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 R
Filed by
a Party other than the Registrant
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))
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R
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Definitive
Proxy Statement
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Definitive
Additional Materials
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Soliciting
Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
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COGDELL
SPENCER INC.
(Name of
Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of
Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11.
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(1)
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Title
of each class of securities to which the transaction
applies:
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(2)
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Aggregate
number of securities to which the transaction
applies:
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(3)
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Per
unit price or other underlying value of the transaction computed pursuant
to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing
fee is calculated and state how it was
determined):
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(4)
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Proposed
maximum aggregate value of the
transaction:
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Fee
paid previously with preliminary
materials.
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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 and the date of its
filing.
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(1)
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Amount
Previously Paid:
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(2)
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Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement
No.:
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COGDELL
SPENCER INC.
4401
Barclay Downs Drive, Suite 300
Charlotte,
NC 28209-4670
March 25,
2010
Dear
Stockholder:
We
cordially invite you to attend the 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of
Cogdell Spencer Inc. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 4, 2010, at
9:00 a.m., local time, at the Company headquarters located at 4401 Barclay
Downs Drive, Suite 300, Charlotte, North Carolina 28209-4670. The matters
expected to be acted upon at the meeting are described in detail in the
accompanying Proxy Statement. We encourage you to read these materials carefully
and to take part in the affairs of our Company by voting on matters described in
the Proxy Statement.
I am
pleased to inform you that we are taking advantage of the Securities and
Exchange Commission’s rules that allow us to furnish our Proxy Statement and
related proxy materials to our stockholders over the Internet. We believe
furnishing these materials over the Internet will expedite stockholders’ receipt
of proxy materials, lower our costs of delivery and reduce the environmental
impact of our Annual Meeting. The “About the Meeting” section of the
Proxy Statement contains instructions on how you can receive a paper copy of the
Proxy Statement and Annual Report to Stockholders.
Your vote
is very important. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, please submit
your proxy as promptly as possible. If you attend the meeting, you may continue
to have your shares of common stock voted as instructed in the proxy or you may
withdraw your proxy at the meeting and vote your shares of common stock in
person. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
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Sincerely,
FRANK
C. SPENCER
President
and Chief Executive Officer
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NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To
Be Held May 4, 2010
NOTICE IS
HEREBY GIVEN that the 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”)
of Cogdell Spencer Inc., a Maryland corporation, will be held at Company
headquarters located at 4401 Barclay Downs Drive, Suite 300, Charlotte, North
Carolina 28209-4670 on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 9:00 a.m., local time, for
the following purposes as further described in the accompanying Proxy
Statement:
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1.
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To
elect nine members to the board of directors, each to serve until the 2011
annual meeting of stockholders and until his successor is duly elected and
qualifies. The nominees to the board of directors are the following: James
W. Cogdell, Frank C. Spencer, John R. Georgius, Richard B. Jennings,
Christopher E. Lee, Richard C. Neugent, Randolph D. Smoak, Jr. M.D., David
J. Lubar and Scott A. Ransom;
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2.
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To
consider and vote upon the 2010 Long Term Incentive Compensation
Plan;
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3.
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To
consider and vote upon ratification of the appointment of
Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public
accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2010;
and
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4.
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To
transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual
Meeting or any adjournments or postponements
thereof.
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The
Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR each of the nominees listed in
proposal 1 and FOR proposals 2 and 3.
Our board
of directors has fixed the close of business on Monday, March 8, 2010, as the
Record Date for determination of stockholders entitled to receive notice of and
to vote at the Annual Meeting, or any adjournments or postponements of the
Annual Meeting. Only holders of record of our common stock at the close of
business on that day will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, or any
adjournments or postponements of the Annual Meeting.
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By
Order of the Board of Directors
CHARLES
M. HANDY
Corporate
Secretary
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WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO
ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, TO ENSURE YOUR REPRESENTATION AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, PLEASE
PROMPTLY VOTE BY INTERNET, OR BY MARKING, SIGNING, DATING AND RETURNING
YOUR PROXY CARD AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT
YOUR SHARES WILL BE REPRESENTED AT THE MEETING. IF YOU ATTEND
THE MEETING, YOU
MAY CONTINUE TO HAVE YOUR SHARES OF COMMON STOCK VOTED AS INSTRUCTED IN
THE PROXY OR YOU
MAY WITHDRAW YOUR PROXY AT THE MEETING AND VOTE YOUR SHARES OF
COMMON STOCK IN
PERSON.
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TABLE
OF CONTENTS
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Page
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General
Information
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4
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About
the Meeting
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4
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Proposals
to Be Voted On by Stockholders
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6
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Information
About the Board and Its Committees
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13
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Executive
Officers and Other Officers
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16
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Report
of the Audit Committee
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16
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Corporate
Governance Matters
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17
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Executive Compensation
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19
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Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
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31
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Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions
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34
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Other
Matters
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34
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COGDELL
SPENCER INC.
4401
Barclay Downs Drive, Suite 300
Charlotte,
NC 28209-4670
PROXY
STATEMENT
ANNUAL
MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To
Be Held May 4, 2010
GENERAL
INFORMATION
We are
sending this proxy statement and, if you requested a printed version of these
materials, the accompanying proxy card in connection with the solicitation of
proxies by the board of directors (the “Board”) of Cogdell Spencer Inc. (the
“Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”), a Maryland corporation, for use at our 2010
Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”), and at any adjournments
or postponements thereof, to be held at the Company’s headquarters
located at 4401 Barclay Downs Drive, Suite 300, Charlotte, North Carolina
28209-4670 on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 9:00 a.m., local time. The purposes
of the Annual Meeting are:
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1.
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To
elect nine members to the Board, each to serve until the 2011 annual
meeting of stockholders and until his successor is duly elected and
qualifies, the nominees to the Board being James W. Cogdell, Frank C.
Spencer, John R. Georgius, Richard B. Jennings, Christopher E. Lee,
Richard C. Neugent, Randolph D. Smoak, Jr. M.D., David J. Lubar and Scott
A. Ransom;
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2.
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To
consider and vote upon the 2010 Long Term Incentive Compensation
Plan;
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3.
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To
consider and vote upon ratification of the appointment of
Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public
accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2010;
and
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4.
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To
transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual
Meeting or any adjournments or postponements
thereof.
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This
proxy statement, the notice of annual meeting of stockholders and the related
proxy card are first being made available to stockholders on or about March 25,
2010. This proxy statement is accompanied by a copy of our Annual
Report to Stockholders for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2009.
ABOUT
THE MEETING
Record
Date
The Board
has fixed the close of business on Monday, March 8, 2010 as the Record Date (the
“Record Date”) for determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to
vote at, the Annual Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof. Each
share of our common stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Common Stock”), is
entitled to one vote for each matter to be voted upon. As of the Record Date,
there were 42,782,497 shares of Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote at
the Annual Meeting.
Quorum;
Voting
The
presence, in person or by proxy, of the stockholders entitled to cast a majority
of all the votes entitled to be cast at the Annual Meeting shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and
broker non-votes are each included in the determination of the number of shares
present at the Annual Meeting for purposes of determining whether a quorum is
present. A broker non-vote occurs when a nominee (i.e., a broker or
other financial institution) holding shares for a beneficial owner does not vote
on a particular proposal because such nominee does not have discretionary voting
power for that particular matter and has not received instructions from the
beneficial owner. If a quorum is not present or represented at the
Annual Meeting, the Chairman of the Annual Meeting shall have the power to
adjourn the Annual Meeting to a date not more than 120 days after the
original Record Date without notice other than announcement at the Annual
Meeting, until a quorum is present or represented. At any such adjourned Annual
Meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be
transacted that might have been transacted at the Annual Meeting as originally
noticed.
Each
stockholder is entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock registered in
the stockholder’s name on the Record Date. A plurality of all of the votes cast
at the Annual Meeting at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to elect
a director. A majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting at which a quorum
is present is required for the ratification of our independent registered public
accounting firm and for the approval of the 2010 Long Term Incentive
Compensation Plan. If you properly execute a proxy in the
accompanying form, and if we receive it prior to voting at the Annual Meeting,
the shares that the proxy represents will be voted in the manner specified on
the proxy.
If you
hold your shares in street name it is critical that you cast your vote if you
want it to count in the election of directors and the approval of the 2010 Long
Term Incentive Compensation Plan. If you hold your shares in street
name and you do not instruct your bank or broker how to vote in the election of
directors or the approval of the 2010 Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan, no
votes will be cast on your behalf for such proposals. In the past, if
you held your shares in street name and you did not indicate how you wanted your
shares voted in the election of directors, your bank or broker was allowed to
vote those shares on your behalf in the election of directors as they felt
appropriate. On July 1, 2009, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC")
approved an amendment to New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) Rule 452 to
eliminate the so-called “broker discretionary vote” in uncontested director
elections. As a result, your bank or broker no longer has the ability to vote
your uninstructed shares in the election of directors on a discretionary basis.
Your bank or broker will, however, continue to have discretion to vote any
uninstructed shares on the ratification of the appointment of our independent
registered public accounting firm.
With
respect to the proposals to elect directors (Proposal 1) and to consider
and vote upon the ratification of our independent registered accounting firm
(Proposal 3), abstentions and “broker non-votes” will not be counted as
votes cast and will have no effect on the result of the vote. With
respect to the proposal to approve the 2010 Long Term Incentive Compensation
Plan (Proposal 2), abstentions are considered "votes cast" under NYSE rules and
thus will have the same effect as a vote "against" the proposal.
Shares
Held in Street Name
Under
NYSE rules, if your shares are held in “street name,” you will receive
instructions from your nominee, which you must follow in order to have your
shares of Common Stock voted.
Revocation
of Proxies
If you
cast a vote by proxy, you may revoke it at any time before it is voted
by:
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giving
written notice to our Secretary at our
address,
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•
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expressly
revoking the proxy, by signing and forwarding to us a proxy dated
later or by voting again on the Internet,
or
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•
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by
attending the Annual Meeting and personally voting the Common Stock owned
of record by you as of the Record
Date.
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Solicitation
This
solicitation is being made on behalf of the Board. We will bear the
entire cost of soliciting proxies for the Annual Meeting. In addition, further
solicitation of proxies may be made by mail, by certain of our directors,
executive officers and employees may solicit the return of proxies by telephone,
facsimile, personal interview or otherwise without being paid additional
compensation. Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, our
transfer agent and registrar, will assist in the distribution of proxy materials
and tabulation of votes. We will also reimburse brokerage firms and other
persons representing the beneficial owners of our shares for their reasonable
expenses in forwarding proxy solicitation material to the beneficial owners in
accordance with the proxy solicitation rules and regulations of the SEC and the
NYSE.
Delivery
of Materials
In
accordance with new rules adopted by the SEC, instead of mailing a printed copy
of our proxy materials to our stockholders, we have elected to furnish proxy
materials, including this proxy statement and our 2009 Annual Report to
Stockholders, by providing access to these documents on the
Internet. Accordingly on March 25, 2010, we sent a Notice of Internet
Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) to our holders of record and
beneficial owners. The Notice provided instructions for accessing our
proxy materials on the Internet and instructions on how to receive printed
copies of the proxy materials without charge by mail or electronically by
email. Please follow the instructions included in the
Notice.
The
Notice provides you with instructions regarding how to (1) view our proxy
materials for the Annual Meeting on the Internet; (2) vote your shares
after you have viewed our proxy materials; (3) request a printed copy of
the proxy materials; and (4) instruct us to send our future proxy materials
to you. We believe
the delivery options we have chosen this year allow us to provide our
stockholders with the proxy materials they need, while lowering the cost of the
delivery of the materials and reducing the environmental impact of printing and
mailing printed copies. If you choose to receive our future proxy
materials by email, you will receive an email next year with instructions
containing a link to view those proxy materials and a link to the proxy voting
site. Your election to receive proxy materials by email will remain in effect
until you terminate it.
Householding
The rules
of the SEC permit companies and intermediaries (such as banks and brokers) to
satisfy the delivery requirements for the Notice and proxy materials with
respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a
single Notice or copy of the proxy materials, as the case may be, addressed to
those stockholders.
A number
of intermediaries with account holders who are our stockholders may be
"householding" our proxy materials. A single Notice or copy of the
proxy materials may be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing the same
address unless contrary instructions have been received from the impacted
stockholders. Once a stockholder has received notice from its
intermediary that they will be "householding" communications to such
stockholder's address, "householding" will continue until such stockholder
revokes consent to "householding" or is notified otherwise. If, at
any time, a stockholder no longer wishes to participate in "householding" such
stockholder should so notify their intermediary. Stockholders
who currently receive multiple copies of our proxy materials at their address
and would like to request "householding" of their communications should contact
their respective intermediaries. Instructions for contacting your
intermediary are contained in the Notice.
PROPOSALS TO
BE VOTED ON BY STOCKHOLDERS
PROPOSAL 1 —
ELECTION OF
DIRECTORS
In
accordance with the provisions of our charter and Bylaws, each member of the
Board is elected at the Annual Meeting. Each member of the Board elected will
serve for a term expiring at the 2011 annual meeting of stockholders and until
his successor has been elected and qualifies, or until his earlier resignation
or removal. James W. Cogdell, Frank C. Spencer, John R. Georgius, Richard B.
Jennings, Christopher E. Lee, Richard C. Neugent, Randolph D. Smoak, Jr. M.D.,
David J. Lubar and Scott A. Ransom are the Board’s nominees for
election.
Proxies
that are properly executed and returned will be voted at the Annual Meeting, and
any adjournments or postponements thereof, in accordance with the directions on
such proxies. If no directions are specified, such proxies will be voted “FOR”
the election of the nine persons specified as nominees for directors, each of
whom will serve until the 2011 annual meeting of stockholders. We have no reason
to believe that any of the nominees will be unable or unwilling to serve if
elected. However, should any director nominee named herein become unable or
unwilling to serve if elected, it is intended that the proxies will be voted for
the election, in his stead, of such other person as the Board may nominate,
unless the Board reduces the size of the membership of the Board prior to the
Annual Meeting to eliminate the position of any such nominee.
In
connection with the merger with Marshall Erdman & Associates, Inc.
(“Erdman”) in March 2008, one of the former Erdman shareholders, Lubar Capital
LLC (“Lubar”), received the right to nominate one individual for election to the
Board. Accordingly, the Board increased the size of the membership of
the board of directors and elected Mr. Lubar as a director on March 10,
2008. Lubar will continue to retain its right to nominate one
individual for so long as Lubar and its affiliates continue to maintain at least
75% of their aggregate initial ownership measured in number of equity securities
of the Company and its affiliates.
The Board
has affirmatively determined that Messrs. Georgius, Lee, Lubar, Jennings,
Neugent and Dr. Smoak are independent within the standards prescribed by
the NYSE. The Board has also affirmatively determined that no
material relationships exist between us and any of the independent directors
that would interfere with their judgment in carrying out their responsibilities
as a director.
In making
its determination that each of our directors (other than Messrs. Cogdell,
Spencer and Ransom) is independent, the Board considered Mr. Lubar’s positions
as (A) a member of the board of directors and indirect equity owner of two
limited liability companies (the “Lubar Entities”) each managed by its own board
of directors that had contracted with Erdman prior to the Company acquiring
Erdman, (B) a member of the board of trustees of Northwestern Mutual Life
Insurance Company (“Northwestern”), the parent company of the
Company’s partner in its real property acquisition joint venture, and (C) a
member of the board of directors of Marshall & Ilsley Corporation
(“M&I”), the parent company of one of the lenders under the Company’s
revolving credit facility and term loan.
The Board
affirmatively determined that, with respect to the Lubar Entities, because (1)
of the nature of Mr. Lubar’s relationship with these entities (he is an indirect
owner but not involved in their management, as he resigned from all management
positions with the Lubar Entities on November 17, 2008), (2) the contracts
between Erdman and the Lubar Entities were executed prior to the
Company’s acquisition of Erdman and the date Mr. Lubar joined our Board and (3)
the contract with one of these entities was substantially completed in
mid-September 2008 and the other contract was substantially completed in
mid-February 2009, these relationships do not compromise Mr. Lubar’s
independence.
The Board
further determined that Mr. Lubar’s position as one member of the 21-person
board of trustees of Northwestern does not impair Mr. Lubar’s independence
because the capital commitment of the Company’s joint venture partner to the
property acquisition joint venture is not material to Northwestern.
In
addition, the Board determined that Mr. Lubar’s position on the Board of M&I
similarly does not affect his independence because (x) M&I’s participation
in the Company’s revolving credit facility and term loan is not material to
M&I and (y) Mr. Lubar was not yet on our Board at the time the Company or
Erdman entered into these loans.
Nominees
for Directors
The
following table sets forth the name, age and the position(s) with us, if any,
currently held by each person nominated as a director:
Name
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Age
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Title
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James
W.
Cogdell
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68
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Chairman
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Frank
C.
Spencer
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49
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Chief
Executive Officer, President and Director
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John
R. Georgius(1)(2)
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65
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Director
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Richard
B. Jennings(1)(2)
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66
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Director
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Christopher
E. Lee(2)(3)
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61
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Director
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David
J. Lubar(1)(3)
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55
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Director
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Richard
C. Neugent(1)(3)
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66
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Director
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Scott
A.
Ransom
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47
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Director,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Erdman Company, a
taxable REIT subsidiary of our operating partnership
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Randolph
D. Smoak, Jr. M.D.(2)(3)
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76
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Director
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(1)
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Member
of Audit Committee
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(2)
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Member
of Compensation Committee
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(3)
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Member
of Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee
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The Board believes that each of the nominees has the key qualifications, skills
and characteristics that are required of Board members and will contribute to an
effective Board. A description of our process for identifying and
evaluating nominees, as well as our criteria for board membership, is set forth
under the heading “Identification of Board Candidates and Criteria for Board
Membership.”
In addition to the above, the Board also considered the specific experience
described in the biographical details that follow in determining to nominate the
individuals set forth below for election as directors.
Following
are biographical summaries for our nominees for election as
directors:
James W. Cogdell, Chairman of the
Board. Mr. Cogdell is a pioneer of multi-specialty medical
office developments with physician and hospital partnerships. From
its inception in 1972 until 2005, Mr. Cogdell served as the Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of Cogdell Spencer Advisors, Inc., and has served
as Chairman of our Board since our initial public offering in
2005. He is an innovator noted for developing ownership strategies
for over 750 physician partners over the course of his career. During
his career, Mr. Cogdell has developed more than 70 healthcare real estate
properties valued at more than $400 million. Prior to
founding the Company, Mr. Cogdell was a mortgage banker and asset manager with
Cameron-Brown Company, First Atlantic Corporation, American Industries and
Ackerman and Company. The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce named Mr.
Cogdell “Entrepreneur of the Year” in the large companies category in 2002,
recognizing both his business and community
achievements. Mr. Cogdell has also been recognized with the
Outstanding Layman Award for 2004 by the North Carolina Division of Soil and
Water Conservation. Historically, Mr. Cogdell has devoted his time to
causes ranging from the Citizens Capital Budget Advisory Committee for
Mecklenburg County to various conservation groups and the United
States Eventing Association. Mr. Cogdell studied business at Atlantic
Christian College and Campbell University.
Frank C. Spencer, Chief Executive
Officer, President and Director. Mr.
Spencer has served as our Chief Executive Officer, President and a Director
since our initial public offering in 2005 and has been an integral part of the
Company since joining us in 1996 as Chief Operating Officer of
Cogdell Spencer Advisors, Inc. He was named President in
1998, a position he retains today. He has led the development and
acquisition of over $500 million in medical real estate assts. Mr.
Spencer has developed numerous financing structures for both non-profit and
public hospitals and has published articles on real estate finance in
publications such as Urban
Land Magazine and Institutional Real Estate Letter on
Real Estate Finance. Mr. Spencer has been an instructor at the
Healthcare Financial Management Association’s state, regional and national
meetings, a member of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Real Estate
Program Board of Advisors, an instructor at Montreat College and is a full
member of the Urban Land Institute. Prior to joining us,
Mr. Spencer was Executive Director of The Children’s Services Network, a
non-profit organization, and began his real estate career with the Crosland
Group rising to the position of Corporate Vice President responsible for
portfolio management, marketing and advisory services. Mr. Spencer received an
MBA from Harvard Business School where he was named a Baker Scholar and received
a bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of North Carolina where he
was a Morehead Scholar. Mr. Spencer’s career distinctions are
numerous, with the most recent being named the 2009 Ernst & Young Carolinas’
Entrepreneur of the Year for Real Estate and Construction. Mr.
Spencer gives freely of his time within the community with groups such as the
Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and Habitat for Humanity. He is
currently the Chairman of the nonprofit Mountain Retreat Association in
Montreat, North Carolina.
John R. Georgius,
Director. Mr. Georgius has been a member of our Board since
our initial public offering in 2005 and is also the Chairman of our Audit
Committee. During his 37 year banking career, Mr. Georgius’ executive
positions included President and Chief Operating Officer at First Union
Corporation, Vice Chairman and President of First Union National Bank and Senior
Vice President and head of the trust division at First Union National
Bank. Mr. Georgius was involved in over 140 acquisitions and brings
first-hand knowledge of the banking industry to our
Board. Mr. Georgius previously served as a director of First
Union Corporation, First Union National Bank, VISA USA, and VISA International,
and is an "audit committee financial expert," as defined by the
SEC. Prior to his career in banking, Mr. Georgius received a
B.B.A from Georgia State University and graduated from the American Bankers
Association National Graduate Trust School at Northwestern
University. Mr. Georgius currently sits on the Board and Audit
Committee of a private company based in Hickory, North Carolina.
Richard B. Jennings,
Director. Mr. Jennings has served as a Director since
2005. Mr. Jennings’ experience in real estate, investment
banking and business transitions led to a consulting arrangement during which he
advised the Company throughout our initial public offering on the structure and
terms of our formation transactions. Since 1993, Mr. Jennings has
advised 19 management teams on their REIT IPOs. He is currently
the President of Realty Capital International LLC, a position he has held since
1991. He is the former President of Jennings Securities LLC, a
position he held from 1995-2006. Prior to serving these roles, Mr.
Jennings served as Managing Director of Real Estate Finance at Drexel Burnham
Lambert Incorporated, he oversaw the REIT investment banking business at
Goldman, Sachs & Co. and during his tenure at Goldman, Sachs &
Co., Mr. Jennings founded and managed the Mortgage Finance
Group. Mr. Jennings currently serves on the board of directors of two
additional public companies, Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. and National
Retail Properties, Inc. At Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc., he
serves as Lead Director, Chairman of the Compensation Committee and as a member
of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Audit
Committee. At National Retail Properties, Inc. Mr. Jennings is a
Director, Chairman of the Audit Committee and a member of their Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Jennings graduated Magna Cum
Laude from Yale University and received his MBA from Harvard Business
School.
