceedings and shall report the same to the Board at the meeting next succeeding.

 

(d) Powers of Committee. The Committee may make one or more Awards under the Plan to a Participant. The Committee shall decide which Eligible Persons shall receive an Award and when to grant an Award, the type of Award that it shall grant and the number of Shares covered by the Award. The Committee shall also decide the terms, conditions, performance criteria, restrictions and other provisions of the Award. The Committee may grant a single Award or an Award in combination with another Award(s) to a Participant. The Committee may grant an Award as an alternate to or replacement of an existing Award under the Plan or award under any other compensation plan or arrangement of the Corporation or a Related Corporation, including a plan of any entity acquired by the Corporation or a Related Corporation, upon the cancellation of the existing award; provided, that such grant of an alternate or replacement Award may be made only if the alternate or replacement Award does not constitute a repricing of the existing award (as limited by Section 1.5(c) of the Plan). In making Award decisions, the Committee may take into account the nature of services rendered by the individual, the individual’s present and potential contribution to the Corporation’s success and such other factors as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems relevant.

 

  The Committee shall interpret the Plan, establish and rescind any rules and regulations relating to the Plan, decide the terms and provisions of any Award Agreements made under the Plan, and determine how to administer the Plan. The Committee also shall decide administrative methods for the exercise of Stock Options. Each Committee decision shall be final, conclusive and binding on all parties.

 

(e) Delegation by Committee. Unless prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules of a stock exchange, the Committee may allocate all or some of its responsibilities and powers to any one or more of its members. The Committee also may delegate some or all of it administrative duties and powers to any Employee, including officers.

 

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(f) Information to be Furnished to Committee. The records of the Corporation and Related Corporations as to an Eligible Person’s or Participant’s employment, termination of employment, performance of Services, termination of Services, leave of absence, reemployment and compensation shall be conclusive on all persons unless determined to be manifestly incorrect. Participants and other persons entitled to benefits under the Plan must, as a condition to the receipt or settlement of any Award hereunder, furnish the Committee with such evidence, data or information as the Committee reasonably considers desirable to carry out the terms of the Plan.

 

(g) Indemnification. In addition to such other rights of indemnification that they have as members of the Board or the Committee, the Corporation shall indemnify the members of the Committee (and any designees of the Committee, as permitted under Paragraph (e)), to the extent permitted by applicable law, against reasonable expenses (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees) actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal, to which they or any of them may be a party by reason of any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan or any Award awarded hereunder, and against all amounts paid by them in settlement thereof (provided such settlement is approved to the extent required by and in the manner provided by the articles of incorporation or the bylaws of the Corporation relating to indemnification of the members of the Board) or paid by them in satisfaction of a judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding, except in relation to such matters as to which it is adjudged in such action, suit or proceeding that such Committee member or members (or their designees) did not act in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation.

 

1.4. ELIGIBILITY.

 

The persons eligible to participate in this Plan (“Eligible Persons”) are as follows:

 

(a) Employees. Employees (including Employees who are members of the Board and Employees who reside in countries other than the United States), provided that awards of Incentive Stock Options shall only be made to Employees.

 

(b) Outside Directors. Non-Employee members of the Board or the board of directors of any Related Corporation.

 

(c) Consultants. Other consultants and independent advisors who provide bona-fide services to the Corporation (or any Related Corporation).

 

(d) New Hires. Persons who have been offered employment by the Corporation or a Related Corporation, provided that such a prospective Employee may not be granted an Incentive Stock Option until he or she becomes an Employee and may not receive any payment or exercise any right relating to an Award until such person begins employment with the Corporation or the Related Corporation.

  

1.5 STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

 

(a) Shares Available for Issuance.

 

  (i)

Reserve. The Stock issuable under the Plan shall be Shares of authorized but unissued or reacquired Stock, including Shares repurchased by the Corporation as treasury shares. The maximum number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall be 4,000,000 Shares.

 

  (ii) Share Use. Any Shares granted under the Plan that are forfeited because of the failure to meet an Award contingency or condition shall again be available for issuance pursuant to new Awards granted under the Plan. To the extent any Shares covered by an Award are not delivered to a Participant or beneficiary because the Award is forfeited or canceled, such Shares shall not be deemed to have been delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of Shares available for delivery under the Plan. However, should the Exercise Price of an Option under the Plan be paid with Shares or should Shares otherwise issuable under the Plan be withheld by the Corporation in satisfaction of the withholding taxes incurred in connection with the exercise or vesting of an Award under the Plan, then such number of Shares shall be treated for purposes of this Paragraph as having been issued to the holder and shall not be available for subsequent issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the above, Shares repurchased by the Company using stock option exercise proceeds and the total number of Shares underlying a SAR granted and exercised under the Plan whether or not a SAR is settled cash or Shares, or a combination thereof, shall not be available for subsequent issuance under the Plan.

 

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  (iii) Individual Participant Limitations. The maximum aggregate cash amount payable under the Plan for any Awards intended to constitute performance-based compensation to any Participant in any single calendar year shall not exceed $1,000,000. Subject to adjustment as provided in Paragraph (b) below, the maximum aggregate number of Shares (including Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, and RSUs) that may be granted to any Participant in any calendar year shall be 1,000,000 Shares.

