WORLD SURVEILLANCE GROUP INC.

2013 EQUITY COMPENSATION INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1.

Purpose and Eligibility

 

The purpose of this 2013 Equity Compensation Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) of World Surveillance Group Inc. (the “Company”) is to provide equity ownership opportunities in the Company (each an “Award”) to employees, officers, directors, consultants and advisors of the Company and its Subsidiaries, all of whom are eligible to receive Awards under the Plan. Any person to whom an Award has been granted under the Plan is called a “Participant.” Additional definitions are contained in Section 10(a).

 

2.

Administration

 

a.           Administration. The Plan will be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Committee”) composed solely of members of the Board that are “independent,” as defined pursuant to Rule 10A-3(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as prescribed under the rules of either a national securities exchange or Nasdaq (as defined in Section 10), depending on where the Common Stock is then traded, is formed to, among other things, administer this Plan; provided, however, that at any time and on any one or more occasions the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) may itself exercise any of the powers and responsibilities assigned the Committee under the Plan and when so acting shall have the benefit of all of the provisions of the Plan pertaining to the Committee’s exercise of its authority hereunder. The Committee or the Board (each referred to herein as the “Administrator”), in its sole discretion, shall have the authority to grant Awards, to adopt, amend and repeal rules relating to the Plan, to interpret and correct the provisions of the Plan and any Award, and, subject to the limitations of the Plan, to modify and amend any Award. All decisions by the Administrator shall be final and binding on all interested persons. Neither the Company nor any member of the Administrator shall be liable for any action or determination relating to the Plan.

 

b.           Delegation to Executive Officers. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Administrator may delegate to one or more executive officers of the Company the power to grant Awards and exercise such other powers under the Plan as the Administrator may determine; provided, however, that the Administrator shall fix the maximum number of Awards to be granted and the maximum number of shares issuable to any one Participant pursuant to Awards granted by such executive officer or officers. The Administrator may, by a resolution adopted by the Administrator, authorize one or more executive officers of the Company to do one or both of the following: (i) designate employees of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries to be recipients of Awards and (ii) determine the number, type and terms of such Awards to be received by such employees, subject to the limitations of the Plan; provided, however, that, in each case, the resolution so authorizing such officer or officers shall specify the maximum number and type of Awards such officer or officers may so award. The Administrator may not authorize an officer to designate himself or herself as a recipient of any such Awards or to grant Awards to other executive officers of the Company.

 

 

3.

Stock Available for Awards

 

a.           Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment under Section 3(c), the aggregate number of shares (the “Authorized Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, $0.00001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), which may be issued pursuant to the Plan shall be 50,000,000 shares of Common Stock. If any Award expires, is terminated, surrendered, forfeited, expires unexercised, is settled in cash in lieu of Common Stock or is exchanged for other Awards, in whole or in part, the unissued Common Stock covered by such Award shall again be available for the grant of Awards under the Plan. Shares issued under the Plan may consist in whole or in part of authorized but unissued shares.

 

b.           Per-Participant Limit. Subject to adjustment under Section 3(c), no Participant may be granted stock-based Awards during any one fiscal year to purchase more than 10,000,000 shares of Common Stock.

 

c.           Adjustment to Common Stock. In the event of any stock split, stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, exchange of shares, liquidation, spin-off, split-up, or other similar change in capitalization or event, (i) the number and class of securities available for Awards under the Plan and the per-Participant share limit, (ii) the number and class of securities, vesting schedule and exercise price per share subject to each outstanding stock-based Award, (iii) the repurchase price per security subject to repurchase, and (iv) the terms of each other outstanding stock-based Award shall be adjusted by the Company (or substituted Awards may be made) to the extent the Administrator shall determine, in good faith, that such an adjustment (or substitution) is appropriate. If Section 8(f)(i) applies for any event, this Section 3(c) shall not be applicable.

 

d.           Fractional Shares. No fractional shares shall be issued under the Plan and the Participant shall, at the Administrator’s discretion, receive either cash in lieu of such fractional shares or no share for each fractional share.

 

4.

Stock Options

 

a.           General. The Administrator may grant options to purchase Common Stock (each, an “Option”) and determine the terms and conditions of each Option, including, but not limited to (i) the number of shares subject to such Option or a formula for determining such, (ii) subject to Section 4(e) hereof, the exercise price of the Options and the means of payment for the shares, (iii) the Performance Criteria (as defined in Section 8(d)), if any, and level of achievement of such Performance Criteria that shall determine the number of shares or Options granted, issued, retainable and/or vested, (iv) the terms and conditions of the grant, issuance and/or forfeiture of the shares or Options, and (v) such further terms and conditions as may be determined from time to time by the Administrator, in each case not inconsistent with this Plan.

