UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 26, 2020

 

NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

OREGON

0-27140

93-0557988

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

201 NE Park Plaza Drive, Suite 100

Vancouver, WA 98684

(Address of principal executive offices and Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 360-397-6250

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

         Title of each class         

    Trading Symbol(s)  

    Name of each exchange on which registered     

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

NWPX

Nasdaq Global Select Market

 

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

 

Emerging growth company    ☐

 

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

 


 

 

 

Item 5.02.

DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATORY ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS

 

 

 

Election of William Yearsley to the Board of Directors

On March 26, 2020, William Yearsley was elected to the Board of Directors of Northwest Pipe Company (the “Company”) for a term expiring at the Company’s next Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) has determined that Mr. Yearsley is an independent director in accordance with guidelines that the Company has adopted, which comply with the listing standards set forth by the Nasdaq Stock Market. The Board appointed Mr. Yearsley to the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board.

 

Mr. Yearsley is a director and interim CEO of Sioux Creek Silica LLC, an investor and lead outside director at Tri‑Arc, LLC, and the primary advisor to an early stage Canadian company developing new technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the production of cement. Mr. Yearsley has also been a limited partner of Lariat Partners Fund One since 2013 and previously served as its operating partner. Mr. Yearsley holds a BS in Engineering from Southern Illinois University and a MS in Construction Management and a PhD in Construction Engineering from Colorado State University.

 

Mr. Yearsley will receive compensation for his service on the Board consistent with that provided to all other non-employee directors, as described under the caption “Director Compensation” in the Company’s definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 25, 2019, as adjusted by the Board from time to time.

 

There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Yearsley and any other persons regarding his appointment to the Board, nor is Mr. Yearsley a party to any related party transactions required to be reported pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

 

The Company issued a press release on April 1, 2020 announcing the election of Mr. Yearsley to the Company’s Board of Directors. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.

   
 

Grant of Performance Share Units and Restricted Stock Units

On March 26, 2020, the Board of Directors of the Company, upon the approval and recommendation of the Compensation Committee, approved grants of performance share units (“PSUs”) and restricted stock units (“RSUs”) for the following Named Executive Officers of the Company in the amounts set forth below. Pursuant to these long-term incentive grants, each Named Executive Officer received an award of PSUs and RSUs valued at an amount equal to a specific percentage of his or her respective annual base salary, with 75 percent of each award represented by PSUs and 25 percent of each award represented by RSUs.

 

The PSUs awarded will vest based on the Company’s Earnings before Interest Expense, Income Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization Margin before extraordinary or unusual items over the measurement period (as described in the PSU agreement). The actual number of PSUs which will vest will be determined based on the performance level achieved and may be equal to, greater than, or less than the number of PSUs specified below, which indicate each Named Executive Officer’s award at target performance level. The PSUs awarded will vest in three equal installments on March 31, 2021, March 31, 2022, and March 31, 2023. In the event a change in control of the Company (as defined in the PSU agreement) occurs at any time prior to March 31, 2023, the PSUs will be immediately vested, and the amount awarded will be based on the results obtained through the change in control date. The foregoing descriptions of the terms of the PSU awards are qualified by reference to the full text of the form of the agreement, which is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

The RSUs awarded vest in three equal installments on January 15, 2021, January 17, 2022, and January 16, 2023, based upon continued service with the Company on that date. In the event a change in control of the Company (as defined in the RSU agreement) occurs at any time prior to the last vesting date, a pro-rata number of RSUs will be calculated based on time elapsed as of the date of the change in control, and those RSUs will be immediately vested. The foregoing descriptions of the terms of the RSU awards are qualified by reference to the full text of the form of the agreement, which is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.2 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

 

Named Executive Officer

 

Performance

Share

Units

 

Restricted

Stock

Units

Scott Montross

Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer

 

24,667

 

8,222

Aaron Wilkins

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Corporate Secretary

 

7,296

 

2,432

William Smith

Executive Vice President, Water Transmission Engineered Systems

 

7,894

 

2,632

Miles Brittain

Senior Vice President of Operations

 

7,176

 

2,392

 

 

Approval of Short Term Incentive Plan

On March 26, 2020, the Compensation Committee also approved the parameters of the Company’s performance-based cash incentive program (Short Term Incentive Plan or “STI”) for the 2020 fiscal year. The performance goal for the 2020 STI relates to the Company’s level of income before income taxes for 2020. Each Named Executive Officer may earn a bonus ranging from 0% to 140% of their 2020 base salary, based on the level of the Company’s attainment of the performance goal. The target bonus amounts range from 50% to 70% of each Named Executive Officer's 2020 annual base salary.