 

(b) Adjustment to Shares and Awards.

 

  (i) Recapitalization. If the Corporation is involved in a corporate transaction or any other event which affects the Shares (including, without limitation, any recapitalization, reclassification, reverse or forward stock split, stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, split-up, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares), then the Committee shall adjust Awards to preserve the benefits or potential benefits of the Awards as follows:

 

  (1) The Committee shall take action to adjust the number and kind of Shares that are issuable under the Plan and the maximum limits for each type of grant;

 

  (2) The Committee shall take action to adjust the number and kind of Shares subject to outstanding Awards;

 

  (3) The Committee shall take action to adjust the Exercise Price or base price of outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights; and

 

  (4) The Committee shall make any other equitable adjustments.

 

Only whole Shares shall be issued in making the above adjustments. Further, the number of Shares available under the Plan or the number of Shares subject to any outstanding Awards shall be the next lower number of Shares, so that fractions are rounded downward. Any adjustment to or assumption of ISOs under this Section shall be made in accordance with Code §424. If the Corporation issues any rights to subscribe for additional Shares pro rata to holders of outstanding Shares of the class or classes of stock then set aside for the Plan, then each Participant shall be entitled to the same rights on the same basis as holders of outstanding Shares with respect to such portion of the Participant’s Award as is exercised on or prior to the record date for determining stockholders entitled to receive or exercise such rights.

 

  (ii) Reorganization. If the Corporation is part of any reorganization involving merger, consolidation, acquisition of the Ordinary shares or acquisition of the assets of the Corporation, the Committee, in its discretion, may decide that:

 

  (1) any or all outstanding Awards shall pertain to and apply, with appropriate adjustment as determined by the Committee, to the securities of the resulting corporation to which a holder of the number of Shares subject to each such Award would have been entitled;

 

  (2) any or all outstanding Options or SARs shall become immediately fully exercisable (to the extent permitted under federal or state securities laws) and shall remain exercisable for the remaining term of the Options or SARs under the terms of the Plan;

 

  (3) any or all Options or SARs shall become immediately fully exercisable (to the extent permitted under federal or state securities laws) and shall be terminated after giving at least 30 days’ notice to the Participants to whom such Options or SARs have been granted; and/or

 

  (4) any or all unvested Restricted Stock Units AND Restricted Stock on which restrictions have not yet lapsed shall become immediately fully vested, nonforfeitable and payable.

 

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  (iii) Limits on Adjustments. Any issuance by the Corporation of stock of any class other than the Stock, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to any Award, except as specifically provided otherwise in this Plan. The grant of Awards under the Plan shall not affect in any way the right or authority of the Corporation to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations or changes of its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate or dissolve, or to liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets. All adjustments the Committee makes under this Plan shall be conclusive.

  

(c) No Repricings. Except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Corporation (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, or exchange of Shares), the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to reduce the Exercise Price of outstanding Options or the base price of SARs or to cancel outstanding Options or SARS in exchange for cash, other awards or Options or SARs with an Exercise Price or base price that is less than the Exercise Price of the original Options or base price of the original SARs without stockholder approval.

 

ARTICLE 2

OPTION GRANT PROGRAM

 

2.1 TERMS.

 

The grant of an Option entitles the Participant to purchase the number of Shares designated in the Award Agreement for such Option at an Exercise Price established by the Committee. Options may be either Incentive Stock Options or Non-Statutory Stock Options, as determined in the discretion of the Committee. Each Option shall be evidenced by and conditional on an Award Agreement in the form approved by the Committee, which Award Agreement shall specify whether the Option is an ISO or NSO. No ISO may be granted to any person more than ten (10) years after the Effective Date of the Plan. Award Agreements need not be identical, but shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof, by reference in the Award Agreements, or otherwise) the terms specified below and be subject to the provisions of the Plan applicable to such Options.

 

To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares (determined as of the respective date or dates of grant), subject to ISOs granted to any Participant under the Plan and any other option plan of the Corporation or any Related Corporation that first become exercisable in any calendar year, including any ISOs which become exercisable on an accelerated basis during such year, exceeds the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000), such excess Options shall be treated as NSOs.

 

2.2 VESTING.

 

Each Option shall vest and become exercisable at such time or times, during such period, and for such number of Shares as shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing the Option; provided that no Option may be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years (or, in the case of an ISO granted to a 10% Stockholder, five (5) years) from the date of grant. Vesting may be conditioned on the continued performance of Services or the achievement of performance conditions measured on an individual, corporate or other basis, or any combination thereof.

 

2.3 EXERCISE PRICE.

 

The Exercise Price shall be fixed by the Committee, provided that the Exercise Price for any Option shall never be less than one hundred percent (100%) (or, in the case of a 10% Stockholder receiving an ISO, 110%) of the Fair Market Value per share of Stock on the Option grant date.

