As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 30, 2009.

Registration No. 333-_______
............................................................................................................................................................................

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

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
............................................................................................................................

BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware
20-3068069
(State or other jurisdiction of
 incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
   
111 Westwood Place, Suite 200
Brentwood, Tennessee
37027
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)


BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. DIRECTOR STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
(Full title of the plan)

T. Andrew Smith, Esq.
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
111 Westwood Place, Suite 200
Brentwood, Tennessee  37027
(Name and address of agent for service)

(615) 221-2250
(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

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

Large accelerated filer    T
Accelerated filer                    £
 
Non-accelerated filer      £ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 
Smaller reporting company   £


 
 
 

 
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of securities
to be
registered
Amount
to be
registered (1)
 
Proposed
maximum
offering
price per
share (2)
 
 
Proposed
maximum
aggregate
offering
price (2)
Amount of
registration
fee
 
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
 
100,000 shares
$9.34
$934,000
$53

(1)
Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement also covers additional shares that may become issuable under the above-named plan by reason of certain corporate transactions or events, including any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or any other similar transaction effected without the receipt of consideration which results in an increase in the number of the registrant’s outstanding shares of common stock.

(2)
The offering price is estimated solely for the purpose of determining the amount of the registration fee. Such estimate has been calculated in accordance with Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) and is based upon the average of the high and low prices per share of the registrant’s Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on June 26, 2009.
 

 
 
 

 
EXPLANATORY NOTE

This registration statement registers shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (the “Company”) that may be issued and sold under the Brookdale Senior Living Inc. Director Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”).

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1.
Plan Information.*

Item 2.
Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.*

*
The documents containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to directors as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).  Such documents need not be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) either as part of this registration statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities Act.  These documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this registration statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this registration statement, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.
Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents previously filed with the SEC are hereby incorporated by reference in this registration statement:

 
(a)
The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008;

 
(b)
Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008;

 
(c)
The Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2009;

 
(d)
The Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 29, 2009, March 2, 2009, May 7, 2009, June 2, 2009, June 3, 2009, June 23, 2009 and June 26, 2009; and

 
(e)
The description of the Common Stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated October 11, 2005, filed with the SEC by the Company to register such securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including all amendments and reports filed for the purpose of updating such description prior to the termination of the offering of the Common Stock offered hereby.

Information furnished under Items 2.02 and 7.01 of the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K, including the related exhibits, is not incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

All reports and other documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this

 
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registration statement that indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or that deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.  Any statements contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes hereof to the extent that a statement contained herein, or in any other subsequently filed document that also is incorporated or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement.  Any statement contained in this registration statement shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained in a subsequently filed document that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement modifies or supersedes such prior statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof except as so modified or superseded.

Item 4.
Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5.
Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

The legality of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby has been passed upon for the Company by T. Andrew Smith, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company.  Mr. Smith is employed by the Company.  As of June 26, 2009, Mr. Smith beneficially owned 277,577 shares of Common Stock, including unvested restricted shares of Common Stock.

Item 6.
Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended, or the DGCL, allows a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors to a corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of a fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase or redemption in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit.

Section 145 of the DGCL provides, among other things, that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the corporation’s request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the action, suit or proceeding. The power to indemnify applies if (i) such person is successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding or (ii) such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The power to indemnify applies to actions brought by or in the right of the corporation as well, but only to the extent of defense expenses (including attorneys’ fees but excluding amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred and not to any satisfaction of judgment or settlement of the claim itself, and with the further limitation that in such actions no indemnification shall be made in the event of any adjudication of negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duties to the corporation, unless a court believes that in light of all the circumstances indemnification should apply.

Section 174 of the DGCL provides, among other things, that a director who willfully and negligently approves of an unlawful payment of dividends or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption may be held liable for such actions. A director who was either absent when the unlawful actions were approved or dissented at the time, may avoid liability by causing his or her dissent to such actions to be entered in the books containing the minutes of the meetings of the board of directors at the time the action occurred or immediately after the absent director receives notice of the unlawful acts.

 
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The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation states that no director shall be liable to us or any of our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as director, except for breaches of the duty of loyalty, and for acts or omissions in bad faith or involving intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law. A director is also not exempt from liability for any transaction from which he or she derived an improper personal benefit, or for violations of Section 174 of the DGCL. To the maximum extent permitted under Section 145 of the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes us to indemnify any and all persons whom we have the power to indemnify under the law.

