Attached files
| file | filename |
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| 10-K - 2010 FORM 10K - Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. | form10.htm |
| EX-31.1 - EXHIBIT 31.1 - Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. | exhibit31-1.htm |
| EX-32.1 - EXHIBIT 32.1 - Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. | exhibit32-1.htm |
| EX-23.1 - EXHIBIT 23.1 - Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. | exhibit23-1.htm |
| EX-31.2 - EXHIBIT 31.2 - Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. | exhibit31-2.htm |
| EX-21.1 - EXHIBIT 21.1 - Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. | exhibit21-1.htm |
| EX-10.19 - EXHIBIT 10.19 - Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. | exhibit10-19.htm |
Exhibit 10.11
BLUEKNIGHT ENERGY PARTNERS G.P., L.L.C.
LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
(As Amended and Restated Effective March 11, 2011)
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1.
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Purpose of the Plan.
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The Blueknight Energy Partners, G.P., L.L.C. Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) has been adopted by Blueknight Energy Partners G.P., L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), the general partner of Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), and is intended to promote the interests of the Partnership and the Company and their Affiliates (as defined below) by providing to employees, consultants, and directors of the Company and its Affiliates who perform services for or on behalf of the Partnership and its subsidiaries incentive compensation awards for superior performance that are based on Units (as defined below). The Plan is also contemplated to enhance the ability of the Company and its Affiliates to attract and retain the services of individuals who are essential for the growth and profitability of the Partnership and its subsidiaries and to encourage them to devote their best efforts to advancing the business of the Partnership and its subsidiaries.
The Plan is hereby amended and restated as of March 11, 2011 by the Board (as defined below) of the Company to incorporate prior amendments to the Plan and to make certain other changes.
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2.
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Definitions.
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As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Award” means Unit, Restricted Unit, Phantom Unit, Option, Unit Appreciation Right or DER granted under the Plan.
“Award Agreement” means the written agreement or other instrument by which an Award shall be evidenced.
“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Change of Control” means, and shall be deemed to have occurred upon the occurrence of one or more of the following events: (i) any “person” or “group” within the meaning of those terms as used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, other than CB-Blueknight, LLC, Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC, Blueknight Energy Holding, Inc., or Vitol Holding B.V. or their respective Affiliates, shall become the beneficial owner, by way of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or otherwise, of 50% or more of the combined voting power of the equity interests in the Company or the Partnership; (ii) the limited partners of the Partnership approve, in one or a series of transactions, a plan of complete liquidation of the Partnership; (iii) the sale or other disposition by either the Company or the Partnership of all or substantially all of its assets in one or more transactions to any Person other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company; or (iv) a transaction resulting in a Person other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company being the general partner of the Partnership. Anything in this definition to the contrary notwithstanding, with respect to any Award which constitutes deferred compensation subject to, and not exempt from, Code Section 409A, no Change of Control shall be deemed to have occurred unless such event constitutes an event specified in Code Section 409A(2)(A)(v) and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or, if none, the Board or such committee of the Board, if any, as may be appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.
“Common Unit” has the same meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.
“Consultant” means an individual, other than an Employee or a Director, providing bona fide services to the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries as a consultant or advisor, as applicable, provided that such individual is a natural person.
“DER” or “Distribution Equivalent Right” means a right to receive an amount in cash equal to the cash distributions made by the Partnership with respect to a Unit during a specified period.
“Director” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee.
“Employee” means any employee of the Company or an Affiliate who performs services for the Partnership or its Affiliates.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Fair Market Value” of a Unit means the closing sales price of a Unit on the principal national securities exchange or other market in which trading in Units occurs on the applicable date (or if there is no trading in the Units on such date, on the next preceding date on which there was trading) as reported in The Wall Street Journal (or other reporting service approved by the Committee). In the event Units are not traded on a national securities exchange or other market at the time a determination of fair market value is required to be made hereunder, the determination of fair market value shall be made in good faith by the Committee.
“Option” means an option to purchase Units granted under the Plan.
“Participant” means any Employee, Consultant or Director granted an Award under the Plan.
“Partnership Agreement” means the Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P.
“Person” means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.