Christopher E. Lee,
Director. Mr. Lee has served as Director since our
inception in 2005, and is also the Chairman of our Compensation
Committee. Mr. Lee is President and Chief Executive Officer of
CEL & Associates, Inc., one of the nation’s leading real estate
advisory firms, and has served in such capacities since 2004. For over
30 years he has provided a variety of strategic, compensation,
organizational and performance improvement and benchmarking services to hundreds
of real estate firms nationwide. Mr. Lee is also a frequent speaker at national
real estate conferences, a regular contributor to various real estate
publications and is the editor of the national real estate newsletter, Strategic
Advantage. Prior to his consulting career, Mr. Lee worked
for the Marriott and Boise Cascade corporations. Mr. Lee
received a B.S. from San Diego State University, an M.S. degree from
San Jose State University, and a Ph.D. in organizational development from
Alliant International University.
David J. Lubar,
Director. Mr. Lubar joined us as a member of the Board in
2008. Mr. Lubar became a Partner in 1983 and was named President in
1992 of Lubar & Co., a private investment firm founded in 1977, whose
investment activities include acquisitions of middle market operating companies
as well as growth financings for emerging businesses. Over the past
30 years, Lubar & Co. has successfully invested in and built
growing companies at various stages of development in a wide range of industries
including financial services, food production and processing, industrial
products manufacturing, transportation and logistics, design-build construction
services, energy services, contract drilling, gas transmission, drilling
products and services and real estate development. Mr. Lubar
currently serves as a director and member of the Risk Management Committee at
Marshall & Ilsley Corporation and as director and member of both the Finance
and Agency and Marketing Committees of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance
Company. In addition, he serves on the board of directors of
many private companies, including the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team and serves
his community by sitting on 10 local non-profit boards. Mr. Lubar received
a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowdoin College and an MBA from the University of
Minnesota.
Richard C. Neugent,
Director. Mr. Neugent has served as Director since 2005 and is
the Chairman of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. He
is also the President of RCN Healthcare Consulting, a firm he formed in 2003
that specializes in strategic and operational improvements for hospitals, health
systems and academic medical centers. Mr. Neugent has over 40 years
experience in the healthcare industry, substantially as President and Chief
Executive Officer of Bon Secours-St. Francis Health System. Mr.
Neugent’s career also includes serving as Chief Operating Officer of Rapides
Regional Medical Center and as Captain in the Medical Service Corps of the
U.S. Air Force where he oversaw the construction of hospitals and
dispensaries. Mr. Neugent has served on the advisory boards of
Clemson University, The University Center in Greenville and First Union National
Bank. In addition, he has served on the board of directors of the United Way and
the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. Through the course of his career Mr. Neugent
earned numerous distinctions including Greenville Magazine’s Nelson
Mullins Business Person
of the Year and the Order of the Palmetto, the state of
South Carolina’s highest civilian award. Mr. Neugent received a
B.S. from Alabama College and received an M.S. from The University of Alabama in
hospital administration.
Scott A. Ransom,
Director. Mr. Ransom joined us as a member of the Board in
2008. Mr. Ransom was President and Chief Executive Officer
of Erdman at the time of its acquisition by the Company, and continues
to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of Erdman Company, a taxable
REIT subsidiary of the operating partnership. Mr. Ransom was
recruited to Erdman in 1994 as Director of Finance and later became its Chief
Executive Officer and President in 2001. His prior experience
includes 9 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers providing financial consulting
services to large privately and publicly held companies. Mr. Ransom
brings transitional experience to our Board, having led Erdman from a family
owned business to a management and investor-owned business. Mr.
Ransom also has extensive experience in LEED certified facilities, having
spearheaded the construction of the new Madison office which is LEED Gold
certified. In addition, Mr. Ransom sits on the board or
directors of a privately held Milwaukee, WI based design/build company and
serves on the advisory board for the James Graaskamp School of Real
Estate at the University of Wisconsin. He was past Vice Chair of
the United Way Campaign of Dane County and past Co-Chair of the American Heart
Association annual fundraiser. Mr. Ransom graduated Summa Cum Laude
with a Bachelor of Business in Accounting from the University of
Wisconsin-Oshkosh and in 2006 was awarded the University of OshKosh
Distinguished Alumni Award, the University’s highest honor for profession and
community contributions.
Randolph D. Smoak, Jr. M.D.,
Director. Dr. Smoak has been a member of our Board since 2005;
however he’s been part of our company since 1982 as one of our physician limited
partners. Since that time, Dr. Smoak’s career has involved a variety
of different roles, from medical office building physician owner, to a clinical
professor of surgery, and to his most recent role as Consultant to the Quality
Department at Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties
beginning in 2010. Dr. Smoak is a former President of the American
Medical Association, has chaired the Compensation and Finance Committees of the
American Medical Association, chaired the World Medical Association’s Board of
Trustees, served as President and Chairman of South Carolina Medical Association
as well as president of the South Carolina Division of the American Cancer
Society, is a founding member of the South Carolina Oncology Society and
completed two terms as Governor from South Carolina to the American College of
Surgeons. Dr. Smoak has also served on various community nonprofit boards
including the Hollings Cancer Center Advisory Board, the Tobacco Free Kids
Board, the Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College Foundation Board, the MUSC
Foundation Board and the Greenville Family Partnership
Board. Dr. Smoak received a B.S. from the University of South
Carolina, an M.D. from the Medical University of South Carolina, a Doctor of
Science, with Honors, from the Medical University of South Carolina and a Doctor
of Human Letters, with Honors, from the University of South
Carolina.
Recommendation
Regarding the Election of Directors
The Board recommends that you vote
“FOR” the election of the nine named nominees.
PROPOSAL 2 —
APPROVAL OF THE 2010 LONG TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
We are
proposing that our stockholders approve the adoption of the Cogdell Spencer Inc.
2010 Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan (the "2010 Plan"). The Board, upon
the recommendation of the Compensation Committee, adopted the 2010 Plan on
February 24, 2010, subject to stockholder approval, and recommends that
stockholders approve such adoption. The 2010 Plan will become effective February
24, 2010, provided its adoption is
approved by a majority of the votes cast, provided there is quorum.
Description
of the 2010 Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan
The
purpose of the 2010 Plan is to advance our interests and the interests of our
stockholders by attracting employees, directors and consultants to the Company
and its subsidiaries and incentivizing employees, directors and consultants to
remain with the Company and its subsidiaries and encouraging them to increase
their efforts to make the Company’s business more successful whether directly or
through its subsidiaries or other affiliates. The 2010 Plan permits the award of
equity-based incentives to employees, directors and consultants of the Company
and its subsidiaries in the form of options, restricted stock, phantom shares,
dividend equivalent rights and other forms of equity-based compensation
(including long term incentive plan units ("LTIP units") and other interests in
the operating partnership). The terms and conditions of the 2010 Plan
are substantially the same to the terms and conditions of the 2005 long term
compensation plan. Currently, the number of shares available for
grant under the 2005 long term incentive compensation plan may be
insufficient to award grants for, among other things, the completion of existing
and future development projects.
The
description below is a summary and not intended to be a complete description of
the 2010 Plan. Stockholders are urged to read the actual text of the
2010 Plan in its entirety, a copy of which is attached to this proxy statement
as Annex A and is incorporated herein by reference.
Administration
The plan
will be administered by our Compensation Committee or, if no committee exists,
the board of directors. References below to the Compensation Committee include a
reference to the board of directors or another committee appointed by the board
of directors for those periods in which the board of directors or such other
committee appointed by the board of directors is acting.
Subject
to the terms of the 2010 Plan, the Compensation Committee is authorized to
administer and interpret the 2010 Plan, authorize the granting of awards,
determine the eligibility of employees, directors, officers, advisors,
consultants and other personnel of the company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates
and other persons expected to provide significant services to the company or its
subsidiaries to receive an award, determine the number of shares of common stock
to be covered by each award (subject to the individual participant limitations
provided in the 2010 Plan), to determine the terms, provisions and conditions of
each award (which may not be inconsistent with the terms of the 2010 Plan), to
prescribe the form of instruments evidencing awards and to take any other
actions and make all determinations that it deems necessary or appropriate in
connection with the 2010 Plan or the administration or interpretation thereof.
In connection with this authority, the committee may establish performance goals
that must be met in order for awards to be granted or to vest, or for the
restrictions on any such awards to lapse. During any period of time in which we
do not have a Compensation Committee, the 2010 Plan will be administered by our
board of directors.
Eligibility
and Types of Awards
Awards
under the 2010 Plan may be made to key employees, directors, officers, advisors,
consultants and other personnel of the Company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates
and other persons expected to provide significant services to the company or its
subsidiaries. Subject to the terms of the 2010 Plan, the Compensation Committee
may grant the following types of awards: stock options, stock
appreciation rights, restricted stock, phantom shares, dividend equivalent
rights and other equity-based awards (including LTIP units and other interests
in the operating partnership). Eligibility for awards under the 2010
Plan is determined by our Compensation Committee.
Available
Shares
The 2010
Plan provides that no more than 1,512,000 shares of our common stock may be
issued for awards. In addition, subject to certain adjustments, incentive stock
options with respect to an aggregate of no more than 1,512,000 shares of common
stock may be granted over the life of the 2010 Plan. Subject to
adjustment upon certain corporate transactions or events, shares of our common
stock may be subject to stock options, shares of restricted stock, phantom
shares and dividend equivalent rights and other equity-based awards under the
2010 Plan. If an option or other award granted under the proposed 2010 Plan
expires or terminates, the shares subject to any portion of the award that
expires or terminates without having been exercised or paid, as the case may be,
will again become available for the issuance of additional awards. Unless
previously terminated by our board of directors, no new award may be granted
under the 2010 Plan after the tenth anniversary of the date that such plan was
initially approved by our board of directors. Also, no award may be granted
under our 2010 Plan to any person who, assuming exercise of all options and
payment of all awards held by such person immediately prior to such grant would
own or be deemed to own more than 7.75% of the outstanding shares of our common
stock or 7.75% of the outstanding shares of our capital stock (our currently
anticipated ownership limit), unless the restriction was specifically waived by
action of the Board or a designated committee thereby.
Section
162(m) of the Code limits publicly held companies to an annual deduction for
U.S. federal income tax purposes of $1,000,000 for compensation paid to each of
their chief executive officer and their three highest compensated executive
officers (other than the chief executive officer or the chief financial officer)
determined at the end of each year, referred to as covered
employees. However, performance-based compensation is excluded from
this limitation. The 2010 Plan is designed to permit the Compensation
Committee to grant awards that qualify as performance-based for purposes of
satisfying the conditions of Section 162(m), but it is not required under the
2010 Plan that awards qualify for this exception. The 2010 Plan
provides that no participant in the plan will be permitted to acquire, or will
have any right to acquire, shares thereunder if such acquisition would be
prohibited by the ownership limits contained in our charter or would impair our
ability to qualify or remain qualified as a REIT.
Awards Under the
Plan
Stock
Options
The
Compensation Committee will determine the terms of specific options, including
whether options shall constitute “incentive stock options” for purposes of
Section 422(b) of the Code. The Compensation Committee will also determine
exercise price of an option, which will be reflected in the applicable award
agreement. The exercise price with respect to stock options may not be lower
than 100% (110% in the case of an incentive stock option granted to a 10%
stockholder, if permitted under the plan) of the fair market value of our common
stock on the date of grant. Each option will be exercisable after the period or
periods specified in the award agreement, which will generally not exceed
10 years from the date of grant (or five years in the case of an incentive
stock option granted to a 10% stockholder, if permitted under the plan). Options
granted under the 2010 Plan will be exercisable at such times and subject to
such terms as determined by the Compensation Committee, but under no
circumstances may be exercised if such exercise would cause a violation of the
ownership limit that will be in the Company’s charter. Unless otherwise
determined by the Compensation Committee at the time of grant, such stock
options shall vest ratably over a four-year period beginning on the date of
grant.
Restricted
Stock
The
Compensation Committee may grant awards of restricted stock under the 2010
Plan. Restricted stock will be subject to restrictions (including,
without limitation, any limitation on the right to vote a share of restricted
stock or the right to receive any dividend or other right or property) as the
Compensation Committee shall determine. The period over which the shares of
restricted stock will vest will be set forth in the applicable award agreement.
Except as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, upon a
termination of a grantee’s employment or other service relationship by the
company for “cause” or, by the holder of restricted stock for any reason other
than death, retirement, or disability, during the applicable restriction period,
all shares of restricted stock still subject to restrictions shall be forfeited
to us. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, upon a
termination of grantee’s employment or other services on account of the
grantee’s death, disability or retirement, or by us for any reason other than
“cause,” during the applicable restriction period, the restricted stock will
vest.
Phantom
Shares
The
Compensation Committee may grant awards of phantom shares under the 2010 Plan. A
phantom share represents a right to receive the fair market value of a share of
the Company’s common stock, or, if provided by the Compensation Committee, the
right to receive the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock
in excess of a base value established by the Compensation Committee at the time
of grant. In general, phantom shares will vest as provided in the applicable
award agreement. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement,
the settlement date with respect to a grantee is the first day of the month to
follow grantee’s termination of service. Phantom shares may generally be settled
in cash or by transfer of shares of common stock (as may be elected by the
participant or the Compensation Committee, as may be provided by the
Compensation Committee at grant). The Compensation Committee may, in its
discretion and under certain circumstances, permit a participant to receive as
settlement of the phantom shares installments over a period not to exceed
10 years. In addition, subject to applicable tax laws (including Section
409A of the Code), the Compensation Committee may establish a program under
which distributions with respect to phantom shares may be deferred for
additional periods as set forth in the preceding sentence.
Dividend
Equivalent Rights
The
Compensation Committee may grant awards of dividend equivalent rights under the
2010 Plan. A dividend equivalent right is a right to receive (or have credited)
the equivalent value (in cash or shares of common stock) of dividends declared
on shares of common stock otherwise subject to an award. The Compensation
Committee may provide that amounts payable with respect to dividend equivalent
rights shall be converted into cash or additional shares of common stock. The
Compensation Committee will establish all other limitations and conditions of
awards of dividend equivalent rights as it deems appropriate.
Long
Term Incentive Plan Units
The
Compensation Committee may grant awards of LTIP units under the 2010 Plan. LTIP
units are a special class of partnership interests in our operating partnership.
Each LTIP unit awarded will be deemed equivalent to an award of one common share
under the 2010 Plan, reducing the availability for other equity awards on a
one-for-one basis. The vesting period for LTIP units, if any, will be determined
at the time of issuance. Quarterly cash distributions on each LTIP unit, whether
vested or not, will be the same as those made on the company’s shares of common
stock. This treatment with respect to quarterly distributions is similar to the
expected treatment of the Company’s restricted share awards, which will
generally receive full dividends, whether vested or not. Initially, LTIP units
will not have full parity with OP units with respect to liquidating
distributions. Under the terms of the LTIP units, the operating partnership will
revalue its assets upon the occurrence of certain specified events, and any
increase in valuation from the time of grant until such event will be allocated
first to the holders of LTIP units to equalize the capital accounts of such
holders with the capital accounts of OP unit holders. Upon equalization of the
capital accounts of the holders of LTIP units with other holders of
OP units, the LTIP units will achieve full parity with OP units of the
operating partnership for all purposes, including with respect to liquidating
distributions. If such parity is reached, vested LTIP units may be converted
into an equal number of OP units, and thereafter enjoy all the rights of
OP units. However, there are circumstances under which such parity would
not be reached. Until and unless such parity is reached, the value that will be
realized for a given number of vested LTIP units will be less than the value of
an equal number of shares of our common stock.
Unless
otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee at the time of grant, such
LTIP units shall vest after four years.
Other
Equity-Based Awards
The 2010
Plan authorizes the granting of other awards that may be based upon our common
stock (including the grant of securities convertible into common stock and stock
appreciation rights and interests in the operating partnership), and subject to
terms and conditions established at the time of grant.
Performance
Goals
As
mentioned above, the Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, in the case
of awards intended to qualify for an exception from the limitation imposed by
Section 162(m) of the Code, establish one or more performance goals as a
precondition to the issuance or vesting of awards, and provide, in connection
with the establishment of the performance goals, for predetermined awards to
those participants with respect to whom the applicable performance goals are
satisfied. The performance goals will be based upon one or more of
the following criteria: pre-tax income, after-tax income, net income, operating
income, cash flow, earnings per share, return on equity, return on invested
capital or assets, cash and/or funds available for distribution, appreciation in
the fair market value of the common stock, return on investment, stockholder
return, net earnings growth, stock appreciation, related return ratios, increase
in revenues, net earnings, changes (or the absence of changes) in the per share
or aggregate market price of our common stock, number of securities sold,
earnings before any one or more of the following items: interest, taxes,
depreciation or amortization for the applicable period, as reflected in our
financial reports for the applicable period, total revenue growth, our published
ranking against our peer group of real estate investment trusts based on total
stockholder return, funds from operations, and funds from operations
modified.
Adjustments in
General; Certain Change of Control Provisions
In the
event of certain corporate reorganizations or other events, the Compensation
Committee may make certain adjustments, in its discretion, to the manner in
which the 2010 Plan operates (including, for example, to the number of shares of
the Company’s common stock available under the plan), and may otherwise take
actions which, in its judgment, are necessary to preserve the rights of plan
participants. Upon a change of control (as defined in the plan), the
Compensation Committee generally may make such adjustments as it, in its sole
discretion, determines are necessary or appropriate in light of the change of
control. In addition, restrictions and conditions on each share of restricted
stock shall automatically lapse and the settlement date for all phantom shares
shall be the date of such change of control.
Amendment and
Termination
The Board
may amend the 2010 Plan as it deems advisable, except that it may not amend the
2010 Plan in any way that would adversely affect a participant with respect to
an award previously granted unless the amendment is required in order to comply
with applicable laws. In addition, the Board may not amend the 2010 Plan without
stockholder approval if such approval is required by applicable law, rule or
regulation.
Recommendation
Regarding Approval of the 2010 Long Term Incentive Compensation
Plan
The Board recommends that you vote
“FOR” the approval of the 2010 Long Term Incentive Compensation
Plan.
PROPOSAL 3 — RATIFICATION OF
APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
The Audit
Committee of the Board has appointed Deloitte & Touche LLP as our
independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending
December 31, 2010, subject to ratification of this appointment by our
stockholders. We have been advised by Deloitte & Touche LLP that it is
a registered public accounting firm with the Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board (the “PCAOB”) and complies with the auditing, quality control and
independence standards and rules of the PCAOB and the SEC. We expect that
representatives of Deloitte & Touche LLP will be present at the Annual
Meeting to make a statement if they desire to do so. They will also be available
to answer appropriate questions from stockholders. Our charter and Bylaws do not
require that stockholders ratify the appointment of the independent registered
public accounting firm. We are submitting the appointment for ratification
because the Board believes it is a matter of good corporate
practice.
Recommendation
Regarding Ratification of the Appointment of Deloitte & Touche
LLP
The Board recommends that you vote
“FOR” ratification of this appointment.
INFORMATION
ABOUT THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES
Board
Meetings
The Board
intends to hold at least four regularly scheduled meetings per year and
additional special meetings as necessary. Each director is expected to attend
scheduled and special meetings, unless unusual circumstances make attendance
impractical. The Board may also take action from time to time by written
consent. The Board met ten times during 2009. Each of our directors attended at
least 75% of the meetings of our Board and 75% of the meetings of the committees
of our Board on which the director served. We expect each of our directors to
attend the Annual Meeting in person unless unusual circumstances make attendance
impractical. In 2009 all of our directors attended our annual meeting of
stockholders.
Executive
Sessions of Non-Management Directors
It is the
policy of the Board that the non-management members of the Board meet separately
without management (including management directors) at least twice per year
during regularly scheduled Board meetings in order to discuss such matters as
the non-management directors consider appropriate. The lead non-management
director will assume the responsibility of chairing the meetings of
non-management directors and shall bear such further responsibilities which the
non-management directors as a whole or the Board might designate from time to
time. Our lead non-management director is Richard C. Neugent. Our independent
auditors, finance staff, legal counsel, other employees and other outside
advisers may be invited to attend these meetings. The non-management
members of the Board met four times in 2009.
Board
Committees
The Board
has three standing committees: an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and
a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Each of these committees has at
least three directors and is composed exclusively of independent directors, by
reference to the rules, regulations and listing standards of the NYSE, the
national exchange on which our Common Stock is traded.
Committee
Charters
The Audit
Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee charters meet the standards that have been established by the
NYSE. Copies of these charters are available on our website at www.cogdell.com or will be
provided to any stockholder upon request.
Audit
Committee
The Audit
Committee assists our Board in overseeing the integrity of our Company’s
financial statements, our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the qualifications and independence of
the independent auditor and the performance of the internal audit function and
independent auditor. The Audit Committee prepares the report that the
rules of the SEC require to be included in the annual proxy statement and
provides an open avenue of communication among the independent auditor, the
internal auditor, our management and our Board. John R. Georgius
chairs the Audit Committee and serves as our Audit Committee financial expert,
as that term is defined by the SEC, and Richard B. Jennings, David J. Lubar and
Richard C. Neugent serve as members of this committee. Dr. Smoak
ceased to be a member in February 2009. The Audit Committee met eight
times in 2009.
Compensation
Committee
The
Compensation Committee determines how the Chief Executive Officer and the
Chairman of the Board should be compensated, sets policies and reviews
management decisions regarding compensation of our senior executives, reviews
and approves written employment agreements of our Company and our subsidiaries,
administers and makes recommendations to our Board regarding stock incentive
plans, reviews and discusses with our management the Compensation Discussion
& Analysis to be included in our proxy statement and produces an annual
report on executive compensation for inclusion in our proxy statement. The
Compensation Committee may delegate all or a portion of its duties and
responsibilities to a subcommittee of the Compensation Committee, provided that
a charter is adopted for such subcommittee. Executive officers play a role in
determining or recommending the amount or form of executive officer and director
compensation. Prior to establishing our general compensation philosophy, the
Compensation Committee consults with our Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer. Our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer provide
recommendations to the Compensation Committee with regard to the compensation of
our executive officers and with regard to our other highly paid employees and
the executive officers and employees of our subsidiaries. Christopher E. Lee
chairs the Compensation Committee and John R. Georgius, Richard B. Jennings and
Randolph D. Smoak, Jr. M.D. serve as members of this committee. The
Compensation Committee met six times in 2009.
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee develops and recommends to our
Board a set of corporate governance guidelines, identifies individuals qualified
to fill vacancies or newly created positions on our Board, recommends to our
Board the persons it should nominate for election as directors at the annual
meeting of our stockholders and recommends directors to serve on all committees
of our Board. Richard C. Neugent chairs the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee and Christopher E. Lee, David J. Lubar and Randolph D.
Smoak, Jr. M.D. serve as members of this committee. Dr. Smoak joined
the Committee in February 2009. The Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee met four times in 2009.
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider recommendations made
by stockholders. Under our current Bylaws, and as SEC rules permit, stockholders
must follow certain procedures to nominate a person for election as a director
at an annual or special meeting, or to introduce an item of business at an
annual meeting. A stockholder must notify our Secretary in writing of the
director nominee or the other business. For annual meetings the notice must
include the required information (as set forth below, “Other Matters —
Stockholder Proposals and Nominations for the Board”) and be delivered to our
Secretary at our principal executive offices not earlier than the 150th day
and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the 120th day prior to
the first anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice for the preceding
year’s annual meeting.