 

b.           Incentive Stock Options. An Option that the Administrator intends to be an “incentive stock option” as defined in Section 422 of the Code (an “Incentive Stock Option”) shall be granted only to employees of the Company and shall be subject to and shall be construed consistently with the requirements of Section 422 of the Code. The Administrator and the Company shall have no liability if an Option or any part thereof that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option does not qualify as such.

 

 

c.           Nonstatutory Stock Options. An Option or any part thereof that does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option is referred to herein as a “Nonstatutory Stock Option.”

 

d.           Dollar Limitation. For so long as the Code shall so provide, Options granted to any employee under the Plan (and any other plans of the Company) which are intended to constitute Incentive Stock Options shall not constitute Incentive Stock Options to the extent that such Options, in the aggregate, become exercisable for the first time in any one calendar year for shares of Common Stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value (as defined in Section 10 and determined as of the respective date or dates of grant) of more than $100,000 (or such other limit as may be provided by the Code). To the extent that any such Incentive Stock Options exceed the $100,000 limitation (or such other limit as may be provided by the Code), such Options shall be Nonstatutory Stock Options.

 

e.           Exercise Price. The Administrator shall establish the exercise price (or determine the method by which the exercise price shall be established) at the time each Option is granted and specify the exercise price in the applicable Option agreement; provided, however, that the exercise price per share specified in the agreement relating to each Option granted under the Plan shall not be less than the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the date of such grant. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option to be granted to an employee owning stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, the price per share specified in the agreement relating to such Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the date of grant (or such other limit as may be provided by the Code). For purposes of determining stock ownership under this subsection, the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply. Subject to Section 3(c), an Option may not be amended subsequent to its issuance to reduce the price at which it is exercisable unless such amendment is approved by the Company’s shareholders.

 

f.            Duration of Options. Each Option shall be exercisable at such times and subject to such terms, conditions and expiration as the Administrator may specify in the applicable Option agreement; provided, however, that no Option shall be exercisable for a period of time greater than seven (7) years from the date of grant of such Option; provided, further, however, that Incentive Stock Options granted to an employee owning stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company shall be exercisable for a maximum of five (5) years from the date of grant of such Option (or such other limit as may be provided by the Code). For purposes of determining stock ownership under this subsection, the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply.

 

g.           Vesting of Options. Subject to Sections 8(f), 8(i) and 8(k), at the time of the grant of an Option, the Administrator shall establish a vesting date or vesting dates with respect to the shares of Common Stock covered by such Options; provided, however, that an Option may be fully vested on the date of grant if so determined by the Administrator. The Administrator may establish vesting dates based upon the passage of time and/or the satisfaction of Performance Criteria or other conditions as deemed appropriate by the Administrator.

 

 

h.           Exercise of Option. Options may be exercised only by delivery to the Company at its principal office address or to such transfer agent as the Company shall designate of a written notice of exercise specifying the number of shares as to which such Option is being exercised, signed by the proper person, together with payment in full as specified in Section 4(i) for the number of shares for which the Option is exercised.

 

i.            Payment Upon Exercise. Common Stock purchased upon the exercise of an Option shall be paid for by one or any combination of the following forms of payment:

 

(i)         in United States dollars in cash or by check payable to order of the Company;

 

(ii)        at the discretion of the Administrator, through delivery of shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal as of the date of the exercise to the cash exercise price of the Option, provided, however, that such shares were not acquired by the Participant in the prior six months;

 

(iii)       at the discretion of the Administrator and consistent with applicable law, through the delivery of an assignment to the Company of a sufficient amount of the proceeds from the sale of the Common Stock acquired upon exercise of the Option and an authorization to the broker or selling agent to pay that amount to the Company, which sale shall be at the Participant’s direction at the time of exercise; or

 

(iv)       at the discretion of the Administrator, by any combination of (i), (ii), or (iii) above.

 

If the Administrator exercises its discretion to permit payment of the exercise price of an Incentive Stock Option by means of the methods set forth in clauses (ii), (iii) or (iv) of the preceding sentence, such discretion shall be exercised in writing in the instrument evidencing the Award of the Incentive Stock Option.

