CHOICEPOINT, INC.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant þ
Filed by a Party other than the
Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
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Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
þ Definitive Proxy
Statement
o Definitive
Additional Materials
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 |
CHOICEPOINT INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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pursuant to Exchange Act
Rule 0-11 (set
forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by
Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which
the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous
filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule
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ChoicePoint Inc.
1000 Alderman Drive
Alpharetta, Georgia 30005
Dear Shareholders,
It is my pleasure to invite you to attend the 2006 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders of ChoicePoint Inc., which will be held
at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End Avenue,
Nashville, Tennessee 37203, on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at
10:00 a.m., local time.
Information concerning the meeting, the nominees for the Board
of Directors and other business to be conducted at the meeting
is contained in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and
related Proxy Statement which follow.
It is important that your shares be represented at the meeting
in order for the presence of a quorum to be assured and for your
vote to be counted. Please return your signed proxy card
promptly, whether or not you plan to attend the meeting. You
also may also vote by telephone or via the Internet by following
the instructions on your proxy card. Your vote is very important
to ChoicePoint.
We appreciate your support in helping ChoicePoint create a
safer, more secure society through the responsible use of
information. On behalf of the officers and directors of
ChoicePoint, we wish to thank you for your continuing confidence
in ChoicePoint.
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Derek V. Smith
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Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
Alpharetta, Georgia
March 27, 2006
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. PLEASE COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE AND
RETURN YOUR PROXY OR VOTE BY TELEPHONE OR BY THE INTERNET.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHOICEPOINT INC.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
To Be Held On April 25, 2006
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that ChoicePoint Inc. will hold the 2006
annual meeting of its shareholders (the Annual
Meeting) at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End
Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, on Tuesday, April 25,
2006 at 10:00 a.m. local time, for the following purposes:
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(1) To elect one director for a term expiring in 2007 and
four directors for terms expiring in 2009; |
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(2) To approve amendments to the Companys Articles of
Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws to declassify
the Board of Directors; |
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(3) To approve the ChoicePoint Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive
Plan; |
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(4) To ratify the appointment of the Companys
independent registered public accountants; and |
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(5) To transact any other business properly brought before
the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. |
The Board of Directors is not currently aware of any other
matters that will come before the Annual Meeting. Only
ChoicePoint shareholders of record at the close of business on
March 7, 2006 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at,
the Annual Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.
Regardless of whether you plan to attend the Annual Meeting in
person, you are urged to vote promptly by dating, signing and
returning the enclosed proxy card in the accompanying envelope,
or by voting by telephone or via the Internet as instructed on
your proxy card.
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By Order of the Board of Directors, |
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David W. Davis
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Corporate Secretary |
Alpharetta, Georgia
March 27, 2006
CHOICEPOINT INC.
1000 Alderman Drive
Alpharetta, Georgia 30005
PROXY STATEMENT
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
To be Held April 25, 2006
The 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of ChoicePoint Inc.
(ChoicePoint, the Company,
our, we or us) will be held
on Tuesday, April 25, 2006, at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel,
2100 West End Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, beginning
promptly at 10:00 a.m., local time (the Annual
Meeting). The enclosed form of proxy is solicited by our
Board of Directors. It is anticipated that this proxy statement
and the accompanying proxy card will first be mailed to holders
of our common stock on or about March 27, 2006.
ABOUT THE MEETING
Why am I receiving these proxy materials?
You are receiving these proxy materials because you own shares
of common stock in ChoicePoint. This proxy statement describes
issues on which we would like you, as a shareholder, to vote. It
also gives you information on these issues so that you can make
an informed decision.
When you vote you appoint Derek V. Smith, Douglas C. Curling and
David W. Davis as your representatives at the Annual Meeting.
Messrs. Smith, Curling and Davis will vote your shares, as
you have instructed them, at the Annual Meeting. This way, your
shares will be voted whether or not you attend the Annual
Meeting. Even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, it is a
good idea to vote in advance of the Annual Meeting in the event
your plans change.
If an issue properly comes up for vote at the Annual Meeting
that is not on the proxy card, Messrs. Smith, Curling and
Davis will vote your shares, under your proxy, in accordance
with their best judgment.
What am I voting on?
You are being asked to vote on:
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the election of one director for a term expiring in 2007 and
four directors for terms expiring in 2009; |
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approval of amendments to the Companys Articles of
Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws (the
Bylaws) to declassify the Board of Directors; |
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approval of the ChoicePoint Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive
Plan; and |
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the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte &
Touche LLP as the Companys independent registered public
accountants. |
No cumulative voting rights are authorized and dissenters
rights are not applicable to these matters.
Who is entitled to vote?
Shareholders as of the close of business on March 7, 2006
are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. This is referred to
as the record date. Each share of common stock is entitled to
one vote.
How do I vote?
You may vote by mail. You do this by signing and dating
your proxy card or voting instruction form and mailing it in the
enclosed, prepaid and addressed envelope.
You may vote by telephone. You do this by calling the
toll-free telephone number on your proxy card or voting
instruction form on a touch-tone phone. Be sure to have your
proxy card or voting instruction form available. Telephone
voting facilities for shareholders of record will be available
24 hours a day and will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Time on April 24, 2006. If you hold your shares in
the name of a bank or broker, your ability to vote by telephone
depends on their voting processes. Please follow the directions
on your proxy card or voting instruction form carefully.
You may vote by Internet. You do this by visiting the
Internet site at www.cesvote.com. Internet voting facilities for
shareholders of record will be available 24 hours a day and
will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on
April 24, 2006. If you hold your shares in the name of a
bank or broker, your ability to vote by the Internet depends on
their voting processes. Please follow the directions on your
proxy card carefully.
You may also vote in person at the Annual Meeting.
Written ballots will be available to anyone who wants to vote at
the Annual Meeting. If you hold your shares in street
name (through a broker or other nominee, such as a bank),
you must request a legal proxy from your bank or broker in order
to vote at the Annual Meeting.
How many shares must be present in order to hold the Annual
Meeting?
As of March 7, 2006, 86,184,037 shares of common stock
were issued and outstanding, excluding 4,997,416 treasury
shares. A majority of the outstanding shares as of the record
date, equal to 43,092,019 shares, must be present at the
Annual Meeting either in person or by proxy in order to hold the
Annual Meeting and conduct business. This is called a quorum.
What does it mean if I receive more than one proxy card?
It means that you have multiple accounts at the transfer agent
and/or with brokers. Please vote all proxy cards to ensure that
all your shares are voted. You may wish to consolidate as many
of your transfer agent or brokerage accounts as possible under
the same name and address for better customer service.
What if I change my mind after I return my proxy?
If you are a shareholder of record, you may revoke your proxy
and change your vote at any time before the polls close at the
Annual Meeting. You may do this by:
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sending written notice to our Corporate Secretary at 1000
Alderman Drive, Alpharetta, Georgia 30005; |
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signing another proxy with a later date; |
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voting again by telephone or Internet; or |
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voting in person at the Annual Meeting. |
If you hold your shares in street name, you may
submit new voting instructions by contacting your bank,
stockbroker or other holder of record. You may also vote in
person at the Annual Meeting if you obtain a legal proxy as
described above.
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How may I vote for the nominees for election of director?
With respect to the election of nominees for director, you may:
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vote FOR the election of each of the five nominees for
director; |
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WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for any of the five nominees; or |
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WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for one or more of the nominees and
vote FOR the remaining nominee or nominees. |
How many votes must the nominees for election as director
receive to be elected?
If a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, the nominee that
receives the greatest number of affirmative votes of the
nominees for a term expiring in 2007 and the four nominees
receiving the greatest number of affirmative votes of all
nominees for a term expiring in 2009, known as a plurality, will
be elected to serve as directors. Shares that are not voted and
shares for which votes are withheld will not affect the outcome
of the election for directors. Withholding authority to vote for
a particular nominee will not prevent that nominee from being
elected.
What happens if a nominee is unable to stand for election?
The Board of Directors may, by resolution, provide for a lesser
number of directors or designate a substitute nominee. In the
latter event, shares represented by proxies may be voted for a
substitute nominee.
How may I vote for approval of the ChoicePoint Inc. 2006
Omnibus Incentive Plan?
With respect to the proposal to approve the ChoicePoint Inc.
2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan, you may:
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vote FOR the proposal; |
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vote AGAINST the proposal; or |
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ABSTAIN from voting on the proposal. |
How many votes must the approval of the ChoicePoint Inc. 2006
Omnibus Incentive Plan receive to pass?
If a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, the proposal to
approve the ChoicePoint Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan must
receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on
this proposal, provided that the total number of votes cast on
this matter represents greater than 50% of ChoicePoints
outstanding shares entitled to vote. Abstentions are counted as
votes cast on this proposal and, as a result, have the same
effect as a vote against the proposal.
How may I vote for approval of the amendments to the Articles
of Incorporation and to the Bylaws to declassify the Board of
Directors?
With respect to the proposal to approve the amendments to the
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws to declassify the Board of
Directors, you may:
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vote FOR the proposal; |
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vote AGAINST the proposal; or |
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ABSTAIN from voting on the proposal. |
How many votes must the approval of the amendments to the
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws to declassify the Board of
Directors receive to pass?
The approval of the amendment to Articles of Incorporation
requires the affirmative vote of a majority of shares entitled
to vote on the matter. The approval of an amendment to the
Bylaws only requires that the number of votes cast favoring the
action exceed the number of votes cast opposing the action.
However, the amendments to the Articles of Incorporation and the
Bylaws are intended to achieve
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the same purpose of declassifying the Board of Directors and
therefore the amendment to the Bylaws is being submitted to
shareholders contingent on the amendment to the Articles of
Incorporation also being approved. Accordingly, the combined
proposal to approve both amendments will only be approved if a
quorum is present at the Annual Meeting and the proposal
receives the affirmative vote of a majority of shares entitled
to vote on the matter. Abstentions will have the same effect as
a vote against approving this proposal.
How may I vote for the ratification of the appointment of the
independent registered public accountants?
With respect to the proposal to ratify the appointment of
Deloitte & Touche LLP as ChoicePoints independent
registered public accountants for fiscal year 2006, you may:
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vote FOR the proposal; |
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vote AGAINST the proposal; or |
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ABSTAIN from voting on the proposal. |
How many votes must the ratification of the appointment of
the independent registered public accountants receive to
pass?
If a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, the proposal to
ratify the appointment of the independent registered public
accountants will be approved if the number of votes cast
favoring the action exceeds the number of votes cast opposing
the action. Abstentions are neither counted as votes cast for or
against this proposal and, as a result, have no effect on the
outcome of the vote.
What happens if I sign and return my proxy card but do not
provide voting instructions?
If you return a signed proxy card but do not provide voting
instructions, your shares will be voted FOR election of each of
the five named director nominees, FOR the amendments to the
Companys Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws to
declassify the Board of Directors, FOR the approval of the
ChoicePoint Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan, and FOR the
ratification of the appointment of the independent registered
public accountants. If you mark your voting instructions on the
proxy card, your shares will be voted as you instruct.
Will my shares be voted if I do not sign and return my proxy
card?
If your shares are held in street name, your bank or
brokerage firm may vote your shares under certain circumstances.
These circumstances include certain routine matters, such as the
election of directors and the ratification of independent
registered public accountants. Therefore, if you do not vote
your shares, your bank or brokerage firm may either vote your
shares on routine matters or leave your shares unvoted. When a
bank or brokerage firm votes its customers unvoted shares
on routine matters, these shares are also counted for purposes
of establishing a quorum to conduct business at the meeting.
A bank or brokerage firm cannot vote customers shares on
non-routine matters such as the approval of the amendments to
the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws or approval of the
ChoicePoint Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan without direction
from the beneficial owner. Therefore, if your shares are held in
street name and you do not vote your shares, your shares will
not be voted on these non-routine matters. These broker
non-votes are counted for purposes of establishing a
quorum for the Annual Meeting; however, broker non-votes are
neither counted as votes cast for or against a matter presented
for shareholder consideration and, as a result, have no effect
on the outcome of the vote, except with regard to the proposal
to amend the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, in which case
broker non-votes have the same effect as a vote against the
proposal.
Where do I find the voting results of the meeting?
We will announce preliminary voting results at the meeting and
will publish the final results in the Companys Quarterly
Report on
Form 10-Q for the
second quarter of fiscal 2006. The report will be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), and
you will be able to get a copy by contacting our Corporate
Secretary at (770) 752-6000, the SEC at (800) SEC-0330
for the location of
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the nearest public reference room, through our Web site at
www.choicepoint.com or the SECs EDGAR system at
www.sec.gov.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The ChoicePoint Board of Directors represents the
shareholders interests in achieving a successful business
and increasing shareholder value in long-term financial returns
and has always been committed to the highest level of corporate
governance. The Board has a responsibility to its shareholders,
employees, customers, and to the communities where it operates,
to ensure that the Company operates with the highest
professional, ethical, legal and socially responsible standards
and to use information responsibly while helping our customers
manage economic risks and threats to society.
Director Independence
Since ChoicePoint became a public company, the Board of
Directors has always been comprised of a majority of independent
directors, as required by the New York Stock Exchange listing
standards. In July 2002, the Board of Directors created the
position of lead director, whose primary responsibility is to
preside over the regular executive sessions of the Board of
Directors in which management directors and other members of
management do not participate. The non-management directors
elected Charles I. Story as lead director to preside over the
Executive Sessions.
The Board of Directors has affirmatively determined that all of
the directors and nominees for director are independent under
the New York Stock Exchange listing standards, and the
ChoicePoint categorical listing standards, with the exception of
Derek V. Smith and Douglas C. Curling, each of whom are
considered inside directors because of their employment with the
Company. The ChoicePoint Board of Directors has adopted the
following categorical listing standards:
In no event will a director be considered
independent if:
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the director was employed by the Company or any of its direct or
indirect subsidiaries within the preceding three years; |
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an immediate family member of the director was employed by the
Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries as an
executive officer within the preceding three years; |
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an immediate family member of the director is a current employee
of the Companys internal or external auditor and
participates in the firms audit, assurance or tax
compliance (but not tax planning) practice; |
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the director or any immediate family member received more than
$100,000 during any
12-month period within
the last three years in direct compensation from the Company or
any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries, other than director
and committee fees and pension or other forms of deferred
compensation for prior service (as long as such compensation is
not contingent in any way on continued service); |
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the director or an immediate family member is a current partner
of a firm that is the Companys internal or external
auditor; |
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the director is a current employee at a firm that is the
Companys internal or external auditor; |
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the director or an immediate family member of the director was
within the last three years (but is no longer) a partner or
employee of the Companys internal or external auditor and
personally worked on the Companys audit within that time; |
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an executive officer of the Company was on the compensation
committee of the board of directors of a company that employed
either the director or an immediate family member of the
director as an executive officer; or |
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the director is or within the last three years was an executive
officer or an employee, or an immediate family member of the
director is or within the last three years was an executive
officer, of a company that made payments to, or received
payments from, the Company for property or services in an amount
which, in any single fiscal year, exceeded the greater of
$1 million, or 2% of the other companys consolidated
gross revenues. |
The following relationships will not be considered to be
material relationships that would impair a directors
independence:
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if a director is an executive officer of another company which
is indebted to the Company, or to which the Company is indebted,
and the total amount of the indebtedness is less than one
percent of the total consolidated assets of the indebted
company; and |
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if a director serves as an executive officer, director or
trustee, or an immediate family member of the director serves as
an executive officer, of a charitable organization and the
Companys charitable contributions to the organization in
any of the last three fiscal years, in the aggregate, are less
than one percent of that organizations latest
publicly-available consolidated gross revenues (or annual
charitable receipts, if revenue information is not available) or
(2) $50,000, whichever is greater. |
Corporate Governance Guidelines
The ChoicePoint Inc. Corporate Governance Guidelines incorporate
the practices and policies under which the Board has operated,
including the requirement that a substantial majority of
directors be outside, independent directors and that the Audit
Committee, Management Compensation and Benefits Committee (the
Compensation Committee) and the Corporate Governance
and Nominating Committee be comprised entirely of independent
directors. Principal topics addressed by the Corporate
Governance Guidelines include:
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Board composition, including board size, independence of
directors, number of independent directors, lead director
position and succession planning; |
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Board functions, including executive sessions of non-employee
directors, length of board service, access to management, board
retirement and management development and succession
planning; and |
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Board committees, including responsibilities for each committee,
nomination and selection of directors, director compensation,
board assessment, chief executive officer evaluation and
retention of independent advisors. |
The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee periodically
reviews and amends the Corporate Governance Guidelines as
needed. A copy of the ChoicePoint Inc. Code of Conduct, Code of
Ethics for Senior Financial Officers and Business Unit Leaders,
the Corporate Governance Guidelines and charters for the Privacy
and Public Responsibility Committee, Audit Committee,
Compensation Committee and Corporate Governance and Nominating
Committee may be found on the Companys Web site at
www.choicepoint.com. Copies will be provided to shareholders
without charge who request a copy in writing to the Corporate
Secretary, ChoicePoint Inc., 1000 Alderman Drive, Alpharetta,
Georgia 30005.
Nominees for Director
The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee will consider
nominees recommended by the Board of Directors, management and
shareholders. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee
is authorized to retain third-party executive search firms to
identify candidates.
The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee will consider
certain factors when selecting Board candidates, including, but
not limited to, the current composition and diversity of skills
of the Board, expertise and experience of a director leaving the
Board, expertise required for a particular Board
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committee or if there is a corporate need for specific skills.
The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee applies the
following guidelines when considering a prospective candidate
for the Board:
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A desire to serve on the Board primarily to contribute to the
growth and prosperity of ChoicePoint and help create long-term
value for its shareholders; |
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Individuals who possess the highest personal and professional
ethics, integrity and values; |
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Business or professional knowledge and experience that will
contribute to the effectiveness of the Board and the committees
of the Board, and will replace, when possible, important
attributes possessed by directors who have retired or will
retire in the near future; |
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The ability to understand and exercise sound judgment on issues
related to the goals of ChoicePoint; |
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A willingness and ability to devote the time and effort required
to serve effectively on the Board, including preparation for and
attendance at Board and committee meetings; |
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An understanding of the interests of shareholders, customers,
employees and the general public, the intention and ability to
act in the interests of all shareholders and an understanding of
the use of information to help create a safer, more secure
society; |
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A position of leadership in his or her field of endeavor which
may include business, government, community or
education; and |
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Free of interests or affiliations that could give rise to a
biased approach to directorship responsibilities and/or a
conflict of interest, and free of any material business
relationship with ChoicePoint except for the employment
relationship of an inside director. |
A specific area of business expertise that will best benefit the
Company will be identified by the Corporate Governance and
Nominating Committee and based on this determination, and the
criteria required for potential nominees, candidates possessing
the targeted skills and requirements will be selected. Once a
prospective nominee has been identified, the Chairman of the
Board will initiate discussions with a prospective candidate and
make appropriate recommendations to the Corporate Governance and
Nominating Committee. The Corporate Governance and Nominating
Committee will consider the qualifications of the potential
candidate and make a recommendation to the full Board.
Candidates are subject to ChoicePoints background
screening process.
Any shareholder who wishes to recommend a prospective candidate
for the Board of Directors for consideration by the Corporate
Governance and Nominating Committee may do so by submitting the
nominees name and qualifications in writing to the
following address: ChoicePoint Inc., 1000 Alderman Drive,
Alpharetta, Georgia 30005, Attn: Corporate Secretary. The
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee does not intend to
alter the manner in which it evaluates a nominee based on
whether the nominee was recommended by a shareholder, a director
or the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.
Communications with Directors
Shareholders wishing to communicate with the Board of Directors,
any of its committees, or one or more individual directors
regarding relevant business issues or who wish to make concerns
regarding ChoicePoint known to the non-employee directors as a
group, should send all written communications to: ChoicePoint
Inc., 1000 Alderman Drive, Alpharetta, Georgia 30005, Attn:
Corporate Secretary. Written correspondence will be forwarded to
the appropriate directors.
PROPOSAL NO. 1 ELECTION OF CHOICEPOINT
DIRECTORS
The ChoicePoint Board of Directors has currently fixed the
number of ChoicePoint directors at ten. The ChoicePoint Board of
Directors is divided into three classes, with each class elected
for a three-year
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term. Terms are staggered so that one class is elected each
year. The terms of Douglas C. Curling, James M. Denny, Kenneth
G. Langone and Charles I. Story will expire at the Annual
Meeting and all but Mr. Denny will stand for reelection.
Mr. Denny will be retiring from the Board of Directors as
of the date of the Annual Meeting. A non-employee director of
the Company recommended M. Anne Szostak as a potential board
candidate to the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee,
which recommended Ms. Szostak to the Board of Directors for
election as a director. Ms. Szostak was appointed as a
director by the Board of Directors in December 2005 and is now
standing for election by the shareholders for a term expiring at
the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. A non-employee director
of the Company recommended E. Renae Conley as a potential board
candidate to the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee,
which recommended Ms. Conley to the Board of Directors for
election as a director. Ms. Conley is standing for election
by the shareholders for a term expiring at the 2009 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders.