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that the Company will indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party in any legal proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Company or a subsidiary. However, such indemnification is permitted only if such person acted in good faith, lawfully and not against our best interests. Indemnification is authorized on a case-by-case basis by (1) our board of directors by a majority vote of disinterested directors, (2) a committee of the disinterested directors, (3) independent legal counsel in a written opinion if (1) and (2) are not available, or if disinterested directors so direct, or (4) the stockholders.

Indemnification of former directors or officers shall be determined by any person authorized to act on the matter on our behalf. Expenses incurred by a director or officer in defending against such legal proceedings are payable before the final disposition of the action, provided that the director or officer undertakes to repay us if it is later determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification.

The Company has entered into separate indemnification agreements with certain of its directors and officers. Each indemnification agreement provides, among other things, for indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws against any and all expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement of any claim. The indemnification agreements provide for the advancement or payment of all expenses to the indemnitee and for reimbursement to us if it is found that such indemnitee is not entitled to such indemnification under applicable law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Company has been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

We maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance for our officers and directors.

Item 7.
Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8.
Exhibits.

 
4.1
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 14, 2006).

 
4.2
Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 20, 2007).

 
4.3
Form of Certificate for common stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Amendment No. 3) (No. 333-127372) filed on November 7, 2005).

 
4.4
Stockholders Agreement, dated as of November 28, 2005, by and among Brookdale Senior Living Inc., FIT-ALT Investor LLC, Fortress Brookdale Acquisition LLC, Fortress

 
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Investment Trust II and Health Partners (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 31, 2006).

 
4.5
Amendment No. 1 to Stockholders Agreement, dated as of July 25, 2006, by and among Brookdale Senior Living Inc., FIT-ALT Investor LLC, Fortress Registered Investment Trust, Fortress Brookdale Investment Fund LLC, FRIT Holdings LLC, and FIT Holdings LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 14, 2006).

 
5.1
Opinion of T. Andrew Smith, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

 
23.1
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

 
23.2
Consent of T. Andrew Smith (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 
24.1
Powers of Attorney (included on the signature pages hereto).

 
99.1
Summary of Brookdale Senior Living Inc. Director Stock Purchase Plan.

Item 9.
Undertakings.

(a)           The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

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

(i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

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

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

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

(2)           That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

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

(b)           The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c)           Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 
 
 
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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Brentwood, State of Tennessee, on this 30 th day of June, 2009.

 
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC.
   
   
 
By:
        /s/ W.E. Sheriff
 
 
Name:
W.E. Sheriff
 
 
Title:
Chief Executive Officer
 


POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each of the undersigned officers and directors of Brookdale Senior Living Inc., a Delaware corporation, hereby constitutes and appoints W.E. Sheriff and T. Andrew Smith and each of them, severally, as his or her attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, in his or her name and on his or her behalf, to sign in any and all capacities this registration statement and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) and exhibits to this registration statement and any and all applications and other documents relating thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with full power and authority to perform and do any and all acts and things whatsoever which any such attorney or substitute may deem necessary or advisable to be performed or done in connection with any or all of the above-described matters, as fully as each of the undersigned could do if personally present and acting, hereby ratifying and approving all acts of any such attorney or substitute.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Signature
Title
Date


/s/ Wesley R. Edens
 
Chairman of the Board
June 30, 2009
Wesley R. Edens
     
       
       
/s/ W.E. Sheriff
 
Chief Executive Officer
June 30, 2009
W.E. Sheriff
 
(Principal Executive Officer)
 
       
       
/s/ Mark W. Ohlendorf
 
Co-President and Chief Financial Officer
June 30, 2009
Mark W. Ohlendorf
 
(Principal Financial and Accounting
 
   
Officer)
 
       
       
/s/ Frank M. Bumstead
 
Director
June 30, 2009
Frank M. Bumstead
     
       
       
/s/ Jackie M. Clegg
 
Director
June 30, 2009
Jackie M. Clegg
     
 
 
 
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/s/ Tobia Ippolito
 
Director
June 30, 2009
Tobia Ippolito
     
       
       
/s/ Jeffrey R. Leeds
 
Director
June 30, 2009
Jeffrey R. Leeds
     
       
       
/s/ Mark J. Schulte
 
Director
June 30, 2009
Mark J. Schulte
     
       
       
/s/ James R. Seward
 
Director
June 30, 2009
James R. Seward
     
       
       
/s/ Samuel Waxman
 
Director
June 30, 2009
Samuel Waxman
     
       
       
 
 
 
 
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EXHIBIT INDEX


        Exhibit No.                                                                             Description

 
4.1
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 14, 2006).