 

j.            Notice to Company of Disqualifying Disposition. By accepting an Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan, each optionee agrees to notify the Company in writing immediately after such optionee makes a disqualifying disposition of any stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of the Incentive Stock Options. A “disqualifying disposition” is generally any disposition occurring on or before the later of (a) the date two years following the date the Incentive Stock Option was granted or (b) the date one year following the date the Incentive Stock Option was exercised.

 

k.          Issuances of Securities. Except as provided in Section 3(c) or as otherwise expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of shares subject to Options. No adjustments shall be made for dividends paid in cash or in property other than securities of the Company.

 

 

5.

Restricted Stock

 

a.           Grants. The Administrator may grant Awards entitling recipients to acquire shares of Common Stock, subject to (i) delivery to the Company by the Participant of cash, a check or other sufficient legal consideration in an amount at least equal to the par value of the shares purchased, (ii) the right of the Company to repurchase or reacquire all or part of such shares at their issue price or other stated or formula price from the Participant in the event that conditions specified by the Administrator in the applicable Award are not satisfied prior to the end of the applicable restriction period or periods established by the Administrator for such Award (each, a “Restricted Stock Award ”), and (iii) Section 5(b).

 

b.           Terms and Conditions. A Participant that is the holder of a Restricted Stock Award, whether vested or unvested, shall be entitled to enjoy all shareholder rights with respect to the shares of Common Stock underlying such Restricted Stock Award, including the right to receive dividends and vote such shares. Subject to Section 5(c), the Administrator shall determine all terms and conditions of any such Restricted Stock Award, including, but not limited to (i) the number of shares subject to such Restricted Stock Award or a formula for determining such, (ii) the purchase price of the shares, if any, and the means of payment for the shares, (iii) the Performance Criteria, if any, and level of achievement of such Performance Criteria that shall determine the number of shares granted, issued, retainable and/or vested, (iv) the terms and conditions on the grant, issuance and/or forfeiture of the shares, and (v) such further terms and conditions as may be determined from time to time by the Administrator, in each case not inconsistent with this Plan. At the Administrator’s election, shares of Common Stock issued in respect of a Restricted Stock Award may be (i) held in book entry form subject to the Company’s instructions until any restrictions relating to the Restricted Stock Award lapses, or (ii) evidenced by a stock certificate that may bear a legend indicating that the ownership of the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificate is subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions of this Plan and the Restricted Stock Award. Any stock certificates issued in respect of a Restricted Stock Award shall be registered in the name of the Participant. All certificates registered in the name of the Participant shall, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, be deposited by the Participant, together with a stock power endorsed in blank, with the Company (or its designee). After the expiration of the applicable restriction periods, the Company (or such designee) shall deliver the certificates no longer subject to such restrictions to the Participant or, if the Participant has died, to the beneficiary designated by the Participant, in a manner determined by the Administrator, to receive amounts due or exercise rights of the Participant in the event of the Participant’s death (the “Designated Beneficiary”). In the absence of an effective designation by a Participant, Designated Beneficiary shall mean the Participant’s estate.

 

c.           Vesting of Restricted Stock. Subject to Section 8(f) and Section 8(i), at the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Award, the Administrator shall establish a vesting date or vesting dates with respect to the shares of Common Stock covered by such Restricted Stock Award, which vesting dates may be based upon the passage of time and/or the satisfaction of Performance Criteria or other conditions as deemed appropriate by the Administrator; provided, however, that all Restricted Stock Awards, other than Awards granted under Section 8(k), shall vest in one or more installments over a period of no less than one (1) year.

 

 

6.

Restricted Stock Unit

 

a.           Grants. The Administrator may grant Awards entitling recipients to acquire shares of Common Stock in the future, with the future delivery of the Common Stock subject to a risk of forfeiture or other restrictions that will lapse upon the satisfaction of one or more specified conditions (each, a “Restricted Stock Unit”).