Shareholders are being asked to consider approving
Proposal No. 2, which, if approved, will amend the
Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws to eliminate the
classified board structure. If this proposal is approved at the
Annual Meeting, the current slate of directors will continue to
serve for their elected terms. The proposed amendments will not
shorten the term of any director now serving on the Board or
elected to serve on the Board at this Annual Meeting. If the
proposal is approved, then the class of directors whose terms
expire in 2007 will be elected to a one-year term at the 2007
Annual Meeting. Thereafter, upon expiration of each
directors term, he or she will be elected on an annual
basis and the Board will be fully declassified in 2009. Please
see Proposal No. 2 Amendments to the
Articles of Incorporation and to the Bylaws to Declassify the
Board of Directors for more information on this proposal.
The Board of Directors has nominated Messrs. Curling,
Langone and Story and Ms. Szostak and Ms. Conley to
stand for election or reelection at the Annual Meeting.
Each nominee, other than Ms. Conley, is currently a
director of ChoicePoint, and each nominee has consented to to
serve as a director if elected. If elected, the nominees listed
below will serve for the terms indicated or until their
successors are elected and qualified. If any nominee for
director shall be unable to serve, and the persons named in the
proxy may vote for a substitute nominee.
There are no family relationships between any director, person
nominated to be a director or any executive officer of
ChoicePoint or its subsidiaries.
Set forth below is information about the director nominees and
about the incumbent directors whose terms will expire in 2007
and 2008.
Nominee for a Term Expiring in 2007
M. Anne Szostak, 55, has served as a director of
ChoicePoint since December 2005. She has served as President and
Chief Executive Officer of Szostak Partners, LLC, a consulting
firm that advises businesses on strategic and human resource
issues, since 2004. From 1994 to 2004, she served as Executive
Vice President and Corporate Director of Human Resources of
FleetBoston Financial Corporation and served in a variety of
executive positions with FleetBoston Financial Corporation since
1973. Ms. Szostak also serves as a director of Tupperware
Brands Corporation, a manufacturer of food storage, preparation
and serving items, Spherion Corporation, a provider of temporary
staffing, managed services and permanent placement services, and
Belo Corp, a media company.
Nominees for Terms Expiring in 2009
E. Renae Conley, 48, has been nominated to serve as
a director of ChoicePoint. Ms. Conley has served as
President and Chief Executive Officer of Entergy Louisiana Inc.
since 2000, where she is responsible for the companys
electric distribution system, natural gas distribution
operations, regulatory and governmental affairs, customer
service, economic development programs and the companys
financial performance.
8
Douglas C. Curling, 51, has served as a director of
ChoicePoint since May 2000. He has served as President since
April 2002 and as Chief Operating Officer since May 1999. He
served as Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer from May 1999 to
May 2000 and served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial
Officer and Treasurer of the Company from 1997 until May 1999.
Kenneth G. Langone, 70, has served as a director of
ChoicePoint since May 2000. Mr. Langone has served as
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Invemed
Associates LLC, an investment banking and brokerage firm, since
1974. He also serves as a director of The Home Depot, Inc., a
home improvement retailer, Unifi, Inc., a producer of textile
yarns, YUM! Brands, Inc., a food services company, and several
private corporations.
Charles I. Story, 51, has served as a director of
ChoicePoint since June 1997. He has served as President of ECS
Group, Inc., a provider of business consulting services for
executive talent development, since January 2005. He served as
President and CEO of INROADS, Inc., an international non-profit
training and development organization, from January 1993 until
October 2005. He also serves as a director of Briggs &
Stratton Corporation, a producer of gasoline engines, and as an
advisory director to AmSouth Bank.
Incumbent Directors Whose Terms Will Expire in 2008
Dr. John J. Hamre, 55, has served as a director of
ChoicePoint since May 2002. Dr. Hamre has served as
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for
Strategic and International Studies, a non-partisan, non-profit
research institute, since January 2000. Dr. Hamre served as
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense from 1997 until 2000 and
as Comptroller under the Secretary of Defense from 1993 to 1997.
Dr. Hamre received his Ph.D., with distinction, in 1978
from the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins
University. He serves as a director of ITT Industries, Inc., a
manufacturer of engineering products, and as an advisory board
member for several organizations.
John B. McCoy, 62, has served as a director of
ChoicePoint since December 2003. He is the retired Chairman of
Bank One Corporation, a bank holding company. From June 2000 to
December 2003, he served as Chairman of Corillian Corporation, a
provider of online banking and software services. He served as
Chief Executive Officer of Bank One Corporation from 1984 to
1999. Mr. McCoy currently serves as a director of AT&T
Inc., a telecommunications service provider, and Cardinal
Health, Inc., a provider of health care services.
Terrence Murray, 66, has served as a director of
ChoicePoint since May 2002. He served as Chairman of the Board
of FleetBoston Financial Corporation, a diversified financial
services company, from 2001 to 2002 and served as Chairman,
President and Chief Executive Officer from 1982 through 2001,
except in 1988, when he served only as President and from 2000
to 2001, when he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
He serves as a director of A. T. Cross Company, a
producer of writing instruments, CVS Corporation, a retail
drugstore chain, and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., a gas and
chemicals company.
Incumbent Directors Whose Terms Will Expire in 2007
Ray M. Robinson, 58, has served as a director of
ChoicePoint since December 2004. Mr. Robinson has served as
Vice Chairman of the East Lake Community Foundation since 2005
and served as its Chairman from 2003 to 2005. He is the
President Emeritus of Atlantas East Lake Golf Club and
served as its President from 2003 to January 2006. He was
President of the Southern Region of AT&T Corporation from
1996 until his retirement in May 2003. Mr. Robinson
currently serves as a director of Aaron Rents, Inc., a provider
of rental, lease ownership and specialty retailing of consumer
electronics, residential and office furniture and appliances,
Acuity Brands, Inc., a producer of lighting equipment and
specialty products, Avnet, Inc., a distributor of electronic
components, enterprise network and computer equipment and
embedded subsystems, American Airlines, Inc., a passenger
airlines company, and Citizens Trust Bank.
9
Derek V. Smith, 51, is the Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of the Company. Mr. Smith has served as Chairman of
the Board since May 1999 and as Chief Executive Officer and a
director of the Company since May 1997. He also served as
President of the Company from May 1997 until April 2002.
THE CHOICEPOINT BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR THE ELECTION OF MS. SZOSTAK AS A DIRECTOR TO
HOLD OFFICE UNTIL THE 2007 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS AND
FOR THE ELECTION OF MESSRS. CURLING, LANGONE AND
STORY AND MS. CONLEY AS DIRECTORS TO HOLD OFFICE UNTIL THE 2009
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS, AND UNTIL THEIR RESPECTIVE
SUCCESSORS ARE ELECTED AND QUALIFIED.
PROPOSAL NO. 2 AMENDMENTS TO THE ARTICLES OF
INCORPORATION AND TO THE
BYLAWS TO DECLASSIFY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors presently consists of 10 directors
and is divided into three classes. Each class is elected for a
three-year term. The Board of Directors is currently comprised
of four Class III directors whose terms expire at this
Annual Meeting, three Class I directors whose terms expire
at the 2007 Annual Meeting and three Class II directors
whose terms expire at the 2008 Annual Meeting. The Board of
Directors is submitting for approval by the Companys
shareholders amendments to the Companys Articles of
Incorporation and to the Bylaws that would transition the Board
of Directors to a declassified structure. If this proposal is
approved by the shareholders at the Annual Meeting, (1) the
Bylaws will automatically be amended without further action by
the Board of Directors and (2) ChoicePoint will file
Articles of Amendment to its Articles of Incorporation with the
Georgia Secretary of State as soon as practicable after the 2006
Annual Meeting to amend the Articles of Incorporation. These
amendments will have the effect of declassifying the Board of
Directors over time in the following manner:
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directors elected at the 2007 Annual Meeting will be elected for
a one-year term expiring at the 2008 Annual Meeting; |
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directors elected at the 2008 Annual Meeting will be elected for
a one-year term expiring at the 2009 Annual Meeting; and |
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directors elected at the 2009 Annual Meeting and each Annual
Meeting thereafter will be elected for a term expiring at the
next Annual Meeting. |
The current slate of directors, including the directors elected
at the Annual Meeting, will continue to serve for their elected
terms.
The Board of Directors unanimously has deemed that it is
desirable and in the best interests of the Company and its
shareholders, and recommends that the shareholders approve, an
amendment to Article IV, Section 2 of the
Companys Articles of Incorporation and to Section 2.2
of the Companys Bylaws, in order to declassify the Board
of Directors and provide for the annual election of all
directors as their terms expire.
This proposal to amend the Companys Articles of
Incorporation and the Bylaws to declassify the Board of
Directors is intended to continue to enhance the Companys
corporate governance policies and procedures and to increase
director accountability to shareholders.
Article IV of the Articles of Incorporation currently
requires the Board of Directors to be divided into three classes
as nearly equal in number as possible. Each class of directors
serves staggered, three-year terms, with the term of office of
one class expiring each year.
The proposed amendment to Section 2 of Article IV of
the Articles of Incorporation of ChoicePoint Inc. is as follows:
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2. At the 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the
successors of the directors whose terms expire at that meeting
shall be elected for a term expiring at the 2009 Annual Meeting
of Shareholders; at the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the
successors of the directors whose |
10
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terms expire at that meeting shall be elected for a term
expiring at the 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders; at the 2008
Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the successors of the directors
whose terms expire at that meeting shall be elected for a term
expiring at the 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders; and at each
Annual Meeting of Shareholders thereafter, the directors shall
be elected for terms expiring at the next Annual Meeting of
Shareholders. A Director shall hold office until the Annual
Meeting of Shareholders for the year in which such
Directors term expires and until his or her successor
shall be elected and qualified, subject, however, to prior
death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from
office. |
The proposed amendment to Section 2.2 of Article Two
of the Bylaws of ChoicePoint Inc. is as follows:
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Section 2.2 Number of Directors and Term of Office. The
number of Directors shall be not less than seven, nor more than
fifteen Shareholders, and shall be fixed within such range by
the Board of Directors. At the 2006 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders, the successors of the directors whose terms expire
at that meeting shall be elected for a term expiring at the 2009
Annual Meeting of Shareholders; at the 2007 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders, the successors of the directors whose terms expire
at that meeting shall be elected for a term expiring at the 2008
Annual Meeting of Shareholders; at the 2008 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders, the successors of the directors whose terms expire
at that meeting shall be elected for a term expiring at the 2009
Annual Meeting of Shareholders; and at each Annual Meeting of
Shareholders thereafter, the directors shall be elected for
terms expiring at the next Annual Meeting of Shareholders. A
Director shall hold office until the Annual Meeting of
Shareholders for the year in which such Directors term
expires and until his or her successor shall be elected and
qualified, subject, however, to prior death, resignation,
retirement, disqualification or removal from office. |
Classified boards have been widely adopted by companies and have
a long history in corporate law. Some investors and corporate
governance organizations have come to view classified boards as
having the effect of insulating directors from being accountable
to a companys shareholders. ChoicePoint adopted a
classified Board at its inception as a means to deter unfriendly
and unsolicited takeover proposals and to promote continuity and
stability in the management of the business of the Company.
The Board of Directors has reviewed the arguments for and
against continuation of the classified Board, and in light of
ChoicePoints continued growth since adoption of the
Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws, and given its current
size and financial strength, the Board of Directors determined
that the classified Board structure should be eliminated. This
determination by the Board is in furtherance of its goal of
ensuring that the Companys corporate governance policies
establish director accountability to the Companys
shareholders and will allow shareholders the opportunity each
year to review and express their views on the performance of the
Board of Directors collectively and each director individually.
Because there is no limit to the number of terms an individual
may serve, the continuity and stability of the Boards
membership and the Companys corporate governance policies
and long-term strategic planning should not be affected.
The Board of Directors has unanimously approved the proposed
amendments to declassify the organization of the Board of
Directors and, if approved by the requisite vote of the
shareholders, the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws shall
be amended to declassify the Board of Directors.
If this proposal is not approved, pursuant to the Companys
current Articles of Incorporation, the Board of Directors will
remain classified and approximately one-third of the Board will
stand for election in any given year.
Board Meetings and Committees
The Board of Directors of ChoicePoint met five times during
2005. The Board of Directors has established several standing
committees, which met at various intervals as indicated below.
All directors attended at least 75% of the meetings of the Board
of Directors and the various committees of which they
11
were members. The Company has not adopted a formal policy
regarding Board members attendance at the Companys
annual meetings; however, the Company encourages all Board
members to attend the annual meetings. All of the Companys
directors, except Mr. Thomas M. Coughlin, were in
attendance at the 2005 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
The members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Smith
(Chairman), Langone, Murray and Story. The Executive Committee
did not meet, but took action by written consent, once during
2005. This committee is authorized to exercise the powers of the
Board of Directors in the management of all of the affairs of
ChoicePoint during the intervals between Board of Directors
meetings, subject to the Board of Directors direction and
certain statutory limitations.
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Management Compensation and Benefits Committee |
The members of the Compensation Committee are
Messrs. Murray (Chairman) and McCoy and Dr. Hamre. The
Compensation Committee met twice during 2005. This committee is
responsible for all decisions regarding compensation of the
Chief Executive Officer and named executive officers and
incentive compensation awards for ChoicePoints restricted
employees as defined in the ChoicePoint Inc. 2003 Omnibus
Incentive Plan. The Compensation Committee is also responsible
for establishing and approving compensation policies, management
incentive compensation plans and other material benefit plans.
The Board has affirmatively determined that all members of the
Compensation Committee are independent under the New York Stock
Exchange listing standards.
The members of the Audit Committee are Messrs. McCoy
(Chairman), Denny and Story. The Audit Committee met six times
during 2005. This committee is responsible for reviewing and
recommending to the Board of Directors the engagement or
discharge of independent registered public accountants,
reviewing with independent registered public accountants the
scope, plan for and results of the audit engagement, reviewing
the scope and results of ChoicePoints internal audit
department, reviewing the adequacy of ChoicePoints system
of internal accounting controls, reviewing the status of
material litigation and corporate compliance, and any other
matters the Audit Committee deems appropriate. The Board of
Directors has determined that Mr. McCoy is qualified as an
Audit Committee Financial Expert, within the meaning of SEC
regulations, and possesses related financial management
expertise within the meaning of the listing standards of the New
York Stock Exchange. The Board has affirmatively determined that
all members of the Audit Committee are independent under the New
York Stock Exchange listing standards and Rule 10A-3
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the Exchange Act). The Company has
established the Audit Committee in accordance with
Rule 10A-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act.
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Privacy and Public Responsibility Committee |
The members of the Privacy and Public Responsibility Committee
are Dr. Hamre (Chairman) and Messrs. Curling and
Robinson. The Privacy and Public Responsibility Committee met
three times in 2005. This committee is responsible for
reviewing, monitoring legislation and recommending policies to
the Board of Directors as to privacy matters affecting
ChoicePoint and overseeing the discharge of duties by the Office
of Credentialing, Compliance and Privacy, as well as monitoring
and evaluating the Companys corporate citizenship programs
and activities for the support of charitable, political and
educational organizations and community and government relations.
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Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee |
The members of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee
are Messrs. Langone (Chairman), McCoy and Murray and
Dr. Hamre. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee
12
met twice during 2005. This committee is responsible for
identifying corporate governance issues, creating corporate
governance policies, identifying and recommending potential
candidates for election to the Board of Directors and reviewing
director compensation. The Board has affirmatively determined
that all members of the Corporate Governance and Nominating
Committee are independent under the New York Stock Exchange
listing standards.
Director Compensation
Directors who are salaried officers or employees of ChoicePoint
receive no additional compensation for services as a director or
as a member of a committee of the Board of Directors. Each
director who is not a salaried officer or employee of
ChoicePoint is compensated as follows. The non-employee chairman
of the Board of Directors is paid an annual fee of $40,000 for
his or her services and an additional fee of $2,500 for
attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a
committee thereof. ChoicePoint non- employee directors are paid
an annual fee of $40,000 for services as a director, an
additional fee of $1,500 for attendance at each meeting of the
Board of Directors, and $1,000 for attendance at each committee
meeting. The chairman of the Audit Committee receives an annual
fee of $10,000 and each other committee chairman receives an
annual fee of $5,000. Derek V. Smith and Douglas C. Curling do
not receive this compensation since they are salaried employees
of ChoicePoint.
Upon initial election to the Board of Directors, each
ChoicePoint non-employee director receives a one-time grant of
share equivalent units with a market value of $40,000 and an
annual award of share equivalent units with a market value of
$125,000. The share equivalent units vest 12 months after
cessation from service on the Board. Messrs. Smith and
Curling do not receive these awards because they are salaried
employees of ChoicePoint.
ChoicePoint non-employee directors are eligible for
participation in ChoicePoints deferred compensation plan,
pursuant to which each ChoicePoint non-employee director may
elect to defer up to 100% of earned director cash compensation
into accounts that are credited with earnings or losses based
upon imputed investments in one or more of the following, as
selected by the individual director: (a) the market value
of, and any dividends on ChoicePoint common stock (common
share equivalents), (b) a short-term income fund,
(c) an equity index fund, or (d) a fixed income fund.
Funds invested in common share equivalents may be redeemed only
for cash on a fixed date or upon termination of service as a
director, as elected in advance by the director. No director has
voting or investment power with respect to the common share
equivalents. In addition, ChoicePoint provides coverage for the
directors under its Directors and Officers Liability
Insurance Policy.
13
CHOICEPOINT SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN
BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table reflects information, as of
February 28, 2006, with respect to the beneficial ownership
of the outstanding ChoicePoint common stock by (1) persons
known to ChoicePoint to be the beneficial owners of more than
five percent of the ChoicePoint common stock in accordance with
Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, (2) each of the
executive officers of ChoicePoint named in the summary
compensation table which follows, (3) each director and
director nominee of ChoicePoint, and (4) all of the
directors, director nominees and executive officers of
ChoicePoint as a group. Share ownership information represents
those shares as to which the individual holds sole voting and
investment power, except as otherwise indicated. The number of
outstanding shares of ChoicePoint common stock as of
February 28, 2006 was 86,724,204.
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Number of | |
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Percent of | |
Name and Address |
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Shares(1) | |
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Class (%) | |
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Baron Capital Group, Inc.
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10,122,185 |
(2) |
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11.7 |
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BAMCO, Inc.
Baron Capital Management, Inc.
Baron Asset Fund
Ronald Baron
767 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10153 |
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T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.