If the
date of the Annual Meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from
the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice
by the stockholder must be delivered as described above not earlier than the
150th day prior to the date of mailing of the notice for such annual
meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the later of the
120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or the 10th day
following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is
first made. The public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an
annual meeting does not change or create a new opportunity for notice as
described above.
Director
Compensation
Each
non-employee member of our Board is entitled to receive annual compensation for
his services as a director as follows effective December 9, 2009: $25,000 per
year, $1,500 per meeting attended, $750 per teleconference. Committee
meetings, attended either in person or telephonically, are $750 per
instance. The chairperson of the Audit Committee is entitled to
receive an additional $15,000 annually and the chairperson of the Compensation
Committee is entitled to receive an additional $12,000 annually in compensation.
The chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is entitled
to receive an additional $5,000 annually in compensation. Such amounts shall be
paid in cash.
The
following table sets forth compensation information for each of our non-employee
directors for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009:
Director
Compensation
Name
|
|
Fees
Earned or Paid in Cash
|
|
|
Stock
Awards(1)(2)
|
|
|
Option
Awards
|
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation
|
|
|
Change
in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
Earnings
|
|
|
All
Other Comp.
|
|
|
Total
|
|
John
R. Georgius
|
|
$ |
60,250 |
|
|
$ |
40,000 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
100,250 |
|
Richard
B. Jennings
|
|
|
45,250 |
|
|
|
40,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
85,250 |
|
Christopher
E. Lee
|
|
|
54,250 |
|
|
|
40,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
94,250 |
|
David
J. Lubar
|
|
|
43,750 |
|
|
|
40,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
83,750 |
|
Richard
C. Neugent
|
|
|
49,500 |
|
|
|
40,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
89,500 |
|
Randolph
D. Smoak, Jr. M.D.
|
|
|
43,750 |
|
|
|
40,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
83,750 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
This column reflects the aggregate grant date fair
values of stock awards, including restricted stock units and LTIP units,
which were computed in accordance with ASC Topic 718. Assumptions
used in the calculation of these amounts are set forth in Footnote 14 to
the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements in the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2009.
|
(2)
|
Effective February 26, 2009, each non-employee member
of our Board was granted restricted shares of our common stock or
LTIP units as follows: Messrs. Georgius, Lee, Lubar and Neugent were
each granted 6,569 LTIP units, and Messrs. Jennings and Smoak
were each granted 6,569 restricted shares of our common
stock. These restricted shares and LTIP units vested upon
issuance.
|
Effective
January 4, 2010, each non-employee member of our board of directors was
granted restricted shares of our common stock or LTIP units as follows:
Mr. Lee was granted 6,981 LTIP units, and Messrs. Georgius, Jennings,
Lubar, Neugent and Smoak were each granted 6,981 restricted shares of our common
stock. These restricted shares and LTIP units vested upon
issuance.
EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS AND OTHER OFFICERS
Key
Executive Officers
Information
for James W. Cogdell, Frank C. Spencer and Scott A. Ransom is contained above
under the heading “Proposal 1 — Election of Directors.” Information
with respect to some of our other key executive officers is set forth below. All
of our executive officers are appointed as executive officers at the meeting of
the Board held at the time of each annual meeting of stockholders.
Charles M. Handy, age 48, Chief
Financial Officer, Senior Vice President and Secretary. Mr.
Handy has served as our Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President and
Secretary since our inception in 2005. Mr. Handy has more than 22 years’
experience in commercial real estate accounting, finance and
operations. He is responsible for all facets of finance, accounting,
management information systems and administration for the company, including
oversight of external and internal financial reporting, establishment and
evaluation of financial policy, maintenance of corporate banking relationships
and relationships with external accounting firms. Prior to our
initial public offering, Mr. Handy served as Chief Financial Officer, Senior
Vice President and Secretary of Cogdell Spencer Advisors, Inc. from 1997 to
2005. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Handy was Corporate Controller for
Faison & Associates, Inc., a commercial real estate management and
development firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and began his career
at Ernst & Young. Mr. Handy has a Masters Degree in Business
Administration from Wake Forest University, as well as a B.S.B.A. in Accounting
and Real Estate from Appalachian State University. He is a member of
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and North Carolina
Association of Certified Public Accountants. He is also a licensed
real estate broker in the State of North Carolina.
REPORT
OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
The Audit
Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of
Cogdell Spencer Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), assists the Board
in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the quality and integrity of
the Company’s accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices, and the
Company’s compliance with laws, regulations and corporate policies, and the
independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications, performance and
independence. Consistent with this oversight responsibility, the Audit Committee
has reviewed and discussed with management the audited financial statements for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and their assessment of internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2009.
Deloitte & Touche LLP, our independent registered public accountants,
issued its unqualified report on our financial statements.
The Audit
Committee also has discussed and reviewed with Deloitte & Touche LLP
the matters required to be discussed in accordance with Statement on Auditing
Standards No. 61, Communication with Audit
Committees, as amended. The Audit Committee has received the written
disclosures and the letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP required by
Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, Independence Discussions with Audit
Committees, as amended, and has conducted a discussion with
Deloitte & Touche LLP relative to its independence. The Audit Committee
has considered whether Deloitte & Touche LLP’s provision of non-audit
services is compatible with its independence.
As set
forth in the charter of the Audit Committee, our management is responsible for
the preparation, presentation and integrity of our financial statements.
Management is also responsible for maintaining appropriate accounting and
financial reporting principles and policies and internal controls and procedures
that provide for compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and
regulations. Our independent registered public accounting firm is responsible
for planning and carrying out a proper audit of our annual financial statements,
and reviews of our quarterly financial statements prior to the filing of each
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The members of the Audit Committee are
not full-time employees and are not performing the functions of auditors or
accountants. All members of the Audit Committee have been affirmatively
determined by the Board to be independent within the standards prescribed by the
NYSE and the applicable rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”). The Board also has determined that the Audit Committee
has at least one “audit committee financial expert,” as defined in
Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the “Securities Act”), such expert being Mr. Georgius, and that
he is “independent,” as that term is used in Item 407(d)(5)(i)(B) of Regulation
S-K under the Securities Act.
Members
of the Audit Committee rely without independent verification on the information
provided to them and on the representations made by management and the
independent registered public accounting firm. Accordingly, the Audit
Committee’s oversight does not provide an independent basis to determine that
management has maintained appropriate accounting and financial reporting
principles or appropriate internal controls and procedures designed to assure
compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations.
Furthermore, the Audit Committee’s considerations and discussions referred to
above do not assure that the audit of the Company’s consolidated financial
statements has been carried out in accordance with the auditing standards of the
PCAOB (United States), that the consolidated financial statements are presented
in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States
of America, that Deloitte & Touche LLP is in fact “independent” or the
effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls.
Based on
these reviews and discussions, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that
our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2009 be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for filing with the
SEC.
Respectfully
submitted by the members of the Audit Committee:
John
R. Georgius, Chairman
|
Richard
B. Jennings
|
David
J. Lubar
|
Richard
C. Neugent
|
|
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
MATTERS
|
Corporate
Governance Guidelines
Our
Board, in its role of overseeing the conduct of our business, is guided by our
Corporate Governance Guidelines. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines reflect the
NYSE listing standards. Among other things, our Corporate Governance Guidelines
contain categorical standards for determining director independence in
accordance with the NYSE listing standards. A copy of our Corporate Governance
Guidelines is available in print to any shareholder who requests it and also
available on our website at www.cogdell.com.
Board
Leadership Structure
We
recognize that it is important to establish an appropriate leadership structure
for our Board, so as to provide the optimal level of management oversight.
In furtherance of this goal, we maintain separate roles for our Chairman of the
Board and Chief Executive Officer. We believe this
structure is currently in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders. Both Mr. Cogdell and Mr. Spencer, our Chairman of the
Board and Chief Executive Officer, respectively, possess detailed and in-depth
knowledge of the issues, opportunities and challenges facing the Company and its
businesses. We separate the roles of Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer in recognition of the differences between the two
roles. Our Chief Executive Officer is responsible for setting the
strategic direction for the Company and the day to day leadership and
performance of the Company, while our Chairman of the Board provides
counsel to the Chief Executive Officer, sets the agenda for Board meetings and
presides over meetings of the full Board. Because Mr. Cogdell, our
Chairman of the Board, is an employee of the Company and is therefore not
independent under the listing standards of the NYSE and the applicable rules
promulgated by the SEC, our Board has appointed the Chairman of our
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, Richard C. Neugent, as Lead
Independent Director to preside at all executive sessions of “non-management”
directors, as defined under the rules of the NYSE.
Our Board
believes that its majority independent composition as described below and the
roles that our independent directors perform provide effective corporate
governance at the Board level and independent oversight of both our Board and
our executive officers. The current leadership structure, when
combined with the functioning of the independent director component of our Board
and our overall corporate governance structure, strikes an appropriate balance
between strong and consistent leadership and independent oversight of our
business and affairs.
Director
Independence
The
Guidelines provide that a majority of our directors serving on our Board must be
independent as required by the listing standards of the NYSE and the applicable
rules promulgated by the SEC. Our Board has affirmatively determined, based upon
its review of all relevant facts and circumstances, that each of the following
directors has no material relationship with us (either directly or as a partner,
stockholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with us) and
is independent under the listing standards of the NYSE and the applicable rules
promulgated by the SEC: Messrs. Georgius, Lee, Lubar, Jennings, Neugent and
Dr. Smoak. The Board has determined that each of Mr. Cogdell, the
Chairman of the Board, Mr. Spencer, our President and Chief Executive
Officer and Mr. Ransom, President and Chief Executive Officer
of Erdman Company, a taxable REIT subsidiary of our operating partnership,
are not independent directors because each is a named executive
officer.
Identification
of Board Candidates and Criteria for Board Membership
The
process followed by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to
identify and evaluate director candidates includes considering nominees
recommended by members of our Board, officers, employees, stockholders and
others, and uses the same criteria to evaluate all candidates. The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may also engage consultants or
third-party search firms to assist in identifying and evaluating potential
director nominees. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
reviews each candidate’s qualifications, including whether a candidate possesses
any of the specific qualities and skills desirable for members of the Board as
described below. Evaluations of candidates generally involve a review
of background materials, internal discussions and interviews with selected
candidates as appropriate. Upon selection of a qualified candidate,
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will recommend the candidate
for consideration by the full Board.
Nominees
for the Board should be committed to enhancing long-term stockholder value and
must possess a high level of personal and professional ethics, sound business
judgment and integrity. The Board’s policy is to encourage selection of
directors who will contribute to the Company’s overall corporate goals:
responsibility to its stockholders, understanding of the medical office
industry, leadership, effective execution, high customer satisfaction and a
superior employee working environment. The Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee may from time to time review the appropriate skills and
characteristics required of Board members, including such factors as business
experience, diversity and personal skills in finance, marketing, financial
reporting and other areas that are expected to contribute to an effective Board.
In evaluating potential candidates for the Board, the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee considers these factors in light of the specific needs
of the Board at that time. While the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines
do not prescribe diversity standards, as a matter of practice, the Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee considers diversity in the context of the
Board as a whole and takes into account the personal characteristics (gender,
ethnicity, age) and experience (industry, professional, public service) of
current and prospective directors to facilitate Board deliberations that reflect
a broad range of perspectives. Board members are expected to prepare
for, attend and participate in meetings of the Board and committees on which
they serve, and are strongly encouraged to attend the Company’s annual meetings
of stockholders. Each member of the Board is expected to ensure that other
existing and planned future commitments do not materially interfere with the
member’s service as a director. These other commitments will be considered by
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Board when reviewing
Board candidates and in connection with the Board’s annual evaluation
process.
Whistleblowing
and Whistleblower Protection Policy
The Audit
Committee has established procedures for: (1) the receipt, retention and
treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting
controls or auditing matters, and (2) the confidential and anonymous
submission by our employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or
auditing matters. If you wish to contact the Audit Committee to report
complaints or concerns relating to our financial reporting, you may do so by
(i) calling the Compliance Hotline at 1-800-360-6029, (ii) filing a
web submission at https://cogdell.alertline.com, (iii) emailing our Compliance
Email Box at whistleblower@cogdell.com or (iv) delivering the report via
regular mail, which may be mailed anonymously, to c/o Audit Committee,
Cogdell Spencer Inc., 4401 Barclay Downs Drive, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC
28209-4670. A copy of the policy is available on our website at www.cogdell.com.
Code
of Business Conduct and Ethics
Our Code
of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) documents the principles
of conduct and ethics to be followed by our employees, executive officers and
directors, including our principal executive officer, principal financial
officer and principal accounting officer. The purpose of the Code of Ethics is
to promote honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual
or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional
relationships; promote avoidance of conflicts of interest, including disclosure
to an appropriate person or committee of any material transaction or
relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to such a conflict;
promote full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports
and documents that we file with, or submit to, the SEC and in other public
communications we make; promote compliance with applicable governmental laws,
rules and regulations; promote the prompt internal reporting to an appropriate
person or committee of violations of the Code of Ethics; promote accountability
for adherence to the Code of Ethics; provide guidance to employees, executive
officers and directors to help them recognize and deal with ethical issues;
provide mechanisms to report unethical conduct; and help foster our longstanding
culture of honesty and accountability. A copy of the Code of Ethics has been
provided to, and signed by, each of our directors, executive officers and
employees. A copy of the Code of Ethics is available on our website at www.cogdell.com and can be
provided to any stockholder upon request.
Disclosure
Committee
We
maintain a Disclosure Committee consisting of members of our executive
management and senior staff. The Disclosure Committee meets at least quarterly.
The purpose of the Disclosure Committee is to bring together executive
management and employees involved in the preparation of our financial statements
so the group can discuss any issues or matters of which the members are aware
that should be considered for disclosure in our public SEC filings.
Communications
with Stockholders
We
provide the opportunity for stockholders and interested parties to communicate
with the members of the Board. They may communicate with the independent Board
members, non-management directors or the Chairperson of any of the Board’s
committees by email or regular mail. All communications should be sent to:
stockholdercommunications@cogdell.com, or to the attention of the Independent
Directors, the Audit Committee Chairman, the Compensation Committee Chairman or
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Chairman at 4401 Barclay Downs
Drive, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28209-4670. The means of communication with
members of the Board is available on our website under “Communications Policy”
at www.cogdell.com.
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
Compensation
Discussion and Analysis
Overview
This
section of the proxy statement discusses the principles underlying our executive
compensation policies and decisions and the most important factors relevant to
an analysis of these policies and decisions. It provides both quantitative and
qualitative information regarding the manner and context in which compensation
is awarded to, and earned by, our executive officers and places in perspective
the data presented in the tables and narrative that follow.
Compensation
Philosophy and Objectives
The
Compensation Committee, in consultation with our Board and Chief Executive
Officer, sets our compensation philosophy.
The basic
philosophy underlying our executive compensation policies, plans, and programs
is that executive and stockholder financial interests should be closely aligned,
and that compensation should be based on delivering pay commensurate with
performance. Accordingly, the executive compensation program for our Chairman of
the Board and Chief Executive Officer and our other executive officers has been
structured to achieve the following objectives:
|
•
|
Provide
compensation that attracts, retains, and motivates key executive officers
to lead our company effectively and continue our short and long-term
profitability and growth;
|
|
•
|
Link
executive compensation and our financial and operating performance, by
setting executive compensation based on the attainment of certain
objective and subjective company and department performance
goals; and
|
|
•
|
Align
the interests of our executive officers and stockholders by implementing
and maintaining compensation programs that provide for the acquisition and
retention of significant equity interests in us by executive
officers.
|
Based on
these objectives, the executive compensation program has been designed to assist
us in attracting, motivating and retaining executive officers to help us achieve
our performance goals. The program is structured to provide our executive
officers with a combination of base salaries, annual cash incentive awards,
long-term incentive awards and stock ownership opportunities.
We have
entered into written employment agreements with each of our named executive
officers and certain other key employees. Some aspects of the compensation paid
for our named executive officers are affected by the terms of the applicable
employment agreement. For example, if a base salary is decreased
during the term of an employment agreement, the employee may terminate the
agreement for good reason and would be entitled to certain severance
benefits. Descriptions of these agreements are set forth under the
heading “Agreements with Executive Officers.”
Setting
Executive Compensation
The
Compensation Committee is comprised of four independent directors,
Messrs. Lee (Chairman), Georgius and Jennings and Dr. Smoak. The
Compensation Committee exercises independent discretion in respect of executive
compensation matters and administers our 2005 long-term stock incentive plan.
The Compensation Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the
Board, a copy of which is available on our website at www.cogdell.com.
The
Compensation Committee determines the total compensation and the allocation of
such compensation among base salary, annual bonus amounts and other long-term
incentive compensation as well as the allocation of such items among cash and
equity compensation for our Chairman and our Chief Executive Officer. With
respect to the compensation of our other executive officers, the Compensation
Committee solicits recommendations from our Chief Executive Officer regarding
compensation and reviews his recommendations. We do not have a pre-established
policy for the allocation between either cash and non-cash compensation or
annual and long-term incentive compensation. The ultimate determination on total
compensation and the elements that comprise that total compensation is made
solely by the Compensation Committee.
The
Compensation Committee meets regularly during the year (six meetings in 2009)
and has periodic conference calls, as needed, to evaluate executive
performance against the goals and objectives set at the beginning of the year,
to monitor market conditions in light of these goals and objectives and to
review the compensation practices. The Compensation Committee makes regular
reports to the Board.
What
the Executive Compensation Plan is Designed to Reward
The
Compensation Committee has designed the executive compensation plan to achieve
three primary objectives:
|
•
|
Attracting, Motivating and
Retaining Key Executives. We
have been successful in creating an experienced and highly effective team
with long tenure and a deep commitment to
us.
|
|
•
|
Linking Compensation to
Performance. The Compensation Committee generally
rewards the achievement of specific annual, long-term and strategic goals
of both our Company and each individual executive officer. The
Compensation Committee measures performance of each executive officer, by
considering (1) our Company performance and (2) the performance of
each executive officer’s department and/or area of responsibility against
financial measures established at the beginning of the year, and
(3) a subjective evaluation of each executive officer. The
Compensation Committee evaluates the performance of our Chairman of the
Board and Chief Executive Officer.
|
|
•
|
Aligning the Interest of our
Executive Officers with our Stockholders. Long-term
incentive compensation is designed to provide incentives for each
executive officer to successfully implement our long-term strategic goals
and to retain such executive officer. We have designed our annual and
long-term incentive programs to award performance-based equity to allow
our executive officers to grow their ownership in our company and create
further alignment with our
stockholders.
|
Role
of the Compensation Consultant
Our
executive compensation is designed to be competitive with those of executive
officers of other equity REITs and private real estate companies, while also
taking into account the executive officers’ performance. The
Compensation Committee continues to be able to utilize compensation consultants
periodically to review our compensation policies and
amounts. However, in 2009, in accordance with company-wide cost
savings initiatives, base salaries were frozen, hiring was limited to critical
positions, bonuses for all executive officers were suspended and staff
reductions occurred. Therefore, the need to hire a compensation
consultant to provide advice on the amount and form of compensation was deferred
until the 2010 calendar year.
Measuring
2009 Performance
Together
with our Board and Chief Executive Officer, the Compensation Committee’s annual
review of an executive officer includes a review of the performance of such
executive officer’s department and our overall performance. Increases to the
annual salary are based on recommendations of the Chief Executive Officer and
are subject to approval by the Compensation Committee based on the Chief
Executive Officer’s review of salaries of comparable executive officers in
comparable companies. The Compensation Committee’s annual review of the
performance of our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer includes a
review of our overall performance. Pursuant to the employment agreements that we
entered into with our named executive officers and certain other key employees,
annual salary for these individuals cannot be decreased beyond the amount set
forth in such executive officer’s employment agreement. We provide this element
of compensation to compensate executive officers for services rendered during
the fiscal year. In
accordance with company-wide cost savings initiatives, the Company enacted a
salary adjustment freeze for fiscal year 2009 for all employees, including
executive officers.
In
addition, the Compensation Committee continues to oversee and evaluate the
performance and leadership skills of our key executive officers in order to
ensure the roles of such officers are continuing to align with the Company's
business strategy and goals. In 2009, the Compensation Committee
retained a professional services company to help prepare an evaluation method to
provide feedback on the performance of key executive officers from certain of
such officers' supervisors, peers, co-workers, other staff employees and the
officers themselves. This feedback process continued through 2009 and
will culminate in meetings, overseen by the Compensation Committee, with each of
the key executive officers, continuing into 2010, to discuss ways in which such
officers can enhance their respective strengths and improve upon their overall
performance.
Development
Project Awards
Mr.
Handy, our Chief Financial Officer, was eligible to receive LTIP unit grants in
2009 based on the amount of development projects completed by the Company in
2009, in an amount equal to 0.15% of the asset value of each new completed and
owned development project. LTIP units totaling $33,594 based on a
price of $4.93 per unit were granted to Mr. Handy in connection with the
completion of The Woodlands Center for Specialized Medicine during
2009. The LTIP units vested 50% at the certificate of occupancy and
50% upon rent stabilization.
Mr.
Ransom was eligible to receive LTIP unit grants in 2009 based on the amount of
development projects completed by the Company in 2009, in an amount equal to
0.5% of the asset value of each new completed and owned development
project. LTIP units totaling $111,979 based on a price of $4.93 per
unit were granted to Mr. Ransom in connection with the completion of The
Woodlands Center for Specialized Medicine during 2009. The LTIP units
vested 50% at the certificate of occupancy and 50% upon rent
stabilization.
Elements
of our Executive Compensation Program and Why We Chose Each Element
Our
executive compensation plan has been structured to provide short and long-term
incentives that promote continuing improvements in our financial results and
returns to our stockholders. The elements of our executive compensation are
primarily comprised of three elements designed to complement each other: annual
base salaries; annual incentive bonuses; and long-term incentives. We review the
various components of compensation as related but distinct. The Compensation
Committee designs total compensation packages that it believes will best create
retention incentives, link compensation to performance and align the interests
of our executive officers and our stockholders.