 

Item 8.01.

OTHER EVENTS

 

 

 

The Company’s 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) will be held on June 4, 2020. The record date for determining the shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting is April 9, 2020.

 

Item 9.01.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

 

 

Exhibits

 

 

(d) 10.1  Form of Performance Share Unit Agreement
   
  10.2  Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement
   
  99.1  Press Release issued by Northwest Pipe Company dated April 1, 2020

 

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized on April 1, 2020.

 

 

NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY

 

(Registrant)

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Aaron Wilkins

 

 

Aaron Wilkins,

 

 

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Corporate Secretary

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

PERFORMANCE SHARE UNIT AGREEMENT

 

 

This PERFORMANCE SHARE UNIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made and entered into as of March 26, 2020 (“Effective Date”) by and between Northwest Pipe Company (the “Company”), and XXX (“Employee”) (collectively, “the parties”).

 

RECITALS

 

The Company has determined that it would like to provide certain financial incentives to Employee in order to encourage continued employment, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

AGREEMENT

 

The parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1.     Performance Share Unit Grant. The Employee shall receive a Performance Share Unit (“PSU”) Grant on the following terms:

 

1.1     Grant. The Company hereby grants Employee an award of XXX PSUs, subject to all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Company’s stockholder approved 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The grant of PSUs obligates the Company, upon vesting in accordance with this Agreement, to deliver to Employee one share of common stock of the Company (a “Share”) for each PSU. The number of Performance Shares that may vest and the timing of vesting of the Performance Shares shall depend upon achievement of certain performance goals and shall be determined in accordance with the Performance Matrices attached hereto as Appendix A. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Plan.

 

1.2     Company’s Obligation to Pay. Unless and until the PSUs have vested in the manner set forth in Sections 1.3 through 1.5, Employee will have no right to payment of such PSUs. Prior to actual payment of any vested PSUs, such PSUs will represent an unsecured obligation. Payment of any vested PSUs shall be made only in whole Shares.

 

1.3     Vesting Schedule. Except as provided in Sections 1.4 and 1.5, the PSUs awarded by this Agreement shall vest in accordance with the vesting provisions set forth in Appendix A. PSUs shall not vest unless the Employee has been continuously employed by the Company or by one of its subsidiaries from the Effective Date until the date the PSUs vest in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

1.4     Change in Control. In the event a change in control of the Company (as defined in Appendix B) occurs at any time prior to March 31, 2023, the PSUs will be immediately vested, and the amount awarded will be based on the results obtained through the change in control date.

 

 

 

1.5     Committee Discretion. The Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Committee”), in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the PSUs or any portion thereof at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such PSUs will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Committee.

 

1.6     Payment after Vesting. Any PSUs that vest in accordance with Sections 1.3 through 1.5 will be paid to the Employee as soon as practicable following the date of vesting, subject to Section 1.10.

 

1.7     Clawback Provision. If the Company’s financial statements are the subject of a restatement due to misconduct, to the extent permitted by governing law, in all appropriate cases, the Company will seek reimbursement of excess share compensation granted to Employee per this Agreement. Excess share compensation means the positive difference, if any, between (1) the award paid to Employee, and (ii) the award that would have been paid to you had the award been calculated based on the Company’s financial statements as restated.

 

1.8     Forfeiture. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Agreement, any PSUs that have not vested pursuant to Sections 1.3 through 1.5 at the time of the Employee’s termination of service (with or without cause) with the Company and its subsidiaries will be forfeited and automatically transferred to and reacquired by the Company at no cost to the Company.

 

1.9     Death of Employee. Any distribution of Shares that vested during Employee’s lifetime which is to be made to the Employee under this Agreement after the Employee is deceased shall be made to the administrator or executor of the Employee’s estate. Any such administrator or executor must furnish the Company with (a) written notice of his or her status as transferee, and (b) evidence satisfactory to the Company to establish the validity of the transfer and compliance with any laws or regulations pertaining to said transfer.