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5,862,634 |
(3) |
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6.8 |
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100 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202 |
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E. Renae Conley
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0 |
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* |
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Douglas C. Curling
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861,515 |
(4) |
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* |
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Carol A. DiBattiste
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3,139 |
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* |
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James M. Denny
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31,364 |
(5) |
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* |
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Jeffrey J. Glazer
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143,502 |
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* |
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John J. Hamre
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12,250 |
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* |
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Kenneth G. Langone
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1,970,011 |
(6) |
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2.3 |
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David T. Lee
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597,362 |
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* |
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John B. McCoy
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3,000 |
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* |
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Terrence Murray
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12,250 |
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* |
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Ray M. Robinson
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1,000 |
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* |
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Derek V. Smith
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3,082,065 |
(7) |
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3.6 |
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Charles I. Story
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51,244 |
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* |
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Steven W. Surbaugh
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208,646 |
(8) |
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* |
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M. Anne Szostak
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3,000 |
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* |
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All Executive Officers, Directors, and Nominees as a Group
(19 persons)
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7,424,266 |
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8.1 |
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* |
Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1.0% of the
outstanding shares of ChoicePoint common stock. |
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(1) |
Includes shares issuable pursuant to stock options exercisable
on February 28, 2006, or within 60 days thereafter, as
follows: Mr. Curling 667,470 shares;
Mr. Denny 24,332 shares;
Mr. Glazer 111,895 shares;
Dr. Hamre 11,666 shares;
Mr. Langone 24,332 shares;
Mr. Lee 473,150 shares;
Mr. Murray 11,666 shares;
Mr. Smith 2,509,480 shares;
Mr. Story 48,332 shares;
Mr. Surbaugh 76,667 shares and
Mr. Surbaughs spouse 66,666 shares;
and other executive officers 370,635 shares. |
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(2) |
This information is based on a Schedule 13G/ A filed with
the SEC on February 13, 2006 by Baron Capital Group, Inc.,
BAMCO, Inc., Baron Capital Management, Inc., Baron Asset Fund
and Ronald Baron. According to the Schedule 13G/ A, Baron
Capital Group, Inc. has sole voting power and sole dispositive
power covering 175,000 shares and shared voting power for
9,578,285 shares and shared dispositive power covering
9,947,185 shares. BAMCO, Inc. has shared voting power
covering 9,114,000 shares and shared dispositive power
covering 9,439,500 shares. Baron Capital Management, Inc.
has sole voting and sole dispositive power covering
175,000 shares, shared voting power covering
464,285 shares and shared dispositive power covering
507,685 shares. Baron Asset Fund has shared voting and
dispositive power covering 4,500,000 shares and Ronald
Baron has sole voting power and sole dispositive power covering
175,000 shares, shared voting power covering
9,578,285 shares and shared dispositive power covering
9,947,185 shares. |
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(3) |
This information is based on a Schedule 13G/ A filed with
the SEC on February 13, 2006 by T. Rowe Price Associates,
Inc. (Price Associates). According to the
Schedule 13G/ A, Price Associates has sole voting power
covering 1,138,981 shares and sole dispositive power
covering 5,862,634 shares, which are owned by various
individual and institutional investors, for which Price
Associates serves as investment adviser with power to direct
vestments and/or sole power to vote the securities. For purposes
of the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, Price
Associates is deemed to be a beneficial owner of such
securities; however, Price Associates expressly disclaims that
it is, in fact, the beneficial owner of such securities. |
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(4) |
Includes 16,000 shares held in a trust, 1,250 shares
held in a custodial account for his son, 1,200 shares held
in a custodial account for his daughter and 2,383 shares
held in a custodial account for his minor son. Excludes
50,000 shares of restricted stock granted under the 1997
Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan, the receipt of which the officer
has elected to defer under the ChoicePoint Inc. Deferred
Compensation Plan No. 2, 25,000 deferred shares issued
under the 1997 Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan and 75,000 deferred
shares issued under the 2003 Omnibus Incentive Plan. |
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(5) |
Includes 4,120 shares held by a not-for-profit foundation,
of which he is co-trustee. Mr. Denny disclaims beneficial
ownership of the shares held by the foundation. |
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(6) |
Includes 971,553 shares owned by Invemed Securities, Inc.
and 209 shares owned by his wife. Mr. Langone is
Chairman of Invemed Securities, Inc. |
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(7) |
Includes 400 shares owned by his wife, 18,959 shares
held in a trust for his daughter and 18,958 shares held in
a trust for his son. Excludes 100,000 shares of restricted
stock granted under the 1997 Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan, the
receipt of which the officer has elected to defer under the
ChoicePoint Deferred Compensation Plan No. 2, 50,000
deferred shares issued under the 1997 Omnibus Stock Incentive
Plan and 150,000 deferred shares issued under the 2003 Omnibus
Incentive Plan. |
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(8) |
Includes 13,333 shares owned by his wife and 27 shares
owned by his daughter. |
15
MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS COMMITTEE
REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The compensation of ChoicePoints executive officers is
determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors. The Compensation Committee was established by the
Board of Directors and is composed entirely of directors who are
not, and have never been, officers or employees of ChoicePoint
and who are otherwise independent directors under the New York
Stock Exchange listing standards. The Board of Directors
designates the members and the chairman of this committee. The
Compensation Committee is responsible for all decisions
regarding the salaries of the executive officers, including the
Chief Executive Officer, and for establishing and administering
ChoicePoints compensation and benefit policies and
practices for the executive officers. The Compensation Committee
is also responsible for the administration of the stock
incentive plans.
The 2003 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended and restated, (the
2003 Plan) includes the following long-term
compensation standards:
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No grant may provide for automatic reload rights; |
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Neither option rights nor appreciation rights may be amended to
reduce the option price or the market value of the shares,
respectively; |
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Option price per share shall be no less than 100 percent of
the fair market value; |
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Limitation on the number of shares issued as restricted stock or
deferred shares; or as performance shares, performance units,
share equivalent units or other awards to the extent
they are distributed in shares; |
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Minimum of three year, time-based vesting on restricted stock
and deferred shares with certain limited exceptions; |
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Maximum of seven years to exercise option rights or
free-standing appreciation rights; |
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Limitation on shares tendered to pay for an option right or
withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations being used to
increase the plan limit of shares available for grant thereby
prohibiting liberal share counting; and |
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No option right, appreciation right or other derivative security
may be transferred for consideration paid to the transferee. |
The Compensation Committees philosophy regarding the use
of equity grants includes:
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Limiting the aggregate number of equity-based grants that could
be granted in a given year to no more than two percent of
ChoicePoints outstanding shares; |
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Utilization of a mixture of equity vehicles including
performance-accelerating, performance-contingent and time-based
grants of stock options, deferred shares and restricted stock,
with an increased reliance on the use of whole shares; and |
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Limiting the amount of aggregate equity-based grants that could
be awarded in a given year to ChoicePoints top two
executives, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating
Officer, to fifteen percent of the total equity-based grants in
that year. |
The Compensation Committees philosophy is to link
long-term incentive to the performance of ChoicePoint stock and
the Compensation Committee believes the revised compensation
philosophy, including annual grant amount limits and achievement
of performance goals is properly aligned with the long-term
interests of its shareholders.
The following report summarizes the philosophies, methods and
recent revisions thereto that the Compensation Committee uses in
establishing and administering ChoicePoints executive
compensation and incentive programs, including the development
of compensation programs designed to provide key executive
officers with ownership interests in ChoicePoint and motivation
to build shareholder value.
16
Executive Compensation Policies
ChoicePoints executive compensation policies are designed
to attract and retain qualified executives, to reward individual
achievement appropriately and to enhance the financial
performance of ChoicePoint, and thus shareholder value, by
significantly aligning the financial interests of
ChoicePoints executives with those of its shareholders. To
accomplish these objectives, the executive compensation program
is comprised of (1) base salary, (2) an annual
performance-based variable cash incentive award,
(3) long-term incentive compensation, consisting of
restricted stock, deferred shares and fair market value stock
options, and (4) other benefits that are intended to
provide competitive capital accumulation opportunities and
health, welfare and other fringe benefits. Base salary is
designed to recognize individual performance and annual bonuses
are designed to recognize the achievement of corporate business
criteria selected by the committee each year and, in unusual
circumstances, to recognize individual achievement outside the
context of ChoicePoints realization of its stated business
criteria. The value of long-term incentives is directly linked
to the performance of the ChoicePoint common stock. Executive
officers also are eligible to participate in a variety of other
benefit plans, including a deferred compensation plan,
supplemental life and disability plans available to key officers
and benefit plans available to employees generally, including
the ChoicePoint Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan (the
401(k) Plan) and health-related plans.
Decisions regarding the compensation of named executive officers
are based upon (1) the policies described above,
(2) ChoicePoints operating performance, and
(3) competitive practices for executive talent. In addition
to these principles, the Compensation Committee uses experience
and judgment in determining the mix and level of compensation.
The Compensation Committee considers market practices and
compensation information drawn from a broad range of companies.
The Compensation Committees policy is to engage an outside
consultant to insure the compensation package for
ChoicePoints executive officers provides a competitive
base salary and variable performance-based elements that give
the named executive officers an opportunity, when superior
performance is achieved, to earn total compensation that is
generally in the top quartile of comparable positions for
publicly-traded companies.
Annual Salary and Incentive Bonuses
In determining the base salaries for ChoicePoints named
executive officers, the Compensation Committee takes into
consideration each executives experience and the
responsibilities attendant to his or her position. Base salaries
for the named executive officers are reviewed annually. In
evaluating whether an adjustment to an executives base
salary is appropriate, factors such as the scope of the
individuals job responsibilities and performance over the
past year are considered. In each of the three years since 2002,
the Compensation Committee accepted the request of
Messrs. Smith and Curling that there be no increase in
their base salaries.
The purpose of ChoicePoints annual incentive compensation
plan is to unite the interests of ChoicePoints executive
officers with those of its shareholders through annual payment
of cash incentive awards to those executives based upon
attainment of annually established business criteria. Depending
on the criteria employed, target incentive cash opportunities
under the ChoicePoint annual incentive compensation plan for the
named executive officers other than the Chief Executive Officer
can aggregate a range of from 60% to 112.5% of base salary, and
for the Chief Executive Officer can amount to 150% of his base
salary. Actual annual cash bonuses are determined by measuring
performance against business criteria goals established for the
applicable period. The goals take into account, depending upon
the responsibility level of the individual, one or more factors,
including the performance of the functional group or unit with
which the individual is associated and the overall performance
of ChoicePoint (based upon economic value added goals). Such
goals may or may not be equally weighted and may vary from one
named executive officer to another. Except as noted below, for
2005 no cash bonuses were granted to named executive officers as
the Company failed to achieve its performance goals for 2005
under the plan and as the named executed officers requested that
the Compensation Committee not pay cash bonuses to them.
17
The Compensation Committee awarded a cash bonus to one named
executive officer based on its assessment of the officers
personal achievements during 2005 and one cash bonus pursuant to
the terms of an employment agreement.
Long-Term Incentive Compensation
The stock incentive plans are intended to provide a means of
encouraging an ownership interest in ChoicePoint by those
employees who have contributed, or are determined to be in a
position to contribute, materially to the success of
ChoicePoint, thereby increasing their motivation for, and
interest in the achievement of, ChoicePoints long-term
success. Because the value of equity grants bears a direct
relationship to the price of shares of the ChoicePoint common
stock, the Compensation Committee believes that equity grants
are a means of encouraging executives to increase long-term
shareholder value. ChoicePoints 2005 long-term incentive
compensation program for its Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Operating Officer consisted of a combination of one-third fair
market value stock options which vest 100% on the third
anniversary of the grant, one-third fair market value stock
options which have three year performance-based accelerated
vesting features and one-third deferred shares which vest after
the expiration of their current employment agreements (currently
scheduled for 2010). For other executive officers, except
Ms. DiBattiste who did not receive any performance-based
accelerating grants, the program consisted of a combination of
fair market value stock options which vest 100% on the third
anniversary of the grant, fair market value stock options which
have three year performance-based accelerated vesting features
and restricted stock which vests 100% on the third anniversary
of the grant, pursuant to the stock incentive plans. Consistent
with the compensation philosophy of the Compensation Committee
described above, ChoicePoint, in February 2005, granted options,
deferred shares and restricted stock to named executive officers
(including the Chief Executive Officer) and in April 2005 to
Ms. DiBattiste upon the execution of her employment
agreement.
In 2002, fair market value stock options, with three year
performance-based vesting acceleration features, were granted to
executive officers. At the completion of the three year
performance period in 2005, the Compensation Committee
determined that the performance targets were not met. The
options, under the original terms of the grant, will therefore
vest on the seventh anniversary of the grant.
The Compensation Committees philosophy regarding the use
of equity grants is to limit the aggregate number of annual
equity-based grants awarded to no more than two percent of the
Companys outstanding shares and limit the combined grants
to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer to
not more than 15% of the Companys annual equity-based
grant. In 2005, annual equity grants in the aggregate
represented 1.9% of the total outstanding shares and the grants
to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer
amounted to less than 15% of the annual aggregate equity grants.
The compensation philosophy links long-term incentives directly
to the performance of the ChoicePoint common stock and includes
a combination of performance-accelerated, performance-contingent
and time-based grants of fair market value stock options,
deferred shares and restricted stock, with a reduced reliance on
option grants. The Compensation Committee believes that
long-term equity compensation that is earned upon achievement of
performance goals is properly aligned with the long-term
interests of its shareholders, and that continued use of
long-term equity compensation is needed to attract and retain
qualified executives. The 2003 Plan was approved with shares
available for two years of equity grants, based on the
limitations stated above. The two-year supply of grants has
generally been distributed with only 408,000 shares
available for grant on February 28, 2006. The Compensation
Committee has recommended that the 2006 Plan be approved to
provide additional share availability for future grants in
support of the Compensation Committees compensation
philosophy. The ChoicePoint Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan is
more fully described in Proposal No. 3. In determining the
maximum number of shares which constitute an award of long-term
equity under the stock incentive plans, the Compensation
Committee has used no specific formula, other than the
limitations discussed above, but rather determines the number of
shares based upon such factors as individual contribution to
corporate performance, market practices, and for grants other
than for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating
Officer, management recommendations.
18
Compensation of the Chief Executive Officer
The Compensation Committee generally applies the compensation
philosophy described above for named executive officers in order
to determine the compensation for Derek V. Smith,
ChoicePoints Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In
setting both the cash-based and equity-based elements of
Mr. Smiths compensation, the Compensation
Committees objective is to establish compensation at
target levels that are competitive and reflect market practice.
Factors considered in evaluating Mr. Smiths
performance include financial results compared to
ChoicePoints financial targets, executing desired
strategic direction, including growth through acquisitions, and
increasing shareholder value. No specific weights are assigned
to these factors in the evaluation process.
Section 162(m) Limitation
The Compensation Committee believes that the compensation
program serves its intended objectives. It believes the use of
short-term performance goals, fair market value stock options
and deferred shares delivered after employment minimizes the
effect of the $1,000,000 limitation on the deduction that an
employer may claim for compensation of executives under
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Section 162(m) provides exceptions to the deduction
limitation, and it is the intent of the Compensation Committee
to qualify for these exceptions to the extent feasible and in
the best interests of ChoicePoint, including the exceptions with
respect to performance-based compensation.
While it is the Compensation Committees intention to
maximize the deductibility of compensation payable to
ChoicePoints named executive officers, deductibility will
be only one among a number of factors used by the Compensation
Committee in ascertaining appropriate levels or methods of
compensation. ChoicePoint intends to maintain the flexibility to
compensate named executive officers based upon an overall
determination of what it believes to be in the best interests of
ChoicePoint and its shareholders.
This report is submitted by the Compensation Committee.
|
|
|
Management Compensation and Benefits Committee |
|
|
Terrence Murray (Chairman) |
|
John J. Hamre |
|
John B. McCoy |
THE FOREGOING REPORT SHOULD NOT BE DEEMED INCORPORATED BY
REFERENCE BY ANY GENERAL STATEMENT INCORPORATING BY REFERENCE
THIS PROXY STATEMENT INTO ANY FILING UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933, AS AMENDED, OR UNDER THE EXCHANGE ACT (TOGETHER, THE
ACTS), EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT CHOICEPOINT
SPECIFICALLY INCORPORATES THIS INFORMATION BY REFERENCE, AND
SHALL NOT OTHERWISE BE DEEMED FILED UNDER SUCH ACTS.
19
CHOICEPOINT EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary of Cash and Other Compensation
The following table shows, for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003, the compensation awarded
to, earned by or paid to ChoicePoints chief executive
officer, and the five other most highly compensated executive
officers of ChoicePoint, referred to as the named
executive officers in all capacities in which they served
during such fiscal years.
Summary Compensation Table
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Long-Term Compensation | |
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| |
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Awards | |
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Payouts | |
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Annual Compensation | |
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| |
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| |
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| |
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Restricted | |
|
Securities | |
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Name and Principal |
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Other Annual | |
|
Stock | |
|
Underlying | |
|
LTIP | |
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All Other | |
Position |
|
Year | |
|
Salary | |
|
Bonus(1) | |
|
Compensation(2) | |
|
Awards(3) | |
|
Options (#) | |
|
Payout(4) | |
|
Compensation(5) | |
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| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
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| |
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| |
|
| |
|
| |
Derek V. Smith
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2005 |
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|
$ |
999,986 |
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|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
611,459 |
|
|
$ |
2,306,000 |
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
1,406,994 |
|
|
Chairman & Chief |
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|
2004 |
|
|
|
999,986 |
|
|
|
1,800,000 |
|
|
|
318,763 |
|
|
|
1,917,500 |
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
167,100 |
|
|
|
1,297,111 |
|
|
Executive Officer |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
999,986 |
|
|
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
|
553,403 |
|
|
|
3,570,500 |
|
|
|
300,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,334,426 |
|
Douglas C. Curling
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
574,990 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
314,573 |
|
|
|
1,153,000 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
479,277 |
|
|
President & Chief |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
574,990 |
|
|
|
800,000 |
|
|
|
91,435 |
|
|
|
958,750 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
83,550 |
|
|
|
462,138 |
|
|
Operating Officer |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
574,990 |
|
|
|
700,000 |
|
|
|
128,175 |
|
|
|
1,785,250 |
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|
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
452,938 |
|
Carol A. DiBattiste
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2005 |
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|
|
346,154 |
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450,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
117,510 |
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|
|
12,000 |
|
|
|
|
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9,104 |
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Chief Credentialing, |
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2004 |
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
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|
|
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|
|
|
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Compliance & Privacy Officer |
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|
2003 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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David T. Lee
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2005 |
|
|
|
372,300 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
691,800 |
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|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
113,185 |
|
|
Executive Vice |
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2004 |
|
|
|
352,981 |
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|
|
315,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
575,250 |
|
|
|
34,628 |
|
|
|
445,589 |
|
|
|
112,744 |
|
|
President & Chief Business Officer |
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|
2003 |
|
|
|
327,293 |
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|
|
300,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
334,500 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
111,002 |
|
Jeffrey J. Glazer
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2005 |
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|
|
305,288 |
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|
|
200,000 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
345,900 |
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|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24,466 |
|
|
Senior Vice President |
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|
2004 |
|
|
|
272,301 |
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|
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225,000 |
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|
|
|
|
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|
115,050 |
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|
|
12,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
38,753 |
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
254,982 |
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|
|
170,000 |
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|
|
|
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|
|
|
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|
24,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
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|
36,882 |
|
Steven W. Surbaugh
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2005 |
|
|
|
347,997 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
461,200 |
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|
20,000 |
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|
|
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|
24,427 |
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|
Executive Vice |
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2004 |
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|
|
332,986 |
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275,000 |
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|
383,500 |
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|
|
20,000 |
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|
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|
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|
27,796 |
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|
President & Chief Administrative Officer |
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2003 |
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|
|
311,529 |
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250,000 |
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|
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|
641,750 |
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|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
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|
21,860 |
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|
(1) |
Represents an annual cash incentive award determined as a
percentage of salary in the discretion of the Compensation
Committee based upon attainment of corporate economic
value-added goals, strategic initiatives and individual goals.
Ms. DiBattiste received a cash signing bonus of $100,000
upon the execution of her employment agreement and an additional
$350,000 in annual cash incentive based on the terms of her
employment agreement dated April 25, 2005. The Compensation
Committee awarded a cash bonus to Mr. Glazer based on its
assessment of his personal achievements in 2005. |
|
(2) |
For 2005, these amounts include: for Mr. Smith $206,066 in
incremental unreimbursed cost for use of the corporate aircraft,
$176,124 in security services relating to issues specific to the
fraudulent data access, $110,785 for the
gross-up on the tax
liability of various perquisites, $98,593 in financial planning
and tax preparation fees, $16,727 for club dues and $3,164 for
personal liability insurance and a physical examination, and for
Mr. Curling $137,703 in incremental unreimbursed cost for
use of the corporate aircraft, $87,763 in security services
relating to issues specific to the fraudulent data access,
$43,452 in financial planning and tax preparation fees, $44,804
for the gross-up on the
tax liability of various perquisites, and $851 for personal
liability insurance. For 2004, these amounts include: for
Mr. Smith $135,468 in incremental unreimbursed cost for use
of the corporate aircraft, $98,678 in financial planning and tax
preparation fees, $63,559 for the
gross-up on the tax
liability of various perquisites and $21,058 for club dues, and
for Mr. Curling $46,700 in financial planning and tax
preparation fees, $28,390 for the
gross-up on the tax
liability of various perquisites, $15,085 in incremental
unreimbursed cost for use of the corporate aircraft and $1,260
for club dues. For 2003, |
20
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|
|
these amounts include: for Mr. Smith $171,457 in
incremental unreimbursed cost for use of the corporate aircraft,
$150,000 for a club initiation fee, $107,260 for the
gross-up on the tax
liability of various perquisites, $99,801 in financial planning
and tax preparation fees and $24,885 in club dues, and for
Mr. Curling $78,721 in incremental unreimbursed cost for
use of the corporate aircraft, $30,265 in financial planning and
tax preparation fees, $17,929 for the
gross-up on the tax
liability of various perquisites and $1,260 in club dues. |
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|
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(3) |
ChoicePoint granted restricted stock and deferred shares during
2005, 2004 and 2003 to a selected group of key officers to
assure the key officers are retained through various dates
ending in April 2010. In the event that any dividends are paid
with respect to the ChoicePoint common stock in the future,
dividends will be paid on the shares of restricted, and may be
paid in the Committees discretion on deferred, ChoicePoint
common stock at the same rate. The value of restricted stock
awards and deferred shares shown in the table is as of the dates
of grant. As of December 31, 2005, the total number of
restricted stock awards and deferred shares outstanding and
related fair market value were as follows:
Mr. Smith 200,000 shares ($8,902,000);
Mr. Curling 100,000 shares ($4,451,000);
Ms. DiBattiste 3,000 shares ($133,530);
Mr. Lee 40,000 shares ($1,780,400);
Mr. Glazer 10,500 shares ($467,355); and
Mr. Surbaugh 50,833 shares ($2,262,577). |
|
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(4) |
In 2001, Messrs. Smith and Curling were granted the right
to receive long-term cash awards, subject to achieving certain
three-year performance goals. These awards, based on a
predetermined value that equals 75% of the market value on the
vesting date of the restricted share grant of the same date,
were earned as of July 1, 2004. In 2002, these executive
officers elected that 95% of these awards be delivered in shares
of ChoicePoint common stock rather than in cash, subject to
achieving the original performance vesting goals, and that their
distribution be deferred to a date subsequent to the termination
of their respective employment. The amounts shown for
Mr. Smith and Mr. Curling represent the cash payout of
the remaining 5% of these awards on July 1, 2004 upon the
achievement of the original performance vesting goals. The
amount shown for Mr. Lee is the cash payout under the same
plan and represents 100% of his interest in the Plan. |
|
(5) |
For 2005 these amounts include: for Mr. Smith, $24,020 in
contributions under the 401(k) Plan, $103,054 accrued under
ChoicePoints deferred compensation plan, referred to as
the DCP Plan, $1,259,993 accrued under
ChoicePoints Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (the
SERP), which is part of ChoicePoints DCP Plan,
calculated as a defined contribution equal to 45% of annual
compensation, $13,800 in term life insurance premiums, referred
to as the Life Premiums, and $6,127 for employer
contributions for the salaried employee health-related benefit
plan, referred to as the Health Plan Contributions,
for Mr. Curling, $16,970 in contributions under the 401(k)
Plan, $33,013 accrued under the DCP Plan, $412,497 accrued under
the SERP, calculated as a defined contribution equal to 30% of
annual compensation, $10,670 in Life Premiums, and $6,127 in
Health Plan Contributions; for Ms. DiBattiste, $4,370 in
contributions under the 401(k) Plan, $2,904 accrued under the
DCP Plan and $1,830 in Health Plan Contributions; for
Mr. Lee, $16,970 in contributions under the 401(k) Plan,
$14,853 accrued under the DCP Plan, $68,691 accrued under the
SERP, calculated as a defined contribution equal to 10% of
annual compensation, $6,544 in Life Premiums, and $6,127 in
Health Plan Contributions; for Mr. Glazer, $4,820 in
contributions under the 401(k) Plan, $14,492 accrued under the
DCP Plan and $5,154 in Health Plan Contributions; and for
Mr. Surbaugh, $4,820 in contributions under the 401(k)
Plan, $3,160 accrued under the DCP Plan, $10,320 in Life
Premiums, and $6,127 in Health Plan Contributions. |
21
Stock Options
The following table sets forth information concerning the
grants, to the named executive officers of options to purchase
ChoicePoint common stock, made during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2005.