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•
|
Annual Base
Salaries. Annual base salaries are paid for ongoing
performance throughout the year. In the case of each of our named
executive officers, annual base salaries are paid in accordance with the
employment agreement between us and such executive
officers.
|
|
•
|
Annual Incentive
Bonus. We have provided and expect to continue to
provide for the payment of equity and cash incentive bonuses based on our
performance in relation to both predetermined objectives and subjective
individual executive performance. Our Chairman of the Board does not
participate in the annual incentive bonus. Our Compensation Committee
determines the annual incentive bonus for our Chief Executive Officer
based on certain predetermined performance targets, our Chief Executive
Officer and our Compensation Committee determine the annual incentive
bonus for our other executive officers based on certain pre determined
performance targets. See “Measuring 2009
Performance.” We provide this element of compensation because
we believe that it promotes loyalty, hard-work and focus, honesty and
vision. In 2009, we did not pay annual incentive bonuses due to
company-wide cost savings
initiatives.
|
|
•
|
Long-Term
Incentives. Pursuant to our 2005 long-term stock
incentive plan, we have provided and, pursuant to our 2010
Plan, expect to continue to provide long-term incentives through
grants of stock options, restricted stock, LTIP units, stock appreciation
rights, phantom shares, dividend equivalent rights and other equity-based
awards, the exact numbers of which vary, depending on the position and
salary of the executive officer. These equity based awards will be
designed to link executive compensation to our long-term Common Stock
performance. In 2009, LTIP units were awarded to Messrs. Handy
and Ransom for the completion of a development project as described above
under the heading “Development Project Awards”; however, no LTIP
units were awarded for performance
recognition.
|
The
Compensation Committee has the full authority to administer and interpret our
2005 long-term stock incentive plan, to authorize the granting of awards, to
determine the eligibility of employees, directors, executive officers, advisors,
consultants and other personnel, our subsidiaries, our affiliates and other
persons expected to provide significant services to us or our subsidiaries to
receive an award, to determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be
covered by each award (subject to the individual participant limitations
provided in the 2005 long-term stock incentive plan), to determine the terms,
provisions and conditions of each award (which may not be inconsistent with the
terms of our 2005 long-term stock incentive plan), to prescribe the form of
instruments evidencing awards and to take any other actions and make all
determinations that it deems necessary or appropriate in connection with our
2005 long-term stock incentive plan or the administration or interpretation
thereof. In connection with this authority, the Compensation Committee may
establish performance goals that must be met in order for awards to be granted
or to vest, or for the restrictions on any such awards to lapse. For
more information on our 2005 long-term stock incentive plan, we refer you to our
Registration Statement on Form S-11 filed by us on October 26,
2005.
Perquisites
and Other Personal Benefits
In order
to attract and retain highly qualified individuals for key positions, we
occasionally provide our executive officers with perquisites and other personal
benefits that are consistent with our compensation philosophy. For more
information regarding perquisites and other personal benefits, we refer you to
the “All Other Compensation” table set forth under “Executive
Compensation.”
How
Each Element and Our Decisions Regarding Each Element Fit Into Our Overall
Compensation Objectives and Affect Decisions Regarding Other
Elements
Our
compensation program seeks to reward our executive officers for their superior
performance and Company performance, while closely aligning the interests of our
executive officers with the interests of our stockholders. In making
compensation decisions, the Compensation Committee considers various measures of
company and industry performance, including a combination of funds from
operations modified (“FFOM”), gross revenue and EBITDA. Consistent with this
approach, the Compensation Committee pays our executive officers annual base
salaries in order to provide them with a minimum compensation level that is
intended to reflect such executive officer’s value and historical contributions
to our success in light of salary norms of our competitors. The Compensation
Committee may elect to pay our executive officers annual incentives to reward
our executive officers for achievement of financial and other performance of our
company and of such executive officer’s department, with a component of
performance based on a subjective evaluation. The Compensation Committee may
elect to pay our executive officers long-term incentives to act as a retention
tool and to provide continued and additional incentives to maximize our stock
price and thereby more closely align the economic interests of our executive
officers with those of our stockholders. Through the elements of our
compensation program, the Compensation Committee seeks to maintain a competitive
total compensation package for each executive officer, while being sensitive to
our fiscal year budget, annual accounting costs and the impact of share dilution
in making such compensation payments.
Other
Matters
Tax and Accounting
Treatment. The Compensation Committee reviews and considers
the deductibility of executive compensation under Section 162(m) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
“Code”). Section 162(m) limits the deductibility on our tax
return of compensation over $1 million to any of our named executive
officers unless, in general, the compensation is paid pursuant to a plan which
is performance-related, non-discretionary and has been approved by our
stockholders. The Compensation Committee’s policy with respect to
Section 162(m) is to make every reasonable effort to ensure that
compensation is deductible to the extent permitted while simultaneously
providing our executive officers with appropriate compensation for their
performance. The Compensation Committee may make compensation payments that are
not fully deductible if in its judgment such payments are necessary to achieve
the objectives of our compensation program.
We
account for stock-based payments through our equity incentive plans, including
our 2005 long-term stock incentive plan and performance bonus plan, in
accordance with the requirements of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 123-R.
Other
Policies
Although
we do not have any policy in place regarding minimum ownership requirements for
either our executive officers or directors, our named executive officers all
have significant stakes in us. We do not have any policy in place regarding the
ability of our executive officers or directors to engage in hedging activities
with respect to our Common Stock. In addition, we do not have nonqualified
deferred compensation plans.
COMPENSATION
COMMITTEE REPORT
The
executive compensation philosophy, policies, plans, and programs of Cogdell
Spencer Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), are under the supervision
of the Compensation Committee (the “Compensation Committee”) of the Board of
Directors (the “Board”) of the Company, which is composed of the non-management
directors named below, each of whom has been determined by the Board to be
independent under the applicable rules of the SEC and the NYSE listing
standards.
The
Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion
and Analysis section of the Company’s proxy statement as required by Item 402(b)
of Regulation S-K with management. Based on the review and discussions, the
Compensation Committee recommended to the Board, that the Compensation
Discussion and Analysis be included in the proxy statement for the Company’s
2010 annual meeting of stockholders and incorporated by reference in the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2009.
Respectfully
submitted by the members of the Compensation Committee:
Christopher
E. Lee, Chairman
|
Richard
B Jennings
|
John
R. Georgius
|
Randolph
D. Smoak, Jr. M.D.
|
COMPENSATION
COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
There are
no Compensation Committee interlocks and none of our employees participate on
the Compensation Committee.
Executive
Compensation
The
following table sets forth the annual base salary and other compensation paid or
earned in 2009, 2008 and 2007 to our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and
President, Chief Financial Officer and the President and Chief Executive Officer
of Erdman Company, a taxable REIT subsidiary of our operating partnership,
acquired in March 2008. These executive officers are referred to herein
collectively as the “named executive officers.”
Summary Compensation
Table
|
|
|
|
Name
and Principal Position
|
|
Year
|
|
|
Salary
|
|
|
Bonus
|
|
|
Stock
Awards(1)(2)
|
|
|
All
Other Compensation(3)
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
W. Cogdell
|
|
2009
|
|
|
$ |
442,559 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
34,163 |
|
|
$ |
476,722 |
|
Chairman
|
|
2008
|
|
|
$ |
444,388 |
(5) |
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
83,485 |
|
|
$ |
24,338 |
|
|
$ |
552,211 |
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
$ |
442,080 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
22,525 |
|
|
$ |
464,605 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Frank
C. Spencer
|
|
2009
|
|
|
$ |
500,000 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
38,050 |
|
|
$ |
538,050 |
|
Chief
Executive Officer
|
|
2008
|
|
|
$ |
490,426 |
|
|
$ |
595,000 |
(6) |
|
$ |
222,633 |
|
|
$ |
29,447 |
|
|
$ |
1,337,507 |
|
and
President
|
|
2007
|
|
|
$ |
442,080 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
25,932 |
|
|
$ |
468,012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles
M. Handy
|
|
2009
|
|
|
$ |
285,312 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
33,594 |
|
|
$ |
39,850 |
|
|
$ |
358,756 |
|
Chief
Financial Officer,
|
|
2008
|
|
|
$ |
276,857 |
|
|
$ |
303,293 |
(7) |
|
$ |
163,448 |
|
|
$ |
31,192 |
|
|
$ |
774,791 |
|
Senior
Vice President
|
|
2007
|
|
|
$ |
234,840 |
|
|
$ |
109,797 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
27,719 |
|
|
$ |
372,356 |
|
and
Secretary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott
A. Ransom
|
|
2009
|
|
|
$ |
315,000 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
111,979 |
|
|
$ |
38,565 |
|
|
$ |
465,544 |
|
President
and Chief
|
|
2008
|
(4) |
|
$ |
260,417 |
|
|
$ |
160,695 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
52,008 |
|
|
$ |
473,120 |
|
Executive
Officer of Erdman Company, a taxable REIT subsidiary of our operating
partnership
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
This column reflects the grant date fair values of
stock awards, including restricted stock units and LTIP units, granted in
the fiscal year indicated which were computed in accordance with ASC
Topic 718. Assumptions used in the calculation of these amounts are set
forth in Footnote 14 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial
statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2009.
|
(2)
|
Messrs. Handy and Ransom were awarded LTIP units in
connection with the completion of The Woodlands Center for Specialized
Medicine in Pensacola, Florida. The award was based on the
project’s asset value and was calculated using $4.93 per LTIP unit, the
Company’s common stock price on November 17, 2009, the date the
certificate of completion was received for the project.
|
(3)
|
All other compensation includes employer 401(k)
match, health, life and dental insurance premiums, long term and short
term disability insurance premiums, car allowance, personal use of
company-owned vehicles and club dues, as applicable. For more information
on these amounts, see “All Other Compensation” below.
|
(4)
|
Reflects Mr. Ransom's compensation from March 10,
2008, the date of closing the Company's acquisition of Erdman, through
December 31, 2008.
|
(5)
|
Mr. Cogdell elected to forego annual salary from
April 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008, and in lieu of salary, was
awarded LTIP units equal to foregone salary divided by the closing price
of the Company's common stock on May 28, 2008. One third of
these units vested on May 28, 2008, July 1, 2008 and October 1, 2008,
respectively.
|
(6)
|
Mr. Spencer's bonus for 2008 was paid entirely in
LTIP units, based on the closing stock price on the final day of business
for the year, or December 31, 2008 ($9.36/share), resulting in an LTIP
grant of 63,568 units.
|
(7)
|
In 2008, Mr. Handy earned a cash bonus of $188,843
and LTIP units of $144,450, resulting in a total achievement incentive of
$303,293.
|
The
following table sets forth the components of the “All Other Compensation” column
found in the previous table.
All
Other Compensation
|
|
Name
|
|
Year
|
|
Employer
401(k) Match and Profit Sharing Contribution
|
|
|
Health,
Life and Dental Insurance Premiums
|
|
|
Long
Term Disability Insurance Premiums
|
|
|
Short
Term Disability Insurance Premiums
|
|
|
Car
Allowance
|
|
|
Personal
Use of Company Vehicle
|
|
|
Club
Dues
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
W. Cogdell(1)
|
|
2009
|
|
$ |
12,250 |
|
|
$ |
8,922 |
|
|
$ |
400 |
|
|
$ |
30 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
12,561 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
34,163 |
|
|
|
2008
|
|
$ |
5,731 |
|
|
$ |
5,852 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
12,756 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
24,338 |
|
|
|
2007
|
|
$ |
9,000 |
|
|
$ |
3,853 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
9,672 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
22,525 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Frank
C. Spencer(1)
|
|
2009
|
|
$ |
12,250 |
|
|
$ |
13,435 |
|
|
$ |
400 |
|
|
$ |
30 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
11,935 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
38,050 |
|
|
|
2008
|
|
$ |
9,200 |
|
|
$ |
8,889 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
11,358 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
29,447 |
|
|
|
2007
|
|
$ |
9,000 |
|
|
$ |
7,814 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
9,118 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
25,932 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles
M. Handy
|
|
2009
|
|
$ |
12,250 |
|
|
$ |
13,435 |
|
|
$ |
400 |
|
|
$ |
30 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
13,735 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
39,850 |
|
|
|
2008
|
|
$ |
9,200 |
|
|
$ |
8,889 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
13,103 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
31,192 |
|
|
|
2007
|
|
$ |
9,000 |
|
|
$ |
7,814 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
10,905 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
27,719 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott
A. Ransom(1)
|
|
2009
|
|
$ |
12,250 |
|
|
$ |
10,685 |
|
|
$ |
400 |
|
|
$ |
30 |
|
|
$ |
7,200 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
8,000 |
|
|
$ |
38,565 |
|
|
|
2008
|
|
$ |
28,542 |
|
|
$ |
9,828 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
6,000 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
7,638 |
|
|
$ |
52,008 |
|
(1)
|
The
named executive officers received no additional compensation for serving
as a director.
|
Grants
of Plan-Based Awards for 2009
|
|
Name
|
Grant
Date
|
|
|
All
Other Stock Awards: Number of Shares of Stock or Units
(#)
|
|
|
All
other Option Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Options
(#)
|
|
|
Grant
Date Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards
|
|
|
James
W. Cogdell
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Frank
C. Spencer
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles
M. Handy
|
11/17/2009
|
(1) |
|
|
6,814 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
33,594 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott
A. Ransom
|
11/17/2009
|
(2) |
|
|
22,714 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
111,979 |
|
(1)
|
Mr. Handy was awarded $33,594 of LTIP units in
connection with the completion of The Woodlands Center for Specialized
Medicine in Pensacola, Florida. The award was based on the
project’s asset value and was calculated using $4.93 per LTIP unit, the
Company’s common stock price on November 17, 2009, the date the
certificate of completion was received for the project.
|
(2)
|
Mr. Ransom was awarded $111,979 of LTIP units in
connection with the completion of The Woodlands Center for Specialized
Medicine in Pensacola, Florida. The award was based on the
project’s asset value and was calculated using $4.93 per LTIP unit, the
Company’s common stock price on November 17, 2009, the date the
certificate of completion was received for the
project.
|
Outstanding Equity Awards at
Fiscal Year-End for 2009
|
|
|
|
Stock
Awards
|
|
Name
|
|
Number
of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested (#) (1)
|
|
|
Market
Value of Shares or Units or Stock That Have Not Vested ($) (1)
|
|
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Unearned Shares, Units, or Other Rights
That Have Not Vested (#)
|
|
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units,
or Other Rights That Have Not Vested ($)
|
|
James
W. Cogdell
|
|
|
18,277 |
|
|
$ |
103,448 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Frank
C. Spencer
|
|
|
48,738 |
|
|
$ |
275,857 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles
M. Handy
|
|
|
30,461 |
|
|
$ |
172,409 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott
A. Ransom
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
(1)
|
The
amounts shown represent unvested amounts related to LTIP units granted in
recognition of the role played in the acquisition of
Erdman. The number of LTIP units awarded was calculated using
$15.95 per LTIP unit, the price per share paid in connection with the
Company’s private offering in January 2008. Of the total number
of LTIP units granted, 20% vested on March 31, 2008 (the effective date of
the issuance) and the remaining 80% will vest if and when the Company
achieves certain performance standards as provided in the
awards. The amounts shown represent unvested amounts remaining
after the vesting of LTIP units related to the achievement of 2008
performance standards. Amounts presented relate to the
accelerated vesting of unvested equity compensation assuming a per unit
value of $5.66 which was the price per share of the Company's common stock
on December 31, 2009, the effective date of this
calculation.
|
Our
executive officers did not receive any grants of option awards or unvested stock
awards during 2009. In addition, we did not grant stock options, stock
appreciation rights or similar instruments.
Section 16(a)
Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Under
federal securities laws, our directors, executive officers and holders of 10% or
more of our Common Stock are required to report, within specified monthly and
annual due dates, their initial ownership in our Common Stock and all subsequent
acquisitions, dispositions or other transfers of beneficial interests therein,
if and to the extent reportable events occur which require reporting by such due
dates. Based solely upon a review of the copies of the forms
furnished to us, we believe that the following persons made late filings for the
2009 fiscal year as follows: Scott A. Ransom filed a timely Form 5 to
report one late Form 4 transaction.
Agreements
with Executive Officers
We
entered into written employment agreements with our named executive officers
employed at the time of our initial public offering that became effective upon
the closing of our initial public offering, pursuant to which
Messrs. Cogdell, Spencer and Handy are expected to agree to serve,
respectively, as our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, and Chief
Financial Officer, Senior Vice President and Secretary. Upon the
acquisition of Erdman on March 10, 2008, we entered into a written employment
agreement with Mr. Ransom pursuant to which he agreed to serve as our President
& Chief Executive Officer of Erdman Company, a taxable REIT subsidiary of
our operating partnership. The employment agreements require the executive
officers to devote substantially all of their business time and effort to our
affairs.
The
employment agreements with Messrs. Cogdell, Spencer and Ransom are each for
a five-year term and Mr. Handy’s is for a three-year term; provided,
however, that the terms will be automatically extended for successive one-year
periods unless, not later than three months prior to the termination of the
existing term, either party provides written notice to the other party of its
intent not to further extend the term. Mr. Handy’s agreement was renegotiated in
2008 for an additional three year term and new terms were included by the
Compensation Committee as outlined below. The employment agreements provide for
an annual base salary to each of Messrs. Cogdell, Spencer, Handy, and
Ransom, respectively, and for bonus and other incentive eligibility (as
determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board) and participation in
employee benefit plans and programs. We also make available to each of
Messrs. Cogdell, Spencer and Handy use of a company car. We
provide a vehicle allowance to Mr. Ransom.
Pursuant
to their employment agreements, the compensation otherwise payable to
Messrs. Cogdell and Spencer shall be subject to reduction in the event that
during the term of their employment agreements or any extension thereof, the
average annual combined net operating income for East Jefferson Medical Office
Building and East Jefferson Medical Specialty Building for any of the years
ended December 31, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 declines by more than 15% from
their combined estimated 2006 net operating income, which is estimated to
be $2.15 million, an amount equal to such additional decline (up to the
next 15% of such shortfall) (which is referred to in the employment agreements
as the “captured shortfall amount”) shall off-set the compensation otherwise
payable to each such executive officer in the next calendar year following such
measurement period by an amount equal to 50% of such captured shortfall
amount.
Upon the
termination of an executive officer’s employment either by us for “cause” or by
the executive officer without “good reason” during the term of his/her
employment agreement, such executive officer will be entitled to receive his
annual base salary and other benefits accrued through the date of termination of
the executive officer’s employment.
The term
“cause” as used in the employment agreements is generally defined to
mean:
(i) conviction
of, or formal admission to, a felony (Mr. Handy’s 2008 agreement includes
conviction of, or formal admission to, a misdemeanor the circumstances of which
are to the material detriment to the Company’s reputation whether or not in the
performance of the Executive’s duties hereunder, or a felony);
(ii) engagement
in the performance of the executive officer’s duties, or otherwise to our
material and demonstrable detriment, in willful misconduct, willful or gross
neglect, fraud, misappropriation or embezzlement;
(iii) repeated
failure to adhere to the directions of our Board, or to adhere to our policies
and practices;
(iv) willful
and continued failure to substantially perform the executive’s duties properly
assigned to him (other than any such failure resulting from his disability)
after demand for substantial performance is delivered by us specifically
identifying the manner in which we believe the executive officer has not
substantially performed such duties;
(v) breach
of any of the provisions of the covenants of the executive officer’s employment
agreement; or
(vi) breach
in any material respect of the terms and provisions of the executive officer’s
employment agreement and failure to cure such breach within 90 days
following written notice from us specifying such breach.
The term
“good reason” as used in the employment agreements is generally defined to
mean:
(i) the
material reduction of the executive officer’s authority, duties and
responsibilities, the failure to continue the executive officer’s appointment in
his given position, or the assignment to the executive officer of duties
materially inconsistent with the executive officer’s position or positions with
us;
(ii) a
reduction in annual salary of the executive officer;
(iii) the
relocation of the executive officer’s office to more than 50 miles from
Charlotte, North Carolina (or in the case of Mr. Ransom, more than 50 miles from
Madison, Wisconsin);
(iv) our
material and willful breach of the executive officer’s employment agreement; or,
in the case of Messrs. Cogdell and Spencer only,
(v) a
decision by us, over the reasonable objection of the executive officer acting in
good faith, materially to change our business plan so as to effect a fundamental
change to our primary business purpose. This clause was stricken from
the agreement negotiated with Mr. Handy in 2008.
Upon the
termination of an executive officer’s employment either by us without “cause” or
by the executive officer for “good reason,” or, in the case of
Messrs. Cogdell and Spencer, any non-renewal of the executive officer’s
employment agreement by us, the executive officer will be entitled under his
employment agreement to the following severance payments and
benefits:
|
•
|
annual
base salary, bonus and other benefits accrued through the date of
termination;
|
|
•
|
a
lump-sum cash payment equal to 1.99 multiplied by the sum of (1) the
executive officer’s then-current annual base salary and (2) the
greater of (A) the average bonus paid to the executive officer over
the previous two years and (B) the maximum bonus payable to the
executive officer for the fiscal year in which the termination
occurs;
|
|
•
|
for
three years after termination of employment, continuing coverage under the
group health plans the executive officer would have received under his
employment agreement, as would have applied in the absence of such
termination; and
|
|
•
|
full
vesting of all outstanding equity-based awards held by the executive
officer.
|
Upon a
change of control (as defined in the employment agreements), while the executive
officer is employed, all outstanding unvested equity-based awards (including
stock options and restricted stock) shall fully vest and become immediately
exercisable, as applicable. In addition if, after a change of control, the
executive officer terminates his employment with us within one year of the
change in control, such termination shall be deemed a termination by the
executive officer for good reason. The term “change of control” as used in the
employment agreements is generally defined to mean:
(i) any
transaction by which any person or group becomes the beneficial owner, either
directly or indirectly, of our securities representing 50% or more of either
(A) the combined voting power of our then outstanding securities or
(B) the then outstanding shares of our Common Stock; or
(ii) any
consolidation or merger where our stockholders, immediately prior to the
consolidation or merger, would not, immediately after the consolidation or
merger, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, shares representing in the
aggregate 50% or more of the combined voting power of the securities of the
corporation issuing cash or securities in the consolidation or merger (or of its
ultimate parent corporation, if any); or
(iii) there
shall occur (A) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer of all or
substantially all of our assets, or (B) the approval by our stockholders of
any plan or proposal for our liquidation or dissolution; or
(iv) the
members of our Board, at the beginning of any consecutive 24-calendar-month
period cease for any reason other than due to death to constitute at least a
majority of the members of the Board.
With
respect to Mr. Handy, in the event of any notice of non-renewal of the
employment agreement by us, the executive officer will be entitled under his
employment agreement to the same payments and benefits as if terminated other
than for cause, except that the executive officer’s lump-sum cash payment will
equal the sum of (1) the executive officer’s then-current annual base
salary; and (2) the greater of (A) the average bonus paid to the executive
officer over the previous two years, and (B) the maximum bonus payable to the
executive officer for the fiscal year in which the termination
occurs.
Upon the
termination of the executive officer’s employment due to the death or disability
(generally meaning a condition rendering the executive officer unable to perform
substantially and continually the duties assigned to him) of the executive
officer, the executive officer (or his estate) will be entitled under his
employment agreement to his annual base salary, bonus and other benefits accrued
through the date of termination and full vesting of all outstanding equity-based
awards held by the executive officer.
In the
event that any amount payable to an executive officer is determined to be an
“excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code, we have also
agreed to make a gross-up payment to the executive officer equal to the excise
tax imposed on the executive under Section 4999 of the Code. The amount of
gross-up payment (which is also treated as an excess parachute payment) shall be
equal to the sum of the excise taxes payable by the executive officer by reason
of receiving the parachute payments plus the amount necessary to put the
executive officer in the same after-tax position as if no excise taxes had been
imposed on the executive officer (taking into account any and all applicable
federal, state and local excise, income or other taxes at the highest applicable
rates). The excise taxes shall be payable by the executive officer and we must
withhold the excise tax as if the payment constituted wages to the executive
officer. In addition, we are not entitled to an income tax deduction related to
any excess parachute payments or related gross-up payments.