 

2.4 METHOD OF EXERCISE.

 

The Participant may exercise the Option by delivering a written notice of exercise to the Corporation, in the form and manner designated by the Committee. The notice shall be effective only if accompanied by payment of the Exercise Price in full. The Committee shall have the discretion to provide that the Exercise Price may be payable, to the extent permitted by applicable law, in one or more of the forms specified below:

 

(a) Cash/Check. Cash or check made payable to the Corporation;

 

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(b) Shares Owned. By delivery to the Corporation of Shares owned by the Participant (by either actual delivery of Shares or by attestation, with such Shares valued at Fair Market Value as of the day of exercise) with such documentation as the Committee may require or in such other manner as the Committee may require;

 

(c) Share Withholding. By withholding Shares that would otherwise be acquired on exercise having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the Exercise Price;

  

(d) Cashless Exercise. By cashless exercise through delivery of irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the Corporation the amount of proceeds from a sale of Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the Exercise Price; and/or

 

(e) Other Forms. In any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Committee, so long as it does not result in the deferral of recognition of income or a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Code §409A.

 

2.5 SETTLEMENT OF AWARD.

 

The Corporation shall deliver Shares as soon as practicable after the Corporation’s receipt of the Participant’s properly completed notice of exercise and payment in full of the Exercise Price as described in Section 2.4. Such Shares shall be subject to such conditions as the Committee may establish, except that such conditions may not cause the deferral of recognition of income.

 

2.6 CANCELLATION AND REGRANT OF OPTIONS.

 

The Committee shall have the authority to effect, at any time and from time to time, with the consent of the affected Participant, the cancellation of any or all outstanding Options under the Option Grant Program and to grant in substitution new Options covering the same or different number of Shares which might have an Exercise Price per Share no less than the Fair Market Value per Share on the new grant date. The cancellation and grant need not be simultaneous.

 

ARTICLE 3

STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS PROGRAM

 

3.1 TERMS.

 

A Stock Appreciation Right (“SAR”) entitles the Participant to receive, with respect to each Share subject to the SAR, the appreciation in the Fair Market Value over a base price established by the Committee (as determined below), payable in cash or Stock, or a combination of both, as determined by the Committee at the time of payment. Each SAR shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in the form approved by the Committee. Award Agreements evidencing SARs need not be identical, but shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof, by reference in the Award Agreements, or otherwise) the terms specified below and be subject to the provisions of the Plan applicable to such SARs.

 

3.2 VESTING.

 

The SAR shall cover a specified number of Shares and shall vest and become exercisable upon such terms and conditions as the Committee shall establish; provided that no SAR may be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date of grant unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement. Vesting may be conditioned on the continued performance of Services or the achievement of performance conditions measured on an individual, corporate or other basis, or any combination thereof.

 

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3.3 VALUE.

 

The base price in effect for Shares covered by a SAR shall be determined by the Committee at the time of grant. In no event, however, may the base price per Share be less than the Fair Market Value per Share on the grant date. The Participant will receive upon exercise of the SAR an amount equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the surrender date over the base price of a Share (the “Spread”) multiplied by the number of Shares covered by the SAR Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may provide at the time it grants a SAR that the Spread covered by such SAR may not exceed a specified amount.

 

3.4 METHOD OF EXERCISE.

 

The Participant may exercise the SAR by delivering a written notice of exercise to the Corporation, in the form and manner designated by the Committee. 

 

3.5 SETTLEMENT OF AWARD.

 

To the extent the Committee determines that the Participant will receive cash upon exercise of a SAR, the Corporation shall deliver the cash amount which becomes due upon exercise of a SAR as soon as administratively practicable after the Corporation’s receipt of the Participant’s properly completed notice of exercise. To the extent the Committee determines that Shares will be delivered to the Participant upon exercise of a SAR, the Shares shall be subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Committee may establish, except that such conditions may not cause the deferral of recognition of income.

 

ARTICLE 4

RESTRICTED STOCK PROGRAM

 

4.1 TERMS.

 

A Restricted Stock Award is a grant of Shares subject to conditions and restrictions as determined by the Committee. Each Restricted Stock Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in the form approved by the Committee. Award Agreements evidencing Restricted Stock Awards need not be identical, but shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof, by reference in the Award Agreements, or otherwise) the terms specified below and be subject to the provisions of the Plan applicable to such Restricted Stock Awards.

  

4.2 LAPSE OF RESTRICTIONS.

 

Each Restricted Stock Award shall be, for the applicable Period of Restriction determined by the Committee, subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Committee shall determine. Lapse of restrictions may be conditioned on the continued performance of Services or the achievement of performance conditions measured on an individual, corporate or other basis, or any combination thereof.

 

4.4 SHARE ESCROW/LEGENDS.

 

(a) Legend. Unless the certificate representing shares of the Restricted Stock are deposited with a custodian (as described in subparagraph (b) below), each certificate shall bear the following legend (in addition to any other legend required by law):

 

“The transferability of this certificate and the shares represented hereby are subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions (including forfeiture and restrictions against transfer) contained in the Jowell Global Ltd. 2021 Omnibus Equity Plan and a Restricted Stock Agreement dated __________, ____, between ________________ and Jowell Global Ltd. The Plan and the Restricted Stock Agreement are on file in the office of the Corporate Secretary of Jowell Global Ltd.”

 

Such legend shall be removed or canceled from any certificate evidencing shares of Restricted Stock as of the date that such Shares become nonforfeitable.