 

1.10   Withholding of Taxes. When Shares are issued as payment for vested PSUs, the Company (or the employing Subsidiary) may withhold a portion of the Shares that have an aggregate market value sufficient to pay federal, state, local and foreign income, social insurance, employment and any other applicable taxes required to be withheld by the Company or the employing Subsidiary with respect to the Shares, unless the Company, in its sole discretion, either requires or otherwise permits the Employee to make alternate arrangements satisfactory to the Company for such withholdings in advance of the arising of any withholding obligations. The number of Shares withheld pursuant to the prior sentence will be rounded up to the nearest whole Share, with no refund for any value of the Shares withheld in excess of the tax obligation as a result of such rounding. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Agreement, no Shares will be issued unless and until satisfactory arrangements (as determined by the Company) have been made by the Employee with respect to the payment of any income and other taxes which the Company determines must be withheld or collected with respect to such Shares. In addition and to the maximum extent permitted by law, the Company (or the employing Subsidiary) has the right to retain without notice from salary or other amounts payable to the Employee, cash having a sufficient value to satisfy any tax withholding obligations that the Company determines cannot be satisfied through the withholding of otherwise deliverable Shares. All income and other taxes related to the PSU award and any Shares delivered in payment thereof are the sole responsibility of the Employee. By accepting this award, the Employee expressly consents to the withholding of Shares and to any additional cash withholding as provided for in this Section 1.10.

 

 

Page 2 – PSU AGREEMENT

 

 

1.11   Rights as Shareholder. Neither the Employee nor any person claiming under or through the Employee will have any of the rights or privileges of a shareholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Shares (which may be in book entry form) shall have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to the Employee (including through electronic delivery to a brokerage account). After such issuance, recordation and delivery, the Employee will have all the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.

 

1.12   Grant is Not Transferable. This grant of Performance Shares and the rights and privileges conferred hereby may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and will not be subject to sale under execution, attachment or similar process, until the Employee has been issued Shares in payment of the Performance Shares. Upon any attempt to sell, pledge, assign, hypothecate, transfer or otherwise dispose of this grant, or any right or privilege conferred hereby, or upon any attempted sale under any execution, attachment or similar process, this grant and the rights and privileges conferred hereby immediately will become null and void.

 

1.13   Restrictions on Sale of Securities. The Shares issued as payment for vested PSUs under this Agreement will be registered under U.S. federal securities laws and will be freely tradable upon receipt. However, an Employee’s subsequent sale of the Shares may be subject to any market blackout-period that may be imposed by the Company and must comply with the Company’s insider trading policies, and any other applicable securities laws.

 

1.14   Additional Conditions to Issuance of Certificates for Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue any certificate or certificates for Shares hereunder prior to fulfillment of all the following conditions: (a) the admission of such Shares to listing on all stock exchanges on which such class of stock is then listed; (b) the completion of any registration or other qualification of such Shares under any U.S. state or federal law or under the rulings or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory body, which the Committee shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable; (c) the obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any U.S. state or federal governmental agency, which the Committee shall, in its absolute discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable; and (d) the lapse of such reasonable period of time following the date of vesting of the PSUs as the Committee may establish from time to time for reasons of administrative convenience.

 

1.15   Modifications to the Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. The Employee expressly warrants that Employee is not accepting this Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Agreement can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Agreement, the Company reserves the right to revise this Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of the Employee, to comply with Section 409A of the Code or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Section 409A of the Code prior to the actual payment of Shares pursuant to this award of Performance Shares.

 

 

Page 3 – PSU AGREEMENT

 

 

1.16     Adjustments Upon Changes in Capital. The aggregate number of PSUs covered by this Agreement will be proportionally adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding Shares resulting from a stock split-up or consolidation of Shares or any like capital adjustments, or the payment of any stock dividend.

 

2.     Not a Contract of Employment. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to be construed to be a contract of employment or shall give Employee any right to continue employment for any period of time. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require Employee to provide services to the Company for any period of time. The parties acknowledge that Employee’s employment may be terminated by either Employee or the Company at any time.

 

3.     Termination. This Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier to occur; (i) the Final Date, (ii) the Employee’s death or Disability, (iii) the termination of Employee’s employment with the Company or any successor by the Company for Cause or without Cause; or (iv) the voluntary or involuntary termination of Employee’s employment with the Company or in the event of a Change in Control.

 

4.     Miscellaneous.

 

4.1     No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any party.

 

4.2     Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, each of which is deemed to be an original and all of which taken together constitute one and the same agreement. Counterpart signature pages may be delivered via email.

