H2DIESEL, INC. Stock Option Agreement
Exhibit
10.10
H2DIESEL,
INC.
1. Grant
of Option.
In
accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of this Stock Option
Agreement (the “Agreement”),
H2Diesel, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”
which
term shall include any entity which acquires, through merger, share exchange,
purchase of assets or otherwise, substantially all of the capital stock or
assets of the Corporation), grants to the person identified on Schedule
1
attached
hereto (the “Optionee”)
a
nonqualified stock option (the “Option”)
to
purchase the number of shares (the “Option
Shares”)
of its
Common Stock, par value $.0001 per share (“Common
Stock”),
set
forth on Schedule
1,
at the
initial option exercise price set forth in Schedule
1
(such
price, as it may be adjusted hereunder from time to time, the “Exercise
Price”).
2. Acceptance
by Optionee.
The
exercise of the Option or any portion thereof is conditioned upon acceptance
by
the Optionee of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, as evidenced by
the
Optionee’s execution of Schedule
1
to this
Agreement and the delivery of an executed copy of this Agreement to the
Corporation.
3. Vesting
of Option.
The
Option shall vest and be exercisable as set forth in Schedule
1.
4. Expiration
of Option.
The
Option shall expire on the expiration date set forth in Schedule 1
(the
“Expiration
Date”)
unless
earlier terminated as set forth in Section
6
below,
and may not be exercised after such date.
5. Conditions
to Exercise of Option.
Except
as otherwise set forth in Section
6,
the
Optionee may exercise the Option or any portion thereof at any time or from
time
to time during the period commencing on the Grant Date set forth on Schedule
1
and
ending on the Expiration Date (the “Option
Term”).
The
Option may be exercised only by the Optionee or, in the event of his death
or
incompetence, his personal representative or heirs, as the case may
be.
6. Termination
of Employment or Service as a Director.
Upon
termination of the Optionee’s employment by or service as a director of the
Corporation or any of its subsidiaries for Cause (as defined below), the Option
may be exercised in whole or in part at any time or from time to time until
and
including the 30th day after such termination. If such employment or service
as
a director is terminated for any other reason, then the Option may be exercised
in whole or in part at any time and from time to time during the remaining
portion of the Option Term. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, in no event may the Option be exercised following the Expiration
Date.
For purposes of this Section
6,
the
term “Cause”
shall
mean (1)
an
action or omission of the Optionee which constitutes a willful and material
breach of, or a willful and material refusal (other than by reason of his
disability or incapacity) to perform his duties which is not cured within
fifteen (15) days after receipt by the Optionee of written notice of same,
(2)
fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation of funds or breach of trust in connection
with his services to the Corporation, (3) conviction of a felony crime, or
(4)
gross negligence in connection with the performance of the Optionee’s duties
which is not cured within fifteen (15) days after receipt by the Optionee of
written notice of same.
7. Procedure
for Exercise.
(a) The
Option may be exercised for the number of Option Shares specified in a written
notice delivered to the Corporation at least five days prior to the date on
which purchase is requested (such notice, an “Exercise
Notice”),
accompanied by full payment in cash of the aggregate Exercise Price in respect
of such Option Shares. If specified in the Exercise Notice, payment of such
Exercise Price may also be made by means of the Corporation retaining from
the
Option Shares to be delivered upon exercise of the Option, or portion thereof,
that number of Option Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value (as defined
below) on the date that the Exercise Notice is delivered to the Corporation
(the
date that the Exercise Notice is delivered to the Corporation being referred
to
as the “Valuation
Date”;
provided,
however,
that if
such date is not a day on which securities markets are open for trading, then
the Valuation Date shall be the first succeeding date that such markets are
open) equal to the aggregate Exercise Price of the total number of Option Shares
with respect to which the Optionee shall then be exercising the Option. If
upon
exercise of all or a portion of the Option there shall be payable by the
Corporation or a subsidiary any amount for withholding taxes, then, at the
Corporation’s election and as a condition to such exercise, either (i) the
Corporation shall reduce the number of Option Shares to be issued to the
Optionee by a number of Option Shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Fair
Market Value on the Valuation Date equal to the amount of such withholding
tax
or (ii) the Optionee shall pay such amount to the Corporation or its subsidiary,
as applicable.