 

(b) Deposit with Custodian. As an alternative to delivering a stock certificate to the Participant, the Committee may deposit or transfer such Shares electronically to a custodian designated by the Committee. The Committee shall cause the custodian to issue a receipt for the Shares to the Participant for any Restricted Stock so deposited. The custodian shall hold the Shares and deliver the same to the Participant in whose name the Restricted Stock evidenced thereby are registered only after such Shares become nonforfeitable.

 

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ARTICLE 5

UNRESTRICTED STOCK PROGRAM  

 

The Committee may, in its sole discretion, award Unrestricted Stock to any Participant as a stock bonus or otherwise pursuant to which such Participant may receive shares of Stock free of restrictions or limitations that would otherwise be applied under Section 4 of this Plan.

 

ARTICLE 6

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT (RSU) PROGRAM

 

6.1 TERMS.

 

A Restricted Stock Unit Award entitles the Participant to receive Shares upon the vesting of the Award. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in the form approved by the Committee. Subject to the terms of the Plan, Restricted Stock Units may be granted to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee. Award Agreements evidencing Restricted Stock Unit Awards need not be identical, but shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof, by reference in the Award Agreements, or otherwise) the terms specified below and be subject to the provisions of the Plan applicable to Restricted Stock Unit Awards.

 

6.2 VESTING.

 

Each Restricted Stock Unit shall be subject to such vesting conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Committee shall determine and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing the RSU. Vesting may be conditioned on the continued performance of Services or the achievement of performance conditions measured on an individual, corporate or other basis, or any combination thereof.

 

6.3 SETTLEMENT OF AWARD.

 

As soon as practicable following the date each Restricted Stock Unit vests, the Corporation shall deliver to the Participant the Share underlying such Restricted Stock Unit, subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Committee may establish.

 

ARTICLE 7

PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION

 

7.1 AWARDS OF PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION.

 

At its discretion, the Committee may make Awards to Participants intended to comply with the performance-based compensation. In such event, the number of Shares becoming exercisable or transferable or amounts payable with respect to grants of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, and/or awards of Restricted Stock, Unrestricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units may be determined based on the attainment of written performance goals based on the performance measures set forth in Section 7.2 and which have been approved by the Committee for a specified performance period. The performance goals shall state, in terms of an objective formula or standard, the method of computing the amount of compensation payable to the Participant if the goal is attained.

 

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7.2 PERFORMANCE MEASURES.

 

Performance measures may include the following: (i) earnings before all or any taxes (“EBT”); (ii) earnings before all or any of interest expense, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”); (iii) earnings before all or any of interest expense, taxes, depreciation, amortization and rent (“EBITDAR”); (iv) earnings before all or any of interest expense and taxes (“EBIT”); (v) net earnings; (vi) net income; (vii) operating income or margin; (viii) earnings per share; (ix) growth; (x) return on stockholders’ equity; (xi) capital expenditures; (xii) expenses and expense ratio management; (xiii) return on investment; (xiv) improvements in capital structure; (xv) profitability of an identifiable business unit or product; (xvi) profit margins; (xvii) stock price; (xviii) market share; (xvix) revenues; (xx) costs; (xxi) cash flow; (xxii) working capital; (xxiii) return on assets; (xxiv) economic value added; (xxv) industry indices; (xxvi) peer group performance; (xxvii) regulatory ratings; (xxviii) asset quality; (xxix) gross or net profit; (xxx) net sales; (xxxi) total stockholder return; (xxxii) sales (net or gross) measured by product line, territory, customers or other category; (xxxiii) earnings from continuing operations; (xxxiv) net worth; (xxxv) levels of expense, receivables, cost or liability by category, operating unit or any other delineation, or any other measures approved by the Committee. Performance Measures may relate to the Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates, one or more of its divisions or units or any combination of the foregoing, on a consolidated or nonconsolidated basis, and may be applied on an absolute basis or be relative to one or more peer group companies or indices, or any combination thereof, all as the Committee determines. In addition, the performance measures may be calculated without regard to extraordinary items.

 

7.3 PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION COMMITTEE AND CERTIFICATION.

 

Awards intended to be performance-based compensation shall be granted by a committee of “outside directors.” Pursuant to the provisions of Section 1.3(d) hereof, the Committee may establish a subcommittee, if necessary, to make such grants. Any payment of compensation with respect to an Award that is intended to be performance-based compensation will be, subject to the written certification of the Committee that the performance measures were satisfied prior to the payment of the performance-based compensation. This written certification may include the approved minutes of the Committee meeting in which the certification is made.

  

ARTICLE 8

RULES APPLICABLE TO ALL AWARDS

 

8.1 TERMINATION OF SERVICE.

 

Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and included in the Participant’s Award Agreement, in the event that a Participant’s Service with the Corporation and all Related Corporations is terminated for any reason, all Awards held by the Participant which are unexercised or have not yet vested as of such date shall expire, terminate, and become unexercisable as of such termination date, provided, however, that if the Participant’s Service terminates for reasons other than Cause, all outstanding vested Options and SARs held by the Participant as of his or her termination date shall continue to be exercisable until the earlier of the expiration of their term or the date that is three months after such termination date.