 

4.3     Choice of Law; Jurisdiction. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Oregon, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or principles. The parties hereby irrevocably submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of Oregon and waive any claim or defense of inconvenient or improper forum or lack of personal jurisdiction under any applicable law or decision.

 

4.4     Agreement to Arbitrate Disputes. To facilitate efficient resolution of all disputes arising out of or related in any way to the interpretation or application of this Agreement or to Employee’s employment with the Company or the termination of that employment, the Parties agree all such disputes shall be resolved exclusively, fully, and finally by binding arbitration. The parties understand and agree that pursuant to this Agreement they are waiving the right to have disputes resolved in court by a judge or jury and instead to have such disputes resolved by a neutral arbitrator. Arbitration proceedings pursuant to this provision shall occur within 50 miles of Employee’s place of employment, in accordance with the National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) in effect at the time a demand for arbitration is made. Those rules are available on the Internet at http://www.adr.org or by calling the AAA at 1-800-559-3222.

 

 

Page 4 – PSU AGREEMENT

 

 

4.5     Complete Agreement; Waiver; Amendment. This Agreement and the documents cited herein constitute the parties’ entire agreement, arrangement, and understanding regarding the subject matter, superseding any prior or contemporaneous agreements, arrangements, or understandings, whether written or oral, between the Employee and the Company regarding the same subject matter; and may not be modified, amended, discharged, or terminated, nor may any of their provisions be varied or waived, except by a further signed written agreement between the parties, subject to section 1.15.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first set forth above.

 

NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY

 

 

By: ______________________________

Scott Montross

President and CEO 

 

Date: March 26, 2020

EMPLOYEE

 

 

____________________________________

Name:

Title:

 

Date:XXXX

 

 

Page 5 – PSU AGREEMENT

 

 

Appendix A

 

PSU Performance Conditions

 

The information below shows the Target number of Performance Shares that will vest and be paid with respect to the 2020, 2020-2021 and 2020-2022 financial performance in achieving levels of Earnings before Interest Expense, Income Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (“EBITDA”) margin over the measurement period. The column captioned “Payout (% of Target”) shows the multiple or fraction of the Target Performance Shares granted to each employee that will vest and be paid at each respective level of EBITDA Margin. The actual Vesting Multiple will be determined by interpolation based on the actual EBITDA Margin.

 

EBITDA margin will be calculated using amounts as reflected in the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements before extraordinary or unusual items (e.g. charges for acquisition, divestiture and restructuring activities and gains/losses on sales) and the cumulative effect of any change in accounting principles.

 

If the Company’s Net Income before extraordinary or unusual items (e.g. charges for acquisition, divestiture and restructuring activities and gains/losses on sales) and the cumulative effect of any change in accounting principles is negative, the payout is 0%.

 

 

 

2020 Target Performance Shares

Vest Date

XXX

March 31, 2021

   

2020-2021 Target Performance Shares

Vest Date

XXX

March 31, 2022

   

2020 – 2022 Target Performance Shares

Vest Date

XXX

March 31, 2023

 

 

EBITDA Margin Performance

Payout (% of Target)

14.2%

200.0%

10.1%

100.0%

5.8%

50.0%

<5.8%

0%

 

 

Appendix B

 

Change in Control; Person.

 

A.

For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

1.    The consummation of:

 

a.     any consolidation, merger or plan of share exchange involving the Company (a “Merger”) in which the Company is not the continuing or surviving corporation or pursuant to which shares of Common Stock of the Company (“Company Shares”) would be converted into cash, securities or other property, other than a Merger involving Company Shares in which the holders of Company Shares immediately prior to the Merger have the same proportionate ownership of common stock of the surviving corporation immediately after the Merger,

 

b.     any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all, or substantially all, the assets of the Company; or

 

c.     the adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

2.    At any time during a period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board (“Incumbent Directors”) shall cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof unless each new director elected during such two-year period was nominated or elected by two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors then in office and voting (with new directors nominated or elected by two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors also being deemed to be Incumbent Directors); or

 

3.    Any Person (as hereinafter defined) shall, as a result of a tender or exchange offer, open market purchases, or privately negotiated purchases from anyone other than the Company, have become the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company ordinarily having the right to vote for the election of directors (“Voting Securities”) representing thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding Voting Securities.

 

Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, unless otherwise determined by the Board, no Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of this Agreement if (1) you acquire (other than on the same basis as all other holders of the Company Shares) an equity interest in an entity that acquires the Company in a Change in Control otherwise described under subparagraph A.1 above, or (2) you are part of a group that constitutes a Person which becomes a beneficial owner of Voting Securities in a transaction that otherwise would have resulted in a Change in Control under subparagraph A.3 above.