 

b.           Terms and Conditions. Subject to Section 6(c), the Administrator shall determine all terms and conditions of any such Restricted Stock Unit, including, but not limited to (i) the number of shares subject to such Restricted Stock Unit or a formula for determining such, (ii) the purchase price of the shares, if any, and the means of payment for the shares, (iii) the Performance Criteria, if any, and level of achievement of such Performance Criteria that shall determine the number of shares granted, issued, retainable and/or vested, (iv) the terms and conditions on the grant, issuance and/or forfeiture of the shares, and (v) such further terms and conditions as may be determined from time to time by the Administrator, in each case not inconsistent with this Plan. A Participant shall not be entitled to any shareholder rights with respect to any Restricted Stock Unit, and may not vote the shares represented by a Restricted Stock Unit or, subject to Section 3(c), receive dividends with respect to the shares represented by the Restricted Stock Unit. A Restricted Stock Unit may be settled in cash or Common Stock, as determined by the Administrator, with the amount of the cash payment based on the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock at the time of vesting. Any such settlements may be subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Administrator shall establish.

 

c.           Vesting of Restricted Stock Unit. Subject to Section 8(f) and Section 8(i), at the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit, the Administrator shall establish a vesting date or vesting dates with respect to the shares of Common Stock covered by such Restricted Stock Unit, which vesting dates may be based upon the passage of time and/or the satisfaction of Performance Criteria or other conditions as deemed appropriate by the Administrator; provided, however, that all Awards of Restricted Stock Units, other than Awards granted under Section 8(k), shall vest in one or more installments over a period of no less than one (1) year.

 

7.

Other Stock-Based Awards

 

The Administrator shall have the right to grant other Awards based upon the Common Stock and having such terms and conditions as the Administrator may determine, including, without limitation, the grant of shares based upon certain conditions, past services and/or Performance Criteria, the grant of securities convertible into Common Stock and the grant of stock units. The Administrator shall determine the terms and conditions of any such Awards, including, but not limited to (i) the number of shares subject to such Award or a formula for determining such, (ii) the purchase price of the shares, if any, and the means of payment for the shares, (iii) the Performance Criteria, if any, and level of achievement of such Performance Criteria that shall determine the number of shares granted, issued, retainable and/or vested, (iv) the terms and conditions on the grant, issuance and/or forfeiture of the shares or Award, and (v) such further terms and conditions as may be determined from time to time by the Administrator, in each case not inconsistent with this Plan. Subject to Section 8(f) and Section 8(i), at the time of the grant of an Award under this Section 7, the Administrator shall establish a vesting date or vesting dates with respect to such Award, which vesting date may be based upon the passage of time and/or the satisfaction of Performance Criteria or other conditions as deemed appropriate by the Administrator; provided, however, that all Full Value Awards granted under this Section 8, other than Full Value Awards granted under Section 8(k) herein, shall vest in one or more installments over a period of no less than one (1) year.

 

 

8.

General Provisions Applicable to Awards

 

a.           Transferability of Awards. Except as the Administrator may otherwise determine or provide in an Award, Awards shall not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered by the person to whom they are granted, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and, during the life of the Participant, shall be exercisable only by the Participant, provided, however, that Nonstatutory Stock Options may be transferred to a grantor-retained annuity trust or a similar estate-planning vehicle in which the trust is bound by all provisions of the Option which are applicable to the Participant. References to a Participant, to the extent relevant in the context, shall include references to authorized transferees of such an Option.

 

b.           Documentation. Each Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by a written Award agreement in such form as the Administrator shall from time to time approve. Award agreements shall comply with the terms and conditions of the Plan and may contain such other provisions not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the Plan as the Administrator shall deem advisable. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the Award agreement shall contain, or refer to, such provisions relating to exercise and other matters as are required of “incentive stock options” under the Code. Award agreements may be evidenced by an electronic transmission (including an e-mail or reference to a website or other URL) sent to the Participant through the Company’s normal process for communicating electronically with its employees. As a condition to receiving an Award, the Administrator may require the Participant to affirmatively accept the Award and agree to the terms and conditions set forth in the Award agreement by physically and/or electronically executing the Award agreement or by otherwise physically and/or electronically acknowledging such acceptance and agreement. With or without such affirmative acceptance, however, the Administrator may prescribe conditions (including the exercise or attempted exercise of any benefit conferred by the Award) under which the proposed Participant may be deemed to have accepted the Award and agreed to the terms and conditions set forth in the Award agreement.

 

c.           Administrator Discretion. The terms of each type of Award need not be identical, and the Administrator need not treat Participants uniformly.