(b)
If
any applicable law requires the Corporation to take any action with respect
to
the Option Shares specified in the Exercise Notice, or if any action remains
to
be taken under the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Corporation,
as
in effect at the time, to effect due issuance of Option Shares, then the
Corporation shall take such action and the day for delivery of such Option
Shares shall be extended for the period necessary to take such action. The
Optionee shall not have any of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation
under the Option.
(c)
As
used herein, the phrase “Fair Market Value” shall mean (i) if the Common
Stock is listed or admitted for trading on a national securities exchange,
an
automated quotation system or the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board, the last
reported sale price per share of the Common Stock on the Valuation Date, or,
in
case no such reported sale takes place on such day or is reported, then the
average of the last reported per share bid and ask prices for shares of the
Common Stock on such date (or if such bid and ask prices are not available
on
such date, the most recent preceding date), in either case as officially
reported by such securities exchange, quotation system or Bulletin Board on
which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading, (ii) if not so
listed or admitted for trading, the fair market value of a share of the Common
Stock as determined by the Corporation’s board of directors in good faith, or
(iii) if such exercise is in connection with a merger or consolidation of the
Corporation in which the Corporation is not the survivor or in which the Common
Stock is exchanged for cash or other securities or a sale of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Corporation (collectively, a
“Sale”),
the
implied price per share of the Common Stock resulting from such
Sale.
8. Adjustment
of Exercise Price and Option Shares. (a)
If,
at any time prior to the Expiration Date, the number of outstanding
shares
of Common Stock is (i) increased by a stock dividend payable in shares of Common
Stock or by a subdivision or split-up of shares of Common Stock, or (ii)
decreased by a combination of shares of Common Stock, then, following the record
date fixed for the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive
the
benefits
of such stock dividend, subdivision, split-up, or combination, the Exercise
Price shall be adjusted to a new amount equal to the product of (A) the Exercise
Price in effect on such record date, and (B) the quotient obtained by dividing
(x) the number of Option Shares for which the Option was exercisable on such
record date without giving effect to the event referred to in the foregoing
clause (i) or (ii) (such number of Option Shares, the “Record Date Option
Shares”), by (y) the aggregate number of shares to which the Record Date Option
Shares would have been increased or decreased immediately after and as a result
of the event referred to in the foregoing clause (i) or (ii) had the Record
Date
Option Shares been issued immediately prior to such record date.
(b) Upon
each
adjustment of the Exercise Price as provided in Section
8(a),
the
Optionee shall thereafter be entitled to subscribe for and purchase, at the
Exercise Price
resulting from such adjustment, the number of Option Shares equal to the product
of (i) the number of Record Date Option Shares and (ii) the quotient obtained
by
dividing (A) the Exercise Price existing prior to such adjustment by (B) the
new
Exercise Price resulting from such adjustment.
9. Reclassification,
Etc. In
case
of any reclassification or change of the outstanding Common Stock of the
Corporation (other than as a result of a subdivision, combination or stock
dividend), or in case of any consolidation of the Corporation with, or merger
of
the Corporation into, another corporation or other business organization (other
than a consolidation or merger in which the Corporation is the continuing
corporation and which does not result in any reclassification or change of
the
outstanding Common Stock of the Corporation) at any time prior to the Expiration
Date, then, as a condition of such reclassification, reorganization, change,
consolidation or merger, lawful provision shall be made, and duly executed
documents evidencing the same from the Corporation or its successor shall be
delivered to the Optionee, so that the Optionee shall have the right prior
to
the Expiration Date to purchase, at a total price not to exceed that payable
upon the exercise of this Option as to the number of Option Shares is then
exercisable, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and
property receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, change,
consolidation or merger by a holder of the number of Option Shares which might
have been purchased by the Optionee immediately prior to such reclassification,
reorganization, change, consolidation or merger, and in any such case
appropriate provisions shall be made with respect to the rights and interest
of
the Optionee to the end that the provisions hereof (including provisions for
the
adjustment of the Exercise Price and of the number of shares purchasable upon
exercise of the Option) shall thereafter be applicable in relation to any shares
of stock and other securities and property thereafter deliverable upon exercise
of the Option.
10. Non-Transferability
of Stock Options.
The
Option granted hereunder to the Optionee shall not be transferable by the
Optionee otherwise than by will, or by the laws of descent and
distribution.