 

B.

For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Person” shall mean and include any individual, corporation, partnership, group, association or other “person,” as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), other than the Company or any employee benefit plan(s) sponsored by the Company.

 

Exhibit 10.2

 

NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY

 

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

 

1.       Grant. Northwest Pipe Company (the “Company”) hereby grants you, XXXX (the “Employee”), in your position as XXXX, an award of XXX Restricted Stock Units under the Company’s 2020 Long Term Incentive Grant (the “2020 LTI Grant”), subject to all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the 2020 LTI Grant and the Company’s stockholder approved 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The date of this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (the “Agreement”) is March 26, 2020 (the “Grant Date”). Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Plan.

 

2.       Companys Obligation to Pay. Unless and until the Restricted Stock Units have vested in the manner set forth in Sections 3 through 5, the Employee will have no right to payment of such Restricted Stock Units. Prior to actual payment of any vested Restricted Stock Units, such Restricted Stock Units will represent an unsecured obligation. Payment of any vested Restricted Stock Units shall be made in whole shares of the Company’s common stock (“Shares”) only.

 

3.       Vesting Schedule/Period of Restriction. Except as provided in Sections 4 and 5, and subject to Section 7, the Restricted Stock Units awarded by this Agreement shall vest in accordance with the Vesting Schedule attached hereto as Appendix A. Restricted Stock Units shall not vest in the Employee unless the Employee shall have been continuously employed by the Company or by one of its Subsidiaries from the Grant Date until the date the Restricted Stock Units vest in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

4  .     Change in Control. In the event a change in control of the Company (as defined in Appendix B) occurs at any time prior to the last vesting date, a pro-rata number of Restricted Stock Units will be calculated based on time elapsed as of the date of the change in control, and those Restricted Stock Units will be immediately vested.

 

5.       Committee Discretion. The Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Committee”), in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the Restricted Stock Units at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Restricted Stock Units will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Committee.

 

6.       Payment after Vesting. Any Restricted Stock Units that vest in accordance with Sections 3 through 5 will be paid to the Employee as soon as practicable following the date of vesting, subject to Section 9.

 

7.       Clawback provision. If the Company’s financial statements are the subject of a restatement due to misconduct, to the extent permitted by governing law, in all appropriate cases, the Company will seek reimbursement of excess share compensation granted to you per this Agreement. “Excess share compensation” means the positive difference, if any, between (i) the award paid to you and (ii) the award that would have been paid to you had the award been calculated based on the Company’s financial statements as restated.

 

 

 

8.       Forfeiture. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Agreement, the balance of the Restricted Stock Units that have not vested pursuant to Sections 3 through 5 at the time of the Employee’s termination of service (with or without cause) will be forfeited and automatically transferred to and reacquired by the Company at no cost to the Company.

 

9.       Death of Employee. Any distribution of Shares that vested during Employee’s lifetime which is to be made to the Employee under this Agreement after the Employee is deceased shall be made to the administrator or executor of the Employee’s estate. Any such administrator or executor must furnish the Company with (a) written notice of his or her status as transferee, and (b) evidence satisfactory to the Company to establish the validity of the transfer and compliance with any laws or regulations pertaining to said transfer.

 

10.     Withholding of Taxes. When Shares are issued as payment for vested Restricted Stock Units, the Company (or the employing Subsidiary) may withhold a portion of the Shares that have an aggregate market value sufficient to pay federal, state, local and foreign income, social insurance, employment and any other applicable taxes required to be withheld by the Company or the employing Subsidiary with respect to the Shares, unless the Company, in its sole discretion, either requires or otherwise permits the Employee to make alternate arrangements satisfactory to the Company for such withholdings in advance of the arising of any withholding obligations. The number of Shares withheld pursuant to the prior sentence will be rounded up to the nearest whole Share, with no refund for any value of the Shares withheld in excess of the tax obligation as a result of such rounding. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Agreement, no Shares will be issued unless and until satisfactory arrangements (as determined by the Company) have been made by the Employee with respect to the payment of any income and other taxes which the Company determines must be withheld or collected with respect to such Shares. In addition and to the maximum extent permitted by law, the Company (or the employing Subsidiary) has the right to retain without notice from salary or other amounts payable to the Employee, cash having a sufficient value to satisfy any tax withholding obligations that the Company determines cannot be satisfied through the withholding of otherwise deliverable Shares. All income and other taxes related to the Restricted Stock Units award and any Shares delivered in payment thereof are the sole responsibility of the Employee. By accepting this award, the Employee expressly consents to the withholding of Shares and to any additional cash withholding as provided for in this Section 9.