 

 

d.           Performance Criteria. For purposes of this Plan, the term “Performance Criteria” shall mean any one or more of the following performance criteria, applied to either the Company as a whole or to a division, business unit or Subsidiary, and measured either annually or cumulatively over a period of years, on an absolute basis or relative to a pre-established target, to previous years’ results or to a designated comparison group, in each case as specified by the Administrator in the Award: cash flow; earnings per share; earnings before interest, taxes and amortization; return on equity; total shareholder return; share price performance; return on capital; return on assets or net assets; revenue; income or net income; operating income or net operating income; operating profit or net operating profit; operating margin or profit margin; return on operating revenue; return on invested capital; market segment share; product release schedules; new product innovation; product cost reduction; brand recognition/acceptance; product ship targets; process improvement results; verification of business strategy and/or business plan; improvement of strategic position; adaptation to changes in the marketplace or environment; customer satisfaction; or such other criteria as may be determined by the Administrator. If the Award so provides, the Administrator may appropriately evaluate achievement against Performance Criteria to take into account any of the following events that occurs during a performance period: asset write-downs; litigation or claim judgments or settlements; the effect of changes in tax law; accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results; accruals for reorganization and restructuring programs and any extraordinary non-recurring charges or other events. The Administrator may prescribe the foregoing criteria either individually or in combination. The Administrator’s determination of the achievement of any Performance Criteria shall be conclusive.

 

e.           Termination of Status. Except as otherwise specified herein, the Administrator shall determine the effect on an Award of the disability, death, retirement, authorized leave of absence or other change in the employment or other status of a Participant and the extent to which, and the period during which, the Participant, or the Participant’s legal representative, conservator, guardian or Designated Beneficiary, may exercise rights under the Award under such circumstances, subject to applicable law and the provisions of the Code.

 

f.            Acquisition or Liquidation of the Company.

 

(i)          Consequences of an Acquisition. If the Company is to be consolidated with or acquired by another entity in a merger or other reorganization in which the holders of the outstanding voting stock of the Company immediately preceding the consummation of such event shall, immediately following such event, hold, as a group, less than a majority of the voting securities of the surviving or successor entity or its ultimate parent, or in the event of a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (each, an “Acquisition”), the Administrator or the board of directors of any entity assuming the obligations of the Company hereunder (the “Successor Administrator”), shall, as to outstanding Awards, either (A) make appropriate provision for the continuation of such Awards by substituting on an equitable basis for the shares then subject to such Awards either (1) the consideration payable with respect to the outstanding shares of Common Stock in connection with the Acquisition, (2) shares of stock of the surviving or successor corporation, or (3) such other securities as the Administrator or the Successor Administrator deems appropriate, the Fair Market Value of which shall not materially exceed the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Awards immediately preceding the Acquisition; or (B) upon written notice to the Participants, provide that all Awards must be exercised, to the extent then exercisable or to be exercisable as a result of the Acquisition, within a specified number of days of the date of such notice, at the end of which period the Awards shall terminate; or (C) terminate all Awards in exchange for a cash payment equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the shares subject to such Awards (to the extent then exercisable or to be exercisable as a result of the Acquisition) over the exercise price thereof, if any; or (D) in the case of Awards that may be settled in whole or in part in cash, provide for equitable treatment of such Awards.

 

(ii)         Substitution of Awards Upon Certain Events. In connection with a merger or consolidation of an entity with the Company or the acquisition by the Company of property or stock of an entity, the Administrator may grant Awards under the Plan in substitution for stock and stock-based awards issued by such entity or an affiliate thereof. The substitute Awards shall be granted on such terms and conditions as the Administrator considers appropriate in the circumstances.

 

 

(iii)        Liquidation or Dissolution. In the event of the proposed liquidation or dissolution of the Company, each Award, to the extent not then exercised or vested, will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action or at such other time and subject to such other conditions as shall be determined by the Administrator.

 

(iv)        Withholding. Each Participant shall pay to the Company, or make provisions satisfactory to the Company for payment, of any taxes required by law to be withheld in connection with Awards to such Participant no later than the date of the event creating the tax withholding obligation. The Administrator may allow Participants to satisfy such tax withholding obligations in whole or in part by transferring shares of Common Stock, including shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value. The Company may, to the extent permitted by law, deduct any such tax obligations from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a Participant.