 

8.2 ACCELERATION OF VESTING.

 

The Committee shall have complete discretion, subject to the terms of the Plan, exercisable either at the time an Award is granted or at any time while the Award remains outstanding, to accelerate the vesting of or lapse of restrictions on any Award.

 

8.3 EXTENSION OF EXERCISE PERIOD.

 

The Committee shall have complete discretion, subject to the terms of the Plan, exercisable either at the time an Award is granted or at any time while the Award remains outstanding, to extend the period of time for which the Option or SAR is to remain exercisable following the Participant’s termination of Service from the limited exercise period otherwise in effect for that Option or SAR to such greater period of time as the Committee shall deem appropriate, but in no event beyond the expiration of the Option or SAR term, and/or to permit the Option or SAR to be exercised, during the applicable post-termination exercise period, not only with respect to the number of vested Shares for which such Option or SAR is exercisable at the time of the Participant’s termination of Service but also with respect to one or more additional installments in which the Participant would have vested had the Participant continued in Service. Such an extension may result in recharacterization of an ISO as a Non-Statutory Stock Option.

 

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8.4 TRANSFERABILITY.

 

All rights with respect to an Award granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be available during his or her lifetime only to such Participant, except as designated by the Participant by will or by the laws of descent and distribution; provided, however, that the Committee shall have the discretion to provide that an Award other than an ISO may, in connection with the Participant’s estate plan, be assigned in whole or in part during the Participant’s lifetime to a trust established exclusively for one or more members of the Participant’s immediate family. The terms applicable to the assigned portion shall be the same as those in effect for the Award immediately prior to such assignment and shall be set forth in such documents issued to the assignee as the Committee may deem appropriate. Any assignment shall not affect the Participant’s obligations to satisfy applicable tax withholding as described herein. The Participant may also designate in writing one or more persons as the beneficiary or beneficiaries of his or her outstanding Awards, and those Awards shall, except to the extent that any lifetime transfer as provided herein, automatically be transferred to such beneficiary or beneficiaries upon the Participant’s death while holding those Awards. Each such designation shall revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the Corporation, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing with the Corporation during the Participant’s lifetime. In the absence of any such designation, benefits under an Award remaining unpaid at the Participant’s death shall be paid to the Participant’s estate. A beneficiary or beneficiaries shall take the transferred Awards subject to all the terms and conditions of the applicable Award Agreement, including (without limitation) the limited time period during which any Award may be exercised following the Participant’s death.

  

8.5 STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS.

 

Except as otherwise provided by the Committee in the Award Agreement, the Participant (or his or her beneficiaries) holding an Award shall have no stockholder rights with respect to the Shares subject to the Award until he or she has received and become a holder of record of the Shares underlying the Award or, in the case of Restricted Stock, all restrictions have lapsed.

 

8.6 TAX WITHHOLDING.

 

(a) Conditions on Delivery of Stock. The Corporation’s obligation to deliver Shares under the Plan shall, to the extent required by Federal, state, local or foreign law, be subject to the satisfaction of all applicable Federal, state, local and foreign income and employment tax withholding requirements (or, in the case of Restricted Stock, the making of arrangements satisfactory to the Corporation regarding such payment). Whenever under the Plan payments are to be made in cash, such payments may be net of an amount sufficient to satisfy such withholding requirements.

 

(b) Tender of Shares. The Committee may, in its discretion, provide any or all Participants granted Non-Statutory Stock Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Unrestricted Stock, or RSUs settled in Stock under the Plan with the right to use Shares in satisfaction of all or part of the applicable withholding taxes to which such Participants may become subject in connection with the exercise of their Options or SARs, the vesting of their Restricted Stock, or the settlement of their Restricted Stock Units or other Awards in Stock. Such right may be provided to any such Participant in either or both of the following formats:

 

  (i) The election to have the Corporation withhold, from the Shares otherwise issuable upon the exercise of the NSO or SAR, the vesting of the Restricted Stock, or the settlement of Restricted Stock Units or other Awards in Stock, a portion of those Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the percentage of the applicable withholding taxes (not to exceed the minimum required by law) designated by the Participant.

 

  (ii) The election to deliver to the Corporation, at the time the NSO or SAR is exercised, the Restricted Stock vests, or the Restricted Stock Units or other Awards are settled in Stock, one or more Shares previously acquired by such Participant (other than in connection with the Option or SAR exercise, Restricted Stock vesting or Restricted Stock Units or other Awards in Stock settlement triggering the withholding taxes) with an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the percentage of the withholding taxes (not to exceed the minimum required by law) designated by the Participant.

 

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ARTICLE 9

DEFINITIONS

 

The following definitions shall be in effect under the Plan:

 

9.1 Award Agreement shall mean a written document setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to an Award granted to a Participant under the Plan, and is a condition to the grant of an Award hereunder.

 

9.2 Awards shall mean any award or benefit granted to any Participant under the Plan, including, without limitation, the grant of Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Unrestricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.