 

11.     Rights as Shareholder. Neither the Employee nor any person claiming under or through the Employee will have any of the rights or privileges of a shareholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Shares (which may be in book entry form) shall have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to the Employee (including through electronic delivery to a brokerage account). After such issuance, recordation and delivery, the Employee will have all the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.

 

12.     No Effect on Employment. Subject to any employment contract with the Employee, the terms of such employment will be determined from time to time by the Company, or the Subsidiary employing the Employee, as the case may be, and the Company, or the Subsidiary employing the Employee, as the case may be, will have the right, which is hereby expressly reserved, to terminate or change the terms of the employment of the Employee at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without good cause. The transactions contemplated hereunder and the vesting schedule set forth in Appendix A of this Agreement do not constitute an express or implied promise of continued employment for any period of time. A leave of absence or an interruption in service (including an interruption during military service) authorized or acknowledged by the Company or the Subsidiary employing the Employee, as the case may be, shall not be deemed a termination of service for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

 

 

13.     Address for Notices. Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms of this Agreement will be addressed to the Company, in care of its Corporate Secretary, at 201 NE Park Plaza Drive, Suite 100, Vancouver WA 98684, or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing.

 

14.     Grant is Not Transferable. This grant of Restricted Stock Units and the rights and privileges conferred hereby may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and will not be subject to sale under execution, attachment or similar process, until the Employee has been issued Shares in payment of the Restricted Stock Units. Upon any attempt to sell, pledge, assign, hypothecate, transfer or otherwise dispose of this grant, or any right or privilege conferred hereby, or upon any attempted sale under any execution, attachment or similar process, this grant and the rights and privileges conferred hereby immediately will become null and void.

 

15.     Restrictions on Sale of Securities. The Shares issued as payment for vested Restricted Stock Units under this Agreement will be registered under U.S. federal securities laws and will be freely tradable upon receipt. However, an Employee’s subsequent sale of the Shares may be subject to any market blackout-period that may be imposed by the Company and must comply with the Company’s insider trading policies, and any other applicable securities laws.

 

16.     Binding Agreement. Subject to the limitation on the transferability of this grant contained herein, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

 

17.     Additional Conditions to Issuance of Certificates for Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue any certificate or certificates for Shares hereunder prior to fulfillment of all the following conditions: (a) the admission of such Shares to listing on all stock exchanges on which such class of stock is then listed; (b) the completion of any registration or other qualification of such Shares under any U.S. state or federal law or under the rulings or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory body, which the Committee shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable; (c) the obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any U.S. state or federal governmental agency, which the Committee shall, in its absolute discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable; and (d) the lapse of such reasonable period of time following the date of vesting of the Restricted Stock Units as the Committee may establish from time to time for reasons of administrative convenience.

 

18.     Plan Governs. This Agreement is subject to all the terms and provisions of the Plan. In the event of a conflict between one or more provisions of this Agreement and one or more provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will govern.

 

 

 

19.     Committee Authority. The Committee will have the power to interpret the Plan and this Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Restricted Stock Units have vested). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in good faith will be final and binding upon the Employee, the Company and all other interested persons. No member of the Committee will be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Agreement.

 

20.     Captions. Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

 

21.     Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision in this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

 

22.     Modifications to the Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. The Employee expressly warrants that Employee is not accepting this Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Agreement can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Agreement, the Company reserves the right to revise this Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of the Employee, to comply with Section 409A of the Code or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Section 409A of the Code prior to the actual payment of Shares pursuant to this award of Restricted Stock Units.

 

23.     Adjustments Upon Changes in Capital. The aggregate number of Restricted Stock Units covered by this Agreement will be proportionally adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding Shares resulting from a stock split-up or consolidation of Shares or any like capital adjustments, or the payment of any stock dividend.

 

24.     Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan. By accepting this Restricted Stock Units award, the Employee expressly warrants that Employee has received a right to receive stock under the Plan, and has received, read and understood the Plan. The Employee understands that the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time.