Option Grants in Last Fiscal Year
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Number of | |
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Shares of | |
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Percent of | |
|
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|
|
Potential Realizable Value | |
|
|
Common | |
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Total | |
|
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|
|
at Assumed Rates of Stock | |
|
|
Stock | |
|
Options | |
|
|
|
|
|
Price Appreciation for | |
|
|
Underlying | |
|
Granted to | |
|
Exercise | |
|
|
|
Option Term | |
|
|
Options | |
|
Employees in | |
|
Price Per | |
|
Expiration | |
|
| |
Name |
|
Granted(1)(2) | |
|
2005 | |
|
Share | |
|
Date | |
|
5%(3) | |
|
10%(3) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Derek V. Smith
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
6.28 |
% |
|
$ |
46.1200 |
|
|
|
02/01/2015 |
|
|
$ |
2,900,462 |
|
|
$ |
7,350,340 |
|
Douglas C. Curling
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|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
3.14 |
% |
|
|
46.1200 |
|
|
|
02/01/2015 |
|
|
|
1,450,231 |
|
|
|
3,675,170 |
|
Carol A. DiBattiste
|
|
|
12,000 |
|
|
|
0.75 |
% |
|
|
39.1700 |
|
|
|
04/28/2015 |
|
|
|
295,606 |
|
|
|
749,123 |
|
David T. Lee
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
1.88 |
% |
|
|
46.1200 |
|
|
|
02/01/2015 |
|
|
|
870,139 |
|
|
|
2,205,102 |
|
Jeffrey J. Glazer
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
0.94 |
% |
|
|
46.1200 |
|
|
|
02/01/2015 |
|
|
|
435,069 |
|
|
|
1,102,551 |
|
Steven W. Surbaugh
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
1.26 |
% |
|
|
46.1200 |
|
|
|
02/01/2015 |
|
|
|
580,092 |
|
|
|
1,470,068 |
|
|
|
(1) |
All options were granted pursuant to the 2003 Omnibus Incentive
Plan. |
|
(2) |
The number of options includes non-qualified options to purchase
the following number of shares of ChoicePoint common stock:
50,000 shares for Mr. Smith, 25,000 shares for
Mr. Curling, 15,000 shares for Mr. Lee, 7,500 for
Mr. Glazer, and 10,000 for Mr. Surbaugh that will vest
100% on the seventh anniversary of the grant, subject to
accelerated vesting based on achieving certain performance
criteria within three years of the grant date. The number also
includes options to purchase the following number of shares of
ChoicePoint common stock: 50,000 for Mr. Smith, 25,000 for
Mr. Curling, 12,000 for Ms. DiBattiste, 15,000 for
Mr. Lee, 7,500 for Mr. Glazer, and 10,000 for
Mr. Surbaugh that vest 100% on the third anniversary of the
date of grant. |
|
(3) |
These amounts represent assumed rates of appreciation only.
Actual gains, if any, realized upon exercises of stock options
are dependent on future performance of the ChoicePoint common
stock and overall market conditions. There can be no assurance
that the amounts reflected in these columns will be achieved or,
if achieved, will be realized at the time of any option exercise. |
Aggregated Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year And Fiscal
Year-End Option Values
The following table sets forth information, with respect to each
named executive officer, concerning any exercise of options to
purchase ChoicePoint common stock during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2005 and the fiscal year-end value of
outstanding unexercised options to purchase ChoicePoint common
stock held at December 31, 2005.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Securities | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Underlying Unexercised | |
|
Value of Unexercised In-the- | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options at | |
|
Money Options at | |
|
|
Shares Acquired | |
|
|
|
Fiscal Year-End (#)(1) | |
|
Fiscal Year-End(2) | |
|
|
on Exercise | |
|
Value | |
|
| |
|
| |
Name |
|
(#)(1) | |
|
Realized | |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Derek V. Smith
|
|
|
359,260 |
|
|
$ |
13,976,401 |
|
|
|
2,359,480 |
|
|
|
1,066,666 |
|
|
$ |
64,112,911 |
|
|
$ |
5,553,330 |
|
Douglas C. Curling
|
|
|
66,880 |
|
|
|
2,060,578 |
|
|
|
592,470 |
|
|
|
533,333 |
|
|
|
12,333,258 |
|
|
|
2,776,665 |
|
Carol A. DiBattiste
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64,080 |
|
David T. Lee
|
|
|
13,848 |
|
|
|
520,855 |
|
|
|
448,150 |
|
|
|
131,294 |
|
|
|
11,461,824 |
|
|
|
834,192 |
|
Jeffrey J. Glazer
|
|
|
3,606 |
|
|
|
141,782 |
|
|
|
99,895 |
|
|
|
57,000 |
|
|
|
2,664,778 |
|
|
|
371,700 |
|
Steven W. Surbaugh
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
66,666 |
|
|
|
193,334 |
|
|
|
227,331 |
|
|
|
796,069 |
|
22
|
|
(1) |
Share amounts have been adjusted to reflect the two-for-one
stock split effective November 24, 1999, the three-for-two
stock split effective March 7, 2001 and the four-for-three
stock split effective June 6, 2002. |
|
(2) |
The value of unexercised options equals the fair market value
per share of ChoicePoint common stock as of December 31,
2005, less the exercise price, multiplied by the number of
shares underlying the stock options. The closing price of the
ChoicePoint common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on
December 31, 2005 was $44.51 per share. |
Employment Agreements and
Change-in-Control
Arrangements
ChoicePoint currently has in effect employment agreements with
Messrs. Smith, Curling, Lee and Surbaugh and
Ms. DiBattiste. The employment agreements set forth minimum
base salary amounts and provide for participation in
ChoicePoints employee and executive benefit plans and
certain perquisites. The employment agreements vary in duration,
but all, except Mr. Surbaughs and
Ms. DiBattistes, provide for automatic extensions if
not otherwise terminated. Mr. Surbaughs and
Ms. DiBattistes agreements allows for negotiation of
an extension of the duration. The employment agreements may be
terminated by either ChoicePoint or by the executive. The
employment agreements provide that, under specified
circumstances, in the event of a termination, the executive
would be entitled to severance pay for a period of up to two
years from the date of termination, and in the case of
Ms. DiBattiste until April 24, 2008.
The employment agreements also contain provisions for severance
pay and specified benefits upon the occurrence of a change
in control of ChoicePoint. A change in control
is defined by the employment agreements to mean: (1) a
merger, consolidation or other reorganization of ChoicePoint
that results in the shareholders of ChoicePoint holding less
than a majority of the voting power of the resulting entity
after such a transaction; (2) a sale or transfer of all or
substantially all of ChoicePoints assets to an entity in
which the shareholders of ChoicePoint hold less than a majority
of the voting power of such entity immediately following such
sale or transfer; (3) the filing of a report with the SEC
pursuant to the provisions of the Exchange Act disclosing that a
person or entity beneficially owns shares representing at least
30% of ChoicePoints voting power; (4) disclosure by
ChoicePoint, pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act,
that a change in control (as defined in the Exchange Act) has
occurred or may occur pursuant to a then-existing agreement; or
(5) in specified circumstances, the failure to reelect a
majority of the members of ChoicePoints Board of
Directors. In the event that the executives employment is
terminated within five years, with the exception of
Ms. DiBattiste, and in the case of Mr. Surbaugh within
seven years, after the date of a change in control, then the
executive is entitled to severance pay and other benefits. The
amount of the severance payment is based upon the
executives annual direct and indirect compensation, with
specified components of such compensation multiplied by a factor
ranging from two to five times. In the case of
Ms. DiBattiste, if a successor to ChoicePoint fails to
agree in writing to assume and perform under her agreement prior
to a Change in Control or there is a material reduction in her
duties or compensation following a Change in Control, then she
is entitled to severance pay, including base salary and bonus
until April 24, 2008, and other benefits.
Management Compensation and Benefits Committee Interlocks and
Insider Participation
The Compensation Committee consists of Messrs. Murray
(Chairman), McCoy and Dr. Hamre. None of the members of the
Compensation Committee is a former or current officer or
employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. None of
ChoicePoints executive officers currently serve on the
Compensation Committee or Board of Directors of any other
company of which any member of the Companys Compensation
Committee or Board of Directors is an executive officer.
23
EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
The following table gives information about our common stock as
of December 31, 2005, that may be issued upon exercise of
options, warrants and rights under the 1997 Omnibus Stock
Incentive Plan, 2003 Omnibus Incentive Plan, the ChoicePoint
Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan and the ChoicePoint Inc.
Deferred Compensation Plan No. 2 (the only stock
compensation plans of the Company).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Securities to be issued upon exercise of | |
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
|
outstanding options, warrants and rights | |
|
|
|
securities | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
remaining available | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
for future issuance | |
|
|
(a) | |
|
Weighted-average | |
|
under equity | |
|
|
Options and | |
|
|
|
Unvested | |
|
|
|
exercise price of | |
|
compensation | |
|
|
deferred | |
|
Unvested | |
|
share | |
|
|
|
outstanding | |
|
plans (excluding | |
|
|
compensation | |
|
deferred | |
|
equivalent | |
|
|
|
options, warrants | |
|
securities reflected | |
Plan Category |
|
plans | |
|
shares | |
|
units | |
|
Total | |
|
and rights | |
|
in columns(a))(1) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(b) | |
|
(c) | |
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003 Plan
|
|
|
3,014,604 |
|
|
|
225,000 |
|
|
|
48,451 |
|
|
|
3,288,055 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1997 Plan
|
|
|
8,641,669 |
|
|
|
75,000 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
8,716,669 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ChoicePoint Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan
|
|
|
155,394 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
155,394 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subtotal
|
|
|
11,811,667 |
|
|
|
300,000 |
|
|
|
48,451 |
|
|
|
12,160,118 |
|
|
$ |
29.83 |
|
|
|
2,671,881 |
|
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ChoicePoint Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan No. 2
|
|
|
256,875 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
256,875 |
|
|
|
n/a(2) |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
12,068,542 |
|
|
|
300,000 |
|
|
|
48,451 |
|
|
|
12,416,993 |
|
|
$ |
29.83 |
|
|
|
2,671,881 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
As more fully described in Proposal No. 3, if the
ChoicePoint Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan is approved by our
shareholders, shares available for issuance under the 1997
Omnibus Incentive Plan will be reduced. Assuming such approval,
the number of securities remaining for future issuance, as of
December 31, 2005, under equity compensation plans would
have been 2,397,095 (2006 Plan
1,500,000 shares, 2003 Plan 397,095 and 1997
Plan 500,000). |
|
|
(2) |
These shares consist of common stock distributable under the
ChoicePoint Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan No. 2 and have
no exercise price. |
ChoicePoint Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan No. 2
Under the ChoicePoint Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan No. 2
(the DCP2 Plan), certain executive officers may
elect to defer receipt, until the termination of their
employment or attainment of a stated age, if later, of all or a
portion of (1) shares of restricted stock granted to them
under the ChoicePoint Inc. 1997 Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan
that would otherwise be distributed to them upon satisfaction of
vesting requirements, and (2) certain cash bonuses granted
at the time of grant of the restricted stock awards. The
officers become vested in amounts deferred under the DCP2 Plan
when the underlying awards vest. The initial grant of restricted
stock vested on July 1, 2004, the third anniversary of
grant. The cash bonuses vested on July 1, 2004 based upon
satisfaction of three-year performance goals. The number of
shares distributed with respect to the restricted shares was
equal to the number of shares initially deferred under the DCP2
Plan. The total amount of the cash bonus was earned as of
July 1, 2004. The amount was based on a predetermined value
that equals 75% of the market value on the vesting date of the
restricted stock grant to that officer. The officers
participating in the DCP2 Plan previously elected to defer 95%
of any vested cash bonuses under the DCP2 Plan. These vested
deferred amounts will be distributed in shares of ChoicePoint
common stock. The shares distributed under the DCP2 Plan are
provided from treasury shares or are acquired by ChoicePoint
through open market purchases. The vesting criteria has been met
and 256,875 shares of ChoicePoint common stock will be
distributed under this plan.
24
CHOICEPOINT STOCK PERFORMANCE GRAPH
The following graph compares the cumulative total return on the
ChoicePoint common stock with a cumulative total return on the
S&P Midcap 400 Index and the S&P 400 Diversified
Commercial Services Index for the period from December 31,
2000 through December 31, 2005. The comparison assumes an
original investment of $100 on December 31, 2000 and
assumes the reinvestment of any dividends.
THE STOCK PRICE PERFORMANCE GRAPH SHALL NOT BE DEEMED
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE BY ANY GENERAL STATEMENT INCORPORATING
BY REFERENCE THIS PROXY STATEMENT INTO ANY FILING UNDER THE
ACTS, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT CHOICEPOINT SPECIFICALLY
INCORPORATES THIS INFORMATION BY REFERENCE, AND SHALL NOT
OTHERWISE BE DEEMED FILED UNDER SUCH ACTS.
25
PROPOSAL NO. 3 APPROVAL OF THE CHOICEPOINT
INC.
2006 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN
General
The ChoicePoint Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan, referred to as
the 2006 plan, is intended to attract and retain
directors, officers, full-time employees and others who render
significant services to ChoicePoint and its subsidiaries and to
motivate these persons to achieve performance objectives related
to our overall goal of increasing shareholder value. The Board
of Directors unanimously approved and adopted the 2006 plan on
March 15, 2006, and the 2006 plan is being submitted to the
shareholders for approval. If a quorum is present at the Annual
Meeting, the approval of the 2006 plan must receive the
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual
Meeting.
The Board of Directors believes approval of the 2006 plan by
shareholders is in our best interest. The principal reasons for
adopting the 2006 plan are to ensure that we have a mechanism
for long-term, equity-based incentive compensation to directors,
officers and employees and to provide annual cash incentive
compensation to executive officers. Certain awards under the
2006 plan are designed to qualify as performance-based under
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, which places a
limit of $1,000,000 on the amount of compensation that we may
deduct for federal income tax purposes unless it is
performance-based. The 2006 plan is also designed to comply with
Rule 16b-3 under
the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, to the
extent applicable, with the provisions of Section 409A of
the Internal Revenue Code.
In addition, we will also amend the ChoicePoint Inc. 1997
Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan, referred to as the 1997
plan. As of February 28, 2006, the 1997 plan had
2,283,070 shares remaining available for grant. The
amendments to the 1997 plan will:
|
|
|
|
|
|
prohibit repricings of option awards (because no appreciation
rights have been, nor as a result of this amendment will be,
issued, no additional repricing prohibitions will be included in
the amendments); |
|
|
|
|
limit the term of any reload options granted in the future,
which will all be non-qualified options, to six years; and |
|
|
|
provide that, in determining the number of shares available for
issuance, shares tendered in payment of exercise price or for
tax withholding obligations will reduce the aggregate shares
available, and shares covered by appreciation rights, to the
extent the appreciation rights are exercised and settled in
common stock, will be considered issued under the 1997 plan. Any
shares repurchased by ChoicePoint with proceeds from option
exercises will not be added to the aggregate share limits under
the 1997 plan; and |
|
|
|
if the 2006 plan is approved by shareholders, reduce the number
of shares available for grant under the 1997 plan to
500,000 shares, which will be used solely to meet the
obligations of that plan to provide reload options
pursuant to previous commitments under the 1997 plan. |
We have also amended and restated the ChoicePoint Inc. 2003
Omnibus Incentive Plan, referred to as the 2003
plan, so that its provisions are consistent with the
provisions described below with respect to the 2006 plan. We
have not changed the shares that were available for issuance
under the 2003 plan. As of February 28, 2006, the 2003 plan
had available for issuance 408,344 shares of which no more
than 172,373 may be distributed as restricted shares or deferred
shares or as performance shares, performance units, share
equivalent units or other awards, to the extent
distributed in shares. The 2003 plan is described in more detail
under the heading Management Compensation and Benefits
Committee Report on Executive Compensation.
A summary description of the 2006 plan is set forth below. The
full text of the 2006 plan is annexed to this proxy statement as
APPENDIX A, and the following summary is qualified in its
entirety by reference to APPENDIX A.
26
Overview. Under the 2006 plan, the Compensation Committee
is authorized to make awards of options to purchase shares of
ChoicePoint common stock, tandem appreciation rights and/or
free-standing appreciation rights, restricted shares, deferred
shares, performance shares and performance units, and share
equivalent units. The terms applicable to awards of the various
types, including those terms that may be established by the
Compensation Committee when making or administering particular
awards, are set forth in detail in the 2006 plan.
Shares Available Under the 2006 Plan. The number of
shares of common stock that may be issued or transferred
pursuant to awards, or in payment of dividend equivalents paid
with respect to awards made under the 2006 plan, may not exceed
1,500,000 in the aggregate, subject to adjustment as provided in
the 2006 plan. We believe that the 1,500,000 shares
available for grant will generally be sufficient to make our
annual equity awards in 2006. These shares of common stock may
be shares of original issuance or treasury shares or a
combination of both. Shares will not be counted as used under
the 2006 plan until they are actually issued and delivered to a
participant. Shares tendered in payment of exercise price or for
tax withholding obligations will reduce the aggregate shares
available, and shares covered by appreciation rights, to the
extent the appreciation rights are exercised and settled in
common stock, will be considered issued under the 2006 plan. Any
shares repurchased by ChoicePoint with proceeds from option
exercises will not be added to the aggregate share limits under
the 2006 plan. As of February 28, 2006, the market value of
our common stock was $44.40 per share.
Eligibility. Officers, directors and full-time employees
of ChoicePoint and its subsidiaries, and others who render
significant services, may be selected by the Compensation
Committee to receive benefits under the 2006 plan which are
intended to constitute long-term incentives. The class of
eligible participants may not be expanded without shareholder
approval. There were approximately 3,180 persons eligible to
participate in the 2006 plan as of March 6, 2006. In
addition, for annual incentive awards, eligible participants are
those executives who constitute restricted
employees, as described under Performance
Goals.
Limitations on Specific Kinds of Awards. In addition to
the general limitation on the number of shares of common stock
available under the 2006 plan, the 2006 plan specifically limits
the number of shares issued as restricted shares or deferred
shares, or as performance shares, performance units, share
equivalent units or other awards, to the extent
distributed in shares, to 200,000 in the aggregate.
Additionally, the 2006 plan provides for specific limits and
other requirements for certain awards to qualify as
performance-based compensation for the purpose of
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code. No participant
may be granted (1) option rights, in the aggregate, for
more than 750,000 shares of common stock during any
calendar year, or (2) appreciation rights in the aggregate,
for more than 750,000 shares of common stock during any
calendar year, or (3) awards of performance shares,
performance units, share equivalent units, deferred shares or
restricted shares which in total have an aggregate maximum value
as of their respective dates of grant more than $4,000,000 in
any fiscal year, nor shall an annual incentive award to a
restricted employee exceed $4,000,000 in any fiscal year. In
addition, the aggregate number of shares of common stock
actually issued or transferred upon the exercise of incentive
stock options, within the meaning of Section 422 of the
Internal Revenue Code, may not exceed 1,500,000.