 

9.3 Board shall mean the Corporation’s Board of Directors.

 

9.4 Cause shall mean the commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement or dishonesty by the Participant, any act or omission by such person constituting a breach or default under any written or oral agreement between such person and the Corporation (or any Related Corporation), any unauthorized use or disclosure by such person of confidential information or trade secrets of the Corporation (or any Related Corporation), or any other intentional act by such person adversely affecting the business or affairs of the Corporation (or any Related Corporation) in a material manner. The foregoing definition shall not be deemed to be inclusive of all the acts or omissions which the Corporation (or any Related Corporation) may consider as grounds for the dismissal or discharge of any Participant or other person in the Service of the Corporation (or any Related Corporation).

 

9.5 Change of Control shall mean the first of the following events to occur:

 

(a) The acquisition by any one person or more than one person acting as a group (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(v)(B)), other than the Corporation, any Related Corporation, or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Corporation or any Related Corporation, (a “Person”) of any of stock of the Corporation that, together with stock held by such Person, constitutes more than 50% of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Corporation. For purposes of this Paragraph (a), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (i) the acquisition of additional stock by a Person who is considered to own more than 50% of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Corporation, (ii) any acquisition in which the Corporation does not remain outstanding thereafter and (iii) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction which complies with Paragraph (c) below. An increase in the percentage of stock owned by any one Person as a result of a transaction in which the Corporation acquires its stock in exchange for property will be treated as an acquisition of stock for purposes of this Paragraph;

 

 (b) The replacement of individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute a majority of the Board, during any twelve (12) month period by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the Board before the date of the appointment or election, provided that, if the Corporation is not the relevant corporation for which no other corporation is a majority stockholder for purposes of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(iv)(A)(2), this Paragraph (b) shall be applied instead with respect to the members of the board of the directors of such relevant corporation for which no other corporation is a majority stockholder;

 

(c) The acquisition by any one person or more than one person acting as a group (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(vi)(D)), other than the Corporation, a Related Corporation or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Corporation or any Related Corporation, during the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such by such person or persons, of ownership of stock of the Corporation possessing 30% or more of the total voting power of the stock of the Corporation. For purposes of this Paragraph (c), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (i) the acquisition of additional control by a person or more than one person acting as a group who are considered to effectively control the Corporation within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(vi) and (ii) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction which complies with Paragraph (a); or

 

(d) The acquisition by any individual person or more than one person acting as a group (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(vii)(C)), other than a transfer to a related person within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(vii)(B), during the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons, of assets from the Corporation that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than 40% of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Corporation immediately prior to such acquisition(s). For purposes of this Paragraph (d), “gross fair market value” means the value of the assets of the Corporation, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets.

 

The above definition of “Change of Control” shall be interpreted by the Board, in good faith, to apply in a similar manner to transactions involving partnerships and partnership interests, and to comply with Code §409A and official guidance issued thereunder from time to time.

 

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9.6 Code shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

9.7 Committee shall mean the particular entity, whether the Committee or the Board, which is authorized to administer the Plan, to the extent such entity is carrying out its administrative functions under the Plan.

 

9.8 Corporation shall mean Jowell Global Ltd, a Cayman Islands, and any corporate successor to all or substantially all of the assets or voting stock of Jowell Global Ltd. which shall by appropriate action adopt the Plan.

 

9.9 Disability shall mean, unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement or in an employment, change of control or similar agreement in effect between the Participant and the Corporation or Related Corporation, the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months; or, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Corporation or a Related Corporation.

 

9.10 Effective Date shall mean the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.

 

9.11 Eligible Persons shall mean persons eligible to participate in the Plan, as described in Section 1.4.

 

9.12 Employee shall mean an employee of the Corporation (or any Related Corporation).

 

9.13 Exercise Price shall mean the per Share exercise price of an Option as determined under Article 2 of the Plan.

  

9.14 Fair Market Value per Share on the relevant date shall mean, if the Shares are duly listed on a national securities exchange or on The Nasdaq Stock Market, the closing price of the Stock on the relevant date, or, if there are no sales on such date, on the next preceding day on which there were sales, or if the Shares are not so listed, the fair market value of the Shares for the relevant date, as determined by the Committee in good faith and in compliance with Code §409A.

 

9.15 Incentive Stock Option or ISO shall mean an Option that is intended to qualify as, and that satisfies the requires applicable to, an “incentive stock option” described in Code § 422(b).

 

9.16 Non-Statutory Stock Option or NSO shall mean an Option that is not intended to be, or does not qualify as, an Incentive Stock Option.

 

9.17 Option shall mean a right to acquire Stock of the Corporation pursuant to a Non-Statutory Stock Option or Incentive Stock Option granted under Article 2 of the Plan.

 

9.18 Participant shall mean any Eligible Person who receives an Award under the Plan, and includes those former Eligible Persons who have certain post-termination rights under the terms of an Award granted under the Plan.

 

9.19 Reserved.

 

9.20 Period of Restriction shall mean the period(s) during which the transfer of an Award or the Shares subject to an Award is limited in some way (based on the passage of time, the achievement of performance goals, or upon the occurrence of other events as determined by the Committee, at its discretion) or the Shares are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, pursuant to the terms of this Plan or the applicable Award Agreement.

 

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9.21 Plan shall mean the Jowell Global Ltd. 2021 Omnibus Equity Plan, as set forth in this document.