 

g.           Amendment of Awards. The Administrator may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award including, but not limited to, substituting therefore another Award of the same or a different type, changing the date of exercise or realization, the vesting provisions (subject to the minimum vesting requirements set forth herein), Performance Criteria, or level of achievement of Performance Criteria, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Nonstatutory Stock Option; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 8(f)(i), the Participant’s consent to such action shall be required unless the Administrator determines that the action, taking into account any related action, would not materially and adversely affect the Participant; provided, further, however, that subject to Section 3(c), an Option may not be amended subsequent to its issuance either to reduce the price at which such previously issued Option is exercisable or to extend the period of time for which such previously-issued Option shall be exercisable beyond seven (7) years unless such amendment is approved by the Company’s shareholders. Furthermore, no Option shall be canceled and replaced with Options having a lower exercise price unless such cancellation and exchange is approved by the Company’s shareholders.

 

h.           Conditions on Delivery of Stock. The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Plan or to remove restrictions from shares previously delivered under the Plan until (i) all conditions of the Award have been met or removed to the satisfaction of the Company, (ii) in the opinion of the Company’s counsel, all other legal matters in connection with the issuance and delivery of such shares have been satisfied, including any applicable securities laws and any applicable stock exchange or stock market rules and regulations, (iii) the Participant has executed and delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Company may consider appropriate to satisfy the requirements of any applicable laws, rules or regulations, and (iv) the Participant has paid to the Company, or made provisions satisfactory to the Company for payment of, any taxes required by law to be withheld in connection with the Award.

 

 

i.            Acceleration. The Administrator may at any time provide (i) that any Option shall become immediately exercisable in full or in part, (ii) that Awards that may be settled in whole or in part in cash may become immediately exercisable in full or in part, and (iii) in connection with the disability, death, or retirement of, or cessation of status as, a Participant or in connection with an event contemplated by Section 8(f)(i), (A) that any Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit shall become exercisable in full or in part or shall be free of some or all restrictions or the risk of forfeiture or (B) that any other Full Value Award shall become exercisable in full or in part or free of some or all restrictions or conditions, or otherwise realizable in full or in part, as the case may be. The Administrator may take the actions contemplated by the preceding sentence despite the fact that such actions may (x) cause the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code if an event contemplated by Section 8(f)(i) occurs, or (y) disqualify all or part of an Option as an Incentive Stock Option. In the event of the acceleration of the exercisability of one or more outstanding Options, including pursuant to Section 8(f)(i), the Administrator may provide, as a condition of accelerated exercisability of any or all such Options, that the Common Stock or other substituted consideration, including cash, as to which exercisability has been accelerated shall be restricted and subject to forfeiture back to the Company at the election of the Company at the cost thereof upon termination of employment or other relationship, with the timing and other terms of the vesting of such restricted Common Stock or other consideration being not less favorable to the Participant than the timing and other terms of the superseded vesting schedule of the related Option.

 

j.            Option Award Exchange. The Administrator may, from time to time, upon obtaining shareholder approval therefor, undertake an exchange program under which employees deemed eligible by the Administrator may elect to surrender for cancellation then existing Awards under the Plan or outstanding, unexercised options previously granted under the Company’s 2004 Employee Stock Option Plan that have, at the time, an exercise price at or above a level determined by the Board of Directors or the Administrator in exchange for cash and/or another Award under the Plan, the form of such consideration to be determined by the Administrator.

 

k.          Exception to Minimum Vesting Periods. The Administrator may grant up to 50% of the maximum, aggregate shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance hereunder in the form of Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Units and other Awards based upon Common Stock that do not comply with the minimum vesting periods set forth in Sections 5(c), 6(c) and 7.

 

l.            Compliance with Section 409A. Any other provision of the Plan or any Award to the contrary notwithstanding, the Plan and every Award hereunder shall be construed, administered and enforced as necessary to comply with applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury and IRS rulings and regulations issued thereunder, so that no Participant shall (without such Participant’s express written consent) incur any of the additional tax or interest liabilities of Section 409A(a)(B) of the Code with respect to any Award. The Plan and each Award are hereby modified and limited as necessary to comply with applicable requirements of Section 409A.

 

 

9.

Foreign Jurisdictions

 

To the extent that the Administrator determines that the material terms set by the Administrator or imposed by the Plan preclude the achievement of the material purposes of the Plan in jurisdictions outside the United States, the Administrator will have the authority and discretion to modify those terms and provide for such other terms and conditions as the Administrator determines to be necessary, appropriate or desirable to accommodate differences in local law, policy or custom or to facilitate administration of the Plan. The Administrator may adopt or approve sub-plans, appendices or supplements to, or amendments, restatements or alternative versions of, the Plan as it may consider necessary, appropriate or desirable for such purpose, without thereby affecting the terms of the Plan as in effect for any other purpose. The special terms and any appendices, supplements, amendments, restatements or alternative versions, however, shall not include any provisions that are inconsistent with the terms of the Plan as then in effect, unless the Plan could have been amended to eliminate such inconsistency without further approval by the shareholders. The Administrator shall also have the authority and discretion to delegate the foregoing powers to officers of the Company.