Option Rights. The Compensation Committee may grant
option rights, which entitle the holder to purchase shares of
common stock at a price equal to or greater than market value at
the date of grant, which is the closing price of the stock on
the New York Stock Exchange on the date of grant. The option
price is payable in cash, by the transfer to us of shares of
common stock, by a combination of these payment methods or by
other consideration authorized by the Compensation Committee.
Any grant may provide for deferred payment of the option price
from the proceeds of sale through a broker on the date of
exercise of some or all of the shares of common stock to which
the exercise relates. Option rights granted under the 2006 plan
may be incentive stock options, option rights that are not
intended to qualify as incentive stock options, or combinations
of incentive stock options and non-qualified stock options.
Incentive stock options will be granted only to participants who
are employees as defined in the Internal Revenue
Code. Each grant specifies the period of employment, which for
officers shall generally be not less than three years, or
performance goals required to be achieved before the option or
portions of options
27
will become exercisable. Option rights will not continue to be
exercisable in any event beyond seven years from the date of
grant. Option rights may not be amended to reduce the option
price, nor may options be cancelled and replaced with rights
with lower option prices, without further approval of the
shareholders. No grant may provide for the automatic grant of
reload option rights.
Appreciation Rights. A tandem appreciation right is a
right to receive up to 100% of the spread between the option
price and the current value of the shares of common stock
underlying an option upon surrender and cancellation of the
option. A free-standing appreciation right is the right to
receive a percentage of the spread at the time of exercise. When
computing the spread for a free-standing appreciation right, the
base price must be equal to or greater than the market value of
the underlying common stock on the date of grant. Any grant may
specify waiting periods or performance goals which must be
reached before exercise, and permissible exercise dates or
periods. Appreciation rights will not continue to be exercisable
in any event beyond seven years from the date of grant.
Appreciation rights may not be amended to reduce the market
value of the shares at the date of grant, nor may appreciation
rights be cancelled and replaced with rights based on lower
market value of the shares at the date of grant, without further
approval of the shareholders.
Restricted Shares. An award of restricted shares involves
the immediate transfer to a participant of ownership of a
specific number of shares of common stock in consideration of
the performance of services, with the participant entitled to
voting, dividend and other ownership rights in the restricted
shares. The transfer is made without additional consideration or
in consideration of a payment by the participant that is less
than current market value. In addition, the transfer may be
conditioned on the achievement of performance goals. To the
extent that performance goals are partially met, an award may
provide for partial vesting. An award of restricted shares may
provide that any dividends or other distributions declared with
respect to the restricted shares will be subject to the same
restrictions as the underlying award and will be released to the
participant when the restrictions are eliminated. Restricted
shares must be subject to a substantial risk of
forfeiture within the meaning of Section 83 of the
Internal Revenue Code for a period to be determined by the
Compensation Committee, or until the achievement of the stated
performance goals. If the elimination of said restrictions is
based on the passage of time rather than the achievement of
performance goals, the period of time shall be no shorter than
three years, except that said restrictions may be removed
ratably no more than once each twelve months during the
three-year period. In addition, an award may provide for earlier
termination of the restricted period in the event of a change in
control or similar event, retirement, death or disability. In
order to enforce these forfeiture provisions, the
transferability of restricted shares will be prohibited or
restricted in a manner and to the extent prescribed by the
Compensation Committee for the period during which the
forfeiture provisions are to continue, subject to the limited
rights of transferability described below under
Transferability.
Deferred Shares. An award of deferred shares constitutes
an agreement to deliver shares of common stock to the
participant in the future in consideration of the performance of
services, but subject to the fulfillment of specified
conditions. During the deferral period, the participant has no
right to transfer any rights under the deferred shares, except
as described below under Transferability, and has no
rights of ownership in the deferred shares. Awards of deferred
shares may be made without additional consideration or in
consideration of a payment by the participant that is less than
the market value per share at the date of grant. Except in the
event of a change in control or similar event, retirement, death
or disability, deferred shares must be subject to a deferral
period of not less than three years, except that a grant may
provide that the deferral period will expire ratably during said
three-year period, once each twelve months, as determined by the
Compensation Committee at the date of grant.
Performance Shares and Performance Units. A performance
share is the equivalent of one share of common stock, and a
performance unit is the equivalent of $100.00. A recipient must
meet one or more performance goals within a specified
performance period to earn the award in full. To the extent that
performance goals are partially met, an award may provide for
partial payment. Alternatively, if a minimum level of acceptable
achievement is established by the Compensation Committee, that
minimum level must be exceeded in order to earn a portion of the
award; the amount earned in this case will be determined in
accordance with a formula. The Compensation Committee may
provide for the payment of
28
dividend equivalents with respect to an award for performance
shares, which will be subject to the same restrictions as the
underlying award and will be released to the participant when
the restrictions are eliminated.
Share Equivalent Units. An award of share equivalent
units results in the creation of a bookkeeping account which
tracks the price of our common shares. When the participant has
served ChoicePoint for the period of time specified at the time
of grant, or when specified performance goals have been met, the
value of the account will be distributed in cash, common shares,
restricted shares or a combination thereof, as determined by the
Compensation Committee. An award of share equivalent units will
provide that any dividends or other distributions declared with
respect to the share equivalent units will be subject to the
same restrictions as the underlying award and will be released
to the participant when the restrictions are eliminated.
Annual Incentive Awards. The 2006 plan also provides for
the grant of annual incentive awards to restricted employees.
Similar awards may be made to officers and other employees
pursuant to other programs established by ChoicePoint. Annual
incentive awards are paid in cash at the end of our fiscal year,
in amounts which reflect the degree of achievement of
performance goals established by the Compensation Committee for
the participant during the first 90 days of the fiscal year.
Minimum goals will be established by the Compensation Committee
for a participant, which must be met before any award is paid. A
formula will determine the portion of the award which will be
paid if performance exceeds the minimum but falls short of full
achievement of the performance goals. Notwithstanding the
achievement of a participants performance goals, the
Compensation Committee has the discretion to reduce (but not to
increase) the award which will be paid. The Compensation
Committee must certify the achievement of performance goals
before awards will be paid. The 2006 plan provides that
restricted employees who are granted an annual incentive award
must be employed at the time of payment, although awards will be
prorated if a change in control occurs during the year or if the
restricted employees employment is terminated due to
retirement.
Performance Goals. Performance goals may be described
either in terms of Company-wide objectives or objectives that
are related to performance of the individual participant or the
division, subsidiary, department, region, function or business
unit in which the participant is employed. The performance goals
applicable to any award to a participant who is a
restricted employee will be based on specified
levels of achievement, growth, or improvement in one or more of
the following business criteria: (1) the price of our
securities; (2) revenue; (3) book value per share;
(4) return on equity, assets, capital or investment;
(5) economic value added; (6) total shareholder
return; (7) operating performance; (8) strategic
initiatives; (9) earnings margin or earnings per share;
(10) cash flow; and (11) operating profit after
amortization. For purposes of using earnings as a business
criteria, they may be calculated as net, gross, operating,
pre-tax, before interest and taxes, or before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization. Restricted employees
are generally covered employees within the meaning
of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, unless the
Compensation Committee specifically provides at the time of any
grant that such participant will not be considered a restricted
employee. The performance goals applicable to any award to a
participant who is not a restricted employee may include any
other management objectives designated by the Compensation
Committee. The Compensation Committee must certify the
achievement of performance goals with respect to awards made to
restricted employees, in order for the award to be earned.
If the Compensation Committee determines that a change in our
business, operations, corporate structure or capital structure,
or the manner in which we conduct our business, or other events
or circumstances render the business criteria unsuitable, the
Compensation Committee may modify the business criteria or the
related minimum acceptable level of achievement, in whole or in
part, as the Compensation Committee deems appropriate and
equitable, except in the case of a restricted employee where
such an action would be the only factor which would result in
the loss of the otherwise available exemption of the award under
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.
29
Awards to Non-Employee Officers or Directors. The
Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, authorize the
grant of option rights or the grant or sale of restricted shares
or share equivalent units to officers or directors of
ChoicePoint who are not employees of ChoicePoint or its
subsidiaries. Each such grant or sale will be upon terms and
conditions consistent with those described above for employees.
Foreign Employees and Providers of Services. The
Compensation Committee may provide for special terms for awards
to participants who are foreign nationals or who are employed
by, or provide services to, ChoicePoint or any of its
subsidiaries outside of the United States of America as the
Compensation Committee may consider necessary or appropriate to
accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom. The
Compensation Committee may approve supplements, amendments,
restatements or versions of the 2006 plan as it deems necessary
for such purposes so long as such supplements, restatements and
versions are consistent with the 2006 plan. The 2006 plan
includes provisions applicable to awards with respect to
residents of the United Kingdom.
Transferability. Except as described below, no award
under the 2006 plan is transferable by a participant other than
by designation of a beneficiary or by will or the laws of
descent and distribution or, during a participants
lifetime, with the consent of ChoicePoints chief financial
officer or its vice president with responsibility for
compensation and benefits. No transfers are permitted in any
event for tangible consideration paid to the participant or a
prior transferee. In any case, unless the Compensation Committee
provides otherwise, such a transfer may only be made to a family
member of the participant or a trust or partnership for a family
member or to a tax-exempt charity. Only the participant, or the
participants guardian or legal representative in the event
of the participants legal incapacity, or a transferee
described above, may exercise option rights or appreciation
rights or other awards during the participants lifetime.
Any transferee will be subject to the same terms and conditions
under the 2006 plan as the participant.
Adjustments. The number, kind, and price of shares
covered by outstanding awards are subject to adjustment by the
Compensation Committee in its discretion in the event of stock
combinations, changes in our capital structure, mergers,
spin-offs, partial or complete liquidation, and similar events.
The Compensation Committee may also make or provide for
adjustments in the numbers of shares available under the 2006
plan and available for specific kinds of awards under the 2006
plan as the Compensation Committee may determine appropriate to
reflect such a transaction or event, and said numbers shall be
automatically adjusted in the event of a stock dividend or stock
split.
Change in Control. A definition of change in control is
specifically included in the 2006 plan, the full text of which
is attached to this proxy statement as APPENDIX A.
Generally, a change in control includes the acquisition by a
person of 30% or more of our voting securities, specified
changes in the Board of Directors and specified business
combination transactions and similar events. Awards under the
2006 plan may provide for acceleration of exercisability or
early termination of restrictions in the event of a change in
control.
To the extent an award under the 2006 plan is deemed to be
vested or restrictions lapse, expire or terminate upon a change
in control and the change in control does not meet the
requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code,
payment will be made to the participant at the earliest of
(i) the date of the participants separation from
service (determined in accordance with Section 409A), or,
for certain employees specified in Section 409A, six months
from the date of such separation of service, (ii) the date
otherwise payable under the 2006 plan, if permitted by
Section 409A, and (iii) the participants death.
Withholding Taxes. To the extent that we are required to
withhold federal, state, local or foreign taxes in connection
with any payment made or benefit realized by a participant or
other person under the 2006 plan, and the amounts available to
us for such withholding are insufficient, it will be a condition
to the receipt of the payment or the realization of the benefit
that the participant or the other person make arrangements
satisfactory to us for payment of the balance of taxes required
to be withheld. These arrangements, in the discretion of the
Compensation Committee, may include relinquishment of a portion
of the benefit.
30
Administration and Amendments. The 2006 plan is to be
administered by the Compensation Committee. The Board of
Directors elects the Compensation Committee, which shall consist
of not less than three directors who meet the standards for
independence established by applicable requirements of the
Internal Revenue Code, the SEC and relevant stock exchanges.
Awards are granted at the discretion of the Compensation
Committee and are therefore not yet determinable. The
Compensation Committees interpretation of the 2006 plan
and related agreements and documents is final and conclusive.
The 2006 plan may be amended from time to time by the
Compensation Committee, provided shareholder approval of any
amendment will be obtained when required by the 2006 plan or by
applicable law or the rules of any national securities exchange
upon which our shares of common stock are then traded or quoted.
Termination. No grant under the 2006 plan may be made
more than ten years after the 2006 plan is approved by the
shareholders, but all grants made on or before the tenth
anniversary will continue in effect after that date subject to
the terms of those grants and the 2006 plan. Option rights and
appreciation rights will not continue to be exercisable in any
event beyond seven years from the date of grant.
Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following is a brief summary of the federal income tax
consequences of certain transactions under the 2006 plan based
on federal income tax laws in effect on January 1, 2006.
This summary is not intended to be complete and does not
describe state or local tax consequences.
Non-Qualified Stock Options. In general, (i) no
income will be recognized by an option holder at the time a
non-qualified stock option is granted; (ii) at the time of
exercise of a non-qualified stock option, ordinary income will
be recognized by the option holder in an amount equal to the
difference between the option price paid for the shares and the
fair market value of the shares, if unrestricted; and
(iii) at the time of sale of shares acquired pursuant to
the exercise of a non-qualified stock option, appreciation (or
depreciation) in value of the shares after the date of exercise
will be treated as a capital gain (or capital loss).
Incentive Stock Options. No income generally will be
recognized by an option holder upon the grant or exercise of an
incentive stock option. The exercise of an incentive stock
option, however, may result in alternative minimum tax
liability. If shares of common stock are issued to the option
holder pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option,
and if no disqualifying disposition of those shares is made by
the option holder within two years after the date of grant or
within one year after the transfer of those shares to the option
holder, then upon sale of those shares, any amount realized in
excess of the option price will be taxed to the option holder as
a capital gain and any loss sustained will be a capital loss. If
shares of common stock acquired upon the exercise of an
incentive stock option are disposed of prior to the expiration
of either holding period described above, the option holder
generally will recognize ordinary income in the year of
disposition in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the
fair market value of those shares at the time of exercise, or,
if less, the amount realized on the disposition of those shares
in a sale or exchange, over the option price paid for those
shares.
Appreciation Rights. No income will be recognized by a
participant in connection with the grant of an appreciation
right. When the appreciation right is exercised, the participant
normally will be required to include as taxable ordinary income
in the year of exercise an amount equal to the amount of cash
received and the fair market value of any nonrestricted shares
of common stock received upon exercise.
Restricted Shares. The recipient of restricted shares
generally will be subject to tax at ordinary income rates on the
fair market value of the restricted shares, reduced by any
amount paid by the participant for those restricted shares, at
such time as the shares are no longer subject to forfeiture or
restrictions on grant for purposes of Section 83 of the
Internal Revenue Code. However, a recipient who so elects under
Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code within
30 days of the date of transfer of the shares will have
taxable ordinary income on the date of grant of the shares equal
to the excess of the fair market value of those shares,
determined without regard to the forfeiture restrictions and
restrictions on transfer, over the purchase price, if any, of
those restricted shares. If a Section 83(b) election has
not been made, any dividends received with respect to restricted
shares that are subject to the forfeiture restrictions
31
and restrictions on transfer generally will be treated as
compensation that is taxable as ordinary income to the
participant.
Deferred Shares. No income generally will be recognized
upon the award of deferred shares. The recipient of a deferred
share award generally will be subject to tax at ordinary income
rates on the fair market value of nonrestricted shares of common
stock on the date that those shares are transferred to the
participant under the award, reduced by any amount paid by the
participant for the deferred shares.
Performance Shares and Performance Units. No income
generally will be recognized upon the grant of performance
shares or performance units. Upon payment in respect of the
earn-out of performance shares or performance units, the
recipient generally will be required to include as taxable
ordinary income in the year of receipt an amount equal to the
amount of cash received and the fair market value of any
nonrestricted shares of common stock received.
Share Equivalent Units. No income generally will be
recognized upon the grant of share equivalent units. Upon
distribution of the value of those units, the recipient
generally will be required to include as taxable ordinary income
in the year of receipt an amount equal to the amount of cash
received and the fair market value of any nonrestricted common
shares received.
Annual Incentive Awards. A participant will generally be
taxed as receiving ordinary income in the year of receipt of
cash paid to the recipient based on an annual incentive award.
Tax Consequences to ChoicePoint or its Subsidiaries. To
the extent that a participant recognizes ordinary income in the
circumstances described above, we or the subsidiary for which
the participant performs services will be entitled to a
corresponding deduction provided that, among other things, the
income meets the test of reasonableness, is an ordinary and
necessary business expense, is not an excess parachute
payment within the meaning of Section 280G of the
Internal Revenue Code and is not disallowed by the $1,000,000
limitation on certain executive compensation under
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.
THE CHOICEPOINT BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR APPROVAL OF THE CHOICEPOINT INC. 2006 OMNIBUS
INCENTIVE PLAN.
32
REPORT OF AUDIT COMMITTEE
The Audit Committee oversees the Companys financial
reporting process on behalf of the Board of Directors.
Management has the primary responsibility for the financial
statements and the reporting process including the systems of
internal controls. In fulfilling its oversight responsibilities,
the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the audited financial
statements to be included in the Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 with management. In
addition, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed with
management the assessment of the effectiveness of the
Companys internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2005.
In connection with their audit of the Companys financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 2005, the
Companys independent registered public accountants,
Deloitte & Touche LLP (Deloitte), were
responsible for expressing an opinion on the conformity of the
Companys audited financial statements with generally
accepted accounting principles. In addition, Deloitte was
responsible for expressing an opinion on managements
assessment of the effectiveness of the Companys internal
control over financial reporting and on the effectiveness of the
Companys internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2005.
The Audit Committee discussed with Deloitte the matters required
by Statement of Accounting Standards No. 61, as amended. In
addition, the Audit Committee received from and discussed with
Deloitte the written disclosures and letter from Deloitte
required by the Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1
regarding their independence.
The members of the Audit Committee are independent as required
by the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange and the
independence requirements promulgated by the SEC.
The Companys Board of Directors has approved a written
charter for the Audit Committee. The charter is reviewed
annually and was most recently reviewed and approved on
February 24, 2006.
The Audit Committee discussed with the Companys internal
auditors and independent registered public accountants the
overall scope and plans for their respective audits. The Audit
Committee meets with the internal auditors and independent
registered public accountants to discuss the results of their
examinations, their evaluations of the Companys internal
controls, and the overall quality of the Companys
financial reporting.
In reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above,
the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that
the audited financial statements be included in the Annual
Report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2005 for filing with the SEC. The
Audit Committee and the Board have also approved, subject to
shareholder ratification, the selection of Deloitte as the
Companys independent registered public accountants for the
year ending December 31, 2006.
The Audit Committee has approved a policy prohibiting the
Company from hiring into a senior financial reporting role any
current or former employee of the independent registered public
accountants who was a member of the audit engagement team within
the past year.
|
|
|
Audit Committee |
|
|
JOHN B. MCCOY (Chairman) |
|
JAMES M. DENNY |
|
CHARLES I. STORY |
THE FOREGOING REPORT SHOULD NOT BE DEEMED INCORPORATED BY
REFERENCE BY ANY GENERAL STATEMENT INCORPORATING BY REFERENCE
THIS PROXY STATEMENT INTO ANY FILING UNDER THE ACTS, EXCEPT TO
THE EXTENT THAT CHOICEPOINT SPECIFICALLY INCORPORATES THIS
INFORMATION BY REFERENCE, AND SHALL NOT OTHERWISE BE DEEMED
FILED UNDER SUCH ACTS.
33
PROPOSAL NO. 4 RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT
OF
CHOICEPOINT INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
General
The ChoicePoint Board of Directors has selected
Deloitte & Touche LLP as ChoicePoints independent
registered public accountants for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2006 and recommends that the shareholders vote
for the ratification of such appointment. Notwithstanding the
selection, the Board of Directors, in its discretion, may direct
the appointment of new independent registered public accountants
at any time during the year if the Board of Directors determines
that such a change would be in the best interests of ChoicePoint
and its shareholders. A representative of Deloitte &
Touche LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting, will have an
opportunity to make a statement if he or she desires to do so
and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
THE CHOICEPOINT BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP AS CHOICEPOINTS INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING
DECEMBER 31, 2006.