 

25.     Governing Law. This award of Restricted Stock Units shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Oregon, without regard to principles of conflict of laws.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 

 

Your signature below indicates your agreement and understanding that this award is subject to all of the terms and conditions contained in Appendices A and B and the Plan. Important additional information on vesting and forfeiture of the Restricted Stock Units is contained in Sections 3, 4 and 6 of this Agreement. PLEASE BE SURE TO READ ALL OF THE SPECIFIC TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING APPENDICES A AND B.

 

NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY  

 

EMPLOYEE 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

   
 

Scott Montross 

 

Name: 

 

 

President and CEO 

 

Title: 

 

         
Date: March 26, 2020   Date: XXX

 

 

 

Appendix A

 

  

 

Restricted Stock Units

Vest Date

XXX

January 15, 2021

XXX

January 17, 2022

XXX

January 16, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix B

 

Change in Control; Person.

 

A.

For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

1.    The consummation of:

 

a.     any consolidation, merger or plan of share exchange involving the Company (a “Merger”) in which the Company is not the continuing or surviving corporation or pursuant to which shares of Common Stock of the Company (“Company Shares”) would be converted into cash, securities or other property, other than a Merger involving Company Shares in which the holders of Company Shares immediately prior to the Merger have the same proportionate ownership of common stock of the surviving corporation immediately after the Merger,

 

b.     any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all, or substantially all, the assets of the Company; or

 

c.     the adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

2.    At any time during a period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board (“Incumbent Directors”) shall cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof unless each new director elected during such two-year period was nominated or elected by two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors then in office and voting (with new directors nominated or elected by two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors also being deemed to be Incumbent Directors); or

 

3.    Any Person (as hereinafter defined) shall, as a result of a tender or exchange offer, open market purchases, or privately negotiated purchases from anyone other than the Company, have become the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company ordinarily having the right to vote for the election of directors (“Voting Securities”) representing thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding Voting Securities.

 

Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, unless otherwise determined by the Board, no Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of this Agreement if (1) you acquire (other than on the same basis as all other holders of the Company Shares) an equity interest in an entity that acquires the Company in a Change in Control otherwise described under subparagraph A.1 above, or (2) you are part of a group that constitutes a Person which becomes a beneficial owner of Voting Securities in a transaction that otherwise would have resulted in a Change in Control under subparagraph A.3 above.

 

B.

For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Person” shall mean and include any individual, corporation, partnership, group, association or other “person,” as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), other than the Company or any employee benefit plan(s) sponsored by the Company.

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 1, 2020

 

 

Contact:

Aaron Wilkins

Chief Financial Officer

Northwest Pipe Company
360-397-6294 • awilkins@nwpipe.com

 

Board of Directors of Northwest Pipe Company Elect William Yearsley to the Board

Addition to the Board will further infrastructure and utilities insight.

 

VANCOUVER, Washington: Northwest Pipe Company (Nasdaq: NWPX), an industry leader of engineered pipeline systems for water infrastructure, recently added William Yearsley to the Board of Directors.

 

On March 26, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors elected Mr. Yearsley to the Board as an independent director in accordance with Company guidelines, and appointed him to the Board’s Audit Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee.

 

Mr. Yearsley’s background includes leadership at companies focusing on developing new technologies in engineering, utilities, and the environmental sector as well as corporate mergers, acquisitions, and restructuring. He served as an endowed professor at the University of Colorado Boulder Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering; was co-founder of American Civil Constructors; and has served on several boards of privately-owned construction-related businesses.

 

“Bill’s experience in civil engineering and industrial markets will provide key skills that will support our future growth plans in the water infrastructure market,” said Scott Montross, President and CEO of Northwest Pipe Company. “We are very pleased that Bill is joining our Board of Directors”.

 

About Northwest Pipe Company – Founded in 1966, Northwest Pipe Company is the largest manufacturer of engineered steel water pipeline systems in North America. The Company produces high-quality engineered steel water pipe, bar-wrapped concrete cylinder pipe, Permalok® steel casing pipe, precast and reinforced concrete products through Geneva Pipe and Precast, as well as custom linings, coatings, joints, and one of the largest offerings of fittings and specialized components in North America. Northwest Pipe Company provides solution-based products for a wide range of markets including water transmission and infrastructure, water and wastewater plant piping, trenchless technology, and piping rehabilitation. Strategically positioned to meet growing water and wastewater infrastructure needs, the Company is headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, and has manufacturing facilities across North America. Please visit www.nwpipe.com for more information.

 

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