 

10.

Miscellaneous

 

a.           Definitions.

 

(i)          “Company” for purposes of eligibility under the Plan, shall include World Surveillance Group Inc. and any present or future subsidiary corporations of World Surveillance Group Inc., as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code (a “Subsidiary”), and any present or future parent corporation of World Surveillance Group Inc., as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code. For purposes of Awards other than Incentive Stock Options, the term “Company” shall include any other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect significant interest, as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion.

 

(ii)         “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

 

(iii)        “Employee” for purposes of eligibility under the Plan shall include a person to whom an offer of employment has been extended by the Company and who has actually commenced employment with the Company, whether full or part-time status.

 

(iv)        “Fair Market Value” of the Company’s Common Stock on any date means (i) the closing price (on that date) of the Common Stock on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is traded, if the Common Stock is then traded on a national securities exchange; or (ii) the last reported sale price (on that date) of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Capital Market (collectively, “Nasdaq”), if the Common Stock is not then traded on a national securities exchange; or (iii) the average of the closing bid and asked prices last quoted (on that date) by an established quotation service for over-the-counter securities, if the Common Stock is not then traded on a national securities exchange or reported on the Nasdaq; or (iv) if the Common Stock is not publicly traded, the fair market value of the Common Stock as determined by the Administrator after taking into consideration all factors which it deems appropriate, including, without limitation, recent sale and offer prices of the Common Stock in private transactions negotiated at arm’s length; provided, however, that, in all events the Fair Market Value shall represent the Administrator’s good faith determination of the fair market value of the Common Stock. The Administrator’s determination shall be conclusive as to the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock.

 

(v)         “Full Value Awards” means Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units and Awards other than (a) Options or (b) other stock-based Awards for which the Participant pays the intrinsic value (whether directly or by forgoing a right to receive a cash payment from the Company).

 

b.           Legal Consideration for Issuance of Shares. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, in the case of Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Awards that are settled in whole or in part with shares of Common Stock, to the extent such Awards do not otherwise require the payment by the Participant of cash consideration that exceeds the par value of the shares of Common Stock received in connection therewith, the services rendered or to be rendered by the Participant shall satisfy the legal requirement of payment of par value for such shares of Common Stock.

 

c.           No Right To Employment or Other Status. No person shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award, and the grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to continued employment or any other relationship with the Company. The Company expressly reserves the right at any time to dismiss or otherwise terminate its relationship with a Participant free from any liability or claim under the Plan.

 

d.           No Rights As Shareholder. Subject to the provisions of the applicable Award, no Participant or Designated Beneficiary shall have any rights as a shareholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock to be distributed with respect to an Award until becoming the record holder thereof.

 

 

e.           Effective Date and Term of Plan. The Plan shall become effective on the date on which it is approved by the shareholders of the Company (the “Effective Date”). No Awards shall be granted under the Plan after the completion of ten (10) years from the Effective Date, but Awards previously granted may extend beyond that date.

 

f.            Amendment of Plan. The Administrator may amend this Plan at any time, provided that any material amendment to the Plan will not be effective unless approved by the Company’s shareholders. For this purpose, a material amendment is any amendment that would (i) other than pursuant to Section 3(c), materially increase either the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan or the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable in one fiscal year to a Participant; (ii) expand or limit the class of persons eligible to receive Awards or otherwise participate in the Plan; (iii) subject to Section 3(c), reduce the price at which a previously-issued Option is exercisable or extend the period of time for which a previously-issued Option shall be exercisable beyond seven (7) years; (iv) subject to Section 8(f) and Section 8(i), amend the minimum vesting provisions of Full Value Awards; or (v) require shareholder approval pursuant to the requirements of Nasdaq and/or any other securities exchange on which the Company’s Common Stock is then listed or pursuant to applicable law.

 

g.           Governing Law. The provisions of the Plan and all Awards made hereunder shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, exclusive of reference to rules and principles of conflicts of law.