“Phantom Unit” means a phantom (notional) Unit granted under the Plan which entitles the Participant to receive, in the discretion of the Committee, a Unit or an amount of cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a Unit.
“Restricted Period” means the period established by the Committee with respect to an Award during which the Award remains nontransferable and subject to forfeiture or is either not exercisable by or payable to the Participant, as the case may be.
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“Restricted Unit” means a Unit granted under the Plan that is subject to a Restricted Period.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor thereto.
“Subordinated Unit” has the same meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.
“UAR” of “Unit Appreciation Right” means an Award that, upon exercise, entitles the holder to receive, in cash or common stock in the discretion of the Committee, the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Unit on the exercise date over the exercise price established for such Unit Appreciation Right.
“Unit” means a Common Unit or a Subordinated Unit.
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3.
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Administration.
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(a) General. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, the Committee shall have full power and authority to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of Units to be covered by Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award (including but not limited to performance requirements for such Award); (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, or forfeited; (vi) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to an Award made under the Plan; (vii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and (viii) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan. The Committee may, in its discretion, provide for the extension of the exercisability of an Award, accelerate the vesting or exercisability of an Award, eliminate or make less restrictive any restrictions applicable to an Award, waive any restriction or other provision of this Plan or an Award or otherwise amend or modify an Award in any manner that is either (i) not adverse to the Participant to whom such Award was granted or (ii) consented to by such Participant. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all Persons, including the Company, the Partnership, any Affiliate, any Participant, and any beneficiary of any Award.
(b) Indemnity. No member of the Board or the Committee or officer of the Company to whom the Committee has delegated authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(c) of this Plan shall be liable for anything done or omitted to be done by him, by any member of the Board or the Committee or by any officer of the Company in connection with the performance of any duties under this Plan, except for his own willful misconduct or as expressly provided by statute.
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(c) Delegation. Following the authorization of a pool of Units to be available for Awards, the Board or the Committee may authorize a committee of one or more members of the Board to grant individual Awards from such pool pursuant to such conditions or limitations as the Board or the Committee may establish. The Committee may delegate to the Chief Executive Officer and to other employees of the Company its administrative duties under this Plan (excluding its granting authority) pursuant to such conditions or limitations as the Committee may establish. The Committee may engage or authorize the engagement of a third party administrator to carry out administrative functions under the Plan. Any such delegation hereunder shall only be made to the extent permitted by applicable law.
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4.
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Units.
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(a) Limits on Units Deliverable. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c), the maximum number of Units that may be delivered or reserved for delivery or underlying Awards in the aggregate issued under the Plan is 1,250,000. If any Award expires, is canceled, exercised, paid or otherwise terminates without the delivery of Units, then the Units covered by such Award, to the extent of such expiration, cancellation, exercise, payment or termination, shall again be Units with respect to which Awards may be granted. Units that are delivered by a Participant in satisfaction of the exercise or other purchase price of an Award or the tax withholding obligations associated with an Award or are withheld to satisfy the Company’s tax withholding obligations are available for delivery pursuant to other Awards. The Committee may from time to time adopt and observe such rules and procedures concerning the counting of Units against the Plan maximum or any sublimit as it may deem appropriate, including rules more restrictive than those set forth above to the extent necessary to satisfy the requirements of any national stock exchange on which the Units are listed or any applicable regulatory requirement. The Board and the appropriate officers of the Company are authorized to take from time to time whatever actions are necessary, and to file any required documents with governmental authorities, stock exchanges and transaction reporting systems to ensure that Units are available for issuance pursuant to Awards.
(b) Sources of Units Deliverable Under Awards. Any Units delivered pursuant to an Award shall consist, in whole or in part, of Common Units acquired in the open market, Common Units already owned by the Company, Common Units acquired by the Company directly from the Partnership (by new issuance or otherwise) or any other person, Subordinated Units acquired from the Partnership by new issuance, or any combination of the foregoing.