11. No
Right to Employment.
Nothing
contained in this Agreement, nor any action taken by the Board, shall confer
upon the Optionee any right with respect to continuation of employment by the
Corporation or a Subsidiary as an employee nor interfere in any way with the
right of the Corporation or a Subsidiary to terminate the Optionee’s employment
as an employee at any time with or without Cause.
12. Compliance
With Applicable Law.
The
issuance of the Option Shares pursuant to the exercise of the Option is subject
to compliance with all applicable laws, including without limitation laws
governing withholding from employees and nonresident aliens for income tax
purposes.
13. Investment
Representations; Restrictions on Option Shares.
Unless
a
current registration statement under the Securities Act shall be in effect
with
respect to the Option Shares to be issued upon exercise of the Option, the
Optionee, by accepting the Option, covenants and agrees that, at the time of
exercise the Option, the Optionee will deliver to the Corporation such written
representations that the Company may deem necessary or appropriate to ensure
that the Option Shares are not required to be registered under the Securities
Act or applicable state securities laws. The Optionee agrees that certificates
representing Option Shares may bear a legend substantially as
follows:
THE
SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER
THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR TRANSFERRED UNTIL
THE
HOLDER HEREOF PROVIDES EVIDENCE SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER (WHICH, IN THE
DISCRETION OF THE ISSUER, MAY INCLUDE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL SATISFACTORY
TO THE
ISSUER) THAT SUCH OFFER, SALE, PLEDGE, TRANSFER OR OTHER DISPOSITION WILL
NOT
VIOLATE APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE LAWS.
14. Notices
Generally. Any
notice, request, consent, other communication or delivery pursuant to the
provisions hereof shall be in writing and shall be sent by one of the following
means: (i) by registered or certified first class mail, postage prepaid, return
receipt requested; (ii) by facsimile transmission with confirmation of receipt;
(iii) by overnight courier service; or (iv) by personal delivery, and shall
be
properly addressed to the Optionee at the last known address or facsimile number
appearing on the books of the Corporation, or, except as herein otherwise
expressly provided, to the Corporation at its principal executive office
Attention: Chief Executive Officer, or such other address or facsimile number
as
shall have been furnished to the party giving or making such notice, demand
or
delivery.
15. Miscellaneous.
(a) This
Agreement has been duly authorized on behalf of the Corporation by the Board.
The Optionee represents that he is free to enter into this Agreement and that
his entering into this Agreement does not violate any obligation that he has
to
any other person or legal entity.
(b) In
the
event that any provision of this Agreement would be held to be invalid or
unenforceable for any reason unless narrowed by construction, this Agreement
shall be construed as if such invalid or unenforceable provision had been more
narrowly drawn so as not to be
invalid
or unenforceable. If, notwithstanding the foregoing, any provision of this
Agreement shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, such
invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision and shall
not
affect or render invalid or unenforceable any other provision of this
Agreement.
(c)
This
Agreement sets forth the entire understanding of the Corporation and the
Optionee with respect to the subject matter hereof and cannot be amended or
modified except by a writing signed by both parties.
(d) Except
as
otherwise expressly provided herein, this Agreement shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective permitted
successors and assigns, heirs and personal representatives.
(d) This
Agreement shall be interpreted, construed and administered in accordance with
the laws of the State of Florida without regard to its choice of law provisions
that would cause the laws of another jurisdiction to apply.
(e) This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts which, taken together, shall
constitute a single original document.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
the
Corporation has caused this Agreement to be executed as of the Date of Grant
set
forth in Schedule 1.
H2DIESEL,
INC.
By:
/s/
Xxx X. Xxxxx
Name: Xxx
X.
Xxxxx
Title:
Chairman of the Board
Schedule
1
|
1.
Name of Optionee:
|
Xxx
X. Xxxxx
|
|
2.
Number of Option Shares:
|
1,500,000
shares of Common Stock
|
|
3.
Option Exercise Price Per Share:
|
$1.50
|
|
4.
Date of Grant:
|
September
15, 2006
|
|
5.
Expiration Date:
|
September
15, 2016
|
|
6.
Vesting Schedule:
|
Immediate
as to all Option Shares
|
Accepted
and agreed to as of the date first above written:
/s/
Xxx X. Xxxxx
Xxx
X.
Xxxxx
