INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT UNDER THE BEACON FINANCIAL CORPORATION
Exhibit 10.4
INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
UNDER THE BEACON FINANCIAL CORPORATION
2025 STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE PLAN
| Name of Optionee: |
| No. of Option Shares: |
| Option Exercise Price per Share: | $ | ||
| [FMV on Grant Date (110% of FMV if a 10% owner)] | |||
| Grant Date: |
| Expiration Date: | ||
| [No more than 10 years (5 years if a 10% owner)] | ||
Pursuant to the Beacon Financial Corporation 2025 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended through the date hereof (the “Plan”), Beacon Financial Corporation (the “Company”) hereby grants to the Optionee named above an option (the “Stock Option”) to purchase on or prior to the Expiration Date specified above all or part of the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), specified above at the Option Exercise Price per Share specified above subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Plan.
1. Exercisability Schedule. No portion of this Stock Option may be exercised until such portion has become exercisable. Except as set forth below, and subject to the discretion of the Administrator to accelerate the exercisability schedule hereunder, this Stock Option shall be exercisable with respect to the following number of Option Shares on the dates indicated below so long as the Optionee remains in a Service Relationship through the applicable date:
| Incremental
Number of Option Shares Exercisable |
Exercisability Date | |
| _____________ (___%) | ____________ | |
| _____________ (___%) | ____________ | |
| _____________ (___%) | ____________ | |
| _____________ (___%) | ____________ | |
| _____________ (___%) | ____________ |
Once exercisable, this Stock Option shall continue to be exercisable at any time or times prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, subject to the provisions hereof and of the Plan.
2. Manner of Exercise.
(a) The Optionee may exercise this Stock Option only in the following manner: from time to time on or prior to the Expiration Date of this Stock Option, the Optionee may give written notice to the Administrator of the Optionee’s election to purchase some or all of the Option Shares purchasable at the time of such notice. This notice shall specify the number of Option Shares to be purchased.
Payment of the purchase price for the Option Shares may be made by one or more of the following methods: (i) in cash, by certified or bank check or other instrument acceptable to the Administrator, (ii) through the delivery (or attestation to the ownership) of Shares that have been purchased by the Optionee on the open market or that are beneficially owned by the Optionee and are not then subject to any restrictions under any Company plan and that otherwise satisfy any holding periods as may be required by the Administrator, (iii) by the Optionee delivering to the Company a properly executed exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the Company cash or a check payable and acceptable to the Company to pay the option purchase price, provided that in the event the Optionee chooses to pay the option purchase price as so provided, the Optionee and the broker shall comply with such procedures and enter into such agreements of indemnity and other agreements as the Administrator may prescribe as a condition of such payment procedure or (iv) a combination of (i), (ii) and (iii) above. Payment instruments will be received subject to collection.
The transfer to the Optionee on the records of the Company or of the transfer agent of the Option Shares will be contingent upon (i) the Company’s receipt from the Optionee of the full exercise price for the Option Shares, as set forth above, (ii) the fulfillment of any other requirements contained herein or in the Plan or in any other agreement or provision of laws and (iii) the receipt by the Company of any agreement, statement or other evidence that the Company may require to satisfy itself that the issuance of Option Shares and any subsequent resale of the Option Shares will be in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In the event the Optionee chooses to pay the exercise price by previously-owned Shares through the attestation method, the number of Shares transferred to the Optionee upon the exercise of the Stock Option shall be net of the Shares attested to.
(b) The Shares purchased upon exercise of this Stock Option shall be transferred to the Optionee on the records of the Company or of the transfer agent upon compliance to the satisfaction of the Administrator with all requirements under applicable laws or regulations in connection with such transfer and with the requirements hereof and of the Plan. The determination of the Administrator as to such compliance shall be final and binding on the Optionee. The Optionee shall not be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any Option Shares unless and until this Stock Option has been exercised pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company or the transfer agent has transferred the Option Shares to the Optionee and the Optionee’s name has been entered as the shareholder of record on the books of the Company. Thereupon, the Optionee shall have full voting, dividend and other ownership rights with respect to such Option Shares.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof or of the Plan, no portion of this Stock Option shall be exercisable after the Expiration Date hereof.