(c) Adjustments. In the event that any distribution (whether in the form of cash, Units, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, split, reverse split, reorganization or liquidation, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, separation, combination, repurchase, acquisition of property or stock, or exchange of Units or other securities of the Partnership, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Units or other securities of the Partnership, or other similar transaction or event affects the Units, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of (i) the number and type of Units (or other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, (ii) the number and type of Units (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, (iii) the grant or exercise price with respect to any Award, (iv) the appropriate Fair Market Value and other price determinations for such Awards and (v) any other limitations contained within this Plan or, subject to Section 11, make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award; provided, that the number of Units subject to any Award shall always be a whole number.
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5.
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Eligibility.
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Any Employee, Consultant or Director shall be eligible to be designated a Participant and receive an Award under the Plan.
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6.
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Awards.
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Awards may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with or in substitution for any other Award granted under the Plan or any award granted under any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or awards granted under any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.
(a) Units. The Committee shall have the discretion to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Units shall be granted and the number of Units to be granted. All Units granted shall be fully vested upon grant and shall not be subject to forfeiture.
(b) Restricted Units. The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Restricted Units shall be granted, the number of Restricted Units to be granted to each such Participant, the Restricted Period, the time or conditions under which the Restricted Units may become vested or forfeited, and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may establish with respect to such Awards. To the extent provided by the Committee, in its discretion, a grant of Restricted Units may provide that distributions made by the Partnership with respect to the Restricted Units shall be subject to the same forfeiture and other restrictions as the Restricted Unit and, if restricted, such distributions shall be held, without interest, until the Restricted Unit vests or is forfeited with the accumulated distributions being paid or forfeited at the same time, as the case may be. Absent such a restriction on the distributions in the Award Agreement, distributions during the Restricted Period shall be paid to the holder of the Restricted Unit without restriction.
(c) Phantom Units. The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Phantom Units shall be granted, the number of Phantom Units to be granted to each such Participant, the Restricted Period, the time or conditions under which the Phantom Units may become vested or forfeited, which may include, without limitation, the accelerated vesting upon the achievement of specified performance goals, and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may establish with respect to such Awards, including whether DERs are granted with respect to such Phantom Units.
(d) Options. The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Options shall be granted, the number of Units to be covered by each Option, whether DERs are granted with respect to such Option, the purchase price therefor and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of the Option as the Committee shall determine, that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan. The term of an Option may not exceed 10 years. The purchase price per Unit purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee at the time the Option is granted, provided such purchase price may not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Unit as of the date of grant. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part, which may include, without limitation, accelerated vesting upon the achievement of specified performance goals, and the method or methods by which payment of the exercise price with respect thereto may be made or deemed to have been made, which may include, without limitation, cash, check acceptable to the Company, a broker-assisted cashless exercise through procedures approved by the Committee, delivery of previously owned Units having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the relevant exercise, or any combination thereof.
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(e) Unit Appreciation Rights. The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Unit Appreciation Rights shall be granted, the number of Units to be covered by each grant and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of the Unit Appreciation Right as the Committee shall determine, that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan. The exercise price per Unit Appreciation Right shall be not less than 100% of its Fair Market Value as of the date of grant. The term of a Unit Appreciation Right may not exceed 10 years.
(f) Distribution Equivalent Rights. The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom DERs are granted, whether such DERs are tandem or separate Awards, whether the DERs shall be paid directly to the Participant, be credited to a bookkeeping account (with or without interest in the discretion of the Committee), the vesting restrictions and payment provisions applicable to the Award, and such other provisions or restrictions as determined by the Committee in its discretion all of which shall be specified in the applicable Award Agreement.
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7.
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Limits on Transfer of Awards.
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Each Award shall be exercisable or payable only to the Participant during the Participant’s lifetime, or to the person to whom the Participant’s rights shall pass by will or the laws of descent and distribution. No Award and no right under any such Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent specifically provided by the Committee with respect to an Award, an Award may be transferred by a Participant without consideration to immediate family members or related family trusts, limited partnerships or similar entities or on such terms and conditions as the Committee may from time to time establish.
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8.
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Securities and Other Restrictions.
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(a) All certificates for Units or other securities of the Partnership delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the SEC, any stock exchange upon which such Units or other securities are then listed, and any applicable federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.