We have
also agreed to provide Mr. Cogdell’s personal accountant with an office at
our headquarters building provided that Mr. Cogdell shall reimburse us for
the use of such office space and for any and all benefits that we provide to
this person. During 2009, no such services were
provided.
Upon
termination of the executive officer’s employment, if we elect to subject the
executive officer to the non-competition, confidentiality and non-solicitation
provisions described below, the executive officer will be entitled to a cash
payment equal to the sum of (1) the executive officer’s then-current annual
base salary and (2) the greater of (A) the average bonus paid to the
executive officer over the previous two years and (B) the maximum bonus
payable to the executive officer for the fiscal year in which the termination
occurs. Pursuant to the terms of the non-competition provisions, the executive
officer is prohibited for a one-year period following termination from, directly
or indirectly, whether as an owner, partner, shareholder, principal, agent,
employee, consultant or in any other relationship or capacity, engaging in any
element of our business or otherwise competing with us or our affiliates,
rendering any services to any person, corporation, partnership or other entity
engaged in competition with us or our affiliates, or providing financial
assistance to or otherwise obtaining an ownership interest in a competitor of
ours or of our affiliates within a restricted territory encompassing several
states in the Southeast.
The
executive officer is required to keep secret and retain in strictest confidence,
and not use for his benefit or the benefit of others, except in connection with
our business and affairs and those of our affiliates, all confidential matters
relating to our business and the business of any of our affiliates and to us and
any of our affiliates, learned by the executive officer directly or indirectly
from us or any of our affiliates, and is not to disclose such confidential
information to anyone outside of our company except with our express written
consent and except for confidential information which is at the time of receipt,
or thereafter becomes, publicly known through no wrongful act of the executive
officer, or is received from a third party not under an obligation to keep such
information confidential and without breach of the executive officer’s
employment agreement.
Finally,
the executive officer is prohibited from, directly or indirectly, knowingly
soliciting or encouraging to leave the employment or other service, or the
employment or service of any of our affiliates, any employee or independent
contractor thereof or hiring any employee or independent contractor who has left
our employment or other service or the employment or service of any of our
affiliates within the one-year period which follows the termination of such
employee’s or independent contractor’s employment or other service with us and
our affiliates.
The
following chart sets forth the cost that we would have incurred if one of the
named executive officers ceased working for us as of December 31, 2009
under the terms of our employment agreements:
Cost of Termination Under
Employment Agreements
|
|
Type
of Termination / Name (1)
|
|
Cash
Severance (2)
|
|
|
Continued
Medical and Dental Benefits (4)
|
|
|
Accelerated
Vesting of Unvested Equity Compensation (5)
|
|
|
Excise
Tax Gross-Up (6)
|
|
|
Total
Cost of Termination
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Termination
For Cause / Resignation without Good Reason
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
W. Cogdell
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
100%
forfeited
|
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
Frank
C. Spencer
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
100%
forfeited
|
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
Charles
M. Handy
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
100%
forfeited
|
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
Scott
A. Ransom
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
100%
forfeited
|
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Termination
Without Cause / Resignation with Good Reason (without a change of
control)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
W. Cogdell
|
|
$ |
1,623,252 |
(3) |
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
103,448 |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
1,767,693 |
|
Frank
C. Spencer
|
|
$ |
3,737,500 |
|
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
275,857 |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
4,054,351 |
|
Charles
M. Handy
|
|
$ |
2,041,606 |
|
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
172,409 |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
2,255,010 |
|
Scott
A. Ransom
|
|
$ |
1,883,700 |
|
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
1,924,694 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change
of Control
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
W. Cogdell
|
|
$ |
1,623,252 |
|
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
103,448 |
|
|
$ |
539,478 |
|
|
$ |
2,307,172 |
|
Frank
C. Spencer
|
|
$ |
3,737,500 |
|
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
275,857 |
|
|
$ |
1,336,704 |
|
|
$ |
5,391,055 |
|
Charles
M. Handy
|
|
$ |
2,041,606 |
|
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
172,409 |
|
|
$ |
722,056 |
|
|
$ |
2,977,065 |
|
Scott
A. Ransom
|
|
$ |
1,883,700 |
|
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
1,924,694 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-renewal
of Employment Agreement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
W. Cogdell
|
|
$ |
1,623,252 |
|
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
103,448 |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
1,767,693 |
|
Frank
C. Spencer
|
|
$ |
3,737,500 |
|
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
275,857 |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
4,054,351 |
|
Charles
M. Handy
|
|
$ |
1,365,623 |
|
|
$ |
40,994 |
|
|
$ |
172,409 |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
1,579,026 |
|
Scott
A. Ransom
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Death
or Disability
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
W. Cogdell
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
103,448 |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
103,448 |
|
Frank
C. Spencer
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
275,857 |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
275,857 |
|
Charles
M. Handy
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
172,409 |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
172,409 |
|
Scott
A. Ransom
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assumes
the Company's election to subject the executive officer to the
non-competition, confidentiality and non-solicitation
|
|
provisions
provided for in the employment agreements.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
In
analyzing the “golden parachute” tax rules (assuming that such rules are
potentially applicable here), we have taken the position for purposes of
completing the table that, in connection with the post-termination
non-competition covenants in the employment agreements with each of the
persons set forth in the table, excess parachute payments should be
reduced by an amount equal to one times certain annual compensation, which
is the amount payable by us to the executive if we determine to enforce
such covenants.
|
(2)
|
The
maximum bonus payable to Messrs. Spencer and Handy includes Long Term
Incentive Plan equity grants of $750,000 and $150,000,
respectively. All other amounts reflect
cash.
|
(3)
|
The
amount includes the payment on behalf of Mr. Cogdell for office and
secretarial services pursuant to the terms of our employment agreement
with Mr. Cogdell.
|
(4)
|
The
cost of the medical and dental insurance is based on the cost paid by us
for health insurance for a family with dependent children. The actual
amount will vary based on the cost of health insurance at the time of
termination, whether the individual is single or married and whether the
individual has dependent children.
|
(5)
|
The
Board awarded approximately $2,500,000 of LTIP units in recognition of the
role played by certain employees in the acquisition of
Erdman. The awards were as follows: Mr. Spencer,
$1,000,000; Mr. Cogdell, $375,000; and Mr. Handy, $650,000. The
aggregate number of LTIP units awarded was 156,739, which was calculated
using $15.95 per LTIP unit, the price per share paid in connection with
the Company’s private offering in January 2008. Of the total
number of LTIP units granted, 20% vested on March 31, 2008 (the effective
date of issuance) and the remaining 80% will vest if and when the Company
achieves certain performance standards as provided in the
awards. Effective December 31, 2008, additional LTIP units
vested as the result of achieving certain performance standards as
provided in the awards. The additional vesting was as follows
using $15.95 per LTIP unit: Mr. Cogdell, $8,485 (532 LTIP
units); Mr. Spencer, $22,633 (1,419 LTIP units); and Mr. Handy, $14,148
(887 LTIP units). Amounts presented relate to the accelerated
vesting of unvested equity compensation assuming a per unit value of $5.66
which was the price per share of the Company's common stock on December
31, 2009, the effective date of this calculation.
|
(6)
|
Under
the employment agreements for all the named executive officers, if any
payments constitute “excess parachute payments” under Section 280G of
the Code such that the executive officer incurs an excise tax under
Section 4999 of the Code, we will provide an “excise tax gross-up”
payment in an amount such that the executive officer would receive the
same amount of severance had the excise tax not applied. The cost of the
excise tax gross-up is an estimate based on a number of assumptions
including: (i) the Company is subject to a change of control on
December 31, 2009, (ii) all of the named executive officers are
terminated on December 31, 2009 without cause following that change
of control, and (iii) all the named executive officers receive cash
incentive compensation for 2009 using the target percentage for each
executive officer. Gross-up payments are being included for informational
purposes only. We have not yet confirmed whether gross-up payments would
be required in the event of a termination of any or all of the persons set
forth in the table. There may be both factual and legal bases for
concluding that underlying “golden parachute” taxes, and therefore
gross-up payments, should not be
payable.
|
Indemnification
Agreements
We have
entered into indemnification agreements with each of our named executive
officers and directors. These indemnification agreements provide
that:
|
•
|
If
a director or executive officer is a party or is threatened to be made a
party to any proceeding, other than a proceeding by or in our right, by
reason of the director’s or executive officer’s status as a director,
executive officer or employee of our company, we must indemnify such
director or executive officer for all expenses and liabilities actually
and reasonably incurred by him or her, or on his or her behalf, unless it
has been established that:
|
|
•
|
the
act or omission of the director or executive officer was material to the
matter giving rise to the proceeding and was committed in bad faith or was
the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty;
|
|
•
|
the
director or executive officer actually received an improper personal
benefit in money, property or other
services; or
|
|
•
|
with
respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the director or executive
officer had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was
unlawful.
|
|
•
|
If
a director or executive officer is a party or is threatened to be made a
party to any proceeding by or in our right to procure a judgment in our
favor by reason of the director’s or executive officer’s status as a
director, executive officer or employee of the company, we must indemnify
the director or executive officer for all expenses and liabilities
actually and reasonably incurred by him or her, or on his or her behalf,
unless it has been established
that:
|
|
•
|
the
act or omission of the director or executive officer was material to the
matter giving rise to the proceeding and was committed in bad faith or was
the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty; or
|
|
•
|
the
director or executive officer actually received an improper personal
benefit in money, property or other services; provided, however, that
we will have no obligation to indemnify the director or executive officer
for any expenses and liabilities actually and reasonably incurred by him
or her, or on his or her behalf, if it has been adjudged that such
director or executive officer is liable to us with respect to such
proceeding.
|
|
•
|
Upon
application of one of our directors or executive officers to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction, the court may order indemnification of such
director or executive officer if:
|
|
•
|
the
court determines that the director or executive officer is entitled to
indemnification under the applicable section of the Maryland General
Corporate Law (the “MGCL”), in which case the director or executive
officer shall be entitled to recover from us the expenses of securing
indemnification; or
|
|
•
|
the
court determines that the director or executive officer is fairly and
reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant
circumstances, whether or not the director or executive officer has met
the standards of conduct set forth in the applicable section of the MGCL
or has been adjudged liable for receipt of an improper personal benefit
under the applicable section of the MGCL; provided, however, that any
indemnification obligations to the director or executive officer will be
limited to the expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her, or
on his or her behalf, in connection with any proceeding by or in our right
or in which the executive officer or director shall have been adjudged
liable for receipt of an improper personal benefit under the applicable
section of the MGCL.
|
|
•
|
Without
limiting any other provisions of the indemnification agreements, if a
director or executive officer is a party or is threatened to be made a
party to any proceeding by reason of the director’s or executive officer’s
status as our director, executive officer or employee, and the director or
executive officer is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or
more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such proceeding, we
must indemnify the director or executive officer for all expenses actually
and reasonably incurred by him or her, or on his or her behalf, in
connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter,
including any claim, issue or matter in such a proceeding that is
terminated by dismissal, with or without
prejudice.
|
|
•
|
We
must pay all indemnifiable expenses in advance of the final disposition of
any proceeding if the director or executive officer furnishes us with a
written affirmation of the director’s or executive officer’s good faith
belief that the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by us
has been met and a written undertaking to reimburse us if a court of
competent jurisdiction determines that the director or executive officer
is not entitled to indemnification.
|
Accounting
Fees and Services
The
following table presents aggregate fees billed to us for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2009 and 2008 by our principal accounting firm,
Deloitte & Touche LLP, the member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu,
and their respective affiliates (collectively, “Deloitte &
Touche”).
Accounting
Fees and Services
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Type of Fees
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
Audit
Fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Audit
of our annual financial statements and internal control
over
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
financial
reporting and the review of the financial statement included in our
Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q including the audit of MEA Holdings, Inc.
financials
|
|
$ |
858,736 |
|
|
$ |
997,097 |
|
Comfort
letters, consents and assistance with documents filed with the
SEC
|
|
|
127,764 |
|
|
|
170,584 |
|
Accounting
consultation for MEA Holdings, Inc.
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
66,178 |
|
Subtotal
|
|
|
986,500 |
|
|
|
1,233,859 |
|
Audit-Related
Fees
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Tax
Fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax
Compliance
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
31,544 |
|
Tax
consultation and tax planning advice in connection with acquisitions,
entity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
structuring
and REIT compliance
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
14,666 |
|
Tax
compliance for MEA Holdings, Inc.
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
39,311 |
|
Tax
consulting for MEA Holdings, Inc.
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
36,042 |
|
Subtotal
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
121,563 |
|
All
Other Fees
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Total
|
|
|
986,500 |
|
|
|
1,355,422 |
|
Audit
Committee Pre-Approval of Services by the Independent Auditor
In
accordance with its charter and applicable rules and regulations adopted by the
SEC, the Audit Committee reviews and pre-approves any engagement of our
independent registered public accounting firm to provide audit, review, or
attest services or non-audit services and the fees for any such services. The
Audit Committee annually considers and, if appropriate, approves the provision
of audit services by the independent registered public accounting firm. In
addition, the Audit Committee periodically considers and, if applicable,
approves the provision of any additional audit and non-audit services by our
independent registered public accounting firm that are neither encompassed by
the Audit Committee’s annual pre-approval nor prohibited by applicable rules and
regulations of the SEC. The Audit Committee has delegated to the Chairman of the
Audit Committee, Mr. Georgius, the authority to pre-approve, on a
case-by-case basis, any such additional audit and non-audit services to be
performed by our independent registered public accounting firm.
Mr. Georgius reports any decision to pre-approve such services to the Audit
Committee at its next regular meeting. For 2009, the audit committee
pre-approved 100% of the services for which fees were incurred.
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of our Common Stock, as of
March 12, 2010, for: (1) each person known to us to be the beneficial
owner of more than 5% of our outstanding Common Stock, (2) each of our
directors and nominees for director, (3) each of our named executive
officers who is not a director and (4) our directors, nominees for director
and executive officers as a group. Except as otherwise described in the notes
below, the following beneficial owners have sole voting power and sole
investment power with respect to all shares of Common Stock set forth opposite
their respective names. In accordance with SEC rules, each listed person’s
beneficial ownership includes:
|
•
|
all
shares the investor actually owns beneficially or of
record;
|
|
•
|
all
shares over which the investor has or shares voting or dispositive control
(such as in the capacity as a general partner of an investment
fund); and
|
|
•
|
all
shares the investor has the right to acquire within 60 days (such as
upon exercise of options that are currently vested or which are scheduled
to vest within 60 days).
|
Unless
otherwise indicated, all shares are owned directly and the indicated person has
sole voting and investment power. Except as indicated below, the business
address of the stockholders listed below is the address of our principal
executive office, 4401 Barclay Downs Drive, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC
28209-4670.
Beneficial
Owners
|
Name
of Beneficial Owner
|
|
Number
of Shares and Units Beneficially Owned (1)
|
|
Percent
of All Shares (2)
|
|
Percent
of All Shares and Units (3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deutsche
Bank AG (4)
|
|
5,744,062
|
|
13.43%
|
|
11.39%
|
The
Bank of New York Mellon Corporation
(5)
|
|
2,704,210
|
|
6.32%
|
|
5.36%
|
High
Rise Capital Management LP (6)
|
|
2,549,800
|
|
5.96%
|
|
5.05%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Directors
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
W. Cogdell (7)
|
|
2,291,591
|
|
5.36%
|
|
4.54%
|
Frank
C. Spencer
(8)(9)
|
|
597,452
|
|
1.40%
|
|
1.18%
|
John
R. Georgius (10)
|
|
95,685
|
|
*
|
|
*
|
Richard
B. Jennings (11)
|
|
32,375
|
|
*
|
|
*
|
Christopher
E. Lee
(12)
|
|
21,185
|
|
*
|
|
*
|
David
J. Lubar
(13)
|
|
1,923,878
|
|
4.50%
|
|
3.81%
|
Richard
C. Neugent (14)
|
|
25,770
|
|
*
|
|
*
|
Scott
A. Ransom (15)
|
|
316,064
|
|
*
|
|
*
|
Randolph
D. Smoak (16)
|
|
25,532
|
|
*
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nondirector
Named Executive Officers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles
M. Handy (17)
|
|
134,026
|
|
*
|
|
*
|
Directors
and Executive Officers as a Group (10 persons)
|
|
5,463,558
|
|
12.78%
|
|
10.83%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*Less
than 1%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
Beneficial
ownership is determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange
Act. A person is deemed to be the beneficial owner of any
shares of Common Stock if that person has or shares voting power or
investment power with respect to those shares, or has the right to acquire
beneficial ownership at any time within 60 days of the date of the
table. As used herein, “voting power” is the power to vote or direct the
voting of shares and “investment power” is the power to dispose or direct
the disposition of shares.
|
(2)
|
Assumes
a total of 42,763,497 shares of our Common Stock are outstanding. In
addition, amounts listed for each individual assume that all units,
including vested LTIP units, beneficially owned by such individual are
exchanged for shares of our Common Stock, and amounts for all directors
and officers as a group assume all vested LTIP units held by them are
exchanged for shares of our Common Stock, but none of the units held by
other persons are exchanged for shares of our Common
Stock.
|
(3)
|
Assumes
a total of 50,565,078 shares of our Common Stock and units in our
operating partnership (“OP units”), including vested and unvested LTIP
units, outstanding as of March 12, 2010, which is comprised of
42,763,497 shares of Common Stock, 7,413,633 OP units which may be
exchanged for cash or, at our option, shares of our Common Stock, 268,487
vested LTIP units and 119,461 unvested LTIP units.
|
(4)
|
Information
is based on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC by Deutsche Bank AG.
Deutsche Bank AG has sole voting power and sole dispositive power over
5,744,062 of these shares. RREEF America, L.L.C., a subsidiary of Deutsche
Bank AG, has sole voting power and sole dispositive power over 5,383,662
of these shares. Deutsche Investment Management Americas, a subsidiary of
Deutsche Bank AG, has sole voting power and sole dispositive power over
204,400 of these shares. Deutsche Asset management Australia Ltd has sole
voting and sole dispositive power over 141,550 of these
shares. DWS Investments S.A., Luxembourg, a subsidiary of
Deutsche Bank AG, has sole voting power and sole dispositive power over
14,450 of these shares. The address for Deutsche Bank AG is
Theodor-Heuss-Allee 70, 60468 Frankfurt am Main, Federal Republic of
Germany.
|
(5)
|
Information
is based on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC by The Bank of New York
Mellon Corporation. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation has
sole voting power of 2,637,208 of these shares and sole dispositive power
of 2,613,270 of these shares. The shares are beneficially owned
by the following direct or indirect subsidiaries of The Bank of New York
Mellon Corporation: The Bank of New York Mellon; BNY Mellon
National Association; the Boston Company Asset Management LLC; the Dreyfus
Corporation (parent holding company of MBSC Securities Corporation);
Mellon Capital Management Corporation; Urdang Securities Management, Inc.;
Urdang Capital Management, Inc. The address for The Bank of New
York Mellon Corporation is One Wall Street, 31st Floor, New York, New York
10286.
|
(6)
|
Information
is based on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC by High Rise Capital
Management LP. Cedar Bridge Realty Fund, L.P. directly owns and
has shared voting power and sole dispositive power over 1,502,800 of these
shares. Cedar Bridge Institutional Fund, L.P. directly owns and
has shared voting power and sole dispositive power over 1,047,000 of these
shares. High Rise Capital Advisors, L.L.C. is the sole managing
member of Bridge Realty Advisors, LLC and has shared voting power and
shared dispositive power over 2,549,800 of these shares. Bridge
Realty Advisors, LLC is the general partner to Cedar Bridge Realty Fund,
L.P. and has shared voting power and shared dispositive power over
2,549,800 of these shares. David O'Connor and Charles
Fitzgerald serve as senior managing member and managing member of High
Rise Capital Advisors, L.L.C., respectively, and have shared voting power
and shared dispositive power over 2,549,800 of these
shares. The address for High Rise Capital Management LP is 535
Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022.
|
(7)
|
James
W. Cogdell is the Chairman of our Board. This amount includes
1,348,203 shares of Common Stock, 918,473 OP units, 6,193 fully
vested LTIP units and 18,722 unvested LTIP units. Mr. Cogdell has
pledged approximately 1,342,000 shares of his Common Stock in
connection with a personal line of credit.
|
(8)
|
Frank
C. Spencer is our Chief Executive Officer. This amount includes
237,328 shares of Common Stock, 247,817 OP units, 63,569 fully vested
LTIP units and 48,738 unvested LTIP units.
|
(9)
|
Frank
C. Spencer is co-trustee of James W. Cogdell’s estate and would thus
assume voting power of the shares of Mr. Cogdell’s estate in the
event of Mr. Cogdell’s death.
|
(10)
|
This
amount includes 9,581 restricted shares of our Common stock, 3,135 OP
units and 6,569 fully vested LTIP units.
|
(11)
|
This
amount includes 19,185 restricted shares of our Common
stock.
|
(12)
|
This
amount includes 2,500 restricted shares of our Common stock, 3,135 OP
units and 13,550 fully vested LTIP units.
|
(13)
|
David
J. Lubar owns these OP units indirectly through Lubar Capital
L.L.C. Mr. Lubar is the President and a Director of
Lubar & Co. which is the manager of Lubar Capital L.L.C. and
holds a pecuniary interest therein. Mr. Lubar disclaims beneficial
ownership of the securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest
therein. This amount includes 6,981 restricted shares of our
Common stock and 6,569 fully vested LTIP units.
|
(14)
|
This
amount includes 12,616 restricted shares of our Common stock and 6,569
fully vested LTIP units.
|
(15)
|
Scott
A. Ransom is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Erdman Company,
a taxable REIT subsidiary of our operating partnership. This
amount includes 5,900 shares of our Common stock, 287,450 OP units and
22,714 fully vested LTIP units.
|
(16)
|
This
amount includes 8,982 OP units and 16,050 restricted shares of our Common
stock.
|
(17)
|
Charles
M. Handy is our Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President and
Secretary. This amount includes 1,600 shares of Common Stock, 80,382
OP units, 21,583 fully vested LTIP units and 30,461 unvested LTIP
units.
|
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
In 2005,
our Board formally adopted a written policy with respect to transactions
involving “related parties.” Pursuant to this policy, all related party
transactions (generally, transactions involving amounts exceeding $120,000 in
which a related party (directors and executive officers or their immediate
family members) or stockholders owning 5% or more of our outstanding stock)
shall be subject to approval or ratification:
Pursuant
to Maryland law, a contract or other transactions between us and a director or
between us and any other corporation or other entity in which any of our
directors is a director or has a material financial interest is not void or
voidable solely on the grounds of such common directorship or interest, the
presence of such director at the meeting at which the contract or transaction is
authorized, approved or ratified or the counting of the director’s vote in favor
thereof, provided that:
|
•
|
the
material facts relating to the common directorship or interest and as to
the transaction must be disclosed to our Board or a committee of our
Board, and our Board or committee must authorize, approve or ratify the
transaction or contract by the affirmative vote of a majority of
disinterested directors, even if the disinterested directors constitute
less than a quorum;
|
|
•
|
the
material facts relating to the common directorship or interest and as to
the transaction must be disclosed to our stockholders entitled to vote
thereon, and the transaction must be authorized, approved or ratified by a
majority of the votes cast by our stockholders entitled to vote (other
than the votes of shares owned of record or beneficially by the interested
director); or
|
|
•
|
the
transaction or contract is fair and reasonable to us at the time it is
authorized, ratified or approved.
|
Our
policy requires that all contracts and transactions between us and any related
parties must be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of our
disinterested directors. Where appropriate, in the judgment of our disinterested
directors, our Board may obtain a fairness opinion or engage independent counsel
to represent the interests of non-affiliated stockholders, although our Board
will have no obligation to do so.