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3. Termination of Service Relationship. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship terminates, the period within which to exercise the Stock Option may be subject to earlier termination as set forth below.
(a) Termination Due to Death. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship terminates by reason of the Optionee’s death, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date, to the extent exercisable on the date of death, may thereafter be exercised by the Optionee’s legal representative or legatee for a period of 12 months from the date of death or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of death shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect.
(b) Termination Due to Disability. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship terminates by reason of the Optionee’s disability (as determined by the Administrator), any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date, to the extent exercisable on the date of such termination, may thereafter be exercised by the Optionee for a period of 12 months from the date of termination or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of termination shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect.
(c) Termination for Cause. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship is terminated by the Company or an Affiliate for Cause, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date shall terminate immediately and be of no further force and effect.
For purposes hereof, “Cause” shall have the meaning set forth in any written employment or other service agreement between the Company or an Affiliate and the Optionee. In the event that the Optionee is not party to a written employment or other service agreement with the Company or an Affiliate that contains a definition of “cause”, it shall mean, as determined by the Chief Executive Officer in good faith, (i) conduct by the Optionee constituting a material act of misconduct in connection with the performance of the Optionee’s duties, including, without limitation, misappropriation of funds or property of the Company or any Affiliate other than the occasional, customary and de minimis use of Company property for personal purposes; (ii) the commission by the Optionee of any felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, deceit, dishonesty or fraud, or any conduct by the Optionee that would reasonably be expected to result in material injury or reputational harm to the Company or any Affiliate if the Optionee were retained in the Optionee’s position; (iii) continued non-performance by the Optionee of the Optionee’s duties to the Company or an Affiliate (other than by reason of the Optionee’s physical or mental illness, incapacity or disability) which has continued for more than 30 days following written notice of such non-performance from the Chief Executive Officer; (iv) a material violation by the Optionee of the Company’s written employment policies; or (v) failure to cooperate with a bona fide internal investigation or an investigation by regulatory or law enforcement authorities, after being instructed by the Company to cooperate, or the willful destruction or failure to preserve documents or other materials known to be relevant to such investigation or the willful inducement of others to fail to cooperate or to produce documents or other materials in connection with such investigation.
(d) Other Termination. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship terminates for any reason other than the Optionee’s death, the Optionee’s disability or Cause, and unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date may be exercised, to the extent exercisable on the date of termination, for a period of three months from the date of termination or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of termination shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect.
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The Administrator’s determination of the reason for termination of the Optionee’s Service Relationship shall be conclusive and binding on the Optionee and the Optionee’s representatives or legatees.
4. Incorporation of Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Stock Option shall be subject to and governed by all the terms and conditions of the Plan, including the powers of the Administrator set forth in Section 2(b) of the Plan. Capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning specified in the Plan, unless a different meaning is specified herein.
5. Transferability. This Agreement is personal to the Optionee, is non-assignable and is not transferable in any manner, by operation of law or otherwise, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. This Stock Option is exercisable, during the Optionee’s lifetime, only by the Optionee, and thereafter, only by the Optionee’s legal representative or legatee.
6. Status of the Stock Option. This Stock Option is intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), but the Company does not represent or warrant that this Stock Option qualifies as such. The Optionee should consult with the Optionee’s own tax advisors regarding the tax effects of this Stock Option and the requirements necessary to obtain favorable income tax treatment under Section 422 of the Code, including, but not limited to, holding period requirements and that this Stock Option must be exercised within three months after termination of employment as an employee (or 12 months in the case of death or disability) to qualify as an “incentive stock option.” To the extent any portion of this Stock Option does not so qualify as an “incentive stock option,” such portion shall be deemed to be a non-qualified stock option. If the Optionee intends to dispose or does dispose (whether by sale, gift, transfer or otherwise) of any Option Shares within the one-year period beginning on the date after the transfer of such shares to the Optionee, or within the two-year period beginning on the day after the grant of this Stock Option, the Optionee will so notify the Company within 30 days after such disposition.