 

9.22 Related Corporation shall mean any affiliate of the Corporation; provided, however, that with respect to any ISO and for purposes of the definition of 10% Stockholder, “Related Corporation” shall mean any Corporation during any period in which it is a “parent corporation” (as that term is defined in Code §424(e)) with respect to the Corporation or a “subsidiary corporation” (as that term is defined in Code §424(f)) with respect to the Corporation.

 

9.23 Restricted Stock shall mean a grant of Shares granted under Article 4 of the Plan that is subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Committee determines and sets forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

9.24 Restricted Stock Unit or RSUs shall mean a right to receive Shares upon satisfaction of certain vesting requirements pursuant to Article 6 of the Plan.

 

9.25 Service shall mean the performance of services for the Corporation (or any Related Corporation) by a person in the capacity of an Employee, a non-Employee member of the board of directors, or a consultant or independent advisor, except to the extent otherwise specifically provided in the Award Agreement.

 

9.26 Shares or Stock shall mean ordinary shares of the Corporation, par value $0.001 per share.

 

9.27 Stock Appreciation Rights or SARs shall mean a right to receive the appreciation in the Fair Market Value of Shares, as granted under Article 3 of the Plan.

 

9.28 10% Stockholder shall mean the owner of stock (as determined under Code §424(d)) possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation (or any Related Corporation).

  

ARTICLE 10

MISCELLANEOUS

 

10.1 EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM OF PLAN.

 

(a) Effective Date. The Plan shall become effective immediately upon its adoption by the Board, subject to approval by the stockholders of the Corporation at the first annual meeting of stockholders held following the adoption by the Board, or any special meeting of the stockholders duly called. Options may be granted under the Option Grant Program at any time on or after the Effective Date. However, until the stockholders approve the Plan, no Options or SARs granted under the Plan may be exercised, no Restricted or Unrestricted Stock shall be issued under the Plan and no Award may be settled in Stock under the Plan. If stockholder approval is not obtained within twelve (12) months after the Effective Date, then all Awards shall be null and void.

 

(b) Termination Date. The Plan shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of (i) the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Plan’s effective date, or (ii) the date on which all Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall have been issued as fully-vested Shares. Should the Plan terminate on the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date, then all Awards outstanding at that time shall continue to have force and effect in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Award Agreements.

 

10.2 AMENDMENT OF PLAN.

 

(a) Amendment and Termination By the Board. Subject to Paragraph (b) below, the Board shall have the power at any time to add to, amend, modify or repeal any of the provisions of the Plan, to suspend the operation of the entire Plan or any of its provisions for any period or to terminate the Plan in whole or in part. In the event of any such action, the Committee shall prepare written procedures which, when approved by the Board, shall govern the administration of the Plan resulting from such addition, amendment, modification, repeal, suspension or termination. The Committee may amend any Award Agreement that it previously has authorized under the Plan and the applicable Participant; provided, however, that no Award Agreement may be amended to reprice or constructively reprice any Award.

 

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(b) Restrictions on Amendment and Termination. Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (a) above, the following restrictions shall apply to the Board’s authority under Paragraph (a) above:

 

  (i) Prohibition Against Adverse Effects on Outstanding Awards. No addition, amendment, modification, repeal, suspension or termination shall adversely affect, in any way, the rights of the Participants who have outstanding Awards without the consent of such Participants;

 

  (ii) Stockholder Approval Required for Certain Modifications. No modification or amendment of the Plan may be made without the prior approval of the stockholders of the Company if (i) such modification or amendment would cause the applicable portions of the Plan to fail to qualify as an ISO plan pursuant to Code §422, (ii) such modification or amendment would materially increase the benefits accruing to participants under the Plan, (iii) such modification or amendment would materially increase the number of securities which may be issued under the Plan, or (iv) such modification or amendment would materially modify the requirements as to eligibility for participation in the Plan. Clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) of the preceding sentence shall be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of Rule 16b-3 of the 1934 Act. Stockholder approval shall be made by a majority of the votes cast at a duly held meeting at which a quorum representing a majority of all outstanding voting stock is, either in person or by proxy, present and voting, or by the written consent in lieu of a meeting of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting stock or such greater number of shares of voting stock as may be required by the Company’s articles or certificate of incorporation and bylaws and by applicable law; provided, however, that for modifications described in clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, such stockholder approval, whether by vote or by written consent in lieu of a meeting, must be solicited substantially in accordance with the rules and regulations in effect under Section 14(a) of the 1934 Act as required by paragraph (b)(2) of Rule 16b-3 of the 1934 Act.