OTHER
MATTERS
Stockholder
Proposals and Nominations for the Board
Under SEC
rules, proposals from our eligible stockholders for presentation for action at
the 2011 annual meeting of stockholders must be received by us no later than
November 25, 2010 in order to be considered for inclusion in the proxy statement
and proxy card for that annual meeting. Any such proposals, as well as any
questions relating thereto, should be directed to our Secretary at our principal
executive offices.
Under our
current Bylaws, and as SEC rules permit, stockholders must follow certain
procedures to nominate a person for election as a director at an annual or
special meeting, or to introduce an item of business at an annual meeting. A
stockholder must notify our Secretary in writing of the director nominee or the
other business. For annual meetings the notice must include the required
information and be delivered to our Secretary at our principal executive offices
not earlier than the 150th day and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern
Time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of
mailing of the notice for the preceding year’s annual meeting.
If the
date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from
the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice
by the stockholder must be delivered as described above not earlier than the
150th day prior to the date of mailing of the notice for such annual
meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the
120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or the tenth day
following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is
first made. The public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an
annual meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of
stockholder’s notice as described above.
The
stockholder’s notice shall set forth the following, as applicable:
(1) as
to each individual whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or
reelection as a director, (a) the name, age, business address and residence
address of such individual, (b) the class, series and number of any of our
shares of stock that are beneficially owned by such individual, (c) the
date such shares were acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition,
and (d) all other information relating to such individual that is required
to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an
election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or is otherwise
required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor
provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder (including such
individual’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee
and to serving as a director if elected);
(2) as
to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting,
a description of such business, the reasons for proposing such business at the
meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and any
Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below) individually or in the
aggregate, (including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder and the
Stockholder Associated Person therefrom);
(3) as
to the stockholder giving the notice and any Stockholder Associated Person, the
class, series and number of all of our shares of stock which are owned by such
stockholder and by such Stockholder Associated Person, if any, and the nominee
holder for, and number of, shares owned beneficially but not of record by such
stockholder and by any such Stockholder Associated Person;
(4) as
to the stockholder giving the notice and any Stockholder Associated Person
covered by clauses (2) or (3) above, the name and address of such
stockholder, as they appear on our stock ledger and current name and address, if
different, and of such Stockholder Associated Person; and
(5) to
the extent known by the stockholder giving the notice, the name and address of
any other stockholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a
director or the proposal of other business on the date of such stockholder’s
notice.
“Stockholder
Associated Person” of any stockholder means (1) any person controlling,
directly or indirectly, or acting in concert with, such stockholder,
(2) any beneficial owner of our shares of stock owned of record or
beneficially by such stockholder and (3) any person controlling, controlled
by or under common control with such Stockholder Associated Person.
The Board
and our management know of no other matters or business to be presented for
consideration at the Annual Meeting. If, however, any other matters properly
come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof, it
is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed proxy to vote such proxy
in accordance with their discretion on any such matters. The persons named in
the enclosed proxy may also, if they deem it advisable, vote such proxy to
adjourn the Annual Meeting from time to time. In addition, if a quorum is not
present or represented at the Annual Meeting, the Chairman of the Annual Meeting
shall have the power to adjourn the Annual Meeting to a date not more than
120 days after the original Record Date without notice other than
announcement at the Annual Meeting, until a quorum is present or
represented.
Sincerely,
FRANK C.
SPENCER
Chief
Executive Officer
Annex
A
COGDELL
SPENCER INC.
2010
LONG TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
2.
|
EFFECTIVE
DATE AND TERMINATION OF PLAN
|
5
|
3.
|
ADMINISTRATION
OF PLAN
|
5
|
4.
|
SHARES
AND UNITS SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
|
6
|
5.
|
PROVISIONS
APPLICABLE TO STOCK OPTIONS
|
7
|
6.
|
PROVISIONS
APPLICABLE TO RESTRICTED STOCK
|
11
|
7.
|
PROVISIONS
APPLICABLE TO PHANTOM SHARES
|
13
|
8.
|
PROVISIONS
APPLICABLE TO DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHTS
|
16
|
9.
|
OTHER
EQUITY-BASED AWARDS
|
17
|
10.
|
PERFORMANCE
GOALS.
|
17
|
12.
|
REGULATIONS
AND APPROVALS
|
18
|
13.
|
INTERPRETATION
AND AMENDMENTS; OTHER RULES
|
19
|
14.
|
CHANGES
IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE
|
19
|
16. EXHIBIT
A 24
COGDELL
SPENCER INC.
2010
LONG TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
Cogdell
Spencer Inc., a Maryland corporation, wishes to attract employees, Directors and
consultants to the Company and its Subsidiaries and induce employees, Directors
and consultants to remain with the Company and its Subsidiaries, and encourage
them to increase their efforts to make the Company’s business more successful
whether directly or through its Subsidiaries or other affiliates. In
furtherance thereof, the Cogdell Spencer Inc. 2010 Long Term Incentive
Compensation Plan is designed to provide equity-based incentives to employees,
Directors and consultants of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Awards
under the Plan may be made to selected employees, Directors and consultants of
the Company and its Subsidiaries in the form of Options, Restricted Stock,
Phantom Shares, Dividend Equivalent Rights and other forms of equity-based
compensation.
Whenever
used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth
below:
“Articles
of Amendment and Restatement” means the Amended and Restated Cogdell Spencer
Inc. Articles of Incorporation.
“Award,”
except where referring to a particular category of grant under the Plan, shall
include Incentive Stock Options, Non-Qualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation
Rights, Restricted Stock, Phantom Shares, Dividend Equivalent Rights and other
equity-based Awards as contemplated herein.
“Award
Agreement” means a written agreement in a form approved by the Committee as
provided in Section 3.
“Beneficial
Ownership” means ownership of Capital Stock by a Person who is or would be
stated as an owner of such Capital Stock either actually or constructively
through the application of Section 544 of the Code, as modified by Sections
856(h)(1)(B) and 856(h)(3) of the Code. The terms “Beneficially Own”
and “Beneficially Owns” shall have the correlative meanings.
“Board”
means the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Capital
Stock” means the Common Stock and preferred stock that may be issued pursuant to
Article V of the Articles of Amendment and Restatement.
“Capital
Stock Ownership Limit” means 7.75% (by value or by number of shares, whichever
is more restrictive) of the outstanding Capital Stock of the Company, excluding
any such outstanding Capital Stock which is not treated as stock for federal
income tax purposes. The number and value of shares of outstanding
Capital Stock of the Company shall be determined by the Board in good faith,
which determination shall be conclusive for all purposes hereof.
“Cause”
means, unless otherwise provided in the Participant’s Award Agreement, (i)
engaging in (A) willful or gross misconduct or (B) willful or gross
neglect, (ii) repeatedly failing to adhere to the directions of superiors or the
Board or the written policies and practices of the Company or its Subsidiaries
or its affiliates, (iii) the commission of a felony or a crime of moral
turpitude, or any crime involving the Company or its Subsidiaries, or any
affiliate thereof, (iv) fraud, misappropriation or embezzlement, (v) a material
breach of the Participant’s employment agreement (if any) with the Company or
its Subsidiaries or its affiliates, or (vi) any illegal act detrimental to the
Company or its Subsidiaries or its affiliates; provided, however, that, if at
any particular time the Participant is subject to an effective employment
agreement with the Company, then, in lieu of the foregoing definition, “Cause”
shall at that time have such meaning as may be specified in such employment
agreement.
“Change
in Control” means, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, the
happening of any of the following:
|
(i)
|
any
“person,” including a “group” (as such terms are used in
Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding the
Company, any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control
with the Company, any trustee, fiduciary or other person or entity holding
securities under any employee benefit plan or trust of the Company or any
such entity, and with respect to any particular Participant, the
Participant and any “group” (as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3)
of the Exchange Act) of which the Participant is a member, is or becomes
the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13(d)(3) under the Exchange
Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing
50% or more of either (A) the combined voting power of the Company’s
then outstanding securities or (B) the then outstanding Shares (in
either such case other than as a result of an acquisition of securities
directly from the Company); provided, however, that, in no event shall a
Change in Control be deemed to have occurred upon an initial public
offering of the Common Stock under the Securities Act;
or
|
|
(ii)
|
any
consolidation or merger of the Company where the shareholders of the
Company, immediately prior to the consolidation or merger, would not,
immediately after the consolidation or merger, beneficially own (as such
term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or
indirectly, shares representing in the aggregate 50% or more of the
combined voting power of the securities of the corporation issuing cash or
securities in the consolidation or merger (or of its ultimate parent
corporation, if any); or
|
|
(iii)
|
there
shall occur (A) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one
transaction or a series of transactions contemplated or arranged by any
party as a single plan) of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company, other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or
substantially all of the Company’s assets to an entity, at least 50% of
the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by
“persons” (as defined above) in substantially the same proportion as their
ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale or (B) the
approval by shareholders of the Company of any plan or proposal for the
liquidation or dissolution of the Company;
or
|
|
(iv)
|
the
members of the Board at the beginning of any consecutive 24-calendar-month
period (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason other than due to
death to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
provided that any director whose election, or nomination for election by
the Company’s shareholders, was approved or ratified by a vote of at least
a majority of the members of the Board then still in office who were
members of the Board at the beginning of such 24-calendar-month period,
shall be deemed to be an Incumbent
Director.
|
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, no event or condition shall constitute a Change in Control to the
extent that, if it were, a 20% tax would be imposed upon or with respect to any
Award under Section 409A of the Code; provided that, in such a case, the event
or condition shall continue to constitute a Change in Control to the maximum
extent possible (e.g., if applicable, in respect of vesting without an
acceleration of distribution) without causing the imposition of such 20%
tax.
“Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations
promulgated thereunder.
“Committee”
means the Compensation Committee appointed by the Board under
Section 3.
“Common
Stock” means the Company’s Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, either
currently existing or authorized hereafter.
“Common
Stock Ownership Limit” means 9.8% (by value or by number of shares, whichever is
more restrictive) of the outstanding Common Stock. The number and
value of shares of outstanding Common Stock shall be determined by the Board in
good faith, which determination shall be conclusive for all purposes
hereof.
“Company”
means the Cogdell Spencer Inc., a Maryland corporation.
“Constructive
Ownership” means ownership of any Capital Stock by a Person who is or would be
treated as an owner of such Capital Stock either actually or constructively
through the application of Section 318 of the Code, modified by Section
856(d)(5) of the Code. The terms “Constructively Own” and
“Constructively Owns” shall have the correlative meanings.
“Director”
means a non-employee director of the Company or its Subsidiaries.
“Disability”
means the occurrence of an event which would entitle an employee of the Company
to the payment of disability income under one of the Company’s approved
long-term disability income plans or, in the absence of such a plan, unless
otherwise provided by the Committee in the Participant’s Employment Agreement, a
disability which renders the Participant incapable of performing all of his or
her material duties for a period of at least 180 consecutive or non-consecutive
days during any consecutive twelve-month period. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no circumstances or condition shall constitute a Disability to the
extent that, if it were, a 20% tax would be imposed upon or with respect to any
Award under Section 409A of the Code; provided that, in such a case, the event
or condition shall continue to constitute a Disability to the maximum extent
possible (e.g., if applicable, in regard of vesting without an acceleration of
distribution) without causing the imposition of such 20% tax.
“Dividend
Equivalent Right” means a right awarded under Section 8 of the Plan to
receive (or have credited) the equivalent value of dividends paid on Common
Stock.
“Effective
Date” means February 24, 2010.
“Excepted
Holder” means any shareholder of the Company for whom an Excepted Holder
Ownership Limit is created by the Articles of Amendment and Restatement or by
the Board.
“Excepted
Holder Ownership Limit” means, with respect to any Excepted Holder, the
percentage limit established by the Board pursuant to the Articles of Amendment
and Restatement, or as other wise established by the Board in its discretion,
subject in all cases to the requirements, limitations and adjustment provisions
set forth in the Articles of Amendment and Restatement.
“Exchange
Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Fair
Market Value” per Share as of a particular date means (i) if Shares are
then listed on a national stock exchange, the closing sales price per Share on
the exchange for the last preceding date on which there was a sale of Shares on
such exchange, as determined by the Committee, (ii) if Shares are not then
listed on a national stock exchange but are then traded on an over-the-counter
market, the average of the closing bid and asked prices for the Shares in such
over-the-counter market for the last preceding date on which there was a sale of
such Shares in such market, as determined by the Committee, or (iii) if
Shares are not then listed on a national stock exchange or traded on an
over-the-counter market, such value as the Committee in its discretion may in
good faith determine; provided that, where the Shares are so listed or traded,
the Committee may make such discretionary determinations where the Shares have
not been traded for 10 trading days. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
with respect to any “stock right” within the meaning of Section 409A of the
Code, Fair Market Value shall not be less than the “fair market value” of the
shares of Common Stock determined in accordance with the final regulations
promulgated under Section 409A of the Code.
“Grantee”
means an employee, Director or consultant granted Restricted Stock, Phantom
Shares or Dividend Equivalent Rights or such other equity-based Awards (other
than an Option) as may be granted pursuant to Section 9 hereunder.
“Incentive
Stock Option” means an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of
Section 422(b) of the Code.
“IPO”
means the initial public offering of the Company’s Common Stock.
“Non-Qualified
Stock Option” means an Option which is not an Incentive Stock
Option.
“Option”
means the right to purchase, at a price and for the term fixed by the Committee
in accordance with the Plan, and subject to such other limitations and
restrictions in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, a number of Shares
determined by the Committee.
“Optionee”
means an employee or Director of, or consultant to, the Company to whom an
Option is granted, or the Successors of the Optionee, as the context so
requires.
“Option
Price” means the price per Share, determined by the Board or the Committee, at
which an Option may be exercised.
“Participant”
means a Grantee or Optionee.
“Partnership
Units” means any OP Units, Preferred Units, Junior Units or any other fractional
share of the Partnership Interests as defined in, and authorized pursuant to,
the Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cogdell Spencer LP, as amended from time
to time, by and among its general partner, CS Business Trust I, a Maryland
business trust, and its limited partner, CS Business Trust II, a Maryland
business trust.
“Performance
Goals” have the meaning set forth in Section 10.
“Performance
Period” means any period designated by the Committee for which the Performance
Criteria (as defined in Exhibit A) shall be
calculated; provided however, that Performance Period shall be the five-year
period commencing on the Effective Date unless otherwise designated by the
Committee.
“Person”
means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
estate, trust (including trust qualified under Section 401(a) or 501(c)(17) of
the Code), a portion of a trust permanently set aside for or to be used
exclusively for the purposes described in Section 642(c) of the Code,
association, private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the
Code, joint stock company or other entity; but does not include an underwriter
acting in a capacity as such in a public offering of shares of Capital Stock
provided that the ownership of such shares of Capital Stock by such underwriter
would not result in the Company being “closely held” within the meaning of
Section 856(h) of the Code, or otherwise result in the Company failing to
qualify as a REIT.
“Phantom
Share” means a right, pursuant to the Plan, of the Grantee to payment of the
Phantom Share Value in accordance with Section 7.
“Phantom
Share Value,” per Phantom Share, means the Fair Market Value of a Share of
Common Stock or, if so provided by the Committee, such Fair Market Value to the
extent in excess of a base value established by the Committee at the time of
grant (which base value may not be less than the Fair Market Value of the
underlying Shares at the date of grant).
“Plan”
means the Company’s 2010 Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan, as set forth
herein and as the same may from time to time be amended.
“REIT”
shall mean a real estate investment trust under Sections 856 through 860 of the
Code.
“Restricted
Stock” means an award of Shares that are subject to restrictions in accordance
with Section 6 hereunder.
“Retirement”
means the Termination of Service of a Participant with the Company under
circumstances which would entitle an employee of the Company to an immediate
pension under one of the Company’s approved retirement plans, or, in the absence
of such a plan, unless otherwise provided by the Committee in the Participant’s
Award Agreement, the Termination of Service (other than for Cause) of a
Participant on or after the Participant’s attainment of age 65 or on or after
the Participant’s attainment of age 55 with five consecutive years of service
with the Company or any Subsidiaries or affiliates.
“Securities
Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Settlement
Date” means the date determined under Section 7.4(c).
“Shares”
means shares of Common Stock of the Company.
“Subsidiary”
means any corporation (other than the Company), partnership or other entity at
least 50% of the economic interest in the equity of which is owned by the
Company or by another subsidiary.
“Successor
of the Optionee” means the legal representative of the estate of a deceased
Optionee or the person or persons who shall acquire the right to exercise an
Option by bequest or inheritance or by reason of the death of the
Optionee.
“Termination
of Service” means a Participant’s termination of employment or other service, as
applicable, with the Company, its Subsidiaries and, as applicable,
affiliates. Cessation of service as an officer, or employee, Director
and consultant shall not be treated as a Termination of Service if the
Participant continues without interruption to serve thereafter in another one
(or more) of such other capacities. With respect to any Award subject
to Section 409A of the Code, Termination of Service shall be a "separation from
service" as interpreted within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and
Treasury Regulation 1.409A-1(h).
2.
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EFFECTIVE
DATE AND TERMINATION OF PLAN.
|
The
effective date of the Plan is February 24, 2010; provided, however, that the
Plan shall not become effective unless and until it is approved by the requisite
percentage of the shareholders of the Company. The Plan shall
terminate on, and no Award shall be granted hereunder on or after, the 10-year
anniversary of the earlier of the approval of the Plan by (i) the Board or
(ii) the shareholders of the Company; provided, however, that the Board may
at any time prior to that date terminate the Plan.
3.
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ADMINISTRATION
OF PLAN.
|
(a) The
Plan shall be administered by the Committee appointed by the
Board. The Committee shall consist of at least two individuals each
of whom shall be a “nonemployee director” as defined in Rule 16b-3 as
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Rule 16b-3”) under
the Exchange Act and shall, at such times as the Company is subject to
Section 162(m) of the Code (to the extent relief from the limitation of
Section 162(m) of the Code is sought with respect to Awards), qualify as
“outside directors” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code; provided
that no action taken by the Committee (including without limitation grants)
shall be invalidated because any or all of the members of the Committee fails to
satisfy the foregoing requirements of this sentence. The acts of a
majority of the members present at any meeting of the Committee at which a
quorum is present, or acts approved in writing by a majority of the entire
Committee, shall be the acts of the Committee for purposes of the
Plan. If and to the extent applicable, no member of the Committee may
act as to matters under the Plan specifically relating to such member.
Notwithstanding the other foregoing provisions of this Section 3(a), any Award
under the Plan to a person who is a member of the Committee shall be made and
administered by the Board. If no Committee is designated by the Board
to act for these purposes, the Board shall have the rights and responsibilities
of the Committee hereunder and under the Award Agreements.
(b) Subject
to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall in its discretion as
reflected by the terms of the Award Agreements (i) authorize the granting
of Awards to employees, Directors and consultants of the Company and its
Subsidiaries; and (ii) determine the eligibility of an employee, Director
or consultant to receive an Award, as well as determine the number of Shares to
be covered under any Award Agreement, considering the position and
responsibilities of the employee, Director or consultant, the nature and value
to the Company of the employee’s, Director’s or consultant’s present and
potential contribution to the success of the Company whether directly or through
its Subsidiaries or affiliates and such other factors as the Committee may deem
relevant.
(c) The
Award Agreement shall contain such other terms, provisions and conditions not
inconsistent herewith as shall be determined by the Committee. In the
event that any Award Agreement or other agreement hereunder provides (without
regard to this sentence) for the obligation of the Company or any Subsidiary or
affiliate thereof to purchase or repurchase Shares from a Participant or any
other person, then, notwithstanding the provisions of the Award Agreement or
such other agreement, such obligation shall not apply to the extent that the
purchase or repurchase would not be permitted under governing state
law. The Participant shall take whatever additional actions and
execute whatever additional documents the Committee may in its reasonable
judgment deem necessary or advisable in order to carry out or effect one or more
of the obligations or restrictions imposed on the Participant pursuant to the
express provisions of the Plan and the Award Agreement.
4.
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SHARES
AND UNITS SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
|
(a) Subject
to Section 4.2, and subject to adjustments as provided in Section 14, the total
number of Shares subject to Options or other equity-based Awards granted under
the Plan, Shares of Restricted Stock and Phantom Shares granted under the Plan,
in the aggregate, may not exceed 1,512,000 shares. Shares distributed
under the Plan may be treasury Shares or authorized but unissued
Shares. Any Shares that have been granted as Restricted Stock or that
have been reserved for distribution in payment for Options, Phantom Shares or
other equity-based Awards under Section 9 but are later forfeited or for any
other reason are not payable under the Plan may again be made the subject of
Awards under the Plan.
(b) Shares
subject to Dividend Equivalent Rights, other than Dividend Equivalent Rights
based directly on the dividends payable with respect to Shares subject to
Options or the dividends payable on a number of Shares corresponding to the
number of Phantom Shares awarded, shall be subject to the limitation of Section
4.1(a). If any Phantom Shares, Dividend Equivalent Rights or other
equity-based Awards under Section 9 are paid out in cash, then, notwithstanding
the first sentence of Section 4.1(a) above, the underlying Shares may again be
made the subject of Awards under the Plan.
(c) The
certificates for Shares issued hereunder may include any legend which the
Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer hereunder or
under the Award Agreement, or as the Committee may otherwise deem
appropriate.
Subject
to adjustments pursuant to Section 14, and subject to the last sentence of
Section 4.1(a), Incentive Stock Options with respect to an aggregate of no more
than 1,512,000. Shares may be granted under the
Plan. Subject to adjustments pursuant to Section 14, in no event may
any Optionee receive Options for more than 1,512,000 Shares in any one
year.
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4.3
|
Participation
Limitation
|
(a) Limitation
of Ownership. No Award shall be issued under the Plan to any person
who assuming exercise of all options and payment of all awards held by such
person, would Beneficially or Constructively Own Capital Stock of the Company in
excess of the Common Stock Ownership Limit or the Capital Stock Ownership Limit,
unless the foregoing restriction is expressly and specifically waived by action
of the independent Directors of the Board; provided, however, that an Excepted
Holder would be permitted to Beneficially or Constructively Own Shares in excess
of such limits provided that such Shares are not in excess of the Excepted
Holder Ownership Limit for such Excepted Holder.