(b) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, this Plan, any Award Agreement, and the obligation of the Company to sell, issue or deliver Units pursuant to an Award shall be subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any governmental or regulatory agency as may be required. The Company shall not be required to register in a Participant’s name or deliver any Units prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of such Units under any federal, state or local law or any ruling or regulation of any government body which the Committee shall determine to be necessary or advisable. To the extent the Company is unable to or the Committee deems it infeasible to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary or advisable for the lawful issuance and sale of any Units hereunder, the Company shall be relieved of any liability with respect to the failure to issue or sell such Units as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained. No Units or other securities shall be delivered pursuant to any Award until payment in full of any amount required to be paid pursuant to the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement (including, without limitation, any exercise price or tax withholding) is received by the Company.
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9.
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Change of Control.
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Unless specifically provided otherwise in the Award Agreement, upon a Change of Control or such time prior thereto as established by the Committee, all outstanding Awards shall automatically vest or become exercisable in full, as the case may be. In this regard, all Restricted Periods shall terminate.
Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, the difference between the Fair Market Value of Units on the payment date and the exercise price of an Option or UAR that is or becomes fully vested and exercisable as of the date of a Change of Control (or any earlier date related to the Change of Control and established by the Committee) shall be paid in a single payment in Units, or cash and/or other property, or any combination of Units and cash and/or other property, as determined by the Committee. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, any Award of Phantom Units or Restricted Units that pursuant to this Section 9 are deemed to have the applicable Restricted Period lapse (and to have all applicable performance criteria achieved at the maximum level, if any) as of the date of a Change of Control (or any earlier date related to the Change of Control and established by the Committee), shall be settled by (i) issuance of unrestricted Units based on the number of Units that were subject to the Award on the date of grant of the Award or (ii) payment of cash and/or other property equal to the Fair Market Value of a Unit on the payout date for each Phantom Unit or Restricted Unit or (iii) any combination of payouts under clauses (i) and (ii) of this sentence, as determined by the Committee. Subject to Section 11, any accelerated payout pursuant to this Section 9 shall be made in a single payment within 30 days after the date of the Change of Control.
To the extent an Option or UAR is not vested or exercisable, or a Phantom Unit or Restricted Unit does not vest, pursuant to the preceding provisions of this Section 9 or the Award Agreement upon the Change of Control, the Committee may, in its discretion, cancel such Award or provide for an assumption of such Award or a replacement grant on substantially the same terms; provided, however, upon any cancellation of an Option or UAR that has an exercise price less than the Fair Market Value of a Unit as of the date of cancellation or a Phantom Unit or Restricted Unit, the holder shall be paid an amount in Units or cash and/or other property or any combination of cash and/or other property, as determined by the Committee, equal to the difference between the Fair Market Value of a Unit and the exercise price if an Option or UAR or equal to the Fair Market Value of a Unit, if a Phantom Unit or Restricted Unit. For the avoidance of doubt, in the case of an Option or UAR, if the exercise price of the Option or UAR is greater than the Fair Market Value of a Unit, such Option or UAR may be canceled for no consideration.
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10.
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Amendment and Termination.
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Except as required by applicable law or the rules of the principal securities exchange on which the Units are traded, the Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan in any manner, including increasing the number of Units available for Awards under the Plan, without the consent of any Participant, any other holder or beneficiary of an Award or any other Person.
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11.
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Code Section 409A.
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(a) Awards made under this Plan are intended to comply with or be exempt from Code Section 409A, and ambiguous provisions hereof, if any, shall be construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with such intent. No payment, benefit or consideration shall be substituted for an Award if such action would result in the imposition of taxes under Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, if any Plan provision or Award under this Plan would result in the imposition of an additional tax under Code Section 409A, that Plan provision or Award shall be reformed, to the extent permissible under Code Section 409A, to avoid imposition of the additional tax, and no such action shall be deemed to adversely affect the Participant’s rights to an Award.
(b) Unless the Committee provides otherwise in an Award Agreement, each Phantom Unit (or portion thereof if the Phantom Unit is subject to a vesting schedule) shall be settled no later than the 15th day of the third month after the end of the first calendar year in which the Award (or such portion thereof) is no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Code Section 409A. If the Committee determines that a Phantom Unit is intended to be subject to Code Section 409A, the applicable Award Agreement shall include terms that are designed to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 409A.