AUDIT FEES AND OTHER FEES
During fiscal years 2004 and 2005, ChoicePoint retained
Deloitte & Touche LLP to provide services in the
following categories and amounts:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Audit Fees(1)
|
|
$ |
504,330 |
|
|
$ |
687,000 |
|
Audit-Related Fees(2)
|
|
$ |
137,000 |
|
|
$ |
92,900 |
|
Tax Fees(3)
|
|
$ |
0 |
|
|
$ |
0 |
|
Sarbanes-Oxley 404 Fees(4)
|
|
$ |
1,337,300 |
|
|
$ |
1,064,000 |
|
All Other Fees(5)
|
|
$ |
0 |
|
|
$ |
0 |
|
|
|
(1) |
Audit fees include audit of the annual financial statements and
quarterly reviews. |
|
(2) |
2005 and 2004 audit-related fees include agreed-upon procedures
reports, acquisitions and accounting consultations. The 2004
audit-related fees also include benefit plan audits and other
audit services. |
|
(3) |
No tax services were provided by Deloitte & Touche LLP
for fiscal 2004 or 2005. |
|
(4) |
Fees related to the audit of managements assessment of the
Companys internal control over financial reporting. The
actual amount of these fees has not been determined. |
|
(5) |
No other services were provided by Deloitte & Touche
LLP for fiscal 2004 or 2005. |
Pursuant to its charter, the Audit Committee must pre-approve
all audit and non-audit services to be performed by the
independent registered public accountants. Commencing in 2002,
as a matter of corporate policy, the Companys independent
registered public accountants will not perform any services
other than audit and audit-related services.
OTHER MATTERS
ChoicePoint Shareholder Proposals
Any shareholder proposal, including nominations for candidates
for election as directors, intended for inclusion in the proxy
statement for ChoicePoints 2007 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders must be received by ChoicePoint at its principal
executive offices on or before November 27, 2006. In
accordance with ChoicePoints bylaws, any shareholder
proposal submitted for consideration at next years annual
meeting and any shareholder director nomination (even if not
submitted for inclusion in the proxy statement) must
34
be received by ChoicePoint at its principal executive offices on
or before November 27, 2006 and must comply with the
written notice requirements specified in ChoicePoints
bylaws or such proposal or nomination will be considered out of
order and will not be acted upon at ChoicePoints 2007
Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
During 2005, Mr. Langone, a director of ChoicePoint, served
as a director of The Home Depot, Inc. In 2005, the Company
performed services for The Home Depot, Inc. through the Business
Services segment totaling approximately $21.5 million
($20.3 million net of pass-through expenses). These
services were the result of arms-length negotiations in
the ordinary course of business.
Until April 2005, Mr. Langone served as a director of
General Electric Company. During 2005, the Company performed
business outsourcing, software solutions, marketing services,
public records and background screening services for General
Electric Company and its subsidiaries through the Marketing
Services, Insurance Services and Business Services segments
totaling approximately $12.5 million. These services were
the result of arms-length negotiations in the ordinary
course of business.
Mr. Thomas M. Coughlin, a former director of ChoicePoint,
served as Vice Chairman of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. until his
retirement in January 2005 and as a director of Wal-Mart until
March 2005. In 2005, the Company performed services for Wal-Mart
through the Business Services segment totaling approximately
$2.8 million. These services were the result of
arms-length negotiations in the ordinary course of
business. Mr. Coughlin resigned from the ChoicePoint Board
of Directors in October 2005.
ChoicePoint Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting
Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and the regulations of
the SEC require ChoicePoints executive officers, directors
and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of the
ChoicePoint common stock to file initial reports of ownership
and changes in ownership of the ChoicePoint common stock with
the SEC and the NYSE. Executive officers, directors and
ChoicePoint 10% shareholders are required by the regulations of
the SEC to furnish ChoicePoint with copies of all reports that
they file pursuant to Section 16(a). In addition,
Item 405 of
Regulation S-K
requires ChoicePoint to identify in its Proxy Statement each
reporting person that failed to file on a timely basis reports
required by Section 16(a) during the most recent fiscal
year or prior fiscal years. To ChoicePoints knowledge,
based upon a review of the copies of such forms furnished to
ChoicePoint and written representations from ChoicePoints
executive officers and directors, all filing requirements
applicable to ChoicePoints executive officers, directors
and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of the
ChoicePoint common stock complied with the applicable reporting
requirements for 2005, except for Jeffrey J. Glazer, whose
initial statement of beneficial ownership of securities was
inadvertently filed late.
Annual Report to Shareholders/ Annual Report on
Form 10-K
The Annual Report to Shareholders of ChoicePoint Inc. for the
year ended December 31, 2005, including audited financial
statements, accompanies this proxy statement. The Annual Report
does not form any part of the material for the solicitation of
proxies. Additionally, ChoicePoint files an Annual Report on
Form 10-K with the
SEC. A COPY OF CHOICEPOINTS MOST RECENT
FORM 10-K WILL BE
FURNISHED WITHOUT CHARGE TO ANY SHAREHOLDER WHO MAKES WRITTEN
REQUEST TO THE OFFICE OF THE CORPORATE SECRETARY, CHOICEPOINT
INC., 1000 ALDERMAN DRIVE, ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA 30005.
Other Matters at the Annual Meeting
ChoicePoint is unaware of any matter to be presented at the
ChoicePoint annual meeting other than as described in this proxy
statement. If other matters are properly presented at the Annual
Meeting, the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy will
have authority to vote all properly executed proxies in
35
accordance with their judgment on any such matter, including,
without limitation, any proposal to adjourn or postpone the
Annual Meeting.
Expenses of Solicitation
ChoicePoint has retained Morrow & Co., Inc. to aid in
the solicitation of proxies. ChoicePoint estimates the cost of
these services to be approximately $7,000, plus
out-of-pocket expenses.
The cost of soliciting proxies will be borne by ChoicePoint.
Proxies may be solicited by personal interview, mail or
telephone. In addition, ChoicePoint may reimburse brokerage
firms and other persons representing beneficial owners of shares
of ChoicePoint common stock for their expenses in forwarding
solicitation materials to beneficial owners. Proxies may also be
solicited by ChoicePoints executive officers, directors
and regular employees, without additional compensation,
personally or by telephone or facsimile transmission.
|
|
|
By Order of the Board of Directors, |
|
|
|
|
|
David W. Davis
|
|
Corporate Secretary |
Alpharetta, Georgia
March 27, 2006
36
APPENDIX A
CHOICEPOINT INC.
2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan
1. Purpose. The purpose of the 2006 Omnibus
Incentive Plan (the Plan) is to attract and retain
directors, officers and key employees for ChoicePoint Inc. (the
Corporation) and its Subsidiaries and to provide to
such persons incentives and rewards for superior performance.
The Plan contains provisions for both annual incentives, which
will generally be paid in cash, and long-term incentives, which
may be represented by equity interests in the Corporation and/or
cash.
2. Definitions. As used in this Plan,
Annual Meeting means the annual meeting of
shareholders of the Corporation.
Annual Incentive Award means the cash award
described in Sections 16 through 19 of this Plan.
Appreciation Right means a right granted pursuant to
Section 5 of this Plan, including a Free-standing
Appreciation Right or a Tandem Appreciation Right.
Base Compensation means the aggregate payments made
on a biweekly basis during the Plan Year at the base rate of pay
applicable to a Participant for the payroll period in question,
but not including bonuses, commissions or other similar amounts,
nor any benefit plan contributions, nor any such compensation
received during, or as a consequence of, an approved leave of
absence. Base Compensation shall include any such base rate
compensation the receipt of which may have been deferred by the
Participants election. Base Compensation shall only
include said amounts paid (or deferred) during the portion of a
Plan Year in which a person is a Participant.
Base Price means the price to be used as the basis
for determining the Spread upon the exercise of a Free-standing
Appreciation Right.
Board means the Board of Directors of the
Corporation.
Business Criteria means the criteria established
pursuant to this Plan for Participants who have received grants
pursuant to this Plan, with respect to grants which are paid
either in Common Shares or in cash, where those grants are
conditioned by their terms upon satisfaction of Performance
Goals in relation to said criteria. Business Criteria may be
described in terms of Corporation-wide objectives or objectives
that are related to the performance of the individual
Participant or of the Subsidiary, business unit, division,
department, region or function within the Corporation or
Subsidiary in which the Participant is employed. The Performance
Goals relating to the Business Criteria may be made relative to
the performance of other corporations. The Performance Goals
applicable to an award to a Restricted Employee shall be based
on specified levels of achievement, growth or improvement with
respect to one or more of the following Business Criteria:
|
|
|
(1) Earnings (Gross, Operating, Pre-Tax, Before Interest
and Taxes (EBIT), Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and
Amortization (EBITDA), Net) |
|
|
|
(2) Cash Flow (Operating, Free, Net) |
|
|
(3) Revenue |
|
|
(4) Economic Value Added (EVA) |
|
|
(5) Total Shareholder Return |
A-1
|
|
|
a) Equity (Beginning, Ending, Average) |
|
|
b) Assets (Beginning, Ending, Average, Net, Employed) |
|
|
c) Capital (Beginning, Ending, Average) |
|
|
d) Investment (Beginning, Ending, Average) |
|
|
|
(7) Price of Any Security of the Corporation |
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(8) Book Value per Share |
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(9) Operating Performance |
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(10) Strategic Initiatives |
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(11) Operating Profit After Amortization (OPAA) |
If the Committee determines that a change in the business,
operations, corporate structure or capital structure of the
Corporation, or the manner in which it conducts its business, or
other events or circumstances render the Business Criteria
unsuitable, the Committee may in its discretion modify such
Business Criteria, in whole or in part, as the Committee deems
appropriate and equitable, except in the case of a Restricted
Employee where such action would be the only factor which would
result in the loss of the otherwise available exemption of the
award under Section 162(m) of the Code. In such case, the
Committee shall not make any modification of the Business
Criteria as to the Restricted Employee.
Change in Control shall have the meaning provided in
Section 14 of this Plan.
Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended from time to time.
Committee means the committee (or a subcommittee)
described in Section 24 of this Plan.
Common Shares means shares of common stock,
$.10 par value per share, of the Corporation or any
security into which such Common Shares may be changed by reason
of any transaction or event of the type referred to in
Section 13 of this Plan.
Date of Grant means the date specified by the
Committee on which a grant of Option Rights, Appreciation
Rights, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Share
Equivalent Units or a grant or sale of Restricted Shares or
Deferred Shares shall become effective.
Deferral Period means the period of time during
which Deferred Shares are subject to deferral limitations under
Section 7 of this Plan.
Deferred Shares means an award made pursuant to
Section 7 of this Plan of the right to receive Common
Shares at the end of a specified Deferral Period.
Designated Subsidiary means a Subsidiary that is
(i) not a corporation or (ii) a corporation in which
at the time the Corporation owns or controls, directly or
indirectly, less than 80 percent of the total combined
voting power represented by all classes of stock issued by such
corporation, as referenced in Section 21 below.
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, as
such law, rules and regulations may be amended from time to time.
Family Member means a Participants children,
stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, grandparents,
spouses, siblings (including half-brothers and sisters), nieces,
nephews and in-laws.
Free-standing Appreciation Right means an
Appreciation Right granted pursuant to Section 5 of this
Plan that is not granted in tandem with an Option Right or
similar right.
Incentive Stock Options means Option Rights that are
intended to qualify as incentive stock options under
Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision.
A-2
Market Value per Share means, as of any particular
date, the closing price of the Common Shares on a national stock
exchange on said date, or if said date is not a business date,
the immediately preceding business date.
Non-Employee Officer or Director means an officer or
director of the Corporation who is not an employee of the
Corporation or any Subsidiary.
Optionee means the optionee named in an agreement
evidencing an outstanding Option Right.
Option Price means the purchase price payable on
exercise of an Option Right.
Option Right means the right to purchase Common
Shares upon exercise of an option granted pursuant to
Section 4 or Section 10 of this Plan.
Participant means a person who is selected by the
Committee to receive benefits under this Plan and who is at the
time an officer, or other key employee of the Corporation or any
one or more of its Subsidiaries, or who has agreed to commence
serving in any of such capacities within 90 days of the
Date of Grant, and shall also include each Non-Employee Officer
or Director who receives an award pursuant to Section 10 of
this Plan, or any other person, whether or not an employee,
Director or officer, who renders significant services as a
consultant or otherwise, in the discretion of the Committee.
This definition may only be expanded with the approval of the
shareholders of the Corporation.
Performance Goal means the level of achievement,
growth or improvement with respect to one or more Business
Criteria, or with respect to an award or grant to an individual
who is not subject to the restrictions of this Plan applicable
to Restricted Employees, any other management objectives
designated by the Committee, which must be met to earn a stated
award or grant hereunder within a stated Performance Period. Any
such determination made by the Committee shall include a minimum
acceptable level of achievement, below which no award will be
paid, and a maximum level above a Performance Goal which may
result in incremental additional payment, and a formula for
determining the amount of payment if performance falls between
said minimums and maximums. If the Committee determines that a
change in the business, operations, corporate structure or
capital structure of the Corporation, or the manner in which it
conducts its business, or other events or circumstances render a
Performance Goal unsuitable, the Committee may in its discretion
modify such Performance Goal or the related minimum acceptable
level of achievement, or maximum level for which incremental
benefits will be paid, in whole or in part, as the Committee
deems appropriate and equitable, except in the case of a
Restricted Employee where such action would result in the loss
of the otherwise available exemption of the award under
Section 162(m) of the Code. In such case, the Committee
shall not make any modification of the Performance Goals as to
the Restricted Employee. The satisfaction of a Performance Goal
applicable to any award to a Restricted Employee must be
certified by the Committee in each case.
Performance Period means, with respect to
Performance Goals, the period of time within which the relevant
performance is to be measured, which shall not be less than one
year, except in the event of certain occurrences, including but
not limited to retirement or Change in Control, provided
elsewhere in the Plan.
Performance Share means a bookkeeping entry that
records the equivalent of one Common Share awarded pursuant to
Section 8 of this Plan.
Performance Unit means a bookkeeping entry that
records a unit equivalent to $100.00 awarded pursuant to
Section 8 of this Plan.
Plan Year means the Corporations fiscal year.
Restricted Employee means a Participant who is, or
is determined by the Committee to be likely to become, a
covered employee within the meaning of
Section 162(m) of the Code (or any successor provision).
The Committee may, however, specifically provide at the time of
granting an award or grant under this Plan that such a person is
not to be considered a Restricted Employee for these purposes.
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Restricted Shares means Common Shares granted or
sold pursuant to Section 6 or Section 10 of this Plan
as to which neither the substantial risk of forfeiture nor the
prohibition on transfers referred to in such Section 6 or
Section 10 has expired.
Retirement means termination of employment after the
attainment of a minimum age of 50 and completion of that number
of years service with the Corporation or a Subsidiary which,
when added to the Participants age at said time, equals at
least 75; unless the Committee provides differently in a
specific grant or award. With respect to Non-Employee Officers
and Directors, Retirement shall mean cessation of
service after the sixth anniversary of commencement of service
in said capacity.
Rule 16b-3
means Rule 16b-3
of the Securities and Exchange Commission (or any successor rule
to the same effect) as in effect from time to time.
Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, as such law,
rules and regulations may be amended from time to time.
Share Equivalent Unit means a bookkeeping unit,
described in Section 9 or Section 10 of this Plan the
value of which at the time of grant is equal to the Market Value
per Share of a Common Share.
Spread means the excess of the Market Value per
Share of the Common Shares (i) on the date when an
Appreciation Right is exercised, over the Market Value per Share
as of the date the Appreciation Right is granted, or
(ii) on the date when Option Rights are surrendered in
payment of the Option Price of other Option Rights, over the
Option Price provided for in the related Option Right.
Subsidiary means a corporation, company or other
entity (i) more than 50 percent of whose outstanding
shares or securities (representing the right to vote for the
election of directors or other managing authority) are, or
(ii) which does not have outstanding shares or securities
(as may be the case in a partnership, joint venture or
unincorporated association), but more than 50 percent of
whose ownership interest representing the right generally to
make decisions for such other entity is, now or hereafter, owned
or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation except
that for purposes of determining whether any person may be a
Participant for purposes of any grant of Incentive Stock
Options, Subsidiary means any corporation in which
at the time the Corporation owns or controls, directly or
indirectly, more than 50 percent of the total combined
voting power represented by all classes of stock issued by such
corporation.
Tandem Appreciation Right means an Appreciation
Right granted pursuant to Section 5 of this Plan that is
granted in tandem with an Option Right or any similar right
granted under any other plan of the Corporation.
Voting Shares means at any time, the
then-outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the
election of directors of the Corporation.
3. Shares Available Under the Plan.
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(a) Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 13 of
this Plan, the number of Common Shares that may be issued or
transferred to Participants (i) upon the exercise of Option
Rights or Appreciation Rights, (ii) as Restricted Shares
and released from substantial risks of forfeiture thereof,
(iii) as Deferred Shares, (iv) in payment of
Performance Shares or Performance Units that have been earned,
(v) in payment of Share Equivalent Units,
(vi) pursuant to Other Awards specified in Section 11
of this Plan or (vii) in payment of dividend equivalents
paid with respect to awards made under the Plan shall not exceed
in the aggregate 1,500,000 shares of which no more than
200,000 shares in the aggregate shall be granted as
Restricted Shares, or Deferred Shares, or as Performance Shares,
Performance Units, Share Equivalent Units or Other Awards, but
only to the extent distributed in shares. Such shares may be
shares of original issuance or treasury shares or a combination
of the foregoing. Subject to the adjustments provided for in
Section 13 below, the number of Common Shares which may be
issued or transferred to Participants pursuant to the first
sentence of this subsection (a) may only be increased
with the approval of the shareholders of the Corporation. |
A-4
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(b) The number of Common Shares covered by an award granted
under this Plan shall not be counted as used unless and until
they are actually issued and delivered to a Participant, and
therefore the total number of shares available under the Plan as
of a given date shall not be reduced by any shares relating to
prior awards that have expired or have been forfeited or
cancelled. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
upon payment in cash of the benefit provided by any award
granted under this Plan, any Common Shares that were covered by
that award will be available for issue or transfer hereunder.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein:
(i) the number of Common Shares tendered or otherwise used
in payment of the Option Price of an Option Right shall
nonetheless reduce the aggregate plan limit described above;
(ii) the number of Common Shares withheld by the Company to
satisfy the tax withholding obligation shall reduce the
aggregate plan limit described above; and (iii) the number
of Common Shares covered by an Appreciation Right, to the extent
that it is exercised and settled in Common Shares, and whether
or not Common Shares are actually issued to the Participant upon
exercise of the right, shall be considered issued or transferred
pursuant to this Plan. In the event that the Company repurchases
shares with option right proceeds, those shares will not be
added to the aggregate plan limit described above. |
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(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3, or
elsewhere in this Plan, to the contrary, the aggregate number of
Common Shares actually issued or transferred by the Corporation
upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall not exceed
1,500,000 shares, subject to adjustments as provided in
Section 13 of this Plan. |
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(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the
contrary, no Participant shall be granted Option Rights for more
than 750,000 Common Shares during any plan year, subject to
adjustments as provided in Section 13 of this Plan.
Further, in no event shall any Participant in any plan year
receive more than 750,000 Appreciation Rights, subject to
adjustments as provided in Section 13 of this Plan. |
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(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the
contrary, in no event shall any Participant in any Plan Year
receive an award of Performance Shares, Performance Units, Share
Equivalent Units, Deferred Shares or Restricted Shares pursuant
to this Plan having an aggregate maximum value as of their
respective Dates of Grant in excess of $4,000,000, nor shall a
Restricted Employee receive an Annual Incentive Award in any
Plan Year in excess of $4,000,000. |
PROVISIONS RELATING TO LONG-TERM INCENTIVES
(SECTIONS 4-15)
4. Option Rights. The Committee may, from time to
time and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine,
authorize the granting to Participants of options to purchase
Common Shares. Each such grant may utilize any or all of the
authorizations, and shall be subject to all of the requirements,
contained in the following provisions:
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(a) Each grant shall specify the number of Common Shares to
which it pertains subject to the limitations set forth in
Section 3 of this Plan. |
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(b) Each grant shall specify an Option Price per share,
which may be no less than 100 percent of the Market Value
per Share on the Date of Grant. |
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(c) Each grant shall specify whether the Option Price shall
be payable (i) in cash or by check acceptable to the
Corporation, (ii) by the actual or constructive transfer to
the Corporation of nonforfeitable, unrestricted Common Shares
owned by the Optionee (or other consideration authorized
pursuant to subsection (d) below) having a value at
the time of exercise equal to the total Option Price, or
(iii) by a combination of such methods of payment. |
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(d) The Committee may determine, at or after the Date of
Grant, that payment of the Option Price of any option (other
than an Incentive Stock Option) may also be made in whole or in
part in the form of Restricted Shares or other Common Shares
that are forfeitable or subject to restrictions on transfer,
Deferred Shares, Performance Shares (based, in each case, on the
Market Value per |
A-5
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Share on the date of exercise), other Option Rights (based on
the Spread on the date of exercise), Share Equivalent Units or
Performance Units. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee
at or after the Date of Grant, whenever any Option Price is paid
in whole or in part by means of any of the forms of
consideration specified in this paragraph, the Common Shares
received upon the exercise of the Option Rights shall be subject
to such risks of forfeiture or restrictions on transfer as may
correspond to any that apply to the consideration surrendered,
but only to the extent of (i) the number of shares or
Performance Shares, (ii) the Spread of any unexercisable
portion of Option Rights, or (iii) the stated value of
Share Equivalent Units or Performance Units surrendered. |
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(e) To the extent permitted by law, any grant may provide
for deferred payment of the Option Price from the proceeds of
sale through a broker on a date satisfactory to the Corporation
of some or all of the shares to which such exercise relates. |
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(f) No grant may provide for the automatic grant of reload
option rights to an Optionee upon the exercise of Option Rights. |
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(g) No outstanding Option Right may be amended to reduce
the Option Price. Furthermore, no Option Right shall be
cancelled and replaced with awards having a lower Option Price
without further approval of the shareholders of the Corporation.