(b) No
award shall be issued under the Plan to any person who after such Award would
Beneficially or Constructively Own Shares in the Company that would result in
the Company being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the
Code, or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT (including but not limited to
ownership that would result in the Company owning (actually or Constructively)
an interest in a tenant that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the
Code if the income derived by the Company (either directly or indirectly through
its Subsidiaries) from such tenant would cause the Company to fail to satisfy
any of the gross income requirements of Section 856(c) of the
Code).
5.
|
PROVISIONS
APPLICABLE TO STOCK OPTIONS.
|
Subject
to the other terms of the Plan, the Committee shall, in its discretion as
reflected by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement: (i) determine and
designate from time to time those employees, Directors or consultants of the
Company and its Subsidiaries to whom Options are to be granted and the number of
Shares to be optioned to each employee, Director or consultant;
(ii) determine whether to grant Options intended to be Incentive Stock
Options, or to grant Non-Qualified Stock Options, or both (to the extent that
any Option does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, it shall constitute a
separate Non-Qualified Stock Option); provided that Incentive Stock Options may
only be granted to employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries;
(iii) determine the time or times when and the manner and condition in
which each Option shall be exercisable and the duration of the exercise period;
(iv) designate each Option as one intended to be an Incentive Stock Option
or as a Non-Qualified Stock Option; and (v) determine or impose other
conditions to the grant or exercise of Options under the Plan as it may deem
appropriate.
The
Option Price shall be determined by the Committee on the date the Option is
granted and reflected in the Award Agreement, as the same may be amended from
time to time. Any particular Award Agreement may provide for
different Option Prices for specified amounts of Shares subject to the
Option. The Option Price with respect to each Option shall not be
less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the day the Option is
granted.
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5.3
|
Period of Option and
Vesting.
|
(a) Unless
earlier expired, forfeited or otherwise terminated, each Option shall expire in
its entirety upon the 10th
anniversary of the date of grant or shall have such other term (which may be
shorter, but not longer, in the case of Incentive Stock Options) as is set forth
in the applicable Award Agreement (except that, in the case of an individual
described in Section 422(b)(6) of the Code (relating to certain more than
10% owners) who is granted an Incentive Stock Option, the term of such Option
shall be no more than five years from the date of grant). The Option
shall also expire, be forfeited and terminate at such times and in such
circumstances as otherwise provided hereunder or under the Award
Agreement.
(b) Each
Option, to the extent that the Optionee has not had a Termination of Service and
the Option has not otherwise lapsed, expired, terminated or been forfeited,
shall first become exercisable according to the terms and conditions set forth
in the Award Agreement, as determined by the Committee at the time of
grant. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of
grant, such stock options shall vest ratably, in annual installments, over a
four-year period beginning on the date of grant. Unless otherwise
provided in the Award Agreement, no Option (or portion thereof) shall ever be
exercisable if the Optionee has a Termination of Service before the time at
which such Option (or portion thereof) would otherwise have become exercisable,
and any Option that would otherwise become exercisable after such Termination of
Service shall not become exercisable and shall be forfeited upon such
termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Section 5.3(b), Options exercisable pursuant to the schedule set forth by
the Committee at the time of grant may be fully or more rapidly exercisable or
otherwise vested at any time in the discretion of the Committee. Upon
and after the death of an Optionee, such Optionee’s Options, if and to the
extent otherwise exercisable hereunder or under the applicable Award Agreement
after the Optionee’s death, may be exercised by the Successors of the
Optionee.
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5.4
|
Exercisability Upon and After
Termination of Optionee.
|
(a) Subject
to provisions of the Award Agreement, in the event the Optionee has a
Termination of Service other than by the Company or its Subsidiaries for Cause
or other than by reason of death, Retirement or Disability, no exercise of an
Option may occur after the expiration of the three-month period to follow the
termination, or if earlier, the expiration of the term of the Option as provided
under Section 5.3(a); provided that, if the Optionee should die after the
Termination of Service, such termination being for a reason other than
Disability or Retirement, but while the Option is still in effect, the Option
(if and to the extent otherwise exercisable by the Optionee at the time of
death) may be exercised until the earlier of (i) one year from the date of the
Termination of Service of the Optionee, or (ii) the date on which the term of
the Option expires in accordance with Section 5.3(a).
(b) Subject
to provisions of the Award Agreement, in the event the Optionee has a
Termination of Service on account of death, Retirement or Disability, the Option
(whether or not otherwise exercisable) may be exercised until the earlier of (i)
one year from the date of the Termination of Service of the Optionee, or (ii)
the date on which the term of the Option expires in accordance with Section
5.3.
(c) Notwithstanding
any other provision hereof, unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, if
the Optionee has a Termination of Service by the Company, a Subsidiary or
affiliate for Cause the Optionee’s Options, to the extent then unexercised,
shall thereupon cease to be exercisable and shall be forfeited forthwith
(whether or not the Options were exercisable previously).
(a) Subject
to vesting, restrictions on exercisability and other restrictions provided for
hereunder or otherwise imposed in accordance herewith, an Option may be
exercised, and payment in full of the aggregate Option Price made, by an
Optionee only by written notice (in the form prescribed by the Committee) to the
Company or its designee specifying the number of Shares to be
purchased.
(b) Without
limiting the scope of the Committee’s discretion hereunder, the Committee may
impose such other restrictions on the exercise of Options (whether or not in the
nature of the foregoing restrictions) as it may deem necessary or
appropriate.
(a) The
aggregate Option Price shall be paid in full upon the exercise of the
Option. Payment must be made by one of the following
methods:
(i) a
certified or bank cashier’s check;
(ii) subject
to Section 12(e), the proceeds of a Company loan program or third-party sale
program or a notice acceptable to the Committee given as consideration under
such a program, in each case if permitted by the Committee in its discretion, if
such a program has been established and the Optionee is eligible to participate
therein;
(iii) if
approved by the Committee in its discretion, Shares of previously owned Common
Stock, which have been previously owned for more than six months, having an
aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the aggregate
Option Price;
(iv) other
than as prohibited under Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act, if approved by the
Committee in its discretion, through the written election of the Optionee to
have Shares withheld by the Company from the Shares otherwise to be received,
with such withheld Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of
exercise equal to the aggregate Option Price; or
(v) by
any combination of such methods of payment or any other method acceptable to the
Committee in its discretion.
(b) Except
in the case of Options exercised by certified or bank cashier’s check, the
Committee may impose limitations and prohibitions on the exercise of Options as
it deems appropriate, including, without limitation, any limitation or
prohibition designed to avoid accounting consequences which may result from the
use of Common Stock as payment upon exercise of an Option.
(c) The
Committee shall provide in the Award Agreement the extent (if any) to which an
Option may be exercised with respect to any fractional Share, including whether
any fractional Shares resulting from an Optionee’s exercise may be paid in
cash.
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5.7
|
Stock Appreciation
Rights.
|
The Committee, in its discretion, may (taking
into account, without limitation, the application of Section 409A of the Code,
as the Committee may deem appropriate) also permit the Optionee to elect to
receive upon the exercise of an Option a combination of Shares and cash, or, in
the discretion of the Committee, either Shares or cash, with an aggregate Fair
Market Value (or, to the extent of payment in cash, in an amount) equal to the
excess of the Fair Market Value of the Shares with respect to which the Option
is being exercised over the aggregate Option Price, as determined as of the day
the Option is exercised.
|
5.8
|
Exercise by
Successors.
|
An Option
may be exercised, and payment in full of the aggregate Option Price made, by the
Successors of the Optionee only by written notice (as may be prescribed by the
Committee) to the Company specifying the number of Shares to be
purchased. Such notice shall state that the aggregate Option Price
will be paid in full, or that the Option will be exercised as otherwise provided
hereunder, in the discretion of the Company or the Committee, if and as
applicable.
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5.9
|
Nontransferability of
Option.
|
Except if
otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, each Option granted under
the Plan shall be nontransferable by the Optionee except by will or the laws of
descent and distribution of the state wherein the Optionee is domiciled at the
time of his death; provided, however, that the Committee may (but need not)
permit other transfers, where the Committee concludes that such transferability
(i) does not result in accelerated U.S. federal income taxation,
(ii) does not cause any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option to
fail to be described in Section 422(b) of the Code, (iii) complies with
applicable law, including securities laws, and (iv) is otherwise
appropriate and desirable.
|
5.10
|
Certain Incentive Stock Option
Provisions.
|
(a) In
no event may an Incentive Stock Option be granted other than to employees of the
Company or a “subsidiary corporation” (as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code)
or a “parent corporation” (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code) with
respect to the Company. The aggregate Fair Market Value, determined
as of the date an Option is granted, of the Common Stock for which any Optionee
may be awarded Incentive Stock Options which are first exercisable by the
Optionee during any calendar year under the Plan (or any other stock option plan
required to be taken into account under Section 422(d) of the Code) shall not
exceed $100,000. To the extent the $100,000 limit referred to in the
preceding sentence is exceeded, an Option will be treated as a Non-Qualified
Stock Option.
(b) If
Shares acquired upon exercise of an Incentive Stock Option are disposed of in a
disqualifying disposition within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code by
an Optionee prior to the expiration of either two years from the date of grant
of such Option or one year from the transfer of Shares to the Optionee pursuant
to the exercise of such Option, or in any other disqualifying disposition within
the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, such Optionee shall notify the
Company in writing as soon as practicable thereafter of the date and terms of
such disposition and, if the Company (or any affiliate thereof) thereupon has a
tax-withholding obligation, shall pay to the Company (or such affiliate) an
amount equal to any withholding tax the Company (or affiliate) is required to
pay as a result of the disqualifying disposition.
(c) Notwithstanding
Section 5.2, the Option Price with respect to each Incentive Stock Option shall
not be less than 100%, or 110% in the case of an individual described in Section
422(b)(6) of the Code (relating to certain 10% owners), of the Fair Market Value
of a Share on the day the Option is granted. In the case of an
individual described in Section 422(b)(6) of the Code who is granted an
Incentive Stock Option, the term of such Option shall be no more than five years
from the date of grant.
6.
|
PROVISIONS
APPLICABLE TO RESTRICTED STOCK.
|
|
6.1
|
Grant of Restricted
Stock.
|
(a) In
connection with the grant of Restricted Stock, whether or not performance goals
(as provided for under Section 10) apply thereto, the Committee shall establish
one or more vesting periods with respect to the shares of Restricted Stock
granted, the length of which shall be determined in the discretion of the
Committee. Subject to the provisions of this Section 6, the
applicable Award Agreement and the other provisions of the Plan, restrictions on
Restricted Stock shall lapse if the Grantee satisfies all applicable employment
or other service requirements through the end of the applicable vesting
period.
(b) Subject
to the other terms of the Plan, the Committee may, in its discretion as
reflected by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement: (i) authorize the
granting of Restricted Stock to employees, Directors and consultants of the
Company and its Subsidiaries; (ii) provide a specified purchase price for
the Restricted Stock (whether or not the payment of a purchase price is required
by any state law applicable to the Company); (iii) determine the
restrictions applicable to Restricted Stock and (iv) determine or impose
other conditions, including any applicable performance goals, to the grant of
Restricted Stock under the Plan as it may deem appropriate.
(a) In
the discretion of the Committee, each Grantee of Restricted Stock may be issued
a stock certificate in respect of Shares of Restricted Stock awarded under the
Plan. A “book entry” (by computerized or manual entry) shall be made
in the records of the Company to evidence an award of Restricted Stock, where no
certificate is issued in the name of the Grantee. Each certificate,
if any, shall be registered in the name of the Grantee and may include any
legend which the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on
transfer hereunder or under the Award Agreement, or as the Committee may
otherwise deem appropriate, and, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, shall bear a legend referring to the terms, conditions, and
restrictions applicable to such Award, substantially in the following
form:
THE
TRANSFERABILITY OF THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SHARES OF STOCK REPRESENTED HEREBY
ARE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS (INCLUDING FORFEITURE) OF THE COGDELL
SPENCER INC. 2010 LONG TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN AND AN AWARD AGREEMENT
ENTERED INTO BETWEEN THE REGISTERED OWNER AND COGDELL SPENCER
INC. COPIES OF SUCH PLAN AND AWARD AGREEMENT ARE ON FILE IN THE
OFFICES OF COGDELL SPENCER INC. AT 4401 BARCLAY DOWNS DRIVE, SUITE 300,
CHARLOTTE, NC 28209-4670.
(b) The
Committee shall require that any stock certificates evidencing such Shares be
held in custody by the Company until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed,
and may in its discretion require that, as a condition of any Restricted Stock
award, the Grantee shall have delivered to the Company a stock power, endorsed
in blank, relating to the stock covered by such Restricted Stock
Award. If and when such restrictions so lapse, any stock certificates
shall be delivered by the Company to the Grantee or his or her designee as
provided in Section 6.3 (and the stock power shall be so delivered or shall be
discarded).
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6.3
|
Restrictions and
Conditions.
|
Unless
otherwise provided by the Committee, the Shares of Restricted Stock awarded
pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to the following restrictions and
conditions:
(i) Subject
to the provisions of the Plan and the Award Agreements, during a period
commencing with the date of such Award and ending on the date the period of
forfeiture with respect to such Shares of Restricted Stock lapses, the Grantee
shall not be permitted voluntarily or involuntarily to sell, transfer, pledge,
anticipate, alienate, encumber or assign Shares of Restricted Stock awarded
under the Plan (or have such Shares attached or garnished). Subject
to the provisions of the Award Agreements and clauses (iii) and (iv) below, the
period of forfeiture with respect to Shares of Restricted Stock granted
hereunder shall lapse as provided in the applicable Award
Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise expressly
provided by the Committee, the period of forfeiture with respect to such Shares
of Restricted Stock shall only lapse as to whole Shares.
(ii) Except
as provided in the foregoing clause (i), below in this clause (ii), in
Section 14, or as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the
Grantee shall have, in respect of the Shares of Restricted Stock, all of the
rights of a shareholder of the Company, including the right to vote the Shares,
and, except as provided below, the right to receive any cash
dividends. The Committee may provide in the Award Agreement that cash
dividends on such Shares shall be held by the Company (unsegregated as a part of
its general assets) until the period of forfeiture lapses (and forfeited if the
underlying Shares are forfeited), and paid over to the Grantee as soon as
practicable after such period lapses (if not forfeited), or alternatively may
provide for other treatment of such dividends (including without limitation the
crediting of Phantom Shares in respect of dividends or other deferral
provisions). Certificates for Shares (not subject to restrictions
hereunder) shall be delivered to the Grantee or his or her designee promptly
after, and only after, the period of forfeiture shall lapse without forfeiture
in respect of such Shares of Restricted Stock.
(iii) Unless
otherwise provided in an applicable employment agreement or Award Agreement, and
subject to clause (iv) below, if the Grantee has a Termination of Service by the
Company or its Subsidiaries (or, if applicable, its affiliates) for Cause, or if
the Grantee terminates his or her employment without Good Reason (as defined in
the applicable employment agreement) or by the Grantee for any reason other than
his or her death, Retirement or Disability, during the applicable period of
forfeiture, then (A) all Restricted Stock still subject to restriction shall
thereupon, and with no further action, be forfeited by the Grantee, and (B) the
Company shall pay to the Grantee as soon as practicable (and in no event more
than 30 days) after such termination an amount, if any, equal to the lesser of
(x) the amount paid by the Grantee, if any, for such forfeited Restricted Stock
as contemplated by Section 6.1, and (y) the Fair Market Value on the date of
termination of the forfeited Restricted Stock.
(iv) Unless
otherwise provided in an applicable employment agreement or Award Agreement, in
the event the Grantee has a Termination of Service on account of his or her
death, Disability or Retirement, or the Grantee has a Termination of Service by
the Company or its Subsidiaries for any reason other than Cause, or if the
Grantee terminates his or her employment with Good Reason (as defined in the
applicable employment agreement), or in the event of a Change in Control
(regardless of whether a termination follows thereafter), during the applicable
period of forfeiture, then restrictions under the Plan will immediately lapse on
all Restricted Stock granted to the applicable Grantee.
7.
|
PROVISIONS
APPLICABLE TO PHANTOM SHARES.
|
|
7.1
|
Grant of Phantom
Shares.
|
Subject
to the other terms of the Plan, the Committee shall, in its discretion as
reflected by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement: (i) authorize the
granting of Phantom Shares to employees, Directors and consultants of the
Company and its Subsidiaries and (ii) determine or impose other conditions
to the grant of Phantom Shares under the Plan as it may deem
appropriate.
The
Committee may provide in an Award Agreement that any particular Phantom Share
shall expire at the end of a specified term.
Phantom
Shares shall vest as provided in the applicable Award Agreement.
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7.4
|
Settlement of Phantom
Shares.
|
(a) Each
vested and outstanding Phantom Share shall be settled by the transfer to the
Grantee of one Share; provided that, the Committee at the time of grant may
provide that a Phantom Share may be settled (i) in cash at the applicable
Phantom Share Value, (ii) in cash or by transfer of Shares as elected by
the Grantee in accordance with procedures established by the Committee or
(iii) in cash or by transfer of Shares as elected by the
Company.
(b) Each
Phantom Share shall be settled with a single-sum payment or distribution by the
Company; provided that, with respect to Phantom Shares of a Grantee which have a
common Settlement Date, the Committee (taking into account, without limitation,
Section 409A of the Code, as the Committee may deem appropriate) may permit the
Grantee to elect in accordance with procedures established by the Committee to
receive installment payments over a period not to exceed 10 years.
(c) (i) Unless
otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the “Settlement Date” with
respect to a Grantee is the first day of the month to follow the Grantee’s
Termination of Service; provided, however, that a Grantee may elect, if
permitted by and in accordance with procedures to be established by the
Committee, that such Settlement Date will be deferred as elected by the Grantee
to a time permitted by the Committee under such procedures. All
initial elections to defer the Settlement Date shall be made in accordance with
the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. In addition, unless
otherwise determined by the Committee, any subsequent elections under this
Section 7.4(c)(i) must, except as may otherwise be permitted under the rules
applicable under Section 409A of the Code, (A) not be effective for at least one
year after they are made, or, in the case of payments to commence at a specific
time, be made at least one year before the first scheduled payment and (B) defer
the commencement of distributions (and each affected distribution) for at least
five years.
(ii) Notwithstanding
Section 7.4(c)(i), the Committee may provide that distributions of Phantom
Shares can be elected at any time in those cases in which the Phantom Share
Value is determined by reference to Fair Market Value to the extent in excess of
a base value, rather than by reference to unreduced Fair Market
Value.
(iii) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Settlement Date, if not earlier pursuant to this
Section 7.4(c), is the date of the Grantee’s death.
(d) Notwithstanding
the other provisions of this Section 7, taking into account, without
limitation, the application of Section 409A of the Code, as the Committee may
deem appropriate, in the event of a Change in Control, the Settlement Date shall
be the date of such Change in Control and all amounts due with respect to
Phantom Shares to a Grantee hereunder shall be paid as soon as practicable (but
in no event more than 30 days) after such Change in Control, unless such Grantee
elects otherwise in accordance with procedures established by the
Committee.
(e) Notwithstanding
any other provision of the Plan, taking into account, without limitation, the
application of Section 409A of the Code, as the Committee may deem appropriate,
a Grantee may receive any amounts to be paid in installments as provided in
Section 7.4(b) or deferred by the Grantee as provided in
Section 7.4(c) in the event of an “Unforeseeable Emergency.” For these
purposes, an “Unforeseeable Emergency” means an event that would cause a severe
financial hardship to the Grantee resulting from (x) a sudden and unexpected
illness or accident of the Grantee or “dependent,” as defined in
Section 152(a) of the Code, of the Grantee, (y) loss of the Grantee’s
property due to casualty (including the need to rebuild a home following damage
to a home not otherwise covered by insurance, for example, not as a result of a
natural disaster), or (z) other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable
circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the
Grantee. The circumstances that will constitute an Unforeseeable
Emergency will depend upon the facts of each case, but, in any case, payment may
not be made to the extent that such hardship is or may be relieved:
(i) through
reimbursement or compensation by insurance or otherwise,
(ii) by
liquidation of the Grantee’s assets, to the extent the liquidation of such
assets would not itself cause severe financial hardship, or
(iii) by
future cessation of the making of additional deferrals under Section 7.4(b)
and (c).
Without
limitation, the need to send a Grantee’s child to college or the desire to
purchase a home shall not constitute an Unforeseeable
Emergency. Distributions of amounts because of an Unforeseeable
Emergency shall be permitted to the extent reasonably needed to satisfy the
emergency need.
|
7.5
|
Other Phantom Share
Provisions.
|
(a) Except
as permitted by the Committee, rights to payments with respect to Phantom Shares
granted under the Plan shall not be subject in any manner to anticipation,
alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, attachment,
garnishment, levy, execution, or other legal or equitable process, either
voluntary or involuntary; and any attempt to anticipate, alienate, sell,
transfer, assign, pledge, encumber, attach or garnish, or levy or execute on any
right to payments or other benefits payable hereunder, shall be
void.
(b) A
Grantee may designate in writing, on forms to be prescribed by the Committee, a
beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive any payments payable after his or her
death and may amend or revoke such designation at any time. If no
beneficiary designation is in effect at the time of a Grantee’s death, payments
hereunder shall be made to the Grantee’s estate. If a Grantee with a
vested Phantom Share dies, such Phantom Share shall be settled and the Phantom
Share Value in respect of such Phantom Shares paid, and any payments deferred
pursuant to an election under Section 7.4(c) shall be accelerated and paid,
as soon as practicable (but no later than 60 days) after the date of death to
such Grantee’s beneficiary or estate, as applicable.
(c) The
Committee may, taking into account, without limitation, the application of
Section 409A of the Code, as the Committee may deem appropriate, establish a
program under which distributions with respect to Phantom Shares may be deferred
for periods in addition to those otherwise contemplated by the foregoing
provisions of this Section 7. Such program may include, without
limitation, provisions for the crediting of earnings and losses on unpaid
amounts, and, if permitted by the Committee, provisions under which Participants
may select from among hypothetical investment alternatives for such deferred
amounts in accordance with procedures established by the Committee.
(d) Phantom
Shares (including for purposes of this Section 7.5(d) any accounts
established to facilitate the implementation of Section 7.4(c)), are solely
a device for the measurement and determination of the amounts to be paid to a
Grantee under the Plan. Each Grantee’s right in the Phantom Shares is
limited to the right to receive payment, if any, as may herein be
provided. The Phantom Shares do not constitute Common Stock and shall
not be treated as (or as giving rise to) property or as a trust fund of any
kind; provided, however, that the Company may establish a mere bookkeeping
reserve to meet its obligations hereunder or a trust or other funding vehicle
that would not cause the Plan to be deemed to be funded for tax purposes or for
purposes of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended. The right of any Grantee of Phantom Shares to receive
payments by virtue of participation in the Plan shall be no greater than the
right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company.
(e) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Section 7, any fractional Phantom Share will be
paid out in cash at the Phantom Share Value as of the Settlement
Date.
(f) No
Phantom Share shall be construed to give any Grantee any rights with respect to
Shares or any ownership interest in the Company. Except as may be
provided in accordance with Section 8, no provision of the Plan shall be
interpreted to confer upon any Grantee of a Phantom Share any voting, dividend
or derivative or other similar rights with respect to any Phantom
Share.