(c) If the Participant is identified by the Company as a “specified employee” within the meaning of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) on the date on which the Participant has a “separation from service” (other than due to death) within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(h), any Award payable or settled on account of a separation from service that is deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A shall be paid or settled on the earliest of (1) the first business day following the expiration of six months from the Participant’s separation from service, (2) the date of the Participant’s death, or (3) such earlier date as complies with the requirements of Code Section 409A.
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12.
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General Provisions.
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(a) No Rights to Award. No Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient.
(b) Tax Withholding. The Company or any Affiliate is authorized to withhold from any Award, from any payment due or transfer made under any Award or from any compensation or other amount owing to a Participant the amount (in cash, Units, other securities, or other property) of any applicable taxes payable at the minimum statutory rate in respect of the grant of an Award, its exercise, the lapse of restrictions thereon, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy its withholding obligations for the payment of such taxes.
(c) No Right to Employment or Services. The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained as an Employee, Consultant or Director, as applicable. Further, the Company or an Affiliate may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment or service at any time.
(d) Governing Law. The validity, construction, and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its conflict of laws principles.
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(e) Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Participant or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.
(f) Other Laws. The Committee may refuse to issue or transfer any Units or other consideration under an Award if, in its sole discretion, it determines that the issuance or transfer of such Units or such other consideration might violate any applicable law or regulation, the rules of the principal securities exchange on which the Units are then traded, or entitle the Partnership or an Affiliate to recover the same under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, and any payment tendered to the Company by a Participant, other holder or beneficiary in connection with the exercise of such Award shall be promptly refunded to the relevant Participant, holder or beneficiary.
(g) No Trust or Fund Created. This Plan is unfunded. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Partnership, Company or any participating Affiliate and a Participant or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the Partnership, Company or any Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any general unsecured creditor of the Partnership, Company or any participating Affiliate.
(h) No Fractional Units. No fractional Units shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash, other securities, or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Units or whether such fractional Units or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated, or otherwise eliminated.
(i) Facility of Payment. Any amounts payable hereunder to any person under legal disability or who, in the judgment of the Committee, is unable to properly manage his financial affairs, may be paid to the legal representative of such person, or may be applied for the benefit of such person in any manner which the Committee may select, and the Partnership, Company and its Affiliates shall be relieved of any further liability for payment of such amounts.
(j) Participation by Affiliates. In making Awards to Employees employed by an Affiliate of the Company, the Committee shall be acting on behalf of the Affiliate, and to the extent the Partnership has an obligation to reimburse the Affiliate for compensation paid to Employees for services rendered for the benefit of the Partnership, such payments or reimbursement payments may be made by the Partnership directly to the Affiliate, and, if made to the Company, shall be received by the Company as agent for the Affiliate.
(k) Gender and Number. Words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender, the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural.
(l) No Guarantee of Tax Consequences. None of the Board, the Partnership, the Company, any Affiliate nor the Committee makes any commitment or guarantee that any federal, state or local tax treatment will apply or be available to any person participating or eligible to participate hereunder.
(m) Headings. The headings in this Plan are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Plan.
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13.
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Term of the Plan.
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This Plan, as approved by the Board on March 11, 2011, shall be effective as of such date and shall terminate on, and no Awards may be granted after, the earliest of the date established by the Board or the Committee, the 10th anniversary of the date the Plan was originally adopted by the Company (or such earlier anniversary, if any, required by the rules of the exchange on which Units are traded) or the date Units are no longer available for delivery pursuant to Awards under the Plan. However, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award granted prior to such termination, and the authority of the Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under such Award, shall extend beyond such termination date.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Blueknight Energy Partners G.P., L.L.C. has caused this Plan to be executed by its duly authorized officer, effective as provided herein.
BLUEKNIGHT ENERGY PARTNERS G.P., L.L.C.
By:/s/ Alex G. Stallings
Title: Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
Date: March 11, 2011
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