Exhibit 99.1
PROTOCOL SYSTEMS, INC.
NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
To: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Date of Grant: August 6, 1999
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected by the Board of
Directors (the "Board") of Protocol Systems, Inc. (the "Company") to receive a
nonqualified stock option for the purchase of 152,944 shares of the Company's
Common Stock at an exercise price of $8.50 per share.
1. TERM: The term of the option is ten years from date of grant, unless sooner
terminated.
2. VESTING: The option will vest and become exercisable according to the
following schedule:
Date on and After Which Exercisable Portion
Option is Exercisable of Total Option
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August 6, 2000 38,236 shares
August 6, 2001 76,472 shares
August 6, 2002 114,708 shares
August 6, 2003 152,944 shares
3. EXERCISE: During your lifetime only you can exercise the option. The option
may be exercised by the personal representative of your estate, by the
beneficiary you have designated on forms prescribed by and filed with the
Company, or the beneficiary of your estate following your death. You may use the
Notice of Exercise of Nonqualified Stock Option in the form attached to this
Agreement when you exercise the option.
4. PAYMENT FOR SHARES: The option may be exercised by the delivery of:
a. Cash, personal check (unless, at the time of exercise, the Company
determines otherwise), bank certified or cashier's check;
b. Unless the Board in its sole discretion determines otherwise, shares
of the capital stock of the Company held by you for a period of at least six
months having a fair market value at the time of exercise, as determined in good
faith by the Board, equal to the exercise price; or
c. A properly executed exercise notice together with irrevocable
instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the Company the amount of sale
or loan proceeds to pay the exercise price.
5. WITHHOLDING TAXES: As a condition to the exercise of the option, you must
make such arrangements as the Company may require for the satisfaction of any
federal, state or local withholding tax obligations that may arise in connection
with such exercise.
6. TERMINATION: If your relationship with the Company ceases because both your
employment with the Company and your membership on the Company's Board of
Directors terminates, and unless by its terms the option sooner terminates or
expires, then you may exercise, for a twelve-month period following the later of
the termination of your employment or the termination of your Board membership,
that portion of the option which is exercisable at the time of such termination,
but the option will terminate at the end of such period following such
termination as to all shares for which it has not theretofore been exercised.
7. DEATH OF OPTIONEE: If you die while having a relationship with the Company
or within the 12-month period following cessation of such relationship, and
unless by its terms the option sooner terminates or expires, this option may be
exercised within one year after your death by the personal representative of
your estate or by the person or persons to whom your rights under the option
pass (i) by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution or (ii)
by a designation or transfer, but the option will terminate at the end of such
period following your death as to all shares for which it has not theretofore
been exercised.
8. TRANSFERABILITY OF OPTION: This option and the rights and privileges
conferred hereby may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in
any manner (whether by operation of law or otherwise) other than by will or by
the applicable laws of descent and distribution and shall not be subject to
execution, attachment or similar process. This option is personal to you and is
exercisable solely by you. Any attempt to transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate
or otherwise dispose of this option or of any right or privilege conferred
hereby, contrary to the provisions hereof, or the sale or levy or any attachment
or similar process upon the rights and privileges conferred hereby will be null
and void. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permitted by applicable
law and regulation, the Company, in its sole discretion, may permit you to (i)
during your lifetime, designate a person who may exercise the option after your
death by giving written notice of such designation to the Company (such
designation may be changed from time to time by you by giving written notice to
the Company revoking any earlier designation and making a new designation) or
(ii) transfer the option and the rights and privileges conferred hereby.
9. NO STATUS AS SHAREHOLDER: Neither you nor any party to whom your rights and
privileges under the option pass will be, or have any of the rights or
privileges of, a shareholder of the Company with respect to any of the shares
issuable upon the exercise of this option unless and until this option has been
exercised.
10. CONTINUATION OF RELATIONSHIP: Nothing in this option will confer upon you
any right to continue in the employ or other relationship of the Company, or to
interfere in any way with the right of the Company to terminate your employment
or other relationship with the Company at any time.
11. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION: The aggregate number and class
of shares covered by this option and the exercise price per share thereof (but
not the total price), will all be proportionately adjusted for any increase or
decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock of the Company resulting
from a split-up or consolidation of shares or any like capital adjustment, or
the payment of any stock dividend.
12. EFFECT OF LIQUIDATION OR REORGANIZATION
(1) Cash, Stock or Other Property for Stock. Except as provided in
subsection (2), upon a merger (other than a merger of the Company in which the
holders of shares of Common Stock immediately prior to the merger have the same
proportionate ownership of shares of Common Stock in the surviving corporation
immediately after the merger), consolidation, acquisition of property or stock,
separation, reorganization (other than a mere reincorporation or the creation of
a holding company) or liquidation of the Company, as a result of which the
shareholders of the Company receive cash, stock or other property in exchange
for or in connection with their shares of Common Stock, this option will
terminate, but you will have the right immediately prior to any such merger,
consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation, reorganization or
liquidation to exercise your option in whole or in part whether or not the
vesting requirements set forth in this agreement have been satisfied.
(2) Conversion of Options on Stock for Stock Exchange. If the
shareholders of the Company receive capital stock of another corporation
("Exchange Stock") in exchange for their shares of Common Stock in any
transaction involving a merger (other than a merger of the Company in which the
holders of Common Stock immediately prior to the merger have the same
proportionate ownership of Common Stock in the surviving corporation immediately
after the merger), consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation
or reorganization (other than a mere reincorporation or the creation of a
holding company), this option will be converted into an option to purchase
shares of Exchange Stock. The amount and price of converted options will be
determined by adjusting the amount and price of this option in the same
proportion as used for determining the number of shares of Exchange Stock the
holders of the shares of Common Stock receive in such merger, consolidation,
acquisition of property or stock, separation or reorganization. The converted
option will be fully vested whether or not the vesting requirements set forth in
this agreement have been satisfied; provided that such acceleration will not
occur if, in the opinion of the Company's outside accountants, such acceleration
would render unavailable "pooling of interests" accounting treatment for any
reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company for which pooling of
interests accounting treatment is sought by the Company.
13. FRACTIONAL SHARES: In the event of any adjustment in the number of shares
covered by this option, any fractional shares resulting from such adjustment
will be disregarded and the option will cover only the number of full shares
resulting from such adjustment.
14. DETERMINATION OF BOARD TO BE FINAL: All adjustments referred to herein will
be made by the Board, and its determination as to what adjustments will be made,
and the extent thereof, will be final, binding and conclusive.
15. SECURITIES REGULATION: Shares will not be issued with respect to this
option unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of such
shares pursuant thereto complies with all relevant provisions of law, including,
without limitation, any applicable state securities laws, the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the shares may
then be listed.
As a condition to the exercise of this option, the Company may require you
to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the shares are
being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or
distribute such shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a
representation is required by any relevant provision of the aforementioned laws.
At the option of the Company, a stop-transfer order against any shares of stock
may be placed on the official stock books and records of the Company, and a
legend indicating that the stock may not be pledged, sold or otherwise
transferred, unless an opinion of counsel is provided (concurred in by counsel
for the Company) stating that such transfer is not in violation of any
applicable law or regulation, may be stamped on stock certificates in order to
assure exemption from registration. The Company may also require such other
action or agreement by you as may from time to time be necessary to comply with
the federal and state securities laws. THIS PROVISION SHALL NOT OBLIGATE THE
COMPANY TO UNDERTAKE REGISTRATION OF THIS OPTION OR THE SHARES ISSUABLE
HEREUNDER.
Please execute the enclosed copy of this
Agreement and return it to the undersigned.
Very truly yours,
PROTOCOL SYSTEMS, INC.
By:
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AGREED AND ACCEPTED:
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