This Section 4(g) is intended to prohibit the repricing of
underwater Option Rights and shall not be construed
to prohibit the adjustments provided for in Section 13 of
this Plan. |
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(h) Successive grants may be made to the same Participant
whether or not any Option Rights previously granted to such
Participant remain unexercised. |
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(i) Each grant shall specify the period or periods of
continuous service by the Optionee with the Corporation or any
Subsidiary which is necessary before the Option Rights or
installments thereof will become exercisable and may provide for
the earlier exercise of such Option Rights in the event of a
Change in Control, Retirement, death or disability of the
Optionee or other similar transaction or event, or may provide
for the continuation of vesting following the occurrence of any
such transaction or event. |
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(j) In lieu of the period of performance referred to in
subparagraph (i) above, any grant of Option Rights may
specify Performance Goals that must be achieved as a condition
to the exercise of all or a portion of such rights. The grant
may provide for earlier exercise of such Option Rights in the
event of a Change in Control, Retirement, death or disability of
the Optionee or other similar transaction or event during a
Performance Period. |
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(k) Option Rights granted under this Plan may be
(i) options, including, without limitation, Incentive Stock
Options, that are intended to qualify under particular
provisions of the Code, (ii) options that are not intended
so to qualify, or (iii) combinations of the foregoing.
Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Participants who
meet the definition of employees as contained in
Section 3401(c) of the Code. |
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(l) The Committee may, at or after the Date of Grant of any
Option Rights (other than Incentive Stock Options), provide for
the payment of dividend equivalents to the Optionee on either a
current or deferred or contingent basis or may provide that such
equivalents shall be credited against the Option Price. |
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(m) The exercise of an Option Right shall result in the
cancellation on a share-for-share basis of any Tandem
Appreciation Right authorized under Section 5 of this Plan. |
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(n) Each grant shall specify the term of the Option Right;
provided, however, that no Option Right shall be exercisable
more than seven (7) years from the Date of Grant. |
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(o) Each grant of Option Rights shall be evidenced by an
agreement executed on behalf of the Corporation by an officer
and delivered to the Optionee and containing such terms and
provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Committee may
approve. |
A-6
5. Appreciation Rights. The Committee may also
authorize grants to Participants of Appreciation Rights. An
Appreciation Right shall be a right of the Participant to
receive from the Corporation an amount, which shall be
determined by the Committee and shall be expressed as a
percentage (not exceeding 100 percent) of the Spread at the
time of the exercise of such right. Any grant of Appreciation
Rights under this Plan shall be upon such terms and conditions
as the Committee may determine in accordance with the following
provisions:
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(a) Any grant may specify that the amount payable on
exercise of an Appreciation Right may be paid by the Corporation
in cash, in Common Shares or in any combination thereof and may
either grant to the Optionee or retain in the Committee the
right to elect among those alternatives, except that the
distribution to a Participant to whom Section 22(b) applies
shall be made in Common Shares equal in value to the amount
otherwise payable, determined at the time of distribution. |
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(b) Any grant may specify that the amount payable by the
Corporation on exercise of an Appreciation Right may not exceed
a maximum specified by the Committee at the Date of Grant. |
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(c) Any grant may specify waiting periods before exercise
and permissible exercise dates or periods. |
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(d) Any grant may specify that such Appreciation Right may
be exercised only in the event of a Change in Control or other
similar transaction or event. |
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(e) Each grant of Appreciation Rights shall be evidenced by
an agreement executed on behalf of the Corporation by an officer
and delivered to and accepted by the Participant, which
agreement shall describe such Appreciation Rights, identify the
related Option Rights, if any, state that such Appreciation
Rights are subject to all the terms and conditions of this Plan,
and contain such other terms and provisions, consistent with
this Plan, as the Committee may approve. |
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(f) In lieu of the waiting periods referred to in
subparagraph (c) above and (h)(iii) below, any grant
of Appreciation Rights may specify Performance Goals that must
be achieved as a condition of the exercise of all or a portion
of such rights. |
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(g) Regarding Tandem Appreciation Rights only: Each grant
shall provide that a Tandem Appreciation Right may be exercised
only (i) at a time when the related Option Right (or any
similar right granted under any other plan of the Corporation)
is also exercisable and the Spread is positive and (ii) by
surrender of the related Option Right (or such other right) for
cancellation. In addition, a Tandem Appreciation Right awarded
in relation to an Incentive Stock Option must be granted
concurrently with such Incentive Stock Option. |
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(h) Regarding Free-standing Appreciation Rights only: |
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(i) Each grant shall specify in respect of each
Free-standing Appreciation Right a Base Price per Common Share,
which shall be equal to or greater than the Market Value per
Share on the Date of Grant; |
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(ii) Successive grants may be made to the same Participant
regardless of whether any Free-standing Appreciation Rights
previously granted to such Participant remain unexercised; |
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(iii) Each grant shall specify the period or periods of
continuous service by the Participant with the Corporation or
any Subsidiary that is necessary, or the Performance Goals that
must be achieved, before the Free-standing Appreciation Rights
or installments thereof shall become exercisable, and any grant
may provide for the earlier exercise of such rights in the event
of a Change in Control, Retirement, death or disability of the
Participant or other similar transaction or event as approved by
the Committee; and |
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(iv) No Free-standing Appreciation Right granted under this
Plan may be exercised more than seven (7) years from the
Date of Grant. |
A-7
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(i) No outstanding Appreciation Right may be amended to
reduce the Market Value per Share on the Date of Grant.
Furthermore, no Appreciation Right shall be cancelled and
replaced with awards having a lower Market Value per Share on
the Date of Grant without further approval of the shareholders
of the Corporation. This Section 5(i) is intended to
prohibit the repricing of underwater Appreciation
Rights and shall not be construed to prohibit the adjustments
provided for in Section 13 of this Plan. |
6. Restricted Shares. The Committee may also
authorize the grant or sale to Participants of Restricted
Shares. Each such grant or sale may utilize any or all of the
authorizations contained in subparagraphs (b), (e) and
(f), and shall be subject to all of the requirements contained
in subparagraphs (a), (c), (d) and (g) below:
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(a) Each such grant or sale shall constitute an immediate
transfer of the ownership of Common Shares to the Participant in
consideration of the performance of services, entitling such
Participant to voting, dividend and other ownership rights, but
subject to the substantial risk of forfeiture and restrictions
on transfer hereinafter referred to. |
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(b) Each such grant or sale may be made without additional
consideration or in consideration of a payment by such
Participant that is less than Market Value per Share at the Date
of Grant. |
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(c) Each such grant or sale shall provide that the
Restricted Shares covered by such grant or sale shall be subject
to a substantial risk of forfeiture within the
meaning of Section 83 of the Code for a period to be
determined by the Committee at the Date of Grant, or upon
achievement of Performance Goals referred to in
subparagraph (e) below. If the elimination of said
restrictions is based on the passage of time rather than the
achievement of Performance Goals, the period of time shall be no
shorter than three (3) years, except that said restrictions
may be removed no more than once every twelve months commencing
with the Date of Grant, on a ratable basis during the three year
period. Any grant or sale may nonetheless provide for the
earlier termination of such period in the event of a Change in
Control or similar transaction, Retirement, death or disability
of the Participant as approved by the Committee. |
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(d) Each such grant or sale shall provide that during the
period for which such substantial risk of forfeiture is to
continue, the transferability of the Restricted Shares shall be
prohibited or restricted except as permitted in Section 12
below, or as may be prescribed by the Committee at the Date of
Grant (which restrictions may include, without limitation,
rights of repurchase or first refusal in the Corporation or
provisions subjecting the Restricted Shares to a continuing
substantial risk of forfeiture in the hands of any transferee). |
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(e) Any grant of Restricted Shares may specify Performance
Goals which, if achieved, will result in termination or early
termination of the restrictions applicable to all or a portion
of such shares. |
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(f) Any such grant or sale of Restricted Shares may require
that any or all cash dividends or other distributions paid
thereon during the period of such restrictions be automatically
deferred and held in a notional cash account for the Participant
which shall be subject to the same restrictions as the
underlying award, and distributed, when appropriate, in cash,
without interest, or as to Participants to whom
Section 22(b) applies, in Common Shares equal in value to
said cash account at the time of distribution. Any stock
dividends shall be subject to the same restrictions as the
Shares upon which said dividends are declared. |
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(g) Each grant or sale of Restricted Shares shall be
evidenced by an agreement executed on behalf of the Corporation
by any officer and delivered to and accepted by the Participant
and shall contain such terms and provisions, consistent with
this Plan, as the Committee may approve. Unless otherwise
directed by the Committee, all certificates representing
Restricted Shares shall be held in custody by the Corporation
until all restrictions thereon shall have lapsed, together with
a stock power executed by the Participant in whose name such
certificates are registered, endorsed in blank and covering such
Shares. |
A-8
7. Deferred Shares. The Committee may also authorize
the grant or sale of Deferred Shares to Participants. Each such
grant or sale may utilize any or all of the authorizations
contained in subparagraph (b), and shall be subject to all
of the requirements contained in subparagraphs (a), (c),
(d) and (e) below:
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(a) Each such grant or sale shall constitute the agreement
by the Corporation to deliver Common Shares to the Participant
in the future in consideration of the performance of services,
but subject to the fulfillment of such conditions during the
Deferral Period as the Committee may specify. |
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(b) Each such grant or sale may be made without additional
consideration or in consideration of a payment by such
Participant that is less than the Market Value per Share at the
Date of Grant. |
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(c) Each such grant or sale shall be subject, except (if
the Committee shall so determine) in the event of a Change in
Control or other similar transaction or event, Retirement, death
or disability, to a Deferral Period of not less than three
(3) years, except that a grant may provide that the
Deferral Period will expire ratably during said three-year
period, no more than once every twelve months commencing with
the Date of Grant, as determined by the Committee at the Date of
Grant. |
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(d) During the Deferral Period, the Participant shall have
no right to transfer any rights under his or her award except to
the extent provided in Section 12 below and shall have no
rights of ownership in the Deferred Shares and shall have no
right to vote them, but the Committee may, at or after the Date
of Grant, authorize the payment of dividend equivalents on such
Shares on either a current or deferred or contingent basis,
either in cash or in additional Common Shares, except that, as
to Participants to whom Section 22(b) applies, in Common
Shares equal in value to said cash account at the time of
distribution. |
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(e) Each grant or sale of Deferred Shares shall be
evidenced by an agreement executed on behalf of the Corporation
by any officer and delivered to and accepted by the Participant
and shall contain such terms and provisions, consistent with
this Plan, as the Committee may approve. |
8. Performance Shares or Performance Units. The
Committee may also authorize the grant of Performance Shares or
Performance Units that will become payable to a Participant upon
achievement of specified Performance Goals. Each such grant may
utilize any or all of the authorizations contained in
subparagraphs (f), (g) and (i), and shall be subject
to all of the requirements contained in subparagraphs (a),
(b), (c), (d), (e) and (h) below:
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(a) Each grant shall specify the number of Performance
Shares or Performance Units to which it pertains. |
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(b) The Performance Period with respect to each Performance
Share or Performance Unit shall be such period of time not less
than 1 year, (except in the event of a Change in Control or
other similar transaction or event, Retirement, death or
disability of the Participant, if the Committee shall so
determine) commencing with the Date of Grant and ending on the
last date of the Performance Period (as shall be determined by
the Committee at the time of grant). |
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(c) Any grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units
shall specify Performance Goals which, if achieved, will result
in payment or early payment of all or a portion of the award. |
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(d) Each grant shall specify a minimum acceptable level of
achievement in respect of the specified Performance Goals below
which no payment will be made. |
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(e) Each grant shall specify the time and manner of payment
of Performance Shares or Performance Units which have been
earned. Any grant may specify that the amount payable with
respect thereto may be paid by the Corporation in cash, in
Common Shares or in any combination thereof and may either grant
to the Participant or retain in the Committee the right to elect
among those alternatives, except that, as to Participants to
whom Section 22(b) applies, said payment shall be made in
Common Shares. |
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(f) Any grant of Performance Shares may specify that the
amount payable with respect thereto may not exceed a maximum
specified by the Committee at the Date of Grant. Any grant of
Performance Units may specify that the amount payable or the
number of Common Shares issued with respect thereto may not
exceed maximums specified by the Committee at the Date of Grant. |
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(g) The Committee may, at or after the Date of Grant of
Performance Shares, provide for the payment of dividend
equivalents to the holder thereof which shall be subject to the
same Performance Goals, and if declared in cash, shall be held
in a notional cash account to be distributed where appropriate,
in cash without interest, or as to Participants to whom
Section 22(b) applies, in Common Shares equal in value to
said cash account at the time of distribution. |
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(h) Each grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units
shall be evidenced by an agreement executed on behalf of the
Corporation by any officer and delivered to and accepted by the
Participant, which agreement shall state that such Performance
Shares or Performance Units are subject to all the terms and
conditions of this Plan, and contain such other terms and
provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Committee may
approve. |
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(i) Any grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units
may provide for appropriate adjustments to Performance Goals and
awards or deemed achievement thereof, in the event of a Change
in Control, Retirement, death or disability of the Participant,
or other similar transaction or event during the Performance
Period; provided, however, that any such adjustments shall be
subject to the definition of Performance Goals contained in
Section 2 of this Plan as to any Restricted Employee. |
9. Share Equivalent Units. The Committee may also
authorize the grant of Share Equivalent Units to a Participant
hereunder, subject to the following terms and conditions:
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(a) Each grant shall specify the number of Share Equivalent
Units to which it pertains. |
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(b) Share Equivalent Units allocated to a Participant shall
be credited to a ledger account established and maintained for
such Participant on the books and records of the Corporation.
Such ledger account, including units credited thereto, shall be
bookkeeping entries only and shall not require the Corporation
to segregate or otherwise earmark or reserve assets. No Common
Shares shall be issued or issuable at the time units are
credited to a ledger account established hereunder. |
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During any period in which Share Equivalent Units are credited
to a ledger account, the Committee may provide (i) that an
amount equal to the dividends payable with respect to Common
Shares represented by units credited to such account shall be
credited as of each dividend payment date, and/or (ii) that
any stock dividend, stock split or other recapitalization shall
be reflected in the credits made to such ledger account. Any
such ledger account shall be subject to the same restrictions as
the Share Equivalent Units. |
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(c) Share Equivalent Units allocated to a Participant shall
be distributable in accordance with the terms and conditions
imposed by the Committee. When any such unit is or becomes
distributable, the affected Participant shall be entitled to
receive a distribution from the Corporation in such form, which
may include Common Shares, with or without legends, Restricted
Stock, cash or a combination thereof, as the Committee shall
determine, except that as to Participants to whom
Section 22(b) applies, said distribution must be in Common
Shares. |
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(d) The allocation of Share Equivalent Units to a ledger
account shall not entitle a Participant to exercise the rights
of a stockholder of the Corporation until the issuance of Common
Shares with respect to such allocation. |
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(e) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, if a
Participant severs his or her employment, or ceases to serve as
a Non-Employee Officer or Director with the Corporation and all
Subsidiaries with Share Equivalent Units credited to his or her
ledger account, the Participant shall forfeit all rights to said
Share Equivalent Units, subject to the provisions of
Section 15(b) below. |
A-10
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(f) The Committee may provide that a grant of Share
Equivalent Units shall specify Performance Goals which, if
achieved, will result in payment or early payment of the award. |
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(g) Each grant may provide that, in the event of a Change
in Control or other similar transaction or event prior to
satisfaction of the conditions for distribution of such Share
Equivalent Awards, said conditions shall be deemed partially or
fully satisfied. |
10. Awards to Non-Employee Officers or Directors.
The Committee may also grant Restricted Shares, Option Rights
and Share Equivalent Units to Non-Employee Officers or Directors.
Each such grant shall be evidenced by an agreement executed on
behalf of the Corporation by an officer and delivered to the
grantee and shall contain such terms and provisions, consistent
with the provisions of this Plan relevant to the type of grant
or award made, as the Committee may approve.
11. Other Awards. The Committee shall have the
authority to specify the terms and provisions of other
equity-based or equity-related awards not described above
(Other Awards) which the Committee determines to be
consistent with the purpose of the Plan and the interests of the
Corporation, which awards may provide for the acquisition or
future acquisition of Common Shares by Participants, and in the
case of Participants to whom Section 22(b) applies, said
awards shall be made only in Common Shares.
12. Transferability.
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(a) No Option Right, Appreciation Right or other derivative
security (which shall not include incentive stock options or any
right to cash or to units which are not equity interests which
shall not in any event be transferable) granted under the Plan
shall be transferable by a Participant other than (i) to a
Family Member, (ii) to a trust for the sole benefit of
Family Members, (iii) to a family partnership for the sole
benefit of Family Members, or (iv) to an entity which is
exempt from federal income taxes pursuant to
Section 501(c)(3) of the Code; provided, however, that said
transfer shall be made (A) by execution and delivery of a
Beneficiary Designation Form provided by the Company, or if
none, by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or
(B) if inter vivos, only upon the written approval of the
Corporations Chief Financial Officer or Vice President
with responsibility for compensation and benefits. Except as
otherwise determined by the Committee, Option Rights,
Appreciation Rights, and other awards shall be exercisable
during the Optionees lifetime only by him or her or by his
or her guardian or legal representative, or by the person or
entity to whom a transfer has been permitted pursuant to the
preceding sentence. No transfers shall be permitted in any event
for tangible consideration paid to the Participant or prior
transferee. |
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(b) The Committee may specify at the Date of Grant that
part or all of the Common Shares that are (i) to be issued
or transferred by the Corporation upon the exercise of Option
Rights or Appreciation Rights, upon the termination of the
Deferral Period applicable to Deferred Shares or upon payment
under any grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units or
Share Equivalent Units or (ii) no longer subject to the
substantial risk of forfeiture and restrictions on transfer
referred to in Section 6 of this Plan, shall be subject to
further restrictions on transfer. |
13. Adjustments. The Committee may make or provide
for such adjustments in the numbers of Common Shares covered by
outstanding Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Deferred Shares,
Performance Shares, Share Equivalent Units and Other Awards
granted hereunder, in the prices per share applicable to such
awards and in the kind of shares covered thereby, as the
Committee, in its sole discretion, exercised in good faith, may
determine is equitably required to prevent dilution or
enlargement of the rights of Participants or Optionees that
otherwise would result from (a) any combination of shares,
recapitalization or other change in the capital structure of the
Corporation, or (b) any merger, consolidation, spin-off,
split-off, spin-out, split-up, reorganization, partial or
complete liquidation or other distribution of assets, issuance
of rights or warrants to purchase securities, or (c) any
other corporate transaction or event having an effect similar to
any of the foregoing. Similar adjustments shall be made
automatically, on a purely mathematical basis, in the event of a
stock dividend or stock split. Moreover, in the event of any
such transaction or event, the Committee, in its discretion, may
provide in substitution for any or all outstanding awards under
this Plan such alternative consideration as it, in good faith,
may
A-11
determine to be equitable in the circumstances and may require
in connection therewith the surrender of all awards so replaced.
The Committee may also make or provide for such adjustments in
the numbers of shares specified in Section 3 of this Plan
as the Committee in its sole discretion, exercised in good
faith, may determine is appropriate to reflect any transaction
or event described in this Section 13. A similar adjustment
shall be made automatically to the number of shares specified in
Section 3 of this Plan in the event of a stock dividend or
stock split.