7. Tax Withholding. The Optionee shall, not later than the date as of which amounts with respect to this Stock Option become includable in the gross income of the Optionee for income tax purposes, pay to the Company or its Affiliates, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of, any U.S. federal, state or local, and non-U.S. or other taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld by the Company or its Affiliates with respect to the Stock Option. The Administrator may require that the Company’s or Affiliate’s tax withholding obligation to be satisfied, in whole or in part, by (i) the Company withholding from Option Shares a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value (as of the date the withholding is effected) that would satisfy the withholding amount due; provided, however, that the amount withheld does not exceed the maximum statutory tax rate or such lesser amount as is necessary to avoid liability accounting treatment; or (ii) an arrangement whereby a certain number of Option Shares are immediately sold and proceeds from such sale are remitted to the Company or any applicable Affiliate in an amount that would satisfy the withholding amount due.
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8. No Obligation to Continue Service Relationship. Neither the Company nor any Affiliate is obligated by or as a result of the Plan or this Agreement to continue the Optionee’s employment or other Service Relationship and neither the Plan nor this Agreement shall interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate the Optionee’s employment or other Service Relationship at any time.
9. Integration. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to this Stock Option and supersedes all prior agreements and discussions between the parties concerning such subject matter.
10. Data Privacy Consent. In order to administer the Plan and this Agreement and to implement or structure future equity grants, the Company, its Affiliates and certain agents thereof (together, the “Relevant Companies”) may process any and all personal or professional data, including but not limited to Social Security or other identification number, home address and telephone number, date of birth and other information that is necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan and/or this Agreement (the “Relevant Information”). By entering into this Agreement, the Optionee (i) authorizes the Company to collect, process, register and transfer to the Relevant Companies all Relevant Information, (ii) waives any privacy rights the Optionee may have with respect to the Relevant Information, (iii) authorizes the Relevant Companies to store and transmit such information in electronic form and (iv) authorizes the transfer of the Relevant Information to any jurisdiction that the Relevant Companies consider appropriate. The Optionee shall have access to, and the right to change, the Relevant Information. Relevant Information will only be used in accordance with applicable law.
11. Clawback Acknowledgement. The Optionee understands that if the Optionee is or becomes subject to the Beacon Financial Corporation Clawback Policy (the “Clawback Policy”), the Company and/or the Board shall be entitled to recover all Erroneously Awarded Compensation (as defined in the Clawback Policy) from the Optionee pursuant to such means as the Company and/or the Board may elect. The Optionee agrees that the Optionee shall take all required action to enable such recovery. The Optionee understands that such recovery may be sought and occur after the Optionee’s Service Relationship terminates. The Optionee further agrees that the Optionee is not entitled to indemnification for any Erroneously Awarded Compensation or for any claim or losses arising out of or in any way related to Erroneously Awarded Compensation recovered pursuant to the Clawback Policy and, to the extent any agreement or organizational document purports to provide otherwise, the Optionee hereby irrevocably agrees to forego such indemnification. The Optionee acknowledges and agrees that the Optionee has received and has had an opportunity to review the Clawback Policy. Any action by the Company to recover Erroneously Awarded Compensation under the Clawback Policy from the Optionee shall not be deemed (i) an event giving rise to a right to resign for “good reason”, if applicable, or serve as a basis for a claim of constructive termination under any benefits or compensation arrangement applicable to the Optionee or (ii) to constitute a breach of a contract or other arrangement to which the Optionee is a party. Further, to the extent that the Optionee receives any amount in excess of the amount that the Optionee should otherwise have received under the terms of the Award for any reason (including, without limitation, by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), the Administrator may require the Optionee to repay any such excess amount to the Company. This Section 11 is a material term of this Agreement.
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12. Notices. Notices hereunder shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal place of business and shall be mailed or delivered to the Optionee at the address on file with the Company or, in either case, at such other address as one party may subsequently furnish to the other party in writing.
| BEACON FINANCIAL CORPORATION | ||
| By: | ||
| Title: | ||
The foregoing Agreement is hereby accepted and the terms and conditions thereof hereby agreed to by the undersigned. Electronic acceptance of this Agreement pursuant to the Company’s instructions to the Optionee (including through an online acceptance process) is acceptable.
| Dated: | |||
| Optionee’s Signature | |||
| Optionee’s name and address: | |||
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