 

10.3 CONTINUING SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE; LEGENDS.

 

The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required. If at any time on or after the Effective Date, the Committee, in its discretion, shall determine that the requirements of any applicable federal or state securities laws should fail to be met, no Shares issuable under Awards and no Options or SARs shall be exercisable until the Committee has determined that these requirements have again been met. The Committee may suspend the right to exercise an Options or SAR at any time when it determines that allowing the exercise and issuance of Shares would violate any federal or state securities or other laws, and may provide that any time periods to exercise the Option or SAR are extended during a period of suspension. With respect to “Insiders,” transactions under this Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. To the extent any provision of the Plan or action by the Committee fails to so comply, it shall be deemed null and void, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Committee. Each Award Agreement and each certificate representing securities granted pursuant to the Plan (including securities issuable pursuant to the terms of derivative securities) may bear such restrictive legend(s) as the Corporation deems necessary or advisable under applicable law, including Federal and state securities laws. If any Award is made to a Participant who is subject to the Corporation’s policy regarding trading of its Stock by its officers and directors and Shares are scheduled to be delivered under the Plan to the Participant on a day (the “original distribution date”) that does not occur during a “window period” applicable to the Participant, as determined by the Corporation in accordance with such policy, then the Corporation can choose not to deliver such Shares on such original distribution date and instead to deliver such Shares on the first day of the next “window period” applicable to the Participant pursuant to such policy, but in no event later than the March 15 following the close of the calendar year in which such Shares were no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (within the meaning of Code §409A).

 

10.4 LIQUIDATION OF THE CORPORATION.

 

In the event of the complete liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation, any outstanding Awards granted under this Plan shall be deemed automatically canceled without any action on the part of the Corporation and without regard to or limitation by any other provision of the Plan.

  

10.5 NO EMPLOYMENT/SERVICE RIGHTS.

 

Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon the Participant any right to continue in Service for any period of specific duration or interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way the rights of the Corporation (or any Related Corporation employing or retaining such person) or of the Participant, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each, to terminate the Participant’s Service at any time for any reason, with or without Cause.

 

  A-14  

 

 

10.6 RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.

 

For all purposes of this Plan, except as otherwise expressly provided:

 

(a) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed thereto under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles;
   
(b) all references in this Plan to designated “Articles,” “Sections” and other subdivisions are to the designated Articles, Sections and other subdivisions of the body of this Plan except to the extent identified as references to sections or subsections of the Code;
   
(c) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Plan as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision;
   
(d) whenever the words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Plan, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”;
   
(e) whenever this Plan refers to a number of days, such number shall refer to calendar days unless business days are expressly specified;
   
(f) a reference to any legislation or to any provision of any legislation shall include such legislation, as amended through the date hereof, and all subsequent amendments or modification thereto or re-enactment thereof, any legislative provision substituted therefor and all regulations and statutory instruments issued thereunder or pursuant thereto; and
   
(g) except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also shall include the feminine; the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural.

 

10.7 UNFUNDED STATUS OF PLAN.

 

The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant by the Corporation, nothing set forth herein shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Corporation. In its sole discretion, the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or other arrangements to meet the obligations created under the Plan to deliver Stock or a payment in lieu of or with respect to Awards hereunder, provided, however, that the existence of such trusts or other arrangements is consistent with the unfunded status of the Plan.

 

10.8 AWARDS TO PARTICIPANTS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.

 

The Committee may modify the terms of any Award under the Plan made to or held by a Participant who is then resident or primarily employed outside the United States in any manner deemed by the Committee to be necessary or appropriate in order that the Award shall conform to laws, regulations, and customs of the country in which the Participant is then resident or primarily employed, or so that the value and other benefits of the Award to the Participant, as affected by foreign tax laws and other restrictions applicable as a result of the Participant’s residence or employment abroad, shall be comparable to the value of such an Award to a Participant who is resident or primarily employed in the United States. Such authorization shall extend to and include establishing one or more separate sub-plans which include provisions not inconsistent with the Plan that comply with statutory or regulatory requirements imposed by the foreign country or countries in which the Participant resides.

 

10.9 SEVERABILITY.

 

In the event any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

 

10.10 GOVERNING LAW.

 

To the extent not preempted by United States Federal law, the Plan, and all agreements hereunder, shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands.

 

 

A-15

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.2

 

 

 

 

 

JOWELL GLOBAL LTD.

 

2021 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders

 

September 10, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOWELL GLOBAL LTD.

THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

The undersigned, revoking all prior proxies, hereby appoints Zhiwei Xu, with full power of substitution, as proxy to represent and vote all ordinary shares of Jowell Global Ltd. (the “Company”), which the undersigned will be entitled to vote if personally present at the Annual General Meeting of the Stockholders of the Company to be held on September 10, 2021, at 10:30 a.m., Local Time (September 9, 2021, at 10:30 p.m., Eastern Time), at the corporate headquarters of the Company, located at 2nd Floor, No. 285 Jiangpu Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China 200082, upon matters set forth in the Notice of 2021 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders, a copy of which has been received by the undersigned. Each Ordinary Share is entitled to one vote. The proxies are further authorized to vote, in their discretion, upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

 

THIS PROXY, WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED, WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THE PROXY SHALL BE VOTED FOR ALL DIRECTOR NOMINEES, FOR PROPOSALS 2 AND 3, AND, IN THE CASE OF OTHER MATTERS THAT LEGALLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING, AS SAID PROXY(S) MAY DEEM ADVISABLE.

 

Please check here if you plan to attend the Annual General Meeting of Stockholders on September 10, 2021 at 10:30 am local time (September 9, 2021 at 10:30 pm EDT) ☐

 

PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE ON THE REVERSE SIDE

 

(Continued and to be signed on Reverse Side)