14. Change in Control. For purposes of this Plan, a
Change in Control shall mean if at any time any of
the following events shall have occurred:
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(a) The Corporation is merged or consolidated or
reorganized into or with another corporation or other legal
person, and as a result of such merger, consolidation or
reorganization less than a majority of the combined voting power
of the then-outstanding securities of such corporation or person
immediately after such transaction is held in the aggregate by
the holders of Voting Shares immediately prior to such
transaction; |
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(b) The Corporation sells or otherwise transfers all or
substantially all of its assets to any other corporation or
other legal person, and as a result of such sale or transfer,
less than a majority of the combined voting power of the
then-outstanding securities of such corporation or person
immediately after such sale or transfer is held in the aggregate
by the holders of Voting Shares immediately prior to such sale
or transfer; |
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(c) There is a report filed on Schedule 13D or
Schedule 14D-1 (or any successor schedule, form or report),
each as promulgated pursuant to the Exchange Act, disclosing
that any person (as the term person is used in
Section 12(d)(3) or Section 13(d)(2) of the Exchange
Act) has become the beneficial owner (as the term
beneficial owner is defined under
Rule 13d-3 or any
successor rule or regulation promulgated under the Exchange Act)
of securities representing 30% or more of the Voting Shares; |
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(d) The Corporation files a report or proxy statement with
the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange
Act disclosing in response to
Form 8-K or
Schedule 14A (or any successor schedule, form or report or
item therein) that a change in control of the Corporation has or
may have occurred or will or may occur in the future pursuant to
any then-existing contract or transaction; or |
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(e) If during any period of two consecutive years,
individuals who at the beginning of any such period constitute
the Directors of the Corporation cease for any reason to
constitute at least a majority thereof, unless the election, or
the nomination for election by the Corporations
shareholders, of each Director of the Corporation first elected
during such period was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds
of the Directors of the Corporation then still in office who
were Directors of the Corporation at the beginning of any such
period. |
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(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of
Section 13(c) and (d) above, a Change in
Control shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes
of this Plan (i) solely because (A) the Corporation,
(B) a Subsidiary, (C) any Corporation-sponsored
employee stock ownership plan or other employee benefit plan of
the Corporation or (D) any employee of the Corporation or a
Subsidiary, either files or becomes obligated to file a report
or proxy statement under or in response to Schedule 13D,
Schedule 14D-1,
Form 8-K or
Schedule 14A (or any successor schedule, form or report or
item therein) under the Exchange Act, disclosing beneficial
ownership by it of shares of Voting Shares, whether in excess of
30% or otherwise, or because the Corporation reports that a
change of control of the Corporation has or may have occurred or
will or may occur in the future by reason of such beneficial
ownership or (ii) solely because of a change in control of
any Subsidiary. |
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(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Section 14, if prior to any event described in
paragraphs (a), (b), (c) or (d) of this
Section 14 instituted by any person who is not an officer
or director of the Corporation, or prior to any disclosed
proposal instituted by any person who is not an officer or
director of the Corporation which could lead to any such event,
management or the Board |
A-12
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proposes any restructuring of the Corporation which ultimately
leads to an event described in paragraphs (a), (b),
(c) or (d) of this Section 14 pursuant to such
management or Board proposal, then a Change in
Control shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes
of this Plan. |
15. Other Provisions Applicable to Long-Term
Incentives.
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(a) The Corporation shall not be required to issue any
fractional Common Shares pursuant to this Plan. The Committee
may provide for the elimination of fractions or for the
settlement of fractions in cash based on Market Value per Share
on the date of settlement. |
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(b) Any grant or award issued pursuant to Sections 4
through 11 above may provide that, in case of termination of
employment or service by reason of death, disability or
Retirement, or in the case of hardship or other special
circumstances, of a Participant who holds an Option Right or
Appreciation Right not immediately exercisable in full, or any
Restricted Shares as to which the substantial risk of forfeiture
or the prohibition or restriction on transfer has not lapsed, or
any Deferred Shares as to which the Deferral Period has not been
completed, or any Performance Shares or Performance Units, or
Share Equivalent Units which have not been fully earned, or who
holds Common Shares subject to any transfer restriction imposed
pursuant to Section 12(b) of this Plan, the time at which
such Option Right or Appreciation Right may be exercised or the
time at which such substantial risk of forfeiture or prohibition
or restriction on transfer will lapse or the time when such
Deferral Period will end or the time at which such Performance
Shares or Performance Units or Share Equivalent Units will be
deemed to have been fully earned or the time when such transfer
restriction will terminate may be accelerated, or in lieu of
such a provision, that the Committee may provide for such
acceleration after the fact, in its discretion, or that any
other limitation or requirement under any such award may be
waived; provided, however, that any such action by the Committee
with respect to the restriction period otherwise applicable to
Option Rights will only be effective after approval of the Board
in each case. |
PROVISIONS RELATING TO ANNUAL INCENTIVE AWARDS
(SECTIONS 16-19)
16. Participants. The Restricted Employees of the
Company and/or its Subsidiaries may also participate in the
Companys annual incentive compensation plan as the same
exists from time to time (the Annual Incentive Award
program). To the extent that they so participate, the Restricted
Employees shall be subject to the provisions of these
Sections 16 through 19. Any Restricted Employee whose
active employment commences after the first day of a Plan Year
will be eligible to earn an Annual Incentive Award which is
based on Base Compensation earned during active employment in
said Plan Year.
17. Calculation of Annual Incentive Award.
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(a) Each Restricted Employee who is entitled to receive an
Annual Incentive Award for a Plan Year pursuant to
Section 16 shall receive a cash payment after the end of
said Plan Year which is a percentage of his or her Base
Compensation determined by the degree of achievement of the
Performance Goals established by the Committee and communicated
to the Restricted Employee within the first ninety
(90) days of the Plan Year. The determination of the level
of said achievement will be certified by the Committee prior to
the distribution of any Award, and will be final. The
Performance Goals will relate to one or more Business Criteria. |
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(b) The Committee will assign varying weights to the
achievement of multiple Performance Goals where applicable,
which, with the Performance Goals themselves shall be intended
to reflect the role, responsibility, impact and organizational
relationships of each Restricted Employee. |
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(c) The Committee may determine, in its sole discretion
that notwithstanding the achievement of stated Performance
Goals, the amount of any Annual Incentive Award may be reduced
(but not increased). |
A-13
18. Payment of Annual Incentive Award. The Annual
Incentive Award shall be paid to all Restricted Employees no
later than 75 days after the close of the Plan Year, in
cash, unless the Restricted Employee has made a valid election
to defer said award pursuant to the terms of any applicable
deferred compensation plan maintained by the Corporation.
Payment shall be made from the Corporations general
assets; no trust fund shall be established for purposes of
funding said payments. The Annual Incentive Award may not be
assigned, transferred, mortgaged or hypothecated prior to actual
receipt, except for any assignment to secure a debt to the
Corporation itself, and any such attempt will be null and void.
19. Termination of Employment Prior to Year End; Change
of Control.
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(a) The Annual Incentive Award will not be paid for a
Restricted Employee who voluntarily terminates employment, or
whose employment is terminated by the Corporation or Subsidiary,
prior to the date of payment of the award, which shall in no
event be subsequent to March 15 of the following calendar year
(other than as a consequence of job elimination subsequent to
the end of the year but prior to the date of payment); provided,
however, that a pro rata award will nonetheless be paid if
termination follows a Change of Control as discussed in
subparagraph (b) below. Said prorated award will be
calculated by inserting the actual amount of Base Compensation
received by the Restricted Employee during the Plan Year in
which termination occurs in the formula provided for in
paragraph 18 above, and based on the assumption that the
Performance Goals have been achieved in said Plan Year. |
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(b) In the event of a Change of Control of the Corporation,
any Annual Incentive Award for the Plan Year (or portion thereof
during which a Restricted Employee remains employed, if
applicable) in which said Change of Control occurs will be paid
to the Restricted Employee regardless of whether he remains
employed by the Corporation subsequent to said Change of
Control, which is no less than an amount based on the assumption
that the Performance Goals have been achieved and on Base
Compensation actually earned through the date of the Change in
Control. This provision of the Plan may not be amended during
the Plan Year in which a Change of Control occurs. The authority
to amend the definition of Change of Control provided for in
said Section 14 shall be exercised, for purposes of this
Plan only, by the Committee. Payment of the Annual Incentive
Award under these circumstances shall be made no later than the
earlier of (i) thirty (30) days after termination of
employment following the Change of Control or (ii) the
normal date of payment for said award. |
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(c) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (a) and
(b) above, if a Restricted Employee is a party to an
individual agreement providing for severance benefits upon a
Change in Control or termination of employment which include
payments based on Annual Incentive Awards, the provisions of
said agreement shall control. |
GENERAL PROVISIONS
20. Withholding Taxes. To the extent that the
Corporation is required to withhold federal, state, local or
foreign taxes in connection with any payment made or benefit
realized by a Participant or other person under this Plan, and
the amounts available to the Corporation for such withholding
are insufficient, it shall be a condition to the receipt of such
payment or the realization of such benefit that the Participant
or such other person make arrangements satisfactory to the
Corporation for payment of the balance of such taxes required to
be withheld, which arrangements (in the discretion of the
Committee) may include relinquishment of a portion of such
benefit. The Corporation and a Participant or such other person
may also make similar arrangements with respect to the payment
of any taxes with respect to which withholding is not required.
21. Participation by Employees and Other Providers of
Services to Designated Subsidiaries. As a condition to the
effectiveness of any grant or award to be made hereunder to a
Participant who is an employee of, or other provider of services
to, a Designated Subsidiary, whether or not such Participant is
also employed by or provides services to the Corporation or
another Subsidiary, the Committee may require such Designated
Subsidiary to agree to transfer to such person (when, as and if
provided for under
A-14
this Plan and any applicable agreement entered into with any
such person pursuant to this Plan) the Common Shares that would
otherwise be delivered by the Corporation, upon receipt by such
Designated Subsidiary of any consideration then otherwise
payable by such Participant to the Corporation. Any such award
shall be evidenced by an agreement between the Participant and
the Designated Subsidiary, in lieu of the Corporation, on terms
consistent with this Plan and approved by the Committee and such
Designated Subsidiary. All such Common Shares so delivered by or
to a Designated Subsidiary shall be treated as if they had been
delivered by or to the Corporation for purposes of
Section 3 of this Plan, and all references to the
Corporation in this Plan shall be deemed to refer to such
Designated Subsidiary, except for purposes of the definition of
Board and except in other cases where the context
otherwise requires.
22. Foreign Employees and Providers of Services;
Specific Provisions for United Kingdom.
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(a) In order to facilitate the making of any grant or
combination of grants under this Plan, the Committee may provide
for such special terms for awards to Participants who are
foreign nationals or who are employed by or provide services to
the Corporation or any Subsidiary outside of the United States
of America as the Committee may consider necessary or
appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy
or custom. Moreover, the Committee may approve such supplements
to or amendments, restatements or alternative versions of this
Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for such
purposes, without thereby affecting the terms of this Plan as in
effect for any other purpose, and the Secretary or other
appropriate officer of the Corporation may certify any such
document as having been approved and adopted in the same manner
as this Plan. No such special terms, supplements, amendments or
restatements, however, shall include any provisions that are
inconsistent with the terms of this Plan as then in effect
unless this Plan could have been amended to eliminate such
inconsistency without further approval by the shareholders of
the Corporation. |
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(b) The purpose of subparagraph (b) is to revise those
provisions of the Plan which are required to be revised in order
for grants made under the Plan, and communications concerning
those grants, to be made pursuant to an employee share
scheme and thereby to be exempt from provisions of the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (United Kingdom), with
respect solely to grants made to residents of the United
Kingdom. This subparagraph (b) shall not apply to any
other grants made under the Plan. |
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(i) Restricted Availability of Grants. Any grants made
pursuant to this subparagraph (b) shall be made only
to officers and employees of the group of companies of which the
Company is a member, and shall be payable only in Common Shares
of the Companys stock. |
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(ii) Definition of Family Member. For purposes of grants
made pursuant to this subparagraph (b), Family
Members shall mean a Participants children and
step-children under the age of eighteen, spouses and surviving
spouses. |
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(iii) Inapplicability of Certain Provisions of Plan. For
purposes of grants made pursuant to this subparagraph (b),
subparagraph (l) of Section 4, and the entireties
of Sections 10, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 23 of the Plan
are not applicable to said grants. |
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(iv) Incorporation of Remaining Plan Provisions. With the
exception of the provisions noted above, the provisions of the
Plan will apply or be available to all grants made pursuant to
this subparagraph (b). |
23. Election to Defer Awards. The Committee also may
permit Participants to elect to defer (a) the issuance of
Common Shares, other than upon exercise of Options or of Stock
Appreciation Rights, or (b) the settlement of awards in
cash under the Plan pursuant to such rules, procedures or
programs as it may establish for the purposes of this Plan. The
Committee also may provide that deferred settlements include the
payment or crediting of dividend equivalents or interest on the
deferral amounts.
A-15
24. Administration of the Plan.
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(a) This Plan shall be administered by a Committee of the
Board (or subcommittee thereof), consisting of not less than
three Directors appointed by the Board who meet the standards
for independence established for purposes of Section 162(m)
of the Code and with respect to compensation committees pursuant
to the then applicable rules of the Securities Exchange
Commission and any stock exchange upon which the Common Shares
are traded. A majority of the Committee (or subcommittee
thereof) shall constitute a quorum, and the action of the
members of the Committee (or subcommittee thereof) present at
any meeting at which a quorum is present, or acts unanimously
approved in writing, shall be the acts of the committee (or
subcommittee thereof). Until subsequent action of the Board, the
Committee shall be the Management Compensation and Benefits
Committee of the Board. |
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(b) The interpretation and construction by the Committee of
any provision of this Plan or of any agreement, notification or
document evidencing the grant of Option Rights, Appreciation
Rights, Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares, Performance Shares,
Performance Units, Share Equivalent Units, Other Awards or
Annual Incentive Awards and any determination by the Committee
pursuant to any provision of this Plan or of any such agreement,
notification or document shall be final and conclusive. No
member of the Committee shall be liable for any such action or
determination made in good faith. |
25. Amendments, Etc.
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(a) The Committee may at any time and from time to time
amend the Plan in whole or in part; provided, however, that any
amendment which must be approved by the shareholders of the
Corporation in order to comply with applicable law or the rules
of the principal national securities exchange upon which the
Common Shares are traded or quoted shall not be effective unless
and until such approval has been obtained, and provided further
that the restrictions of Sections 4(f) and (g) and 5(i) may
not be amended without the approval of the shareholders of the
Corporation. Presentation of this Plan or any amendment hereof
for shareholder approval shall not be construed to limit the
Corporations authority to offer similar or dissimilar
benefits under plans that do not require shareholder approval. |
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(b) The Committee may, with the concurrence of an affected
Participant, cancel any agreement evidencing Option Rights or
any other award granted under this Plan. In the event of such
cancellation, subject to the provisions of Sections 4(g)
and 5(i) the Committee may authorize the granting of new Option
Rights or other awards hereunder (which may or may not cover the
same number of Common Shares which had been the subject of the
prior award) in such manner, at such option price, and subject
to such other terms, conditions and discretion as would have
been applicable under this Plan had the cancelled Option Rights
or other award not been granted. |
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(c) The Committee may condition the grant of any award or
combination of awards authorized under this Plan on the
surrender or deferral by the Participant of his or her right to
receive a cash bonus or other compensation otherwise payable by
the Corporation or a Subsidiary to the Participant. |
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(d) This Plan shall not confer upon any Participant any
right with respect to continuance of employment or other service
with the Corporation or any Subsidiary, nor shall it interfere
in any way with any right the Corporation or any Subsidiary
would otherwise have to terminate such Participants
employment or other service at any time. |
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(e) To the extent that any provision of this Plan would
prevent any Option Right that was intended to qualify as an
Incentive Stock Option from qualifying as such, that provision
shall be null and void with respect to such Option Right. Such
provision, however, shall remain in effect for other Option
Rights and there shall be no further effect on any provision of
this Plan. |
A-16
26. Compliance with Section 409A of the Code.
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(a) To the extent applicable, it is intended that this Plan
and any grants made hereunder comply with the provisions of
Section 409A of the Code. This Plan and any grants made
hereunder shall be administrated in a manner consistent with
this intent, and any provision that would cause this Plan or any
grant made hereunder to fail to satisfy Section 409A of the
Code shall have no force and effect until amended to comply with
Section 409A of the Code (which amendment may be
retroactive to the extent permitted by Section 409A of the
Code and may be made by the Company without the consent of
Participants). Any reference in this Plan to Section 409A
of the Code will also include any proposed, temporary or final
regulations, or any other guidance, promulgated with respect to
such Section by the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the
Internal Revenue Service. |
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(b) In order to determine for purposes of Section 409A
of the Code whether a Participant is employed by a member of the
Companys controlled group of corporations under
Section 414(b) of the Code (or by a member of a group of
trades or businesses under common control with the Company under
Section 414(c) of the Code) and, therefore, whether the
shares of Common Stock that are or have been purchased by or
awarded under this Plan to the Participant are shares of
service recipient stock within the meaning of
Section 409A of the Code: |
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(i) In applying Code Section 1563(a)(1), (2) and
(3) for purposes of determining the Companys
controlled group under Section 414(b) of the Code, the
language at least 50 percent is to be used
instead of at least 80 percent each place it
appears in Code Section 1563(a)(1), (2) and
(3), and |
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(ii) In applying Treasury Regulation
Section 1.414(c)-2
for purposes of determining trades or businesses under common
control with the Company for purposes of Section 414(c) of
the Code, the language at least 50 percent is
to be used instead of at least 80 percent each
place it appears in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.414(c)-2.
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(c) Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the
contrary, to the extent an award shall be deemed to be vested or
restrictions lapse, expire or terminate upon the occurrence of a
Change of Control and such Change of Control does not constitute
a change in the ownership or effective control or a
change in the ownership or a substantial portion of the
assets of the Company within the meaning of
Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v) of the Code, then even though such
award may be deemed to be vested or restrictions lapse, expire
or terminate upon the occurrence of the Change of Control or any
other provision of this Plan, payment will be made, to the
extent necessary to comply with the provisions of
Section 409A of the Code, to the Participant the earliest
of (i) the Participants separation from
service with the Company (determined in accordance with
Section 409A of the Code); provided, however, that if the
Participant is a specified employee (within the
meaning of Section 409A of the Code), the payment date
shall be the date that is six months after the date of the
Participants separation from service with the Company,
(ii) the date payment otherwise would have been made in the
absence of any provisions in this Plan to the contrary (provided
such date is permissible under Section 409A of the Code),
or (iii) the Participants death. |
27. Termination. No grant shall be made under this
Plan more than 10 years after the date on which this Plan
is first approved by the shareholders of the Corporation, but
all grants made on or prior to such date shall continue in
effect thereafter subject to the terms thereof and of this Plan.
In Witness Whereof, the Company has caused this Plan to be
executed effective April 25, 2006.
A-17
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
Regardless of whether you plan to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, you can be sure
your shares are represented at the meeting by promptly returning your proxy in the enclosed
envelope.
\/ Proxy card must be signed and dated on the reverse side. Please fold and detach card at perforation before mailing. \/
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CHOICEPOINT INC.
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PROXY |
THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED
AS DIRECTED, OR, IF NO DIRECTION IS INDICATED, WILL BE VOTED FOR
THE ELECTION OF EACH OF THE NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR LISTED BELOW AND FOR
EACH OF THE MATTERS BELOW. |
For a term to expire in 2007:
For a term to expire in 2009:
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(1) E. Renae Conley
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(2) Douglas C. Curling
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(3) Kenneth G. Langone
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(4) Charles I. Story |
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o
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FOR all nominees
(except as marked to the contrary)
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WITHHOLD authority
to vote for all nominees |
INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), strike a line through the nominees name in the above list.
2. |
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Proposal to approve amendments to the Companys Articles of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws to declassify
the Board of Directors: |
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o FOR
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o AGAINST
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o ABSTAIN |
3. |
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Proposal to approve ChoicePoint Inc. 2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan: |
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o FOR
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o AGAINST
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o ABSTAIN |
4. |
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Proposal to ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as independent registered public
accountants for ChoicePoint for the year ending December 31, 2006: |
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o FOR
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o AGAINST
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o ABSTAIN |
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In their discretion, upon such other matters in connection with the foregoing or otherwise as
may properly come before the meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof, all as set
forth in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the Proxy Statement, receipt of
which is hereby acknowledged. |
o
I plan to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on April 25, 2006
at 10:00 A.M.
(CONTINUED ON OTHER SIDE)
Have your proxy card available when you call
Toll-Free
1-888-693-8683 using a touch-tone
phone and follow the simple instructions to
record your vote.
Have your proxy card available when
you access the website www.cesvote.com and
follow the simple instructions to record
your vote.
Please mark, sign and date your proxy
card and return it in the postage-paid
envelope provided or return it to: Corporate
Election Services, P.O. Box 3230,
Pittsburgh, PA 15230.
Vote
by Telephone
Call Toll-Free using a
touch-tone telephone:
1-888-693-8683
Vote
by Internet
Access the Website and
cast your vote:
www.cesvote.com
Vote
by Mail
Return your proxy
in the postage-paid
envelope provided
Vote 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you vote by telephone or over the Internet, do not mail your proxy card.
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE CHOICEPOINT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The undersigned hereby appoints Derek V. Smith, Douglas C. Curling, and David W. Davis and each of
them, to act, with or without the other and with full power of substitution and revocation, as
proxies to appear and vote on behalf of the undersigned at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of
ChoicePoint Inc. to be held on April 25, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. local time, and at any adjournment or
postponement thereof.
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Dated: , 2006 |
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Signature |
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Signature |
IMPORTANT: Please
date this proxy and sign
exactly as your name
appears above. If stock is
held jointly, signature
should include both names.
Executors, administrators,
trustees, guardians and
others signing in a
representative capacity,
please give your full
title(s).
(CONTINUED ON OTHER SIDE)