 
4.2
Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 20, 2007).

 
4.3
Form of Certificate for common stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Amendment No. 3) (No. 333-127372) filed on November 7, 2005).

 
4.4
Stockholders Agreement, dated as of November 28, 2005, by and among Brookdale Senior Living Inc., FIT-ALT Investor LLC, Fortress Brookdale Acquisition LLC, Fortress Investment Trust II and Health Partners (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 31, 2006).

 
4.5
Amendment No. 1 to Stockholders Agreement, dated as of July 25, 2006, by and among Brookdale Senior Living Inc., FIT-ALT Investor LLC, Fortress Registered Investment Trust, Fortress Brookdale Investment Fund LLC, FRIT Holdings LLC, and FIT Holdings LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 14, 2006).

 
5.1
Opinion of T. Andrew Smith, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

 
23.1
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

 
23.2
Consent of T. Andrew Smith (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 
24.1
Powers of Attorney (included on the signature pages hereto).

 
99.1
Summary of Brookdale Senior Living Inc. Director Stock Purchase Plan.




II -8
 
 
 


BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC.
111 Westwood Place, Suite 200
Brentwood, Tennessee 37027



June 30, 2009

Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
111 Westwood Place, Suite 200
Brentwood, Tennessee 37027

Re:    Brookdale Senior Living Inc. Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Brookdale Senior Living Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and as such have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), relating to 100,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Shares”) that may be issued and sold under the Brookdale Senior Living Inc. Director Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”).

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act.

In rendering the opinion set forth herein, I have examined and relied on originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of such documents as I have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion set forth below.

In my examination, I have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as facsimile, electronic, certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. In making my examination of executed documents, I have assumed that the parties thereto, other than the Company, had the power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and the execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and the validity and binding effect thereof on such parties. As to any facts material to the opinion expressed herein that I did not independently establish or verify, I have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others and of public officials.

Based upon the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the Shares to be issued under the Plan have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 
 
 


I am admitted to practice law in the State of Tennessee, and I do not express any opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction other than the existing laws of the United States of America and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and further consent to all references to me, if any, in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus constituting a part thereof and any amendments thereto. In giving this consent, I do not thereby admit that I am included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

This opinion is intended solely for use in connection with the issuance and sale of shares subject to the Registration Statement and is not to be relied upon for any other purpose. This opinion is rendered as of the date first written above and based solely on my understanding of facts in existence as of such date after the aforementioned examination. I assume no obligation to advise you of any fact, circumstance, event or change in the law or the facts that may hereafter be brought to my attention whether or not such occurrence would affect or modify the opinions expressed herein.

 
Very truly yours,
 
     
 
/s/ T. Andrew Smith
 
     
 
T. Andrew Smith
 
 
Executive Vice President, General
 
 
Counsel and Secretary
 




Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Brookdale Senior Living Inc. Directors Stock Purchase Plan for the registration of 100,000 shares of common stock of our reports dated February 27, 2009, with respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedule of Brookdale Senior Living Inc. and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Brookdale Senior Living Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2008, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


 
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
 



Chicago, Illinois
June 30, 2009

 
 
 

 
Exhibit 99.1


Summary of the Brookdale Senior Living Inc. Director Stock Purchase Plan

Under the compensation program applicable to the Company’s non-affiliated directors, each non-affiliated member of the Company’s Board of Directors has the opportunity to elect to receive either immediately vested shares or restricted stock units in lieu of up to 50% of his or her quarterly cash compensation.  Any immediately vested shares that are elected to be received will be issued pursuant to the Brookdale Senior Living Inc. Director Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”).

Under the director compensation program, all cash amounts are payable quarterly in arrears, with payments to be made on April 1, July 1, October 1 and January 1.  Any immediately vested shares that a director elects to receive under the Plan will be issued at the same time that cash payments are made.  The number of shares to be issued will be based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of issuance (i.e., April 1, July 1, October 1 and January 1), or if such date is not a trading date, on the previous trading day’s closing price.  Fractional amounts will be paid in cash.

The Board of Directors has initially reserved 100,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for issuance under the Plan.  The Board of Directors has also reserved the right to amend the Plan in any respect, or terminate the Plan, at any time.

The Plan is intended to comply with Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and should be interpreted in accordance therewith.