(a) To
the extent that the Plan is determined by the Committee to be subject to the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, the Grantee, or his
beneficiary hereunder or authorized representative, may file a claim for
benefits with respect to Phantom Shares under the Plan by written communication
to the Committee or its designee. A claim is not considered filed
until such communication is actually received. Within 90 days
(or, if special circumstances require an extension of time for processing, 180
days, in which case notice of such special circumstances should be provided
within the initial 90-day period) after the filing of the claim, the Committee
will either:
(i) approve
the claim and take appropriate steps for satisfaction of the claim;
or
(ii) if
the claim is wholly or partially denied, advise the claimant of such denial by
furnishing to him a written notice of such denial setting forth (A) the
specific reason or reasons for the denial; (B) specific reference to
pertinent provisions of the Plan on which the denial is based and, if the denial
is based in whole or in part on any rule of construction or interpretation
adopted by the Committee, a reference to such rule, a copy of which shall be
provided to the claimant; (C) a description of any additional material or
information necessary for the claimant to perfect the claim and an explanation
of the reasons why such material or information is necessary; and (D) a
reference to this Section 7.6 as the provision setting forth the claims
procedure under the Plan.
(b) The
claimant may request a review of any denial of his claim by written application
to the Committee within 60 days after receipt of the notice of denial of such
claim. Within 60 days (or, if special circumstances require an
extension of time for processing, 120 days, in which case notice of such special
circumstances should be provided within the initial 60-day period) after receipt
of written application for review, the Committee will provide the claimant with
its decision in writing, including, if the claimant’s claim is not approved,
specific reasons for the decision and specific references to the Plan provisions
on which the decision is based.
8.
|
PROVISIONS
APPLICABLE TO DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT
RIGHTS.
|
|
8.1
|
Grant of Dividend Equivalent
Rights.
|
Subject
to the other terms of the Plan, the Committee shall, in its discretion as
reflected by the terms of the Award Agreements, authorize the granting of
Dividend Equivalent Rights to employees, Directors and consultants of the
Company and its Subsidiaries based on the regular cash dividends declared on
Common Stock, to be credited as of the dividend payment dates, during the period
between the date an Award is granted, and the date such Award is exercised,
vests or expires, as determined by the Committee. Such Dividend
Equivalent Rights shall be converted to cash or additional Shares by such
formula and at such time and subject to such limitation as may be determined by
the Committee. With respect to Dividend Equivalent Rights granted
with respect to Options intended to be qualified performance-based compensation
for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code, such Dividend Equivalent Rights
shall be payable regardless of whether such Option is exercised. If a
Dividend Equivalent Right is granted in respect of another Award hereunder,
then, unless otherwise stated in the Award Agreement, in no event shall the
Dividend Equivalent Right be in effect for a period beyond the time during which
the applicable portion of the underlying Award is in effect.
(a) The
term of a Dividend Equivalent Right shall be set by the Committee in its
discretion.
(b) Unless
otherwise determined by the Committee, except as contemplated by Section 8.4, a
Dividend Equivalent Right is exercisable or payable only while the Participant
is an employee, Director or consultant.
(c) Payment
of the amount determined in accordance with Section 8.1 shall be in cash,
in Common Stock or a combination of both, as determined by the
Committee.
(d) The
Committee may impose such employment-related conditions on the grant of a
Dividend Equivalent Right as it deems appropriate in its
discretion.
|
8.3
|
Other Types of Dividend
Equivalent Rights.
|
The
Committee may establish a program under which Dividend Equivalent Rights of a
type whether or not described in the foregoing provisions of this Section 8
may be granted to Participants. For example, and without limitation,
the Committee may grant a Dividend Equivalent Right in respect of each Share
subject to an Option or with respect to a Phantom Share, which right would
consist of the right (subject to Section 8.4) to receive a cash payment in
an amount equal to the dividend distributions paid on a Share from time to
time.
The
Committee may establish a program or programs (taking into account, without
limitation, the possible application of Section 409A of the Code, as the
Committee may deem appropriate) under which Participants (i) will have
Phantom Shares credited, subject to the terms of Sections 7.4 and 7.5 as
though directly applicable with respect thereto, upon the granting of Dividend
Equivalent Rights, or (ii) will have payments with respect to Dividend
Equivalent Rights deferred. In the case of the foregoing
clause (ii), such program may include, without limitation, provisions for
the crediting of earnings and losses on unpaid amounts, and, if permitted by the
Committee, provisions under which Participants may select from among
hypothetical investment alternatives for such deferred amounts in accordance
with procedures established by the Committee.
9.
|
OTHER
EQUITY-BASED AWARDS.
|
The
Committee shall have the right (i) to grant other Awards based upon the Common
Stock having such terms and conditions as the Committee may determine,
including, without limitation, the grant of Shares based upon certain
conditions, the grant of Partnership Units based upon certain conditions and the
grant of stock appreciation rights and (ii) to grant interests (which may be
expressed as units or otherwise) in Cogdell Spencer LP.
The
Committee, in its discretion, may, in the case of Awards (including, in
particular, Awards other than Options) intended to qualify for an exception from
the limitation imposed by Section 162(m) of the Code (“Performance-Based
Awards”), (i) establish one or more performance goals (“Performance Goals”) as a
precondition to the issuance or vesting of Awards, and (ii) provide, in
connection with the establishment of the Performance Goals, for predetermined
Awards to those Participants (who continue to meet all applicable eligibility
requirements) with respect to whom the applicable Performance Goals are
satisfied. The Performance Goals shall be based upon the criteria set
forth in Exhibit
A hereto which is hereby incorporated herein by reference as though set
forth in full. The Performance Goals shall be established in a timely
fashion such that they are considered pre-established for purposes of the rules
governing performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the
Code. Prior to the award or vesting, as applicable, of affected
Awards hereunder, the Committee shall have certified that any applicable
Performance Goals, and other material terms of the Award, have been
satisfied. Performance Goals which do not satisfy the foregoing
provisions of this Section 10 may be established by the Committee with respect
to Awards not intended to qualify for an exception from the limitations imposed
by Section 162(m) of the Code.
The
Company, or a properly designated paying agent, shall be entitled to withhold
from any payments or deemed payments any amount of tax withholding determined by
the Committee to be required by law. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, the Committee may, in its discretion, require the Participant
to pay to the Company at such time as the Committee determines the amount that
the Committee deems necessary to satisfy the Company’s obligation to withhold
federal, state or local income or other taxes incurred by reason of (i) the
exercise of any Option, (ii) the lapsing of any restrictions applicable to
any Restricted Stock, (iii) the receipt of a distribution in respect of
Phantom Shares or Dividend Equivalent Rights or (iv) any other applicable
income-recognition event (for example, an election under Section 83(b) of
the Code).
(a) Upon
exercise of an Option, the Optionee may, if approved by the Committee in its
discretion, make a written election to have Shares then issued withheld by the
Company from the Shares otherwise to be received, or to deliver previously owned
Shares, in order to satisfy the liability for such withholding
taxes. In the event that the Optionee makes, and the Committee
permits, such an election, the number of Shares so withheld or delivered shall
have an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise sufficient to
satisfy the applicable withholding taxes. Where the exercise of an
Option does not give rise to an obligation by the Company to withhold federal,
state or local income or other taxes on the date of exercise, but may give rise
to such an obligation in the future, the Committee may, in its discretion, make
such arrangements and impose such requirements as it deems necessary or
appropriate.
(b) Upon
lapsing of restrictions on Restricted Stock (or other income-recognition event),
the Grantee may, if approved by the Committee in its discretion, make a written
election to have Shares withheld by the Company from the Shares otherwise to be
released from restriction, or to deliver previously owned Shares (not subject to
restrictions hereunder), in order to satisfy the liability for such withholding
taxes. In the event that the Grantee makes, and the Committee
permits, such an election, the number of Shares so withheld or delivered shall
have an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise sufficient to
satisfy the applicable withholding taxes.
(c) Upon
the making of a distribution in respect of Phantom Shares or Dividend Equivalent
Rights, the Grantee may, if approved by the Committee in its discretion, make a
written election to have amounts (which may include Shares) withheld by the
Company from the distribution otherwise to be made, or to deliver previously
owned Shares (not subject to restrictions hereunder), in order to satisfy the
liability for such withholding taxes. In the event that the Grantee
makes, and the Committee permits, such an election, any Shares so withheld or
delivered shall have an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise
sufficient to satisfy the applicable withholding taxes.
|
11.3
|
Withholding
Required.
|
Notwithstanding
anything contained in the Plan or the Award Agreement to the contrary, the
Participant’s satisfaction of any tax-withholding requirements imposed by the
Committee shall be a condition precedent to the Company’s obligation as may
otherwise be provided hereunder to provide Shares to the Participant and to the
release of any restrictions as may otherwise be provided hereunder, as
applicable; and the applicable Option, Restricted Stock, Phantom Shares or
Dividend Equivalent Rights shall be forfeited upon the failure of the
Participant to satisfy such requirements with respect to, as applicable,
(i) the exercise of the Option, (ii) the lapsing of restrictions on
the Restricted Stock (or other income-recognition event) or
(iii) distributions in respect of any Phantom Share or Dividend Equivalent
Right.
12.
|
REGULATIONS
AND APPROVALS.
|
(a) The
obligation of the Company to sell Shares with respect to an Award granted under
the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations,
including all applicable federal and state securities laws, and the obtaining of
all such approvals by governmental agencies as may be deemed necessary or
appropriate by the Committee.
(b) The
Committee may make such changes to the Plan as may be necessary or appropriate
to comply with the rules and regulations of any government authority or to
obtain tax benefits applicable to an Award.
(c) Each
grant of Options, Restricted Stock, Phantom Shares (or issuance of Shares in
respect thereof) or Dividend Equivalent Rights (or issuance of Shares in respect
thereof), or other Award under Section 9 (or issuance of Shares in respect
thereof), is subject to the requirement that, if at any time the Committee
determines, in its discretion, that the listing, registration or qualification
of Shares issuable pursuant to the Plan is required by any securities exchange
or under any state or federal law, or the consent or approval of any
governmental regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in
connection with, the issuance of Options, Shares of Restricted Stock, Phantom
Shares, Dividend Equivalent Rights, other Awards or other Shares, no payment
shall be made, or Phantom Shares or Shares issued or grant of Restricted Stock
or other Award made, in whole or in part, unless listing, registration,
qualification, consent or approval has been effected or obtained free of any
conditions in a manner acceptable to the Committee.
(d) In
the event that the disposition of stock acquired pursuant to the Plan is not
covered by a then current registration statement under the Securities Act, and
is not otherwise exempt from such registration, such Shares shall be restricted
against transfer to the extent required under the Securities Act, and the
Committee may require any individual receiving Shares pursuant to the Plan, as a
condition precedent to receipt of such Shares, to represent to the Company in
writing that such Shares are acquired for investment only and not with a view to
distribution and that such Shares will be disposed of only if registered for
sale under the Securities Act or if there is an available exemption for such
disposition.
(e) Notwithstanding
any other provision of the Plan, the Company shall not be required to take or
permit any action under the Plan or any Award Agreement which, in the good-faith
determination of the Company, would result in a material risk of a violation by
the Company of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.
13.
|
INTERPRETATION
AND AMENDMENTS; OTHER RULES.
|
The
Committee may make such rules and regulations and establish such procedures for
the administration of the Plan as it deems appropriate. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee may (i) determine
the extent, if any, to which Options, Phantom Shares or Shares (whether or not
Shares of Restricted Stock), Dividend Equivalent Rights or other equity-based
Awards shall be forfeited (whether or not such forfeiture is expressly
contemplated hereunder); (ii) interpret the Plan and the Award Agreements
hereunder, with such interpretations to be conclusive and binding on all persons
and otherwise accorded the maximum deference permitted by law, provided that the
Committee’s interpretation shall not be entitled to deference on and after a
Change in Control except to the extent that such interpretations are made
exclusively by members of the Committee who are individuals who served as
Committee members before the Change in Control; and (iii) take any other
actions and make any other determinations or decisions that it deems necessary
or appropriate in connection with the Plan or the administration or
interpretation thereof. In the event of any dispute or disagreement
as to the interpretation of the Plan or of any rule, regulation or procedure, or
as to any question, right or obligation arising from or related to the Plan, the
decision of the Committee, except as provided in clause (ii) of the
foregoing sentence, shall be final and binding upon all
persons. Unless otherwise expressly provided hereunder, the
Committee, with respect to any grant, may exercise its discretion hereunder at
the time of the Award or thereafter. No action which is otherwise
permitted under or in connection with the Plan shall be prohibited hereunder
merely because it constitutes a repricing of an Award, and, in furtherance of
the foregoing, the Committee is expressly authorized and empowered, without
limitation, to effect repricings that are consistent with the terms of the
Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no repricing of an Award shall
be permitted. The Board may amend the Plan as it shall deem
advisable, except that no amendment may adversely affect a Participant with
respect to an Award previously granted unless such amendments are required in
order to comply with applicable laws; provided that the Board may not make any
amendment in the Plan that would, if such amendment were not approved by the
holders of the Common Stock, cause the Plan to fail to comply with any
requirement of applicable law or regulation, unless and until the approval of
the holders of such Common Stock is obtained.
14.
|
CHANGES
IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE.
|
(a) If
(i) the Company or its Subsidiaries shall at any time be involved in a
merger, consolidation, dissolution, liquidation, reorganization, exchange of
shares, sale of all or substantially all of the assets or stock of the Company
or its Subsidiaries or a transaction similar thereto, (ii) any stock
dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, stock combination, reclassification,
recapitalization or other similar change in the capital structure of the Company
or its Subsidiaries, or any distribution to holders of Common Stock other than
cash dividends, shall occur or (iii) any other event shall occur which in
the judgment of the Committee necessitates action by way of adjusting the terms
of the outstanding Awards, then:
(x) the
maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be made subject to Options and
Dividend Equivalent Rights under the Plan, the maximum aggregate number and kind
of Shares of Restricted Stock that may be granted under the Plan, and the
maximum aggregate number of Phantom Shares and other Awards which may be granted
under the Plan may be appropriately adjusted by the Committee in its discretion;
and
(y) the
Committee shall take any such action as in its discretion shall be necessary to
maintain each Participants’ rights hereunder (including under their Award
Agreements) with respect to Options, Phantom Shares and Dividend Equivalent
Rights (and, as appropriate, other Awards under the Plan), so that they are
substantially proportionate to the rights existing in such Options, Phantom
Shares and Dividend Equivalent Rights (and other Awards under the Plan) prior to
such event, including, without limitation, adjustments in (A) the number of
Options, Phantom Shares and Dividend Equivalent Rights (and other Awards under
the Plan) granted, (B) the number and kind of shares or other property to
be distributed in respect of Options, Phantom Shares and Dividend Equivalent
Rights (and other Awards under the Plan, as applicable), (C) the Option
Price and Phantom Share Value, and (D) performance-based criteria
established in connection with Awards; provided that, in the discretion of the
Committee, the foregoing clause (D) may also be applied in the case of any
event relating to a Subsidiary if the event would have been covered under this
Section 14(a) had the event related to the Company.
To the
extent that such action shall include an increase or decrease in the number of
Shares (or units of other property then available) subject to all outstanding
Awards, the number of Shares (or units) available under Section 4 shall be
increased or decreased, as the case may be, proportionately, as may be
determined by the Committee in its discretion.
(b) Any
Shares or other securities distributed to a Grantee with respect to Restricted
Stock or otherwise issued in substitution of Restricted Stock shall be subject
to the restrictions and requirements imposed by Section 6, including
depositing the certificates therefor with the Company together with a stock
power and bearing a legend as provided in Section 6.2(a).
(c) If
the Company shall be consolidated or merged with another corporation or other
entity, each Grantee who has received Restricted Stock that is then subject to
restrictions imposed by Section 6.3 may be required to deposit with the
successor corporation the certificates, if any, for the stock or securities or
the other property that the Grantee is entitled to receive by reason of
ownership of Restricted Stock in a manner consistent with Section 6.2(b),
and such stock, securities or other property shall become subject to the
restrictions and requirements imposed by Section 6.3, and the certificates
therefor or other evidence thereof shall bear a legend similar in form and
substance to the legend set forth in Section 6.2(a).
(d) If
a Change in Control shall occur, then the Committee, as constituted immediately
before the Change in Control, may make such adjustments as it, in its
discretion, determines are necessary or appropriate in light of the Change in
Control, provided that the Committee determines that such adjustments do not
have an adverse economic impact on the Participant as determined at the time of
the adjustments.
(e) The
judgment of the Committee with respect to any matter referred to in this
Section 14 shall be conclusive and binding upon each Participant without
the need for any amendment to the Plan.
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15.1
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No Rights to Employment or
Other Service.
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Nothing
in the Plan or in any grant made pursuant to the Plan shall confer on any
individual any right to continue in the employ or other service of the Company
or its Subsidiaries or interfere in any way with the right of the Company or its
Subsidiaries and its shareholders to terminate the individual’s employment or
other service at any time.
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15.2
|
No Fiduciary
Relationship.
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Nothing
contained in the Plan (including without limitation Sections 7.5(c) and
8.4, and no action taken pursuant to the provisions of the Plan, shall create or
shall be construed to create a trust or any kind, or a fiduciary relationship
between the Company or its Subsidiaries, or their officers or the Committee, on
the one hand, and the Participant, the Company, its Subsidiaries or any other
person or entity, on the other.
All
notices under the Plan shall be in writing, and if to the Company, shall be
delivered to the Committee or mailed to its principal office, addressed to the
attention of the Committee; and if to the Participant, shall be delivered
personally, sent by facsimile transmission or mailed to the Participant at the
address appearing in the records of the Company. Such addresses may
be changed at any time by written notice to the other party given in accordance
with this Section 15.3.
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15.4
|
Exculpation and
Indemnification.
|
The
Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the members of the Board and the
members of the Committee from and against any and all liabilities, costs and
expenses incurred by such persons as a result of any act or omission to act in
connection with the performance of such person’s duties, responsibilities and
obligations under the Plan, to the maximum extent permitted by law, other than
such liabilities, costs and expenses as may result from the gross negligence,
bad faith, willful misconduct or criminal acts of such persons.
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15.5
|
Compliance with Section 409A
of the Code.
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(a) Any
Award Agreement issued under the Plan that is subject to Section 409A of the
Code shall include such additional terms and conditions as may be required to
satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
(b) With
respect to any Award issued under the Plan that is subject to Section 409A of
the Code, and with respect to which a payment or distribution is to be made upon
a Termination of Service, if the Participant is determined by the Company to be
a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the
Code and any of the Company’s stock is publicly traded on an established
securities market or otherwise, such payment or distribution may not be made
before the date which is six months after the date of Termination of Service (to
the extent required under Section 409A of the Code).
(c) To
the extent compliance with Section 409A of the Code is intended, the Board and
the Committee shall administer the Plan, and exercise authority and discretion
under the Plan, consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code or
any exemption thereto.
(d) The
Company makes no representation or warranty and shall have no liability to any
Participant or any other person if any provisions of this Plan or any Award
Agreement issued pursuant hereto are determined to constitute deferred
compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code but do not satisfy an exemption
from, or the conditions of, such Section.
The use
of captions in this Plan is for convenience. The captions are not
intended to provide substantive rights.
THIS PLAN
SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
MARYLAND WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW.
Wherever
used herein, a pronoun in the masculine gender shall be considered as including
the feminine gender unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
EXHIBIT
A
PERFORMANCE
CRITERIA
Performance-Based
Awards intended to qualify as “performance-based” compensation under Section
162(m) of the Code, may be payable upon the attainment of objective performance
goals that are established by the Committee and relate to one or more
Performance Criteria, in each case on specified date or over any period, up to
10 years, as determined by the Committee. Performance Criteria may
(but need not) be based on the achievement of the specified levels of
performance under one or more of the measures set out below relative to the
performance of one or more other corporations or indices.
“Performance
Criteria” means the following business criteria (or any combination thereof)
with respect to one or more of the Company, any participating company or any
division or operating unit thereof:
(i) pre-tax
income,
(ii) after-tax
income,
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(iii)
|
net
income (meaning net income as reflected in the Company’s financial reports
for the applicable period, on an aggregate, diluted and/or per share
basis),
|
|
(viii)
|
return
on invested capital or assets,
|
|
(ix)
|
cash
and/or funds available for
distribution,
|
|
(x)
|
appreciation
in the fair market value of the Common
Stock,
|
|
(xi)
|
return
on investment,
|
|
(xii)
|
shareholder
return (meaning the per annum compounded rate of increase in the Fair
Market Value of an investment in Shares on the first day of the
Performance Period (assuming purchase of Shares at their Fair Market Value
on such day) through the last day of the Performance Period, plus all
dividends or distributions paid with respect to such Shares during the
Performance Period, and assuming reinvestment in Shares of all such
dividends and distributions, adjusted to give effect to Section 14 of the
Plan).
|
|
(xiii)
|
net
earnings growth,
|
|
(xiv)
|
stock
appreciation (meaning an increase in the price or value of the Common
Stock after the date of grant of an award and during the applicable
period),
|
|
(xv)
|
related
return ratios,
|
|
(xvi)
|
increase
in revenues,
|
|
(xviii)
|
changes
(or the absence of changes) in the per share or aggregate market price of
the Company’s Common Stock,
|
|
(xix)
|
number
of securities sold,
|
|
(xx)
|
earnings
before any one or more of the following items: interest, taxes,
depreciation or amortization for the applicable period, as reflected in
the Company’s financial reports for the applicable
period,
|
|
(xxi)
|
total
revenue growth (meaning the increase in total revenues after the date of
grant of an award and during the applicable period, as reflected in the
Company’s financial reports for the applicable
period),
|
|
(xxii)
|
the
Company’s published ranking against its peer group of real estate
investment trusts based on total shareholder
return,
|
|
(xxiii)
|
funds
from operations, and
|
|
(xxiv)
|
funds
from operations modified, which adds back to the traditional definition of
“funds from operations” a non-cash amortization of non-real estate related
intangible assets associated with purchase
accounting.
|
Performance
Goals may be absolute amounts or percentages of amounts, may be relative to the
performance of other companies or of indexes or may be based upon absolute
values or values determined on a per-share basis.
Except as
otherwise expressly provided, all financial terms are used as defined under
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) and all determinations shall
be made in accordance with GAAP, as applied by the Company in the preparation of
its periodic reports to shareholders.
To the
extent permitted by Section 162(m) of the Code, unless the Committee provides
otherwise at the time of establishing the Performance Goals, for each fiscal
year of the Company, there shall be objectively determinable adjustments, as
determined in accordance with GAAP, to any of the Performance Criteria described
above for one or more of the items of gain, loss, profit or expense: (A)
determined to be extraordinary or unusual in nature or infrequent in occurrence,
(B) related to the disposal of a segment of a business, (C) related to a
change in accounting principle under GAAP, (D) related to discontinued
operations that do not qualify as a segment of a business under GAAP, and
(E) attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by the
Company during